How the heck do you communicate, effectively, from the wild? If you’re looking to solve this mystifying problem, there are a variety of solutions, personal locator beacons and satellite messengers among them. We called around and read up on the most innovative options before buying the best and testing them for months. We’ve enlisted the help of Search and Rescue experts, wilderness gurus, and professional backcountry risk managers. Test procedures run the gamut, but mainly include extensive technological research and extensive use (as directed) in the field. Your choice in this category could have real consequences. That’s why we’d steer you to our Editors’ Choice, which does everything you want and need (for a hefty weight and dollar cost). More than with many other categories of equipment we review, we encourage you to read and shop carefully.