High Value Asset Tracking with the SPOT Trace

Owning a boat, ATV or RV can be fun. Recreational items are a great way to unwind and spend time with family and friends. Downsides to these items are the frequency of use and storage. Oh yeah, and cost. Unlike your daily driver that fits in the garage, recreational items often need to be stored off-site. And doing so means less oversight by the owner. Theft of recreational items and tool trailers often occur while being stored on a job site or in a storage lot. An easy way to keep tabs on your asset is the SPOT Trace.

SPOT Trace Video Review:

Using satellite technology, the SPOT Trace allows you to track an asset virtually anywhere in the world. You will be notified in the event of detected movement or if the unit is powered off. If the asset is physically moving, like someone is driving off with your boat, SPOT Trace will track the location of the asset at one of several user-defined intervals. View your asset’s GPS coordinates on the SPOT shared page or the SPOT App. Additionally, a notification is sent sent when a low battery is detected as well as daily updates when your asset is safe and secure.

SPOT Trace would have saved Tom

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine had his snowmobile trailer along with three sleds stolen from a secured storage lot. The same lot he had stored his RV for years. A padlocked chain link fence was all that surrounded the lot. Unattended at night, the perps cut the lock to the gate and drove off with his trailer. He was only aware of the theft when the police notified him that they had recovered his property. He never even knew it was stolen. His new trailer was forcefully opened and all three sleds were damaged or dismantled for parts. A SPOT Trace located in the trailer would have immediately notified him and drastically changed the outcome.

A recent road trip to North Carolina found my wife and I staying at several different overnight accommodations. With our Toyota Tundra fully loaded and kitted out for Overland travel, the value of the asset was a bit elevated to say the least. Busy hotel parking lots make me nervous because they’re an easy target for the seasoned auto thief. However, placing the SPOT Trace on the truck offered us peace of mind that it was at least traceable. In the event someone stole the vehicle, I would immediately be notified and the authorities would be able to follow the breadcrumbs left by the Trace. For only $99 (On Sale $50) plus a small service plan fee, the SPOT Trace is an inexpensive solution to an expensive problem.

Below are a pair of screen grabs from the SPOT App for iPhone. I recently test tracked an asset of mine as it drove from our home to Rogers City, MI 80 miles away. With the SPOT Trace set to update at a 5 minute interval, you can clearly see the path taken as well as the destination. Additionally, each tracking update can be pressed for more information including date, time and LAT/LONG.

SPOT Trace Specs courtesy of findmespot.com:

• Height: 2.69 in (6.83 cm)
• Width: 2.02in (5.13 cm)
• Thickness: .95 in (2.14 cm)
• Lightweight: 3.1 oz (87.9 g)
• Operating Temp: -22 F to 140 F (-30 C to 60 C)
• Operating Altitude: -328 ft to 21,320 ft (-100 m to 6,500 m)
• Humidity Rated: MIL-STD-810F, Method 507.3, 95% to 100% cond.
• Impact, Dust and Water Resistant: IP67 (Submersible up to 1m for 30 minutes)
• Vibration Rated: per SAE J1455

SPOT Trace is perfect for cars, boats, tool trailers, motorcycles, toys and even snowmobile trailers. Read my review of the SPOT X Messenger and Gen3 here.