Unboxing of the HMD OffGrid
HMD was kind enough to send us an interesting device—the HMD OffGrid. This is a GPS-based locator designed for outdoor sports enthusiasts who don’t own a high-end Samsung, Huawei, or iPhone with built-in satellite communication.
The purpose of the OffGrid, priced at €199.99/£169/$199, is to send SMS messages, check in with your latest position, track your movement, or call for SOS in case of an emergency. These services are provided via Overwatch x Rescue™ by FocusPoint, with some features requiring a subscription.
A one-time activation costs between €11.99 and €23.99, depending on the plan you choose, with additional charges for add-ons like active tracking, which costs an extra €5.99.
But let’s start with the basics. The box is well-made and sturdy, giving the impression of a high-quality product inside. I like the way it opens—similar to the new Samsung S25—with a cardboard pull tab. The packaging gives off a slight premium feel, and once opened, the device is neatly placed inside.
The OffGrid is designed like a keychain pendant but built to withstand a lot of wear and tear. It features a MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability certification and an IP68 rating for weather resistance.
One minor detail I didn’t like was the misaligned sticker on the back, which was placed at a slight angle. I wish HMD had printed the information directly onto the device, similar to the way they printed details on the bottom.
Overall, this is a fairly simple device, featuring three buttons on the left side and a large yellow SOS button on the right. But, it is not that scratch resistant although it wasn’t suposed to be. It needs to withstand the elements and save you when needed.
The device connects to your phone via Bluetooth and has an internal battery that should last up to three days. However, I noticed it consumes battery quite fast, so the actual usage time might be slightly shorter—though still sufficient for an emergency situation.
HMD has developed a dedicated HMD OffGrid app, which is a web-based platform. Through the app, you can manage your data plan, connect to the device, set up an SOS contact, and send messages. The app’s UI is quite basic, but it gets the job done.
The first time I tested the device was in the city, and it took a while to establish a satellite connection. However, I need to take it somewhere truly off the grid to see how well it performs. I brought it with me on my trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it worked well there too (as expected).
All in all, the OffGrid feels like a sturdy little device. I’ll test it further when I climb the nearest mountain this weekend and come back with a final verdict.
Until then, feel free to fire away with any questions!
For more details check HMD.com.
