I'm with Rick D. I rarely go with anyone. I also rarely use trails unless cross country would be hard considering the understory. I am a chronic "guess I'll stop here and head in" type. I have no PLB or SPOT but I do carry a GPS and spare batteries, but Rarely do I actually need it, but its a great convenience. I've been primarily a solo hiker (and climber) for a very long time. It takes a while to learn your limits.
Jim