InReach SE
Used to be that if you wanted to stay in touch outside of cell phone range, a gigantic satellite phone was your only option. The InReach SE ($300) promises to provide off-the-grid communications without the need for a bulky phone. The SE itself is waterproof, dustproof, and impact-resistant, with a color screen, GPS, and a battery that lasts for up to 100 hours. It can send and receive texts (sorry, no voice communication), trigger an SOS signal that goes to the company's 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center, and track your GPS coordinates and share them via Facebook and Twitter. It also pairs with your smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth, giving you even more features while letting you take advantage of the larger screen — but just remember that while the InReach is fairly rugged, your smartphone probably isn't. [Scouted by Scott]
