If you can't call for help, no-one can rescue you. Experienced climber John and many others understand that well.
When the 57-year-old found himself stuck up a mountain earlier this year, his most important piece of equipment became his personal locator beacon (PLB).
Five minutes after activation, his rescue was under way.
It's the same on the water. If you find yourself in trouble, it's the lifejacket that will keep you alive, but it's the emergency distress beacon that will initiate your rescue.
John and others are sharing their survival stories in the Christmas edition of Consumer magazine.
It was also commissioned by Maritime NZ and the NZ Search and Rescue Council to conduct rigorous and independent reviews of beacons and lifejackets. Those reviews are now available online.
