ACR Electronics Acquires Bivy Stick, Brings Competition to Satellite Device Market
There are some big changes coming for Bivy, and for the satellite device market as a whole.
ACR Electronics recently acquired Utah-based Bivy Stick, a satellite communicator brand. “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Bivy by ACR Electronics, a leader in designing safety and survival products that provide life-saving solutions for outdoor enthusiasts across the globe,” announced Bivy Stick in March.
Bivy first launched three years ago, founded by Vance Cook. “We’re seeing an unprecedented spike in outdoor users across an array of segments,” said Cook. “And we’re excited to bring our technology to ACR Electronics’ users to help them venture further.”
Both companies hope that the acquisition will “open even more opportunities” for Bivy customers and ACR customers as well.
The New ACR Bivy
The newest, and first ACR Bivy, is available now. It retails for $350 online, and you can find it at Bivy, ACR, and Amazon.com. Already have an old Bivy? You can trade yours in!
The Bivy stick is a subscription-based Iridium satellite two-way communicator. With it, you can send SMS messages, track and share location information, access GPS maps, view weather forecasts and, of course, activate an SOS.
The Bivy uses Bluetooth, connects even in airplane mode, and works in conjunction with the Bivy stick app. There are no small screens or buttons — you can access everything from your smartphone.
The features of the ACR Bivy are similar to the updated version 2.0 we tested a year ago, with a few updates and a new look.
What the Acquisition Does
Founded in 1956, ACR Electronics has been a long time player in the personal beacon and transponder space. It currently manufactures SOS products for an array of users, like the ResQ Flare for boaters and the SkyTrac for pilots. ACR also makes transponders for the aviation and search and rescue industries.
Its best-known consumer-facing product is probably the ResQLink PLB (a personal locator beacon), which has been used by outdoor enthusiasts for decades.
But the Bivy stick further diversifies ACR’s offerings for those in the outdoors: backpackers, skiers, hikers, and more.
Most noteworthy, we see the ACR-powered Bivy providing some healthy competition against other satellite device brands, like SPOT and Garmin.
Because it’s a private corporation, financials on the acquisition have not been released.
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