Why have one?

People do adventurous things, and often in the middle of nowhere - tramping, fishing, mountaineering, four-wheel driving, kayaking, gliding, hunting, flying small aircraft ... the list goes on.

But the isolation means there's no one around to help if things go wrong. News items and TV shows regularly show us rescue volunteers searching in vain for missing adventurers - 55 people died in search and rescue incidents last year. These stories remind us that accidents can happen at any time to anyone - but we often don't believe it will happen to us.

English tramper Michael Johnson didn't think it would happen to him. In 2004 he fell and injured himself during a solo tramp in Mt Aspiring National Park. While he survived the fall, he wasn't able to walk or call for help. Had Johnson taken an emergency beacon, as he was advised to do, he could have been found within hours. Instead, his body was found a month later.

Hiring a beacon

Having your own beacon makes sense if you are in the outdoors a lot and are likely to take it with you regularly. But a personal locator beacon can cost up to $800 (see the Checklist for more information about prices), so renting one is a good option for the occasional trip.

Many tramping clubs and other outdoor pursuits organisations have beacons for hire at around $10 to $25 per day.

Staying safe in the outdoors

Carrying an emergency beacon is just one part of keeping yourself safe in the outdoors. Other things you should do include:

• Plan your trip thoroughly.
• Take warm clothing and wet weather gear even if it's fine when you set out.
• Check all of your gear before leaving.
• Check weather forecasts and warnings before you leave.
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Educate yourself in first aid, navigation, and survival skills as much as possible.
• Carry a first aid kit and some basic means of providing shelter and a fire.