Nite vision; good Xmas present?

My vote: Good idea; good gift.
Seems fitting for someone who enjoys the outdoors and having night vision to observe wildlife in a nature setting, wonderful.

 

For an outdoorsy person; if they don't already have one of those SOS satellite tracking units. My cell phone doesn't work in canyons and river fishing in the mountains. Always nice to have a backup; rather than hike up a ridge to hopefully get a signal.

 

Seems iPhone 14 and up, and Pixel 9 and up, can do satellite SOS out of the box.

Maybe the Pixel doesn't quite do it yet, but will as soon as a forthcoming update drops.

Apple's announcement said it would be free for the first two years after buying an iPhone 14 or up. There are user discussions about who expects it to have a cost after that. Some point out that Apple's "free for two years" certainly leaves that possibility open, and others point out that, so far, Apple hasn't said anything about a cost. Apparently at some point they added another free year.

I haven't seen any mention of an associated cost for the Pixel. Which doesn't mean there can't be one....

 

Budget?
THIS will inform the advice

@ night vision:
Treat it like your borescope, only 10x the cost.
$500 tech that usta cost $5000 and is desperately in search of a use case for most people.
MY experience with NODs is that they wreck your night vision and unless you have an accompanying rifle, they are neat.....for about 30 seconds, and then you realize that you wrecked your night vision for....not much.
HOWEVER (comma!!!) I retired from my last unit in 2012.

@ Satellite phones/beacons/etc.
Like cell phones, you can ALWAYS use them in SOS mode!
- just sayin.
Due diligence here is also warranted.....but if I were in the back of beyond with a broken leg I'd rather have an SOS Garmin than a set of NODs.
PLUS - once your baby girl has the device in hand (with perhaps an introductory sub) then she might be able to avail herself of a temp sub for one of those infrequent trips to the 'back of beyond.'

@ IOS 14 Sat SOS.
If your daughter is trapped in the 1980's GM 'planned obsolescence' world that is IOS then she might have a 14 or new i-thing.
I have mixed reviews for those but have never tried one out in the wilderness since I have a '13.


ALTERNATIVE:
Starlink mini.
They're having 'a moment' in 2024 - or I SHOULD SAY they're having moments - PLURAL.
If you know WHY, you know WHY.

MY.
$0.02

 

That's the exact situation that I fear, in the back country. I'd run into bears at least one a year, sometimes I see them other time I can just hear them thrashing about. I just make sure they know where I am and we avoid each other. If you do some homework, some will allow you to pause & reactivate subscriptions when needed. Monthly, quarterly, biannually, and of course annual subscriptions are the cheapest.
As for mini Starlink, It's great for car camping - but how will it survive a spill down the side of a canyon. Had a friend bring one car camping - Great invisible leash. Kids never strayed more than 33 feet from the car. LoL - I'm exaggerating a bit; but it was a distraction to the REAL camping experience. Great baby sitter though, didn't have to worry about them wondering off and getting themselves into trouble. Today's latchkey kids....

Just my 2-cents...

 

i would get her a good bottle of whiskey, just to test her sense of humour

 

I have an iPhone 14 and the satellite sos is still free

 

For 400 bones I would look into a Garmin inReach Mini 2, and a bottle of Woodford Double Oak or Old Forester 1910 if you look on the internet and live west of the Rockies.

Both bases covered for less than $400.
IF your baby girl is REALLY into the outdoors instead of a poser.

If you want to take a deeper dive into REAL bourbon?
Maybe a Buffalo Trace, or a Maker's Mark.
Maybe a Four Roses if you want to tick the 'controversary box'
MY personal best "sleeper bourbon??" Evan Williams. BUT stick with one of the otha options for a 'presentation bottle.'

EW spends bucks on what's INSIDE the bottle.

My call for 'presentation' bottle?
Maker's
Can't beat hand dipped wax seals.