25 Credits
25 weather requests
$4.99 CAD · one-timeBackcountry weather by text.
OFF THE GRID. NOT OUT OF TOUCH.
STAY CONNECTED. KNOW WHAT’S AHEAD. PLAN YOUR NEXT MOVE.
Weather by satellite text when the cell towers can’t reach you — where supported.
Your phone. Your Messages. A fresh forecast.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests. No card required.
Messages opens. Send the prepared text to get started.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests.
No card required.
Scan to open Messages on your phone. Send the prepared text.
Open Messages on this deviceWhat is BackcountryBuddy?
No service doesn’t have to mean flying blind.
Text BackcountryBuddy where you are and what you need to know. A clear forecast comes straight back in Messages — the same app already in your pocket.
No new app. No extra device.
Off-grid? Your phone, plan and region need to support ordinary satellite messaging. Check before you go.
- 1Send your location.
- 2Ask what you need.
- 3Get the weather.
That’s the whole system.
Cell service ends. On supported phones and plans, ordinary messages can still travel by satellite. BCB lives in that message thread.
See BackcountryBuddy in action
What do you need to know?
Tap a text. See the kind of answer you get.
BackcountryBuddyRepresentative examples, not live weather. Based on actual BackcountryBuddy response formats.
Born in Algonquin
Then the wind picked up.
Read the story
The water had been calm earlier. On the way back, the wind was rising and waves were building.
What I wanted to know was simple: Was the wind getting stronger, or was it about to ease?
I had a phone in my pocket. The forecast existed. I just couldn't get to it.
That became BackcountryBuddy.
Will it work for me?
Check your phone before you go.
BCB works anywhere ordinary text messaging works. Heading off-grid? Your phone and plan need to support ordinary satellite messaging.
Check your phone’s satellite support
With cellular service
If your phone can send and receive regular SMS, BCB works through that message thread.
Heading off-grid
Your phone, plan and region need to support ordinary SMS over satellite. Emergency SOS alone isn’t enough. BCB uses the connection your phone provides; it doesn’t provide satellite connectivity. Availability and delivery aren’t guaranteed. Carrier fees may apply.
iPhone
Messages via satellite requires iPhone 14 or newer, an active SIM and a supported region. SMS support also depends on your carrier.
Check Apple’s current requirements, then confirm ordinary satellite SMS support with your carrier.
Android
Check your exact phone, plan and region with your carrier. Satellite SOS or location features alone don’t mean it can send and receive ordinary satellite SMS.
Optional · Recommended for iPhone
BCB Location Launcher
One tap gets your coordinates and opens BackcountryBuddy in Messages so your location is ready to send.
Set it up online before your trip. Once saved, the Launcher page can open offline. Messages still needs cellular service or supported satellite SMS to deliver.
Set Up LauncherGet BackcountryBuddy
Keep BCB in your pocket.
Buy some weather requests. Use them this trip, next trip, or months from now.
Try it. Let the weather do the talking.
Try five requests free. When they’re gone, top up with credits whenever you need more.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests. No card required.
Messages opens. Send the prepared text to get started.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests.
No card required.
Scan to open Messages on your phone. Send the prepared text.
Open Messages on this deviceLike it? Credits keep you going.
1 CREDIT = 1 REQUEST + 1 ANSWER
Purchased credits never expire. Use them this trip, next trip, or months later.
Loading credit packs… The trial is ready above.
No guesswork
Your next step should be obvious.
- 1Tap Try BCB FreeFive weather requests. No card.
- 2Messages opensThe starter text is ready.
- 3SendBCB welcomes a new number.
- 4You’re inSend your location, then WEATHER.
Adding more credits
Choose credits. Confirm the phone number you use with BCB. After secure checkout and verified payment, credits land on that same account. Keep texting.
No activation key. No second account.
Before your trip
Keep BCB close.
The optional iPhone Launcher helps you send your location and find useful commands.
Quick questions
The short answers.
Will this work with my phone?
If you can send and receive ordinary texts, you can use BCB. Off-grid, your phone and plan need ordinary satellite messaging in the region you’re visiting. Check your setup.
Do I need an app or another satellite device?
No BCB app. No extra device. It works in Messages. Heading off-grid? Check that your phone and plan support ordinary satellite messaging.
Do I need the Location Launcher?
No. It’s optional and iPhone-only. We recommend setting it up before a trip if you want a quicker way to send coordinates. Set up Launcher.
Can I use BCB beyond cell coverage?
Yes, where your phone and plan support ordinary SMS over satellite. Connect using your phone’s satellite-messaging feature, then text BCB in the same thread. Check support before you go.
What happens when I try it?
Tap Try BCB Free. Messages opens with the prepared text. Send it. BCB welcomes a new number with five free weather requests. Send your location, then WEATHER. Already tried BCB? You’ll keep the same account and balance. Sending the starter text again won’t add another trial.
What happens when I buy credits?
Choose a pack and confirm the phone number you use with BCB. Once payment is verified, the credits are there in the same account. Keep texting. No activation key or second signup. Purchased credits never expire. Beta checkout uses test cards only; real purchases aren’t open yet.
How do I send my location?
Send a supported Maps pin or map link, type your latitude and longitude, or use the optional iPhone Launcher. Give it a try before you leave cell coverage.
Will I be charged or subscribed?
The trial needs no card. Credit packs are one-time purchases, not subscriptions. Your carrier’s normal SMS or satellite-messaging charges may still apply.
Is BCB SOS or rescue?
No. It gives you weather information. If you need emergency help, use your emergency communication plan.
What if I need help?
Text HELP for command options or contact BackcountryBuddy Support for help from a person. Refund details are here too.
What it does
Weather by text when you’re off-grid.
Current conditions, radar, wind, rain, forecasts, weather windows and weather alerts — right in Messages, including over satellite where supported.
Weather information can be incomplete, delayed or wrong. Connectivity can fail. Read the safety information.
What it doesn’t
Better information.
Not a guarantee.
BackcountryBuddy doesn’t know your experience, your gear, your route, or what’s safe for you.
It won’t tell you to cross a lake, leave camp, or turn around.
It isn’t SOS or rescue, and it doesn’t replace navigation, proper gear, or judgment.
It gives you the weather information you were missing.
What you do next is up to you.
Know more.
Guess less.
Take BackcountryBuddy with you when the web can’t come along.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests. No card required.
Messages opens. Send the prepared text to get started.
Try BCB Free
5 free weather requests.
No card required.
Scan to open Messages on your phone. Send the prepared text.
Open Messages on this device