The New Spot Gen3
Not too "water friendly"
Not too "water friendly"
Introduction
I was excited to hear that Spot released a new updated version of their famous Satellite GPS Messenger series. Dubbed the Gen3, the new device has some great features but also a fatal flaw. Here's my review.
Putting hands on the new Spot Gen3 was difficult. I already researched all the information about the device online and discovered the Gen3 touted improved performance, a motion activation feature, better battery life, more settings for the track function, and the ability to power the unit from an outside power source.
Inspection
After calling around, I discovered my local BassPro Shop had one of new units in stock. So, I drove down to check it out.
I was immediately disappointed.
Why? Because the new Spot Gen3 now has an external USB port connector on the back of the unit. It was added to allow the unit to be powered by a cable from an external power source and a way to accommodate firmware updates.
The flaw in this design is that the external USB connector port is covered by a flimsy rubber cap that can pop off while handling allowing a potential source for water leaks into the unit. That's a bad thing.
The rubber cover on the unit I inspected kept coming off. It simply wasn't a good fit. You should note the Gen3 Users Guide clearly states the Spot is NOT waterproof when using line power. Yikes!
I'm not sure why the designers decided on this poor design feature. The last thing I want to risk in the field is my Spot GPS Messenger failing due to a water leak.
You should consider this if you plan on using the Spot Gen3 near water or wet environments. Especially saltwater which is extremely corrosive on electrical connectors.
I suspect the only folks who will get any value out of the Spot Gen3 are pilots. Risking a water leak through the external USB port makes this a deal breaker for outdoor enthusiasts or kayakers.
Past Spot Problems
The previous Spot model had its own share of problems. The company issued a recall notice after discovering some units didn't meet their battery performance and messaging standards.
Now the poor design of the Spot Gen3. Hmmm.....
Conclusion
I would not recommend the Spot Gen3 because of the potential for water leaking into the unit from the rubber cover on the external USB connector.
Inspection
After calling around, I discovered my local BassPro Shop had one of new units in stock. So, I drove down to check it out.
I was immediately disappointed.
Why? Because the new Spot Gen3 now has an external USB port connector on the back of the unit. It was added to allow the unit to be powered by a cable from an external power source and a way to accommodate firmware updates.
The flaw in this design is that the external USB connector port is covered by a flimsy rubber cap that can pop off while handling allowing a potential source for water leaks into the unit. That's a bad thing.
The rubber cover on the unit I inspected kept coming off. It simply wasn't a good fit. You should note the Gen3 Users Guide clearly states the Spot is NOT waterproof when using line power. Yikes!
I'm not sure why the designers decided on this poor design feature. The last thing I want to risk in the field is my Spot GPS Messenger failing due to a water leak.
You should consider this if you plan on using the Spot Gen3 near water or wet environments. Especially saltwater which is extremely corrosive on electrical connectors.
I suspect the only folks who will get any value out of the Spot Gen3 are pilots. Risking a water leak through the external USB port makes this a deal breaker for outdoor enthusiasts or kayakers.
Past Spot Problems
The previous Spot model had its own share of problems. The company issued a recall notice after discovering some units didn't meet their battery performance and messaging standards.
Now the poor design of the Spot Gen3. Hmmm.....
Conclusion
I would not recommend the Spot Gen3 because of the potential for water leaking into the unit from the rubber cover on the external USB connector.
