I have a McMurdo - I had an ACS before that - (after 5 years I replaced it with a McMurdo Ranger).

It really depends what you want. I know that in north america, both will get you help. The non-plb variety can allow you to send messages to home. but it has a subscription fee, and may or may not work everywhere.

The PLB works everywhere on the planet - but you're not gonna use it to send a note home. You only press the button when you're in danger of life or limb. For me, I travel enough, and do enough things in crazy places, that I prefer a "real" plb.

But to put that in context, I *don't take* my plb on popular trails. I know that for me (I'm canadian) my call for pressing the button will go to the DND SAR HQ in trenton ontario, and I'm in alberta - I don't expect help for 24 to 48 hours from pressing the button.

When I'm on places like West Coast Trail, Skyline, or frankly, on the JMT this summer, when I have other people with me, I don't bother - the fact is one of us could hike to help quicker than we can expect help from a PLB.

When I go out solo, or into the middle of nowhere, off a popular trail and days away from somewhere there's likely to be someone - then I take the PLB. If you normally hike things like
the former, IMO, you're probably better with something like the SPOT, so you can message back home and if necessary they call
on your behalf if necessary.