Flapper wrote:
Your desires are mutually exclusive. A phone (or watch) needs to be within cell service. So there is the device cost, and the monthly service cost.
"Trails" can mean poor or no cell service. So that means a full GPS that can see many satellites as well as have off-road maps loaded. Likely a Garmin self contained unit, that runs about $300. I can't speak to the ability to "route to home" using trails (vs streets and bike paths), that will require some more research. But my guess is that even the best only show long established well-known trails, and not recent smaller ones that spring up. Which at best may still have him in a situation of "go south" - but which way to avoid that big hill, canyon, or other...
cell phone does NOT repeat NOT need ANY cell service for the GPS to function. Before you leave, turn on the phone in cell range, turn on the gps to get a fix and the map of the area will download, then your good to go. Now for emergency, agree no cell service= no phone call. Even better use Avenza maps for the area.
And most of the time we use cell phone for Avenza maps we are in heavy tree cover and/or canyons and it's been very very very rare that the GPS on the cell phone doesn't give us a good location from the phone GPS.
If you are going to use a cell phone and GPS, I'd suggest also getting Avenza map application. Many Avenza maps have more detail on trails than a GPS does. And again, Avenza maps do NOT need any cell service to give your location, that comes from the GPS in the cell phone which does NOT even need cell service.
When we are out motorcycle riding on FS land in addition to a Garmin inreach for sat communicationa and SOS, and our garmin montana GPS units we also have Avenza maps douwnloaded on our cell phones. At BEST the gps map has the same level of detail for trails as the Avenza does. But in around 90% of the time the Avenza map has more trails and trail detail than the GPS.
One option is a garmin mini inreach sat communicator for text communication and SOS along with a phone with Avenza maps. In that case don't even need a phone plan for the phone, just use it for the Avenza maps. With the mini he can have 2 way communication with you at all times, for about $50/year have search and rescue covered if he gets injured and not need to worry about being out of cell range.
Or a Garmin GPS map 66 with inreach, gives you GPS, text communication and again SOS.
