I would vote wholeheartedly against the spot- We had one when our boat went down. Too many buttons with extraneous features (do you really need to send a text message, or update facebook???), and a double press cancels the distress signal, with no notification.

Nice to think that you'd be rational and calm in an emergency situation, but the truth is that at first you're going to be panicked and pressing everything. Even worse if it's night out.

I'd recommend something like this:

McMurdo Fast Find 210 Personal Locator Beacon with GPS - Free Shipping at REI.com

No fee, waterproof to 33', strobe incorporated, but most importantly- ONE BUTTON. When it's on, you know it, and it stays on. Food for thought.

Maybe if you are driving a beach buggy, along a stretch of beach without landmarks, but other than that, I don't think a G.P.S. is necessary for surfcasters. Once you walk into a spot and fish it, if you catch anything substantial, the spot is burned in your memory.
If you don't catch, I think the simple act of walking in, and the fact that you can only really hit so many spots in one night is enough to familiarize you.
I only had one spot that I kept taking the wrong turns into, so I stuck a small piece of electrical tape on those standup boxes they have for underground phone and power lines. Horizontal for left, vertical for right. That was like 11 years ago and the tape is still there

Thanks for your input and the link.

I walk out pretty far on some damn foggy nights, 20 yard visibility and my garmin has kept me on track, not getting messed up in a guzzle or two. Bars everywhere , the compass shows me direction the gps lets me follow a track in and out. Lifesaving knowledge.

I think the point of the McMurdo an others like it is that if you get in trouble or hurt they call for help.A compass is best for surffishing as the batterys don't wear out.