goTenna
The goTenna portable antenna. (Via REI.com)

If you #optoutside and happen to wander further than the range of your cell signal, goTenna may be the device for you, and now recreational outfitter REI will be the only retail outlet to carry it.

TechCrunch reported Wednesday that goTenna CEO and co-founder Daniela Perdomo said that the Brooklyn, N.Y., startup has teamed with REI as exclusive launch partner. The devices will be available exclusively for the next three months in stores nationwide and online at REI.com. The only other place to get one is on the goTenna website.

Perdomo tweeted an image showing goTenna on display in a New York REI.

Sold in pairs for $199, goTenna pairs wirelessly with your iOS or Android device. It allows you to chat in an off-grid communicator and share your location using free offline maps with anyone else who has the portable antenna.

The deal with REI makes sense if you consider backpackers, skiers and other adventure seekers may be prone to wandering into areas with no towers or wi-fi. Even the not-so-outdoorsy can benefit: If you’re at a sporting event or concert and too many people have overwhelmed the network, goTenna will allow you to text and share your location with other users.

https://vimeo.com/gotenna/communicate

According to the company, goTenna works anywhere in the world and the idea was hatched during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 when many cell towers were downed during the storm.

TechCrunch further reported Wednesday that the startup said that it has raised a $7.5 million Series A led by Walden Venture Capital, with participation from MentorTech Ventures, BBG Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, Wareness.io, Cellular One founder Kenneth Horowitz and Howard Finkelstein.

Since October, when it began product shipment, goTenna has sold “tens of thousands” of units, Perdomo told Fortune.

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