Since REI has a long estimated shipping date and I was by few camping stores I decided to spend some extra money and grab it from them therfore supporting local economy and blowing my tax return. First store had a display model to play with but no stock. Second store... Well that deserves a write up:

Me: Hi you guys have the ACR Mircofix in stock?
Guy: What's that?
Me: You know the Personal Locator type of the thing.
Guy: Like GPS?
Me: Sort of.
Guy: Hold on. Raul!!!!!!
(Story gets repeated 3 times until a mole comes out of the basement office)
Mole:I'm an expert of special orders and know it all. Can I help you?
Me: Yes looking for ACR Microfix.
Mole: Not in stock. We ordered them from the company and they never came. Obviously they have problems with them.
Me: Really which model?
Mole: They have a high-end one and low-end one. Both are crap.
Me: Really how so?
Mole: We had it in the store and tried it few times and it wasnt that accurate.
Me. Really you activated emergency mode in the store?
Mole: Yeah and it didn't work.
Me: I thought you couldn't do test emergency transmitions since there is a test button for battery only but not emergency "check-in" test.
Mole: Oh no it's all good but it didn't work. Company is having problems and they don't ship the units out so it's not safe.
Me: Well I read articles about it and it seems pretty good.
Mole: Have you used it?
Me: No but...
Mole: Well it doesn't work plus batteries die fast.

(so this goes on and on for about 5 min when guy tells me that it doesn't work and software is bad (windows based) and batteries are bad and it is not good for scuba diving and that it is heavy and so on)

Me: Wow I didn't know that so I guess the bottom line is can you order one for me and how much is it?
Mole: Expensive man and takes a long time. But what you want is a good gps and a sat phone.
Me: It's more expensive than good gps and a sat phone?
Mole: Yup.
Me: Wow I didn't know that I thought they were in $600 range.
Mole: No they are thousands of dollars that's why we dont stock them but they don't work I told you.
Me: Well thank you sir it's been the most educational experience ever I cant wait to tell my friends about it.
Mole: Ok need anything else?
Me: All good just making sure we are talking about ACR Microfix PLB, right?
Mole: Yup the same one...

WOW!