I've had one only for the last 2 seasons. My wife and kids love "tracking Dad in the wilderness". I use lithiums and haven't had to replace them yet. Use the OK function when I get somewhere stationary for the day and use the foosteps 'tracking' so that they can log into my account and 'see' my route. Works great so far....always strap it to a pack to portage and constantly check to make sure it is there before launching the boat. That's about it.