The question to you really needs to be: what are you doing on your trip?
If you're sightseeing on pavement, you're good without anything unless you want it for entertainment.
If you're doing some trails: with a group, see what they're using; without a group, HAM is the only thing that will get you distance besides a sat phone if you're in the middle of Nowhere, West America.
And after all of that, I've found that my Verizon phone gets service most of the time, even when I wish it didn't. Yes, there are still some areas out here that you'll lose cell coverage, but it's 2019 and they're trying to lose those spots.

I'd say the most important thing is what are you going to do and who you're doing it with.