Notifications
Notifications
CDW Logo

Garmin inReach Mini - GPS navigator

Mfg # 010-01879-00 CDW # 5536499 | UNSPSC 52161518

Quick tech specs

  • GPS navigator
  • hiking
View All

Know your gear

inReach Mini is your go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact. It's Garmin's palm-sized satellite communicator for adventures where size and weight matter. inReach Mini lets you send and receive text messages, track and share your journey and, if necessary, trigger an SOS alert to contact the GEOS 24/7 emergency response team. With inReach connectivity, your family and friends will know they can stay in touch globally.

This item was discontinued on October 29, 2021

Enhance your purchase

Garmin inReach Mini - GPS navigator is rated 3.90 out of 5 by 593.
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not functioning Not working and having trouble synching online and satellite. Can’t contact customer support outside of normal business hours
Date published: 2023-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great to upgrade to 2-way communications I upgraded to a Mini (V1) from a Spot Gen 3 communicator I’ve had for 5 years. The mini is considerably smaller and offers 2-way communications when I’m hunting. The iPhone app is pretty basic, and once I figured out that pre-configured messages (free to send) need be composed on my laptop then downloaded to the phone via a wire connection (why can’t it connect via bluetooth to the laptop?), I was able to get it set up. So far, it’s worked well in a couple test runs communicating with my wife. I’m finding the battery life is not the 90-hours with 10 minute tracking advertised. I do day hunts in grizzer areas of Montana, so recharging it overnight at home works for me. One morning hiuting pronghorns I went from 100% to 68% in about 5 hours, no tracking and 3 outgoing messages and 2 incoming messages. That extrapolates to 15 hours- with no tracking. If I was doing multi-day hunts, I’dl be carrying a supplemental battery to make sure it’s charged. Technical support gave me a very nice “ your mileage may vary” answer when I called and said I think there’s a problem with the battery.
Date published: 2023-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Subscription too expensive. Subscription for device is too expensive. Not worth it.
Date published: 2023-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy setup This device gives me peace of mind when I’m on my boat!!
Date published: 2023-08-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Delivers peace of mind I bought my current inReach Mini to replace my previous Garmin, which lasted for years. It will continue to deliver peace of mind to me and my family while I’m out on trail.
Date published: 2023-08-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect Safety Investment I recently bought an Inreach Mini and love it! I created my own personal MapShare page that’s protected by username and password. I’ve shared those credentials with my husband and my parents so at any point in my adventures, then can request my location and see where I am. This is an optional feature so if you prefer stealth, you don’t need to use this. After each hike I hop on Garmin Explore and can see my tracks and routes, then I export them to .gpx and bring them into GIS to store them in a project field work file geodatabase. I love knowing I can send an SOS for help whenever I need to and have taught my kids how to do it in case they ever need to send one for me. Overall the device is lightweight, pairs to my iphone using the Garmin Earthmate app (where I’ve uploaded GIS data for my own reference). It allows me to send either preset messages from the device itself (starting my trip now; checking in and everything is okay; ending my trip now…etc) or stuff like “I’m running about an hour late and I’m already sore…pizza tonight?” to my husband through my phone.
Date published: 2023-08-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great antenna!! I purchased this to link my phone thru satellite service for text messaging, and for the SOS feature while hunting out west. This is exactly what I needed at a great price. I have a new rino for gps, tracking, radii, etc., which is a lot more user friendly than trying to use the mini. I thought the subscription plans thru Garmin fit me better than other subscriptions through other brand devices.
Date published: 2024-04-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Better Than Expected I received the Garmin InReach about 30 days ago. I had little problem setting up the system and linking to my Smart phone, as well as understanding how to send my trip locations via text or email. What impresses me is the size of the unit and the power it provides to stay in contact as well as having emergency location features. I was so impressed I bought two others from family and friend.
Date published: 2022-03-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Too confusing, too many steps to start Download this, and that and hopefully they paid up wirh your phone and gps. And expensive once you ourchase it and then have to sign a contract for service. Hopefully it works if I ever have to use it and I hope it’s worth it. I think carrying a messenger pigeon would be easier and hundreds and hundreds of dollars cheaper haha
Date published: 2022-03-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Gps I use in my trail running, trips, and walking. Is awesome and really nice to stay connected with your relatives.
Date published: 2022-03-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from RELIABLE This unit is a perfect fit if your journeys are varied from hiking, boating, biking and all around traveling. Pairs perfectly with my iPhone.
Date published: 2021-12-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind Worth every penny for the peace of mind and ability to communicate when service drops
Date published: 2021-12-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from First test in field on Mt Tecumseh I planned on buying this after I broke my ankle & had to be rescued in 2015. I like the feature that allows one to send a text to my wife & kids anytime and not worrying about cell service.
Date published: 2021-12-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device I bought the inReach because I am alone on the water frequently. I have only used it to send a test message, and it worked. I do frequently get an messages about lack of service however it was searching for satellites the time I tested it and it still worked.
Date published: 2021-12-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very compact, light weight communication A friend recently kept me abreast as he hunted Desert Bighorn sheep in a remote area of Mexico for 9 days. We both had InReach Minis, so I was able to read his text reports and see his GPS coordinates at the time of each of his messages. The Earthmate app then showed me the topo map surrounding his location. In this way I was able to follow his hunt day by day.
Date published: 2021-12-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Location I sent 3 messages and the messages went great. However, the “location” was not included. Am sure I am doing something wrong. Just need to find out what?
Date published: 2022-03-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great option where other communication impossible! The communication offered by the inReach from/to remote areas is extremely helpful and comforting. I recently used it to stay in touch daily with family and office during a 2-week herpetology expedition in the jungles of Peru where no other communication was possible. While it was totally blind while under forest canopy (most of time), it worked well while on river or in clearings with clear view to sky. It would take a bit of time to find/connect/communicate with a satellite, but I could compose message on iPhone, transmit with bluetooth to inReach, and have it sit in open area until link was made and text transmitted. The connection to a tracking and waypoint mapping app was also helpful in accurately returning via a meandering multi-branch path on an Amazon river tributary. The theoretical availability of the SOS function, while not used, was additional comfort. The on-unit interface of the inReach (without using a connected mobile phone) is incredibly primitive when compared to most smart watches (even Garmins?) and most other small devices, but does seem to work (but I would struggle to recommend this to a non-techie for other than SOS safety unless a connected mobile device was also available to engage with the other features.)
Date published: 2022-03-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works well, had a SPOT prior that failed in 1 week Bought a SPOT, worked for a few days, started losing tracking, tech support has 1 person for tire 1 globally, after days of trouble shooting (You must be on a laptop to do it, we were 20 miles offshore with a failed safety beacon which did not resonate with SPOT). WEt back to West Marine in Key West (She was awesome) to trade this in (SPOT did cooperate with leaving them and the contract), bought an inReach, has performed flawlessly so far. Garmin even sends out trouble reports on the inreach when there are issues globally, that is definitely transparency... Love that
Date published: 2022-03-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So far so Good. Used it once on a XCS trip with my 9 y. o., bought the flex plan, and sent pre-set texts along our route and family enjoyed the messages as well as I was able to go back and see way points. Overall good device, gives some piece of mind when in the wilderness solo, or with family or little ones to have the SOS button on hand.
Date published: 2022-03-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nickels and dimes It is compact and well built, but I am leery of using some modes because everything costs something. I have used SPOT for some time but wanted to be on a better satellite network.
Date published: 2022-03-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Tracking doesn’t work right I’ve had my inreach for several years but haven’t used the tracking feature until recently. When I couldn’t get it to work correctly I called and talked to a tech. He said that I needed to update it, which I did. I still can’t get it to give me an accurate distance traveled.
Date published: 2022-03-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Round the World Tour I’m traveling around the world on my BMW R1250 GSA adventure bike. In Ecuador, my back end slid out underneath me on a dirt road. I landed on my left side, right where my Garmin InReach Mini was stored the one and only time I had placed it there! The Mini came out with just a few scratches and works like a champ! This is an absolutely superior product. It is with every Penney you’ll spend, both for its life-saving technology and its durable build. Don’t look any more, but this simple and effective tool right now and start planning your adventure!
Date published: 2022-03-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great. Easy to link up. Subscription is more flexible and less than the competition. Good to have the peace of mind that I could stay connected to family back home while I was off the grid.
Date published: 2022-03-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Provided peace of mind while hiking The dog and I regularly take day hikes in hills without cell phone coverage. This used to worry my wife. The amazingly small Inreach mini allows her to see where we are and know we are OK (or can request help, if needed).
Date published: 2021-12-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Like it so far. Just use the SOS festure I leave mine turned off unless I need to use the SOS feature.
Date published: 2021-12-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Much more cost effective than a satellite phone Exactly what I was looking for! I looked at a lot of reviews and this was the best and most reliable!
Date published: 2022-01-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just in case! Purchased primarily as a device to track solo backpacking/hikes. Overall, happy with initial use and testing. There is a learning curve! Basic messaging is straight forward. App is a bit confusing but with more use/exposure it will be figured out.
Date published: 2022-01-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A Great Idea Bought this device for my wife as a Christmas present. She is very enthusiastic being a solo skier, hiker, and mountain biker. Getting facile in operating the device, as with any digital equipment, takes some time and effort. Having used a GPS Map 76 for decades, I know this takes a while.
Date published: 2021-12-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Intermittent service Tried on the first trip to Bahamas. Service was intermittent
Date published: 2022-01-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Outstanding product, well thought out and designed I had considered several options for a satellite communicator. I go off grid camping and offroading with my young boys and a handy communicator was warranted. Yes, I struggled between some of the lower priced competitors but in the end, I decided the following: What if my phone is dead, lost, broken, etc. The other devices won't work since they must tether to your smart phone. The Garmin InReach works independently. You can text from your phone or if phone is unavailable, you can also text directly from the device. Next, when size is a consideration for packing, they simply don't get any smaller. Next, other competitors don't use the Iridium Satelite Network. They can take up to 5 minutes to send a text. With the Garmin InReach, messages are sent within seconds. Finally, this could prove to be a life saving device. If I ever needed it as such, I certainly won't mind having spent a few extra dollars to get us out of trouble.
Date published: 2022-02-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Device for your safe Device for your safe in outside cellular coverage area and subscription is required. Garmin Explorer App still not support.
Date published: 2022-02-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Emergency Preparedness Device The inReach Mini is incredibly small and light, allows you to press a button when you're in trouble and have them send the cavalry. It differs from a Personal Locator Beacon in that it also allows you to communicate with the rescue coordinators by text, lets you text with anyone, and lets you send your location or post it to map share so friends and family can track your progress. I returned mine though, and bought the inReach Mini 2 for the better battery life, USB-C charging and multiple GPS satellite capability since I travel to some pretty remote places internationally.
Date published: 2022-02-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worth it I bought this for back country snowmobiling. Read the manual. Watch the videos. The thing SUCKS to get working but when it works it’s great. Sometimes it does not connect to my phone and doesn’t send the pins to my mom which is the main reason I got it but once you figure it out. After about a year. It works great!
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Tough to use I’ve tried for hours to sink it with my iPhone it won’t happen thinking about taking a Back
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fantastic Amazing, affordable service. My wife is able to communicate with me while out in the wilds of Alaska and it gives me peace of mind knowing my wife can tell me if there is an issue at the office and I need to come back.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device; Peace of Mind It is an exceptional product and helps keep peace of mind by communicating with Family while in remote backpacking/over-landing trips. Exactly performs as advertised. Definetly will recommend this great product.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome InReach mini is absolutely awesome. I like the comfort of knowing no matter where I go I can communicate with loved ones to let them know I’m safe.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from OK, but InReach Sat Fees are Excessive! A good product but the InReach fees are excessive for the occasional off the grid explorer. Fees are ok if you live in a tent, in the middle of desert and have a habit of getting lost. And that no matter what the annual fee (!) is just a real gut punch, shameful.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Sense of security in the backcountry I had wanted an inreach for years, and this year my husband purchased one for me for Christmas. We have started pushing the envelope a bit on our ski missions, and I spend hundreds of miles a year running long distances far from cell coverage. Having some sort of safety net is a relief; we have already tested the test message feature to communicate with a parent while delayed on a ski trip, and all worked so well. Hopefully, we never have to use the SOS feature, but it is good to know its there just in case. This will always go with me on backcountry missions from here on out. I could not recommend enough.
Date published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from inReach is cool. It's a cool little device. I used it for the first time last weekend and it worked as I expected. I purchased this for my wife who is an avid hiker without the same sense of direction and time. Being lost a few times at the end of the day worried her a bit so I got this to make sure would have a good way of getting out of a tight situation or rescued if something went really wrong. I am much more comfortable knowing she can get the help she needs if she needs it and she can share her progress on her hikes with others. Even outside of all cell phone coverage which is often problematic around here.
Date published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great overall I've used this 4 times now. I feel like there's alot to learn still. Haven't figured out all the ways to review my past hikes.
Date published: 2022-01-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor GPS reception This was our second inReach Mini. I bought the first two years ago. I was taking up to three hours to acquire a GPS signal in the cab of our truck. Our Garmin Overlander, iPhones, and even my FitBit locks on in just a few seconds. And I can’t get a GPS lock at all if driving through deep valleys or tall trees line the road. It loses signal even while hiking in the open desert if hanging from my belt. I bought a second this past month hoping the first was just a bad unit, but no difference. I took it back for refund and will just keep using the original. All that said, the Iridium connection has worked flawlessly. But if you want position information be sure to turn the unit on at least 30 minutes before starting out and have an unobstructed view of the sky.
Date published: 2022-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin InReach Mini The Garmin in reach mini what is a game changer. It was awesome to have a form of communication with friends and family members while on our overland trip. They knew where we were at all times and I always felt like I had a safety net if needed.
Date published: 2021-12-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Instructions need improvement I had a chance to use my new Mini recently while a friend carried his on a sheep hunt in a remote region of Mexico. It took FOREVER for me to get mine set up and connected to him. Garmin has two phone apps (Earthmate and Explorer) and the interaction of the two is unclear. Further, specifying a friend to communicate with was very difficult to figure out. Garmin needs to rework and simplify all of the setup procedure!! Once we got the connection established, the Mini worked beautifully. I enjoyed following his hunt by using his GPS coordinates, provided with each text he sent, to locate him on Google Earth Pro, where I could see a lot of details about the terrain.
Date published: 2021-12-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use ! Just activated my InReach & Used for the first tine in remote mountains of Alberta a few weeks ago and now in the Arctic on Polar Bear Hunt .. it has worked perfectly to allow me to keep in touch with family and business associates.
Date published: 2021-10-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Need to use in combination with Earthmate to text I bought this Garmin to use on a southwest trip where there would be many areas without cell service. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to text, unless I used the Earthmate app and my phone as the keyboard. If your phone has enough power, that will work. Without Earthmate, texts can be pre-written and sent via punching small buttons on the device (not very convenient) or created letter by letter (cumbersome).
Date published: 2022-04-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from peace of mind we used our inreach last month in death valley and it worked great. the peace of mind knowing that we have comms in case of an emergency is such a relief. we also used the tracking mode in the mojave and it worked great. love this thing
Date published: 2022-04-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for communicating with families back home I have owned a satellite communicator for several years and the inReach Mini for a couple of years. I use it primarily for backpacking with our scout troop. It allows me to communicate with our families with short daily updates ("checking in. all is good") on multi day trips plus they like the tracking feature to follow our progress. I've thankfully never used the SOS feature but it's nice peace of mind for our group. We are getting ready to do a 2 week backpacking trip in New Mexico at Philmont Scout Ranch and the mini is definitely going. I will use the extending tracking feature which saves battery power plus a daily "checking in, we're all good" message to the parents back home. As a BSA Scoutmaster I highly recommend this device and have to other troops.
Date published: 2022-04-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great setup is a pain I love the capability to track and message. Software was difficult for me to set up. Too many steps between desktop computer, smart phone and InReach itself. I found some messages on InReach not clear but by multiple test I was able to figure it out. Previously a “spot” user on and off for 15 years, the InReach is my preferred tracker once through the setup.
Date published: 2022-04-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must be highly motivated to operate. I love the size, weight, battery life and it has been very durable. When it is clipped on my backpack I forget it there. I hike and bike alone a lot and it gives me and my wife peace of mind knowing that I can call for emergency help when needed. It is to complicated. I have spent hours trying to learn the features and still after two months of ownership I am still lost in endless menus and get into features I am not ready to learn. The task of just sending a simple Preset messages is frustrating beyond belief. My suggestion to Garmin is to allow a customer to ease into the features by having a beginner, intermediate and advanced setting which is selected through the Garming Explore web site.
Date published: 2022-04-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great features, good value. Very nice little device for secure, remote communications. Low monthly cost for very reassuring features. A bit difficult to get setup. Took a bit of persistence, but worth it.
Date published: 2022-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just works. I've been testing the inReach Mini for the last couple of weeks. Once I got the app(s) installed (one on my phone and another on my desktop) and configured it, I took it out on the trail and it works just fine. I've been tuning some of the parms and find it pretty easy to configure.
Date published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great size and weight! The size and weight of the Garmin inReach Mini is awesome. This will be easy to carry while thinking, fishing, etc. Setup was pretty easy. Using the device with the pre-written messages is also pretty easy. Were I to have to send any other message it would be a time-consuming challenge. For its size and for what it can do, I'd recommend this product to others.
Date published: 2022-01-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Customer Service = best I've ever experienced! Garmin's customer service is some of the best I've ever experienced - that's saying so much during this labor shortage we've been in! The inReach itself is super great - compact, able to utilize their app for satellite messaging capabilities, and I love how well it tracks your movements & displays them in a geographical map.
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Couldn't explore the winter backcountry without it I live in Vail CO and spend many days in the backcountry alone. After two near fatal accidents in Moab UT canyons I rely on my Mini knowing that my wife can find me should I be unable to use the SOS button because you can die out there from the weather.
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Failed to connect to Satellite I bought this about a month ago and signed up for the subscription right away. I set up the device except for the final stage in which it connects to the satellite. The device kept attempting to connect over and over no matter where I was. The device was searching for a connection until it eventually died.
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind! I live in an area where we have very little or no service once we get out of town. I spend alot of time hunting, hiking, and exploring far from a ranch or main road. I had no way of contacting family or friends to let them know I was ok or to come get me if I had a breakdown or was stuck. With the Garmin Inreach I am able to contact them anytime and any place. It has given me and my family alot of peace of mind to know I am always Inreach ;) of their messages and can contact them if I need help or to let them know I am ok!
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficult to use I bought this for Christmas and activated it in January to get familiar with it before using it this summer for hiking and backpacking. I am an old guy and not very techie. I did acquire the Earthmate app. I find the unit often confusing to use and am never very confident it is doing what I intend it to do, which is imperative for this kind of unit. What is the use in having something like this to help when you are in trouble if you can't be confident that it delivers the message you want to the people you want? I probably would not get it again. I then hopefully would not have emergencies in the backcountry (not really a good Idea at my age, but I have been very frustrated with the inReach mini). Phooey!! For a techie I am sure it is not a problem, but all I want is a device that can help me if I am in trouble. The Mini can do so much more but that adds to the confusion. A simpler version just for emergencies would be a real blessing for many of us.
Date published: 2022-02-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Two way texts, amazing… Awesome addition to my Adv Bike, no matter how far from home I am, my family is able to know my location.
Date published: 2022-02-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Pretty dissapointed Right off the bat it was too cold from the ups truck to boot up! Had to warm it up to get it to charge. Tested the text feature at home to make sure it worked before I hit the backcountry and it worked but was annoying. When I was in the backcountry I tested a text again and It never went through, also didn't tell me for a day and half. Hope the SOS feature is more reliable. Its possible I am doing something wrong but I'm fairly competent when it comes to technology and it should be easier to use.
Date published: 2022-02-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome peace of mind While the myriad combination of apps and website and cables to setup and sync the device are confusing as heck. Once setup, the device is an awesome little peace of mind to have while out in the backcountry. Highly recommend.
Date published: 2022-02-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great little unit! I am happy with the set up and the user friendly options.
Date published: 2022-01-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Complicated to set up I was not able to set the program up, so I have not used it yet. My daughter has one and she said she will help me
Date published: 2022-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must-have item for outdoor adventure I bought an inReach Mini to be able to call for help if needed and to give peace of mind to my family that they can click the link and see my progress. I've used it several times to track hikes and have with me while rock climbing where there is no cell service and it's worked great. Every responsible party exploring the outdoors beyond the reach of cell towers must have a way to signal for rescue and the inReach Mini is the best value available in terms of size and cost.
Date published: 2022-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Used it a few times, still learning. Love it Best Christmas gift ever. They actually do like and care about me. Heehee
Date published: 2022-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact, user friendly life-line This is our second inReach; we already owned the full-sized version. We bought the mini to have a secondary SOS device for backcountry skiing, and something more compact to use while trail running. So far, the inReach mini has been amazing. It is easy to set up, very user-friendly, and the size is fantastic -- I can easily carry it in the waist belt pocket of my ski pack, and it is comfortable to stow in my running vest. I have not used the SOS function on it (and hope I never have to!), but the peace of mind it provides is invaluable. Would definitely recommend to anyone who does not need the mapping capability of the full-sized unit, or anyone who wants an SOS device that is so convenient to carry and use it's impossible to not take it on every trip.
Date published: 2022-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small, light, and powerful satellite GPS I bought this as a safety addition to my hiking gear. I’m hiking a lot by myself and I like to know that I can summon help anytime anywhere if needed. I’m also hiking Kilimanjaro next month and my friends and family will be able to follow my progress online.
Date published: 2022-01-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind. I had a SPOT device and mentioned to my wife I wanted something better. This past year I received the inReach Mini as a gift for Christmas from her. I am so happy and ready to continue our back country adventures knowing the peace of mind that the device gives us. San Juan Mountains of Colorado here we come!!
Date published: 2022-01-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin inReach rebiew I mainly use my InReach mini with my Overlander, and it makes it very simple to use, the Overlander app does not allow you to use all the various categories of messages aa was defined on the Inreach mini
Date published: 2022-01-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome addition! As a solo hiker it's been a great addition of safety! Battery is awesome and the functions are clear and helpful.
Date published: 2022-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great I really only use this to track a hike, send an SOS if needed and an occasional text. So far, for anything I’ve done it has worked. I like it so far.
Date published: 2022-01-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Unmatched size/battery life The inReach Mini stays attached to my ski pack for both day trips and overnight excursions. Have not had to use the device yet in an emergency setting -- but the battery life has been exceptional and true to spec. Where other devices on me will die due to cold weather (e,g, iPhone, GoPro, etc.) the battery on this will stay going (even when hanging on a clip outside of my pack).
Date published: 2022-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small easy to carry, but somewhat confusing. While I like the idea of the product, it does have a procedure that is hard to understand. For example, while I finally figured out how to send a "New Message" to my wife, I still can't figure out how to send a "Preset Message" to her. To send a "New Message" you just scroll down and click on "OK" then click on "Select Contacts". I then scroll down and find her name and select it. Then click on the "Back or Return" button and it takes you to "Write Message". You can click on "Write Message" which then takes you to an alphabet screen where you have to choose each individual letter in you message. But if you scroll on down below "Write Message" you'll see "Pick Quick Text" which has set messages ready to send. So that works pretty good. But, I think the "Pick Quick Text" messages cost you each time you send one. Instead if you choose "Pre-set Message" there is no charge. Unfortunately, I can not figure out how to send a "Pre-Set Message" to my wife. If I click on one of the three messages it doesn't take me to a "Contacts" screen. It goes directly to "Send" screen. If I click on "Send" it sends the message I've selected to my email. What am I doing wrong? I suspect I've set up something wrong on my account but after reviewing it many times and re-listing her as a contact, the "Pre-Set Message" always goes to my email but not to her.
Date published: 2022-01-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome piece of fishing equipment I went offshore yesterday, first time I used my Garmin mini.. it’s amazing. No issues with calls or messages.
Date published: 2022-01-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Tool in the toolbox I bought the Inreach Mini because we snowmobile in some pretty remote areas and I felt it would be great to have " just in case". On our last trip I used some of the texting features and it worked exactly as it should have. I consider this a tool,a tool I hope I never need to use but we have it "just in case".
Date published: 2022-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So far so good I bought this basically for work. I am in the mountains alot with little to no cell coverage it gives me a way to contact coworkers and management when I set out on snowshoes or have issues accessing a site. I really like the ability to send pre-defined messages or connect to your phone and send a detailed TXT message. I will also be taking this with me when I set out on the ocean for halibut season you can't have too many safety measures in place when you're 20 miles off shore.
Date published: 2022-01-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great product and clear directions! I'm a 66 year old woman who hikes. I absolutely LOVE this product and feel a sense of safety when I use it. The directions and videos for using the inReach Mini are clear and easy to understand. My husband can track my hikes from his home computer, so he always knows exactly where I am, even if I'm out of cell phone range. I can also use the inReach to help me find my way back to my vehicle, when I'm on a longer hike. It's lightweight and easy to use. Great product and clear directions for how to use it!
Date published: 2022-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great price looked great just purchased I think it will give everyone involved great piece of mind I will use snowmobiling, hound hunting and for river trips a great life line to have.
Date published: 2022-01-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It can’t swim Worked well until it went overboard during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico last week. He will be missed.
Date published: 2022-01-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Doesn’t do it’s primary job. I’ve been using it for almost two years, and it’s only effective in sending messages 10% of the time and hasn't effectively tracked once. Client support says it’s the satellite updates. And yet, they must always be updating because it won’t send a message even after an hour in direct sight of the sky.
Date published: 2022-01-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from used once, happy so far My wife tends to worry when I'm out in the wilderness alone, so having an inReach is worth the cost for her peace of mind, even if I never end up needing it for an emergency. After an hour getting the device set up and tested at home, I was ready for my first satellite-connected wilderness outing. At the trailhead I let my wife know I was starting, and the device tracked my entire hike, checking in again at the top and back at the car. Once it failed to connect in a densely forested area, but connected again soon after. The device itself is compact and solid.
Date published: 2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Light full featured Used on a couple of backcountry trips so far. It’s awesome to be able to stay in touch while traveling.
Date published: 2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It sucks Poor instructions provided. Must go on line and review videos created by others to use.
Date published: 2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good for my Needs Overall happy. I carry for emergency use. Would like to do some texting but Garmin's plans are some of there most expensive if you don't want unlimited. Test the service as early as you can, as it often takes up to 30min to confirm. I assume that emergency use is not so slow.
Date published: 2021-09-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So thankful I had this device Had a mixup with vehicle shuttle service. Finished 7 day backpack and no car at trailhead and 20 miles from cell service. Saved by the texting feature. I was able to text my wife who contacted shuttle service who sent someone up to get me.
Date published: 2021-09-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from must have for offshore fishing I had several years and don't go offshore with out it. Two way communication is sweet!
Date published: 2021-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great for basics the antenna seems to be great. i get uninterrupted info even if it is just sitting on the back seat of the airplane. i am somewhat frustrated that the tracklog doesn't send from the device itself. when it "sends" tracking info to the share page, it doesn't share the tracking data, it just shares a single point. if i am incapacitated, 10 minute old info is not super helpful when i am cruising at 125 mph. the actual tracking info is only updated on the share page when you plug in.
Date published: 2021-09-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Didn’t work for my application Own forest property and it kept asking for clear sky. In the forest it wasn’t connecting
Date published: 2021-09-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind Ever since I bought this about a month and half ago, this quickly became one of my hiking essentials. Instead of attaching this to my back pack, I carry this device attached to my belt so that I can still be connected in case I become separated from my backpack.
Date published: 2021-10-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect small two way communicator This was a must buy tool, as we do a lot of overlanding. Works great paired with my phone, iPad, or my Garmin Overlander GPS. No frills just a simple and easy to use satellite communicator.
Date published: 2021-10-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nice piece of mind I purchased my mini Inreach about 2 months ago. Item is very user friendly just like all Garmin products. I got it because I give my family member a float plan when I head offshore. If I’m going to be later then my plan, I would text them so they don’t have to worry. I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves outdoors.
Date published: 2021-10-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It does the job I bought this a month ago for field communication. REI said that it was probably about the best and most cost-effective satellite phone for messaging. It is light, small and fit the bill for a recent weeklong hike. The device—being so small—is a bit annoying to use by itself (only 4 buttons for everything) but Bluetooth connection with iPhone makes for easier use. I already have a GPS so I did not try using map features.
Date published: 2021-10-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect Piece of mind We travel to many out of range places. As a parent, knowing my older teenage children could contact me in an emergency allowed me to relax and enjoy our camping trips.
Date published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great at 5K feet Simple to ini?iate and pair. Tested in flight at 5K feet and work fine. A+
Date published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great features and a good size. Purchased it as I primarily hike solo in Colorado in all seasons. Initial setup and location very accurate. I highly recommend that email addresses be added to the three preset messages; this provided an interactive map to those on my list and is a great feature. More than three unlimited preset messages options would be beneficial.
Date published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love My InReach Mini Bought it to take on backcountry Elk hunt. I will never be caught hunting in the backcountry or fishing offshore where there is no cell service without now. Enough said
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I recently used this for 2 weeks while elk hunting while in and out of cell service. It is pretty easy to set up and get started using. The unit itself is kind of difficult to send customized messages on as you have to scroll through the alphabet for each letter, but it’s just as easy as you’d think while using the Earthmate app to send messages. Using the preset messages is very easy and although it didn’t sync correctly with my customized presets, the stock messages were just fine. The battery life isn’t bad, probably 2 full days if not using the unit itself to send messages. It does like to be in full view of the sky, so if you’re in heavy cover such as trees or if it is covered up by something on your pack, it may not work. Overall, very pleased with it and it’s ability to keep me in touch while I’m adventuring.
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not working properly It does not deliver messages even if I don't have anything around me on top of the mountain. Sometimes I see them delivered but after 10 minutes or so. My friends works ok but mine not so much
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy To Use I have only tested it and will be heading out to the Canyon to fish in near future
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Slow function/support Took six hours to activate. Would not sync with my iPhone. Garmin support: an hour of waiting to talk to, couldn’t resolve and turned over to a different Garmin department, and they reached out two days later. In the field it took four hours to get a message to my hunting partner. I returned device to Garmin.
Date published: 2021-09-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fantastic Device and Service This thing is great. Garmin is great. You do need a clear view and things can be slightly delayed but it is basically perfect and extremely useful.
Date published: 2021-09-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from InReach mini Excellent product. It’s nice and light. Not handy to text just as it’s self but gave me exactly what I needed
Date published: 2021-09-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It's not perfect I used this in alaska to keep in touch with family while I was hunting. It worked flawlessly messaging some, but others never received my messages. I also had a friend with me and he had an inreach device as well and we were near eachother at all times messaging inreach to inreach and sometimes we did not receive eachothers messages at all...it was a bummer because we were both hoping this would be a great way to let eachother know when we were leaving the hills and heading back to camp....didn't work as well as we hoped. Seemed to work better without the earthmate app, was more reliable. Maybe it's the app that was making it hard for the messages to go through? If so it would be amazing for this to be fixed. I wasn't expecting something perfect, just reliable...and this device was not reliable. Does it work? Yes, definitely...just not 100% of the time. So I will definitely continue using this device to keep in contact with family and or messaging inreach to inreach device while hunting.
Date published: 2021-09-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device, horrible user interface Have had the mini for a month now, and it now works as advertised,. The setup was a fiasco, having to access multiple sites for the setup is challenging. It seems as though the setup process has been cobbled together over many years and needs to be redesigned from the ground up. Thanks to technical support for getting me through.
Date published: 2021-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach mini We love it we. My husband travels remotely in Alaska where there is no cell service. We have been able to stay in contact constantly and I can also see his location.
Date published: 2021-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great tool but slow response times I've used the garmin inreach mini for my Antelope hunt and Elk hunt. It took a bit to learn the features but once they were learned it was easy to navigate. The only thing I do not like is the communication link. I have had numerous messages sent that would take more than a hour to send. Same with my buddies inreach mini. He would send me a text and sometimes it would take a hr to send. Others might be a minimum of of minutes. I personally will be looking for a different service when my contract runs out. It's very frustrating when in the mountains if one of us needs help and you have to wait possibly a hr to get a message to one another then wait to another hour to meet up. A lot of wasted time working about, did my message go thru. All the other features are great.
Date published: 2021-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fulfills my basic need Almost never relays my texts to my phone so I have to read my texts on the inreach mini which is not ideal. I am able to write and send texts on my phone through the app. Sometimes messages are delayed but I expect it.
Date published: 2021-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Hard to get a signal Over all I'm glad I have it, But sometimes it was extremly hard to get a signal to send and recieve messages. I was in the back country with trees but the trails gave me a clear view of the sky. I would hate be in trouble and not able to move and have no service for help.
Date published: 2021-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it I’ve only use this one so far on a backpacking trip but loved it’s ease of use. I found a particularly helpful for waypoint marking And for texting a family member. I can’t wait to play with this new toy more. It’s super late and so far I highly recommend it.
Date published: 2021-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just OK Don't get me wrong, the Mini is great to have for personal responsibility when spending time in remote areas. It just costs too much. Either the device should be cheaper or the service should be cheaper. Instead, both cost too much together. Then after paying too much in general, the associated tech (e.g. explore website and Earthmate app) is pretty old and clunky.
Date published: 2021-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for information and communication. Haven't tried the SOS button and I hope I never have to. Love being able to get a text out to family.
Date published: 2021-09-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Way too complicated I find myself continually frustrated how complicated this thing is. It's way too hard to set up and understand, and even after you invest many hours into grappling with the menus and app you'll find that you have to relearn everything if you don't use it every day because it's not at all intuitive. I've already spent several days researching how to use it and I still don't really understand how to send and receive messages. It doesn't help that the experience of sending messages isn't satisfying, and if I'm out in the wilderness sending out a message about when I'll be back at the trailhead or coming home I really want the confidence of knowing that my message went through. I have also found the tiny, complex menus and buttons extremely awkward. All menu items rank equally in the hierarchy so I find myself scrolling through menus I don't understand in search of key items that I want bolded and upfront, such as Send Message, Receive Message, and My Location. Put those three items on the home page, with Other as a submenu at the bottom and it would make a lot more sense. The buttons are also really awkward, no matter how hard I try to learn otherwise I find the Back button and the OK button awkwardly reversed. My thumb rests comfortably on the lower Back button so when I'm scrolling rapidly through the menu it's the button I want to click but that just sends me backwards in the menu and totally jumbles up where I am in the menu. The higher OK button is in an uncomfortable spot and this makes it hard and nonintuitive to move forwards through the menu. I guess, and hope, this thing will come in handy in case of an emergency but the experience otherwise has been less than positive. This includes the web and mobile apps, which both try to do too much and make you jump through too many hoops, to the point where I dread having to use the apps to access more functionality. There's nothing simple or pleasant about this Garmin ecosystem.
Date published: 2021-09-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing: If you take the time to learn how to use Although the Mini is easy to turn on and sign up for a plan, you won't fully understand the value of it until you spend time getting to know it. Garmin Express to Update the Software, Garmin Explore to use to turn your Mini into a Maxi. Old Coach's saying, "put a nickel in get a nickel out, put a dollar in, get a dollar out" Put a Dollar into knowing how to use your Mini and you won't regret it.
Date published: 2021-09-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Frustrating for me I got this as a gift last Christmas, but haven't had the time to check it out in greater detail. However, it does not at all appear to be user-friendly. Probably my fault, but I don't have all the time in the world to learn even the basics. What is missing is the opportunity to have a hands-on lesson on getting started.
Date published: 2021-08-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works well enough, but could be improved I have had this device for about two years, and I carry it on every hike/climb/ski trip I go on. It has been good to be able to check in with my family members when I'm on an extended trip. I like being able to send presets for "free" and writing custom messages when I want, it gives a good mix of options. However, I am not so happy with its reliability. Sometimes even with a great view of the sky it will fail, and I never even try anymore if I'm in a heavily-treed area. Retrying messages is confusing. Overall I've learned to work around these issues, and the device is still useful. I just wish it worked a little better or gave more transparency to the signal strength, state of attempted messages, retry options, etc.
Date published: 2021-08-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Dissatisfied Did not even last a full day on a charge. Wondering if I should return this unit.?
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Back Country Piece of Mind Still learning all this Garmin InReach Mini is capable of. We do a lot of backpacking, hiking and skiing, so this was a must purchase for us. We have other Garmin devices and have had zero performance issues or concerns with their devices. Hoping we never need to use this, but glad we have it if necessary.
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Returned Bought it while on a trip heading to backcountry of Colorado and thought it would be a better fit than the larger in-reach models. Not only was the Bluetooth connection between the garmin and cell slow but the battery on the mini garmin goes by really fast. Returned it within one week and bought the 66si instead for better user capabilities.
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor communication! Some messages take days to arrive, others never arrive. Very few move through to do you any good.
Date published: 2021-09-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works good Works good but didn't pair with my phone as well as I would have liked.
Date published: 2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Useful, but not always timely This device and it’s connectivity does allow for communication, but, not necessarily in an immediate fashion. Two devices (two owners) side by side using these had a large variance in delay of messaging. SOS function was not required on our trip.
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great features Battery sucks. Returning and upgrading. Otherwise I liked it!
Date published: 2021-09-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor performance Messages go to the wrong people and at least half the time take several hours to go through. All three of the inreach products performed poorly on our backpacking trip.
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worked well Bought this for family trekking over and around the continental divide little expensive but put a price in safety and reliability
Date published: 2021-09-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from All you need to have in satellite communicator Wide satellite network, bluetooth connection to your phone for text, in-device texting capability, good battery life (3-7 days depending on how frequently you use tracking function), excellent price-to-value (both services and device)
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love this InReach Mini Each summer and fall I spend a decent amount of time in the back country. Until now I have not been able to communicate with my loved ones who are at home and those who are in the hills with me. The Garmin inReach has been a game changer for us and only wish I would have purchased this several years ago. This little device gives my wife peace of mind knowing she can get ahold of me and that I have a way to communicate if anything goes wrong in the back country.
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from 100% WORTH IT Used this while on a back country solo hunt and peace of mind knowing i could communicate with someone if something happened was very nice. Won't be without it again!!
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Gizmo I live in Idaho and the Sawtooths bear no cell signal. My wife got me this knowing I was planning on getting one. The peace of mind for her when our son and I were in the wilderness backpacking was worth every penny. There is some delay with the Iridium system with sending and receiving messages, but considering what is taking place its not a big deal at all. I linked to my iPhone and used the AllTrails app along with the Garmin app. There are a few issues with connectivity but it is likely user-error. I would prefer a less complicated interface with the app, but its not a big deal. It worked pretty well. I would recommend if you're an outdoorsman who hunts, camps, whatever, outside of cell signal zones.
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from inReach mini I have had this for 2 hunting seasons, being an older hunter, it gives me piece of mind while hunting alone. Pros battery does well piece of mind can give wife daily updates Cons: doesnt hook up well in timber if you dont pair up to phone, the texting is cumbersome
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It has been OK I found that the battery doesn’t last as long as it is advertised.
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from One additional software feature would make it grea First one I had took forever to acquire the GPS signal, returned it for a new one that works much better, BUT if it is paired with a phone or watch that has better multi-constellation GPS glotnass or whatever and they know the location, why doesn't the software just ask them to get the GPS started up faster?
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best Investment ever Bought this for peace of mind like many others have. Nice to know it’s there when solo hiking or climbing and cell service is not available. Used it multiple times a week on my adventures to keep in contact with my family to let them know all is well. Setup was easy and using it is easy after getting familiar with it. Highly recommend this product!
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mixed feelings so far Was excited about this product but it underwhelmed so far. Only got 22 hours of battery even though I had it on the power save setting. And the mile tracker was off by about 50% (on the low side, perhaps bc of the power save setting only shooting GPS points every 10 mins?)
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not impressed Bought this for my Idaho backcountry elk hunt that I just got back from. The Garmin was pretty easy to set up cost is obviously higher than others but it’s Garmin so I thought it’s be worth it, I feel like I made a mistake. My buddy in camp who also had a Garmin we had a terrible time trying to figure out how to message each other. No where could we find what number or turns out it’s an email to use. Messages were super slow to go through and go out even sitting in wide open spaces with a clear view of the sky on sunny days… 3 other guys in our group had a Zoleo. I didn’t want to go with Zoleo because I don’t know much about it but there messages went through almost instantly. They had a simple phone number that they could easily locate and send to whoever they needed. Zoleo paired well with their phone and was cheaper. Disappointed in such a brand that had a reputation for being one of the best for anything back country. Very much underperformed in my opinion.
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works well, but slow I really appreciated the ability to keep in touch with family while in the backcountry. However, even with a clear view of the sky the acquisition of signal took a couple of minutes and send/receive of messages even longer. Of course, I didn’t need the SOS feature but not confident that urgent messages would reach target in time. All other features worked perfectly.
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from support questionable Bought some time ago for upcoming cross country trip, but just initiated 9/1/21. Evidently there were issues with Iridium network my entire trip according to all the texts i received from Garmin.
Date published: 2021-09-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worked like a Garmin For starters, I am not a Garmin fan. I owned two of the small GPS units and neither worked for me. Gaia is much simpler, intuitive and cheaper and eliminates the need to carry a separate device for GPS. However, my wife thought the inReach would be a good addition for our Grand Canyon rim to rim hike. The basics are fairly simple (SOS, canned messages) but she wanted to be able to let friends see where we were each day so set it up to do that. She is fairly tech savvy and it took several tries to get it right so definitely make sure it is doing what you want before taking it to the field. I will carry it hiking and hunting for the SOS feature and maybe a canned message, nothing more. Bottom line-for $350 it could save your life but the practical value is happy wife = happy life.
Date published: 2021-09-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good hiking resource Recently purchased for hiking in the White Mountains. Easy to use. Provides great map backup. Great security in case an emergency is encountered.
Date published: 2021-09-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor performance and poor customer service I purchased this to track my daughter's ultra run but it only tracked for the 1st hour. It was used correctly in a clear sky environment, but stopped tracking while other GPS systems (ie cell phones) had no issues. I contacted Garmin about the issue, and there was dead silence for weeks - eventually customer service returned one of my emails with the standard response of add more software, and update everything (no updates would affect performance of GPS or Iriudim link). It could be that Garmin has issues with quality control but I never got a satisfactory response from them.
Date published: 2021-09-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Buggy! Are unit may work great if you were able to download all the updates and several software packages to make it work with your iPhone. Don’t buy this off the shelf and expect it to work without a couple hours worth of effort on the computer.
Date published: 2021-09-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from excellent unit I bought this 2 years ago for a back country trip to allow for emergency rescue and contact with family to let them know our status. The inReach Mini worked great with the EarthMate app to allow convenient communication. The process is a little slower than typical cellphone texting. Battery life was reasonable and a small solar charger kept it and our phones fully charged.
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not what I needed I bought thinking it was a walk talking too, I returned because I am looking for a walk talking with a range at least of 100 miles and unfortunately I can’t find, I used to have the Nextel walk talking and I was hoping to find some thing like that, I was able to communicate with my employees here I’m Massachusetts from Brasil just using the walk talking.
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind My boyfriend and I hike a lot. We're usually not in complete wilderness, and not for extended periods of time. However, given the frequency with which we hike, it's nice to have the peace of mind of the inReach Mini. It's not the *easiest* to get set up, but it's not too bad.
Date published: 2021-09-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great peace of mind I regularly fish 60+ miles offshore, and the InReach Mini is outstanding. It uses an app on my phone, connects to my Garmin Helm, and allows me to keep my wife updated on my location and status. It is a tremendous safety and communications device, and she lets me fish more!
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device I got this unit for mountain biking and Moyer cycling so I have contact with the world if anything ever goes wrong. This little thing is amazing. Makes the wife feel safer
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Expect to spend a lot of time researching I bought this expecting an out of box and quick way to stay in touch with my wife when out of cell range. I have spent countless hours trying to figure out how to operate, sync, and use the so called phone complementary app Earth Mate. Some folks may find this an easy system to understand, but for an average non techie type, expect to spend lots of time learning how to use. It is NOT a plug and play system
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great addition to smartphone mapping This unit is pretty handy… an excellent way to stay in touch with the family while in the back-country. One feature that I would like to see is a new mode, similar to the XT tracking mode, except for satellite messaging: it would be neat if the whole unit could be set power off completely during the hour-long interim periods between automatic “message checking”. All in all - glad I went with this route instead of a larger device. For my use cases this works well: Clip it and forget it. Love the smartphone tethering capabilities.
Date published: 2021-09-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very slow GPS response We bought this for an extended hike around Glacier Peak in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in Washington State. I was struck by how slow it was able to locate the GPS signal compared to the backpacking app on my cell phone. Even in clear high areas, it would state the GPS signal was poor (and also even though the message might send after only one minute). Most messages and location notifications took at least 10 or more minutes. I don't understand why the cell phone/hiking app was able to function so much better. Near the end of our trip, the weather was changing for the worse and we tried to get a weather report. After 30 minutes it still had been unable to do so and I gave up. So those were my frustrations, which are pretty significant. Its size is great, and it did give us confidence that we could have some kind of emergency contact, although I expect communication would have been horribly slow based on the above. We also bought it so that we could notify family that we were fine and where we were; that also worked out well, and I think the family appreciated it. It seems very sturdily built.
Date published: 2021-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great concept I love having the ability to have sos for emergency. The messaging can be very very frustrating w messages sent and ho
Date published: 2021-09-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficulty setting up and not working I bought this product before a solo trip from Geneva lake to Snowmass Lake, and back. The reason was to update my family letting them know I was safe during a couple of days of solo backpacking in remote areas. I purchased the Gamin inReach Mini, with software for my iPhone. It looked as though my text messages went through when I sent them from the back country but I returned to find they did not. NO MESSAGES WERE RECEIVED.
Date published: 2021-09-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Cool Device! I ordered my inReach Mini a week or two ago. I like the capabilities of this device, especially for safety and for use in potential emergencies. I have had some minor issues figuring out navigation and setting my recipient(s) for preset messages. There's a bit of a learning curve to set it up and to get it running correctly. User interface on the Explore Garmin website can be a bit confusing. I am getting used to the menus and controls on the device. I had to keep going back to Explore Garmin often. I also had to watch a few video tutorials to iron out all the little issues. I think this device will be very helpful in the future.
Date published: 2021-09-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy Like My Phone Mini replaced my Explorer+ and is easier to use with your phone. I take my phone on hikes anyway so I cut 1/4 pound of weight by going to the Mini. At 60 years old, every ounce counts!
Date published: 2022-02-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must have for those in the great outdoors!! Liked everything about it until the Mini 2 came out. The Mini 2 is better and worth the extra $50.00 The connectivity is better and faster, the display is enhanced and the added features are a nice addition (mapping, trackback, widgets, etc.). The only thing disappointing about the Mini 2 so far is that the spline mount adapter does not come standard. Why??
Date published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works just as I had hoped I bought this to use not only for personal use but also on my SAR calls. Latest experience : Lost hikers called in to 911- they were able to send us their coordinates which we entered as a waypoint on each of our InReach Minis. Our team was able to locate the lost party and track our progress through the steep and brushy Big Sur backcountry in the middle of the night. We guided the party to safety - locating a trail identified on the Garmin Earthmate map. Would have been nearly impossible to pull this off without this device.
Date published: 2022-02-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin mini Bought this a month ago. It’s difficult to see as without reading glasses ,but my eyes are old now. I hope I never need this I bought just for emergencies. It’s very difficult to use being small also for me is too complicated navigating thru it is just a pain. I know It will get easier after I learn I’m sure but I really don’t want to bother with it. I used the 10 free texts immediately and am having trouble sending the preset texts for free. I just went back to my iPhone and just have it for emergencies oh well I have it just in case.
Date published: 2022-02-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worth it! Someone I know recently very nearly lost his life on a camping trip, which made me realize how life saving something like this can be. I find myself out of cell service most weekends so this is well worth it to me just in case.
Date published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind at a Reasonable Cost I received this as a Christmas gift and have been pretty happy with it overall. The cost is reasonable and I like the fact that you can pay by the month so that you only pay for the months you need/want. I also like the fact that I can send texts -- both custom and canned texts that you can create. My only issue is that navigating on the device itself is very clunky even for what you're supposed to be able to do with it. Using the phone is much easier, but I haven't quite figured out how to use all of the features on the phone yet. Still, for the price, this is peace of mind for both me and my wife -- even if I'm out backpacking with someone else.
Date published: 2022-02-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Definitely works I received my Garmin Mini for Christmas! My first hike in January, I had to use it. I sprained my ankle on a 7 mile hike. The trail was covered with trees and hard to see hikers. I used the SOS and was able to reach someone instantly. They also knew my exact coordinates because of the Garmin. I unfortunately had to be airlifted off the mountain. My family was also notified of what had happened and updated. I will never hike without this. So thankful to have had it at the time.
Date published: 2022-02-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact and colorful. I received this as a gift. I’m on the fence about it. I don’t like the satellite charge associated with it. Maybe if I had received it during a different time of year, it would be different. This time of year it’s hard to use due to the amount of snow. I’ve used it 2 times and it worked once:(
Date published: 2022-02-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Ordered 2 and got mini I thought I ordered the mini 2 but got the mini so I sent it back waiting for mini 2
Date published: 2022-02-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not impressed Was given this as a Christmas gift with the hopes of being able to communicate with home while out of bounds in the deep woods of Maine while snowmobiling. Perhaps it’s me but use ability is confusing at best even after paying for most expensive monthly fee.
Date published: 2022-02-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I love this thing! Great to have an SOS! Great for getting my exact Lang and Lat and also for sending my position to track my hikes and auto highway routes. Best thing is that I have an SOS I can use when hiking in places that don't have cell service. Great piece of mind!
Date published: 2022-02-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very Happy I love, my wife loves it. Can stay in communication no matter where I go. Went on three hikes (two 9hr and one 5hr) and still has 50% battery !!!!!
Date published: 2022-02-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I’m glad to have a way to be rescued in remote areas if injured while backpacking
Date published: 2022-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good battery life, but poor performance Okay So my Daughter camps alot in the sierras with her boyfriend, so I wanted her to have a way to let me know hows shes doing up there, So I watched this hiking guy rant and rave about the mini. So I bought one, I signed up for the service and fully charged it. My daughter and I tested sending the standard messages while at home in anaheim Ca. but when she got to her destination, the town of Cajon in the sierras it wouldnt work! It never could locate a GPS signal! Im just glad she wasnt headed to mount baldy like last time. Luckily her Garmin Phenix watch was able to send location info or I would never have known where she was! I bought this because it is supposed to use mutiple systems anywhere in the world,So dissapointed! I wanted to purchase several more for our GoBags if it had worked but now I will look for something else.
Date published: 2022-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it!! My husband purchased this device last year for my B-Day. We live in a dead zone for LTE/4G/5G or WIFI, outside of our property. The inReach is the perfect device to keep in touch with him as I go on my Runs/Walks outside our property.
Date published: 2022-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact and dependable Easy to take on flights as part of survival kit and search and rescue.
Date published: 2022-02-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Unreliable... For an item that can mean the difference between life and death, this product should be considerably more reliable in its functioning. It worked fairly well (with vastly varying send and receive durations) below 14,000 feet but above that (on Aconcagua) it was random hit and miss. When it did work, it was quite awesome though!
Date published: 2022-02-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device, feel much safer, needs tracking app We spend lots of time far away from cell signals and emergency assistance, but we feel much safer having our little red inReach GPS tracking device. The excellent breadcrumb feature is especially important. Number one on our wish list is a dedicated tracker app where any authorized person can easily track the device on a map.
Date published: 2022-01-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It does the job, but doesn't stand out TLDR: It seems to do what it's supposed to but doesn't perform as well as other Garmin products. In today's world of the integrated product experience Garmin has a bit of way to go. I purchased this for the peace of mind while hiking in the back country. It does well for this, reliably tracking my steps and keeping me informed of how far I've gone and knowing there is the SOS button makes me and my spouse feel better. Setup: I'm a long time Garmin user - bike computers, watches, etc. However, the set-up for the InReach is weird. I needed to create yet another Garin account specific to the InReach. This took about 10 tries since it didn't work well with Google Chrome. Switching to Microsoft Edge worked on the first try. The Garmin Earthmate mobile app installed easily and paired with the unit without any issues. Usage: The first use on a small, local hike the unit took a very long time to acquire a satellite signal and never did send the message that I was starting the hike. On my second outing it was tracking but didn't seem to record anything. On the third outing it tracked the first half of my hike, and then only two points on the return - resulting in a 'straight line' shown on the map. Apps & Maps: The Garmin Earthmate app is just OK. I requested a weather update as I started writing this review and am still waiting for it to arrive. The maps provided by Garmin are really bad. If you are familiar with Gaia, Guthook or other map services you will be really disappointed. The readability and accuracy of the provided maps is pretty bad (they were missing some trails and trail heads). PS - weather update just arrived. Expecting a severe winter storm tomorrow with blizzard conditions and up to 24 inches of snow. Garmin weather predicts a 20% chance of snow with accumulation of .35 inches. Not sure I would trust that.
Date published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from difficult to text I bought this a month ago. The SOS function is the main point, and I guess that works fine. But it's difficult to figure out how to send texts--I've more or less given up.
Date published: 2022-01-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great peace of mind Bought this for snowmobiling in the back country to know where we are and be able to text if needed.
Date published: 2022-02-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from The device is great, the subscription is lacking The device is great the only gripe I have is with the subscription services. The mid tier plan is sub par and I cannot justify the price of the unlimited plan
Date published: 2022-02-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent little device! This little thing is packed with features but the most useful ones are never too far away. It’s pretty easy to use and gives me great peace of mind when I go out in the backcountry alone knowing that I can message my family or emergency services outside of cell coverage. It connects with my Garmin Instinct watch and that’s pretty neat. I love how portable the unit is. The only thing that I would change is I would integrate the Garmin Explore app that you get with their watches and the Earthmate app you get with the InReach mini and have one app that talks to both devices. Also puzzled that the Earthmate app doesn’t let you search for locations, you have to scroll to them on the map.
Date published: 2022-02-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nice little unit. Have not had a lot of spart time to get to know it. Shawn from your tech support in Salem, Or was a great help to get my wife online to see where I was. Know there are a lot of features that I may learn. Am an old Spot 3 user but had some problems with the company and the spot 3 was pretty featurless and sometime not so good in the trees. Will have to see how the inreach mini does in the trees as soon as the snow is gone.
Date published: 2022-02-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Give the home front peace of mind I travel frequently where there is absolutely no cell service. As such for hours I can be unreachable. Needless to say, the family worries a bit. SAT phones are "nice" but very costly to operate and unless you absolutely need to be in touch IMO not necessary. The inReach Mini is a great compromise showing trip progress to whomever you give access at a reasonable monthly charge. I would say that the documentation does need help. As a 40+ year IT Executive I found the "instructions" left a lot of room for improvement.
Date published: 2022-02-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great idea but awful menu and the flow of screens I recently bought the device because I ride backwards and a lot of solo trips and really want to have a small SOS Beacon that I could carry but I have to be honest and tell everyone that the menu system and the ease of use of this device is among the worst I've used in the last 20 years. It doesn't flow well it doesn't it doesn't make a whole lot of sense and there's 2 and there's too much stuff you don't need and none of the things that would be really helpful.
Date published: 2022-04-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I was gifted my Garmin inReach mini two years ago. It has given my many hours and miles of security while adventuring in areas without cell service. I recently had to engage the SOS because my friend had a massive crash on her mountain bike. She cracked her helmet and was unable to get off the mountain herself. The communication with emergency services was constant until help reached us on the trail. I love my inReach. It’s the greatest gift for the adventurer in your life.
Date published: 2022-03-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Reliable device and must for remote hiking I have used the In Reach in a professional settings during natural disasters as well as off shore patrols. The reliability of satellite messaging, tracking and weather in remote locations is literally a life saver. I recently bought a personal unit for hiking in remote areas and needed a reliable and trusted method to communicate with family and first responders if needed. Recently went on a hike to the Guadalupe mountains and it worked flawlessly. In addition the ability to choose different subscriptions if also a great feature and another reason I chose this device. Overall Garmin has always made reliable products. In the end the InReach mini is a must for hiking in remote locations and I wouldn’t go in the back country without it.
Date published: 2022-03-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from GREAT DEVICE I have only had the device for a month and have only used it in the field once so this is early for a review. I still have lots to learn and discover about the device. The Garmin customer service is AMAZING! The set-up and activation was pretty much easy and straightforward after carefully reading and watching video tutorials. I found that the two way messaging has worked as advertised. That's the main reason that I bought the device. Navigating through all the options is a bit confusing at first, but with practice it get's much easier. This device is an independent functioning sattelite 2 way communicator, but to get the complete capability of it, you need to become proficient with the Bluetooth interfacing with the Earthmate app on your smartphone and also the syncing interface with your computer (not a tablet). You can navigate with the device using the Earthmate app, but I have yet to master that function myself. One last important thing, if you have a computer with Windows 10 or 11 in "S mode", you will have to disable/turnoff the S mode function on your computer to update and sync the Garmin InReach. The software that the Garmin devices run off of are not compatible with Windows 10 and 11 in S mode. I learned this the hard way just after I bought a new laptop. Disabling the Windows 11 S mode feature on my laptop was easy and now all systems are operating as advertised. From my limited use so far, this is a dependable rugged device that I'm sure will live up to it's reputation. Garmin has lots options to choose from with their plans as well. Hope this helps.
Date published: 2022-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it! I bought this because I work in the woods by myself and I rarely have cell service. With the inreach I can communicate with whoever I need, or just text my wife during the day. And if there’s ever an emergency I can get ahold of whoever I need. It works great! I just text from my phone and within a minute or 2 it goes through. I don’t leave home without it.
Date published: 2022-03-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Doesn't fulfill its optimal potentialThe idea of b The idea of being tracked while alone on the trail is great, and sometimes this device delivers, but two things I find less than optimal for the inReach Mini: 1) the menu and its navigation is confusing and at times difficult to utilize, at least for me; and 2) much too often satellite/gps system does not pick up my location while tracking is set to ON, also meaning it is not able to transmit messages. This is disappointing bc the whole reason I purchased this device is to have my wife know where I am in the mountain trails and if I run into trouble.
Date published: 2022-03-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very useful and essential bit of kit Garmin’s inReach devices are literally life savers. In our job of conservation and protected area management, our teams are most often very remote and out of reach. It is comforting to know they are inReach with their inReach device.
Date published: 2022-03-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It's horrible Messages are not being pushed to my phone via Bluetooth. Only sometimes. I've got 4 "unread" messages on the Inreach, but I can't find them or mark existing as read. I'm sailing alone 100-200 miles offshore and deserve better!!!
Date published: 2022-03-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind I bought this not too long ago with the idea of boating off shore. I've used it 40+ miles off shore and gives me and my family peace of mind that I can give them near exact GPS coordinates as well as preset messages stating that I'm ok. I use this product along with a Personal Locator Beacon and my on water towing services.
Date published: 2022-03-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Lemon device I’ve had this forever. Never been able to connect. Just got the charging and powering on issue fixed. Now it won’t find satellites to connect. Disappointed. Especially since I have 8 garmin devices.
Date published: 2022-03-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Too Complicated The unit and app are too complicated. Not user friendly at all. Even the simple things are hard. I just want to send/receive texts and be able to send links to folks so they can follow me. It is confusing even after reading instructions and watching YouTube videos.
Date published: 2022-02-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach interface not at all user-friendly This device is not user friendly. The SOS feature makes the device worth the cost, but I fear that I will freeze to death on a summit trying to send a preset message. And why are the presets ( the most important ones) harder to find on the display than the quick text messages? When I send a preset message from the inreach it can take up to 24 hours for the message to be received.
Date published: 2022-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin inReach Garmin inReach mini is one of the best gps devices with sos satellite communication but 66i is best :)
Date published: 2022-03-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor product support The first time I used the mini it didn't track my hike. I viewed three videos that droned on forever before using it the first time. The videos were boring and not very helpful. I prefer to read instructions instead of having to watch a video. The videos also spent too much time trying to sell other Garmin products and not enough time carefully explaining how to setup and use the device. So far the Garmin Mini has been a failure. I'm going to try to find more instructions and give it one or two more chances but, at this point, it looks like I may be returning it. At the current price point, it should have better product support.
Date published: 2022-04-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Provides you peace of Mind. I paired my mini inreach with the Garmin Overlander. It provides the peace of mind in that my Family can view my progress and know where I am and having the ability to send text while of cell phone service is GREAT.
Date published: 2022-04-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Terrible instructions!! I bought the InReach so I could keep in contact with people at home via text. I was able to link the unit to my IOS phone with no problem. I then spent hours trying to set up a contact list and was unable to. I am very disappointed and this defeats my reason for buying the InReach. I have a SPOT which works great, but the InReach has great features which are useless if I can’t figure out how to access them. I’m really bummed.
Date published: 2022-04-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind The device itself works as it should for what I’ve tried so far. I really only use it to communicate check-ins while I’m on my motocamping trips. I’m not happy with syncing, though. I can’t seem to get my syncing to work on my Mac (dongles on dongles, and I think the problems might be the dongles). The Mac can never recognize the Garmin. I just use other people’s PCs, but the last time I did it, it apparently didn’t sync like it was supposed to. Once it’s all synced it works pretty well. It keeps my family from worrying about me, and I can feel more confident about riding on the backroads and camping by myself.
Date published: 2022-04-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from LOVE IT! I bought this last year for when I'm solo backpacking and my husband is riding his motorcycle in the backcountry. Best purchase ever for piece of mind for the people on both ends. There are more features I need to learn how to use, it's capable of doing more than I have even explored, but we love it!!
Date published: 2021-10-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device But… Great device but wish the screen was scratch-proof. Everything else I love!
Date published: 2021-10-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good tech! I’ve used it now for over a year and really like and trust it’s reliability. It connects both to my phone and Garmin watch. It has been a bit off, as far as navigation in the Sierras. Also, I don’t like the monthly fee structure
Date published: 2021-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So simple and works great Bought this 3 years ago and works incredibly on multi day back country hunts!
Date published: 2021-10-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from In Reach Indeed!! I bought my mini for a Newfoundland moose hunt so I could keep my family up to date during the adventure. The ability to share the memories in real time was like they were there with me. I don’t say this lightly, the Garmin was the best piece of equipment I bought for the hunt. If I could give 10 stars I would.
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Lost Only had the mini in my possession for approximately a week. It was left on the bumper of my truck and lost while driving before I ever took it into the field. Luckily I still have my original Delorme inReach and reactivated it before heading into the backcountry. That mini sure was nice and compact/lightweight! I’m forced to leave a rating so I’ll give 4 stars on the size and weight alone since that was my main purpose for upgrading units
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Second time out in the wild The connectivity is great and battery life is quite good if we manage the track settings and shut it off when indoors. However we got our battery drained the first night of a multi night backpacking trip while staying at a mountain refuge ( solid stone walls, tile roof, no view of the sky). It would be a good thing to implement an auto shutdown feature after a user-set timer without satellite signal.
Date published: 2021-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great SAT communicator Very happy with the inReach mini. I have been using it for backpacking and adventure motorcycle riding. Able to communicate and check in with my wife/family while in the mountains. Also, great to have the tracking. Especially with group motorcycle adventures. Others can see progress and when we are arriving at next town/destination. Previously everything was a guess, and you sometimes felt rushed if you weren’t making progress and arriving later than expected
Date published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Keeps me on the grid Great tracker, battery life could be a little more robust for long trips
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Simple & compact I bought the unit while driving to Colorado to elk hunt, after only a few minutes I was set up and ready to go. Overall it worked perfect for the week I was in the mountains with no cell service. Easy to operate, the app is simple to use, it’s light weight and rugged. 5 stars for sure!!!
Date published: 2021-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device, but you have to re-pair it everytime everytime i turn it on i have to repair it it gets a bit annoying but once its on and working its great
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nice size, app, texting, multiple web pages needed I have had this device for a few years. I like the size. I also love the price for the subscriptions. Other than that it seems to struggle getting a good signal. Messages don't seem to work very well. There is also way to many websites involved to maximize this devices potential.
Date published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from No messages received I was not able to receive messages from the parties I selected and nor could they read my messages I was sending
Date published: 2021-10-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use. I used this on a few hunting trips and my wife was able to track my progress throughout the day. She was more comfortable knowing that I could summon help if necessary.
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Still having issues I bought my mini and setup. I was able to send and receive Tex’s thru Earthmate and suddenly could no longer receive. Called support and was told to hit back and power at same time to reboot, did not work. Here I am on 6 week trip 500.00 into this product and it’s failed me. I put it awAy and will deal with it later. No use if Tex’s can’t be received anymore.
Date published: 2021-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from First time use Went camping at two different sites and both time was unable to send messages. Kept displaying poor jps strength. If you can't use it at a campsite how in the world could you use it backpacking in the wilderness. Since it had been less than 30 days from purchasing returned it to REI for a refund. No support online from Garmin for the mini. WOW. Last time I will purchase a Garmin product.
Date published: 2021-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best Purchase of 2021 I am not your typical gear head and gadget person, but this little device is incredible. I do a lot of backpacking and thru hikes on my own, plus snow shoeing and mountaineering. Having the Garmin Mini gives me so much more peace of mind. It lets my friends and family track my hikes and I can text them updates along the way. I don't know how I lived this long without it! Every serious hiker should have one of these.
Date published: 2021-08-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does the job without the weight! With any product your satisfaction depends on how you use it. For me, the InReach Mini perfectly suits my needs. I mostly use it to make people aware of my location and send short stored messages on my status. It would take an unusual circumstance for me to require composing a message through my phone or on the teeny screen. And, of course, in a worst case situation there is the SOS capability. Having owned the full size InReach I would not go back to it. It weighs considerably more and offers features that I wouldn't use largely because they are available on my phone or GPS. The satellite reception of the Mini seems generally similar to the full size unit and I find battery life is good on both units.
Date published: 2021-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind I bought the inReach Mini a year ago for when I solo hike or backpack. The battery has held up great thus far, GPS tracking is incredibly accurate and my family has vocalized that they have felt peace of mind being able to see my progress and check-in points. I pay a monthly subscription to keep the device active, which I think is worth it for the amount of time spent out of service. The only thing I will say that I wish was made clearer was the software updates. I went on a 2-day backpacking trip in the White Mountains a couple weeks ago. Day 1, the device worked great and still had 100% battery after a long day in the mountains with no cell phone service. I powered it off for the night when I got to camp. The next morning, the device absolutely would not remain powered on, which I found out later was due to a needed software update. This, in my opinion, should have been more effectively communicated to the consumer as something like this can often make the difference between having safety and peace of mind, and unnecessary nerves. All in all, I'm very happy with the device, the weight, and it's functionality. I would recommend buying one for solo hikers/backpackers/snowshoe-ers/climbers, just make sure you're A) familiar and comfortable with how it operates before you take it out into the woods and B) keeping your software up to date. And while I'm here, read the book "Where You'll Find Me" if you haven't, for a great perspective one why relying on technology is not always the smart option. The best thing you can ever rely on is between your ears.
Date published: 2021-08-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Product I bought this for use while offshore fishing. Great product but the service is quite expensive for the little actual use I do. Unfortunately even the basic service is a bit pricey for the recreational angler.
Date published: 2021-08-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Opinions on First Use I have used this device on one hike so far, and have gone through all the menu items. I used the tracking and sent some messages. Honestly I find the user interface not very intuitive. I am also surprised that there is no way to observe a connection to the satellite. In the open it seems to work fine, but in the woods it has a hard time connecting, unlike my Garmin eTrex 30x.
Date published: 2021-08-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from weak antennae It continuously says "weak GPS" on the screen. Does not matter where I am. I can hold it up for 5 minutes on top of a mountain peak without a single tree or another peak in sight, and it will persist in telling me that I have a weak GPS connection. Sometimes all the messages I sent from the trail go out only after I arrive home. I have found that you can get around the "weak GPS" message and send text without location, but that seems to be short of its advertised capabilities.
Date published: 2021-08-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use I bought this a few weeks ago for my solo hiking and camping trips and it has definitely come in handy when checking in with family and friends! Must have for anyone who enjoys the outdoors alone. I will say though, it's frustrating trying to understand which Garmin apps are for the inReach mini compared to other Garmin devices. I have a Garmin watch as well and it's hard keeping track of the two because they each use multiple apps. Regardless, the inReach mini is a necessary purchase for anyone who enjoys the outdoors solo.
Date published: 2021-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mini Not very impressed. Would not recommend at this point. Had a very hard time setting it up. Signal was debatable, texts didn't go thru. Directions with it could be better.
Date published: 2021-08-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Long overdue purchase The peace of mind I had on a 5 day kayak trip in North Cascades NP due to the inReach was priceless. Seamless integration with my iPhone using the Earthmate application gave me access to topographical maps that were easier to use then those on my older model 62s GPS. I opted to “save” battery life by only tracking while underway and was able to get data for all 5 days out on the single charge—can’t wait to try it on a backcountry backpack next.
Date published: 2021-08-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect for my use. I bought the inReach Mini for communication in the backcountry. I’ve done some test trip locally to get to know before heading out. Some features are not that intuitive and I found the same with the Earthmate app. I believe a updated app with better maps would be a great start. But there was many resources online and tutorials that are helpful weeding things out. Great piece of mind in the backcountry.
Date published: 2021-08-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it so far! My recreation activities in the backcountry areas of Montana have always been a double edged sword…..I love the large areas of cellular dead zones in my home state, but not having contact with my family for days on end is unfair to them. Now, having the InReach Mini, I can send texts to my wife and friends, and if I need to, send an emergency SOS in the event I am hurt or lost. Bluetooth connectivity with my phone has been awesome, and I can carry a charging cord to plug in to my portable battery charger.
Date published: 2021-08-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from it works! I like to use it in my plane. It works but seams to be slow at times.
Date published: 2021-08-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device! I bought this for trail running and backpacking, especially where cell service is limited. This is a great device. I am able to let my family know that I'm well even when I have no cell service. It is lightweight, and not an impediment to running. For backpacking this was far better than lugging a rental satellite phone in my backpack. Communication with family and friends was easy, whether using preset messages or the Earthmate app and Bluetooth on my phone. I would recommend this to anyone running by themselves or traveling in remote areas.
Date published: 2021-08-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I purchased this strictly for the SOS and text updates. I have tested it and am very pleased with the function. The set up was a little challenging for an old guy, but it went well. I still carry my larger Garmin unit for navigation but keep the InReach on for emergencies. My wife really likes the preset texts to keep her informed of my progress and safety. Great little unit for off- grid hunting and fishing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Date published: 2021-08-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent navigational tool I bought this primarily for emergency communication use when hiking in unfamiliar areas. While trying it out, I ended up on a route that I could not have completed without the navigation tool - it was spot on and literally got me home, very easy to read and follow having had no previous experience with any kind of mapping/gps/navigation tool besides paper maps. I also like that the subscription service has so many options. I'm looking forward to learning everything this little device can do, but it has already paid for itself!
Date published: 2018-08-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Needed SOS Function Two days ago I used this tiny satellite-tracker device to summon emergency help. It really proved it's worth. It works when there's no cell coverage. I wrenched and broke my arm while hiking in Utah (USFS - Uinta, Wasatch & Cache National Forests). The mountain slope was steep and I couldn't stand up. I had recently purchased the inReach Mini on advice of my son-in-law because he knew I usually hike alone, and my wife could track my location and progress on our computer at home. This was the first time we used the tracking function. At 2 pm I activated the SOS protocol and 1) a (GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC)) operator texted me via the inReach Mini about my situation, 2) she alerted Davis County Sheriff Search & Rescue about my situation and location coordinates, 3) she called my wife about my situation and told her help was on it's way, 4) she kept in touch with me from time to time to inquire how I was, 5) rescuers arrived at 3:30, 6) the operator kept my wife updated throughout. The rescue team stabilized my injury (hospital emergency dept staff said they did a great job) and then used a basket litter to lower me down the mountain, across a steam, and up to a trail. Once on a trail I was able to walk out with my rescuers -- about 45 min, and my family was there at the emergency vehicles when we arrived -- 6:30 pm. Again and again members of the search and team commented how grateful they were to have my condition on an updated basis and location coordinates right off. So was I. They didn't have to search, rather put all their effort into rescuing.
Date published: 2018-09-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Early indications are good I have only had this device for one week but I can say that the setup was very easy and intuitive. Initial feature tests have had perfect results. Looking forward to trying this in the field.
Date published: 2018-12-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great security for longer hiking trips Bought this before a longer trip in the mountains where i knew cell reception was bad. Haven't used the SOS feature, and hope i never have to, but the device is great for communicating with your loved ones while you're without cell reception. Battery is also decent for a device like this. Writing texts is a bit slow, but you have plenty of time being outdoors so i don't see that as a problem. Weather forecast feature was also very nice to have, and managed to move the tent to cover before the wind set.
Date published: 2018-09-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome communicator, take everywhere size This communicator works great with very fast and reliable message sending and receiving. The device logging settings allow the recording of GPS tracks like a standard GPS unit and the uploading of track points allow others to easily track you on a nice map page where they can also request your current position or send a message if you allow those options. The ability to send unlimited preset messages for no extra cost was the most important feature for me. Because the device is so small, I use an annual plan and take it any time I may be out of cellular coverage. The Earthmate app works perfectly on my iPhone X with good offline mapping.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Promising but falls short I bought my second in reach because I love the Delorme explore. 1st issue I had no choice but create a second seperate account. This means map routes, way points, and sync of the devices to travel in the same spot is a real pain. Garmin won't even provide the option anymore. Not very customer focused.
Date published: 2018-08-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Underestimated the Value of the Maps I bought the InReach Mini to give me a more complete satellite communication device especially with my upcoming backpacking trip to Norway. However, I did not expect to appreciate the mapping link options as much as I do.
Date published: 2019-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great concept,weak execution This product was exactly what I was looking for, unfortunately the actual performance is lacking. Turns out you have to create Garmin contacts for each text recipient, even though the manual says you can use your iphone contacts. Lots of basic information missing from the manual.
Date published: 2018-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must have for backcountry activities Great device. Functional best for its SOS capability. Worth the money for that alone when you are a lone hiker. Cons: subscription too pricey, very small screen - - lightweight more important than size--seems Inreach missed the middle ground.
Date published: 2018-10-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Feature Packed; Perfect Size Initial impressions: Fantastic size, as this is a companion to my other Garmin hiking and off-roading gear. I love the fact that once paired with your smartphone, you use the interface on the phone to manage the device. I spend time in the back-country of Utah every year and InReach Mini is the "last mile" in gear that leaves me confident I can operate safely outside of cell service - which is frequent. Again, this is a companion to my Oregon 650T so I don't imagine I would use the basic nav or compass features but it's nice to know they are there if I needed them. The major "wow factor" of this thing is two-way communication via satellite when off the grid. It works really well (as advertised) and is augmented by the passive tracking feature which is uploaded to a site where friends and family can track your trek. So, even without using the messaging feature, people can know where you are and view it on a very detailed map. So far I'm really pleased with this.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace during the adventure This filled a need perfectly for my family. I like to go on adventures and climb mountains, hike, sail, etc. and my family likes to follow along (but aren't too interested in joining). Being able to check in at night from Tanzania, deep in the Montana wilderness or from the mid-atlantic has brought a lot of peace to our family while I'm out and about. Also, been a moral booster to get message from folks that things are okay.
Date published: 2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact and well made I would have given 5 stars, but data plans are a rip-off. You should be able to keep it active all the time and pay for data if used rather that paying for months when not in use. If you do pay as you go (have to activate month to month), the monthly rate is crazy high. Love the unit and hope as more competition data providers will come down.
Date published: 2018-12-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Big improvement over the old inReach I've been an inReach user for years and really appreciate the display and the "stand-alone" features of this unit. Also, the tiny size makes it much more likely that I'll have the unit with me. I never could find a good spot for the old one on my bicycle. Not sure I like the rechargeable battery yet. There are times when I'd just like to pop in a fresh battery and go without worrying about whether or not I have time to recharge it.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small but Powerful My wife especially loves my inreach Mini whenever I go hiking in wilderness areas. My first trip was 4 days and it was not set up completely, but it still allowed her to get and send messages. You have to manage battery charge on longer trips much like cell phone or GPS. It provides a high level of security and safety when venturing off the grid.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent Service Would have been 5 stars if the activation process had worked as it should have. However, the support service was finally able to resolve the issues. Used it for the first time yesterday. Everything seems to be working as expected.
Date published: 2018-10-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Compact Device Very compact, but a very substantial feel in hand; durable; intuitive interface; connects quickly. Highly recommended. My only complaint is that it didn’t come with a belt clip.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing device I purchased the inReach mini for a trip to the Cloud Peak Wilderness in Wyoming to the keep family informed of where I was. Also to communicate with them via the pre set text and e mail via my smart phone. It worked perfectly and they got all my notices.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just what I needed Along with the Earthmate app, this device is exactly what I looking for. My wife is not a hiker and our kids do like to come along with me, on a couple of 10+ mile day hikes I had this device with me and to communicate with my wife and let her know how kids were doing. Really good to have the SOS (thankfully I have not used it).
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I like to solo trail run and hike where I lose cell signal. My wife is is much happier when I take this with me.
Date published: 2019-02-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Simplicity, and simple design in light weight. I am glad I upgraded to this unit. I previously have used several similar units and moist recently the Delorme InReach Explorer. This little unit is so small it takes up very little real estate on my back. I clip it up high for the best signal. Its ability to work with my garmin watch is a real nice plus. The phone interface is smooth and straight forward and overall I'm impressed with the unit. Ive taken it on a few trips and it doesn't disappoint. I didn't need the unit with onboard mapping as I already had that capability on my watch. I look forward to getting a good life cycle out of it. Last advice is change the message alert to ring continuously. Sometime this unit my be far away at camp and you won't realize you have an unread until you look directly at the unit.
Date published: 2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Hardware. Software is acceptable. This is better than the competition. That being said, the insurance part of the subscription only covers the owner, not the party or the user. Be aware, It took 3 days to activate. The app is clunky and could do a lot more. It works well for texting, tracking is OK, but should be easier to access maps. Overall it covers my needs
Date published: 2019-01-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very useful!! It helps me on the first week after bought it, sooner than i expect
Date published: 2018-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from InReach Mini Picked up about 90 days ago. Works well easily pairs with iPhone. Only used for text and email thus far hope I never need the SOS function. Handy for trips out of cell coverage
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent for my cross country ADV Has a feeling of being built tuff. Had an issue with not knowing how to link contact....called support and had this issue resolved in no time. Very helpful and great CS! Not only for safety but can track and store my rides with tons of details in the App. Thx for an awesome product.
Date published: 2018-12-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficult to find info on how to use this I think in general the device is excellent. The biggest problem is trying to understand what the person sees at the other end when receiving texts or emails. How do they respond? I think in general you can find stuff on YouTube and google, but there should be training videos which do a better job on walking you through Earthmate and the mini. I’m very tech savvy and still struggled.... couldn’t even imagine somebody that isn’t familiar with technology picking this thing up for the first time.
Date published: 2018-11-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from First impression I received the device last week and tried it out over the weekend. I was able to send and receive txts ok. The connection to my Fenix 5 kept dropping out. I currently do not have a social tab on my inreach account so I can’t share map information with my family. I have an email in to support regarding that issue.
Date published: 2019-01-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Working great so far for no grid long trail runs I have used my mini on one all day trail run when we were deep in the mountains. Worked great as my wife could easily see our location. Sending message back and forth was slow but functional. So overall works great and nice piece of mind should something go wrong and we need a SOS option. I wish i could see the overall GPS stregtnh on the display ( like cell bars) as I am sure it changes if I am on a peak or deep valley. The iPhone interface makes messaging a lot easier. For now for someone with young kids and old knees this is cheap insurance considering we are off the grid at least once a month.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great compact size for my needs Just needed emergency service capability as well as messaging for family. Fits the bill perfectly.
Date published: 2019-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Doesn't stay connected to Fenix 5 when 3' apart The Mini is so much smaller than the full size Explorer SE and Explorer+. I'm a trail runner and sold my Explorer+ and replaced it with the mini. The Mini does everything I used the Explorer+ for but also pairs with the Fenix 5 watch. I kept the Mini in the bottom left side of my Ultimate Direction backpack which is the same side I wear my watch on. In the first 10 miles of a long run my watch told me at least 20 times that it had lost connection with the Mini. There were many more notifications along those lines but I stopped counting. I don't often text from the inReach nor do I check messages while I'm running. It'd be nice to check those on the watch but for the annoyance of the many messages I've disabled the connection to my watch. It'd be nice to have SOS functionality on my watch but the bad connection isn't worth putting up with. If you don't care about connecting to your watch (not a very useful feature for me) or can keep your inReach in front of you closer to the watch (I carry my food and water there and have no room for a device) then consider this a 5 start review for you.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it! Easy interphase to edit via the PC app. This is our 7th Garmin product, from Rhinos to Fénix 5x and our latest newcomer, the Mini! Can’t go wrong with Garmin, had a delay in setting up the Iridium account, and their customer service dept dealt with the issue very professionally.!!
Date published: 2018-10-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just as advertised! Works great to send and receive texts via satellite. Friends were able to follow my hike online. Tested in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks where there is no cell service except on a few of the summits.
Date published: 2018-12-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great little compact unit. A very useful 'gadget' I had been torn, deciding whether to get a satellite device while hiking in the back country. Generally speaking, I got it for my wife's piece of mind, and since I don't seem to be getting any younger, it may be invaluable should something happen. But the main issue is 'the cost' for the unit and one year of the minimum service will cost about $565 then $160 per year after that (using the yearly plan) a person could save $30 to $60 per year going on the freedom plan, but then you have to plan your hikes/adventures around your service, so I picked the full year. Not that that would be allot of money should I really need it! The second reason I only give the unit 4 out of 5 stars is that the operating system is a bit, well 'clunky' It reminds me of technology from the late 80's Even the Earthmate app is a bit behind the times, but at least they don't charge you for every map like they did on my Garmin eTrex 20x that I had been using. Overall this is probably necessary in this day and age and I'm sure I will get many faithful years of service out of it. Overall it is a great compact device that I am proud to add to my hiking paraphernalia, although it is now, definitely my most expensive hiking gadget, well, behind my cell phone anyways, LOL
Date published: 2019-02-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from just what I needed Works perfectly for what I wanted it for. Garmin as always is topnotch.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Horrible instructions Still struggling to pair with phone to even see if it works. No assistance available in the weekend
Date published: 2018-12-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin inreach mini I just used this on a week long backpack hunt and it was absolutely essential. I’ll never leave home without it again
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does everything it says The Mini was really a good investment! Messages and tracking working as expected. I have seen some reviews talking about waiting 20 minutes for messages, but in my experience they have all been sent or received in a 5 minute window. Battery life is good provided that you have a clear view of the sky. Taking the unit indoors and leaving it on really drains the battery. Overall I am very impressed with my purchase
Date published: 2018-09-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from This thing works well Use it for hunting. Worked very close to normal texting speed off grid.
Date published: 2018-12-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great technology, hard to use User interface leaves a lot to be desired. Having to scroll through the list to find what you need is cumbersome. Having a dedicated buttons for example for tracking Archie pull up a certain message list would be much easier. However when you figure out how to tell it what to do if it works extremely well. Communicate with satellites quickly and accurately. Maybe I will like it more when I become more accustomed to using it
Date published: 2018-11-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Come on Garmin Got the Mini, am looking forward to taking it hiking, biking, rafting, hunting etc etc.. However I found the setup to be time consuming and frustrating. To get the Mini functioning you have to use Garmin Explore, Earthmate and Garmin Express. Knowing when to use each at a certain time during setup was a head scratcher at times. Why can't this be done all at one website? Even the Garmin tech support guy admitted it wasn't a smooth setup and it needs to be improved.
Date published: 2019-01-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Multitude of technical problems I received this as a Christmas present and am returning it to REI. The first problem occurred on December 26th when the unit did not send a test message. When I called Garmin support, the gentleman couldn’t explain why the unit did not send the test message. He said, “Well, you’re receiving your preset messages, so it should be okay.” The second issue occurred on January 1st when the unit sent out a preset message without me actually doing so. When I called customer support the next day, he updated the latest software and said that should take care of the issue. Finally, today, January 3d, I sent a preset message twice and it did not go through to any of my listed contacts either time even though the unit itself said two messages were sent. Not only do I not have the confidence that this unit will actually work when I need it to, customer service’s answer of “That should be okay,” is less than comforting. I will be returning and putting my children’s and my safety in the hands of a more reliable manufacturer.
Date published: 2019-01-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I Much Prefer the Smaller Size I find carrying the inReach Mini on my travels far more convenient than its' sibling models due to its being substantially in the context of both size and weight. With the same functionality of the predecessor models, the only drawback is the smaller screen size. My main use is using the satellite communication capability when out of cellular range. While the screen size makes it quite more difficult and a standalone basis as compared to the other models, I always bring along my cellular phone which has a 6" screen. (Yes, it is not a question of not bring the phone when I am going out of cell range.) Having, installed the Garmin Earthmate app on my phone, messaging is now far easier than with the other inReach models. That is, both in compiling the outgoing messages and reading replies. In this operational context, I always bring the cellphone and with that in one pocket, I find the far smaller inReach Mini much more convenient than the larger models of inReach.
Date published: 2018-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin Does It Again - Great Product! I have used this on a few occasions since picking it up. It works exactly as expected and is light and compact. I haven't had to use the SOS feature, and I hope I don't ever need to, but I'm confident that it will work if I do.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works in challaging enviornment but confusing I purchased this to use on SAR operations, but my first real life use was a 4 day trip down the Paria in UT & AZ. We were in very narrow canyons much of the time and it worked very well, it was also hot and occasionally wet and it handled all of the conditions well. I found the interface to be, ok but not very intuitive. The link to my iPhone worked well but once again not very intuitive. I have several other Garmin products and was disappointed it does not interconnect with my Alpha and seems to use a totally different approach. Others were able to track our progress via the messages and links we sent. It took me sometime to figure how to do so. WCB
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does what it's supposed to do Before purchasing, I did a lot of online research, so I was well acquainted with the capabilities of the inReach. It's very small, lightweight, and sturdy-feeling. The buttons take a lot of pressure to activate, with a solid click when pressed. I'm afraid it would be downright painful to compose much of a free form message directly on the device. I'm glad that capability is there, but I intend to keep a well-charged phone nearby at all times. It makes it easy to keep in touch with family when I'm out of cell phone reach, and it does this in a tiny, fairly simple to use package.
Date published: 2018-12-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Unit is just "Too Cu I have been using a competitor's unit for six years. Each year, when it is time to renew my subscription, I evaluate what is on the market. This is the first unit that made me make the upgrade. Two way communication, improved network, confirmed delivery, and customization messages did it for me. Still, I had a little apprehension about getting something to replace something that worked "OK". That apprehension went away IMMEDIATELY when I opened the package. This unit is just TOO CUTE to return. I love it. It is really well made, easy to operate, easy to customize, and can be carried in a number ways. I keep it in my car at all times unless I am on the trail. The fact that it is available and usable 365 days a year makes it worth the extra cost of the subscription. I am recommending this to my friends.
Date published: 2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great features but.... I finally purchased the inReach Mini! I chose the mini over the inReach full feature models for the size and weight. I figured with what i read about the Earthmate app that this setup would do everything I wanted it to do. I'll start off by saying I did not find the system and documentation very intuitive. i am a technical guy so I managed. Since this is the first generation of inReach under the Garmin name, they apparently have not done much with the systems that are required to make everything come together. By systems I am referring to the Earthmate App and the Garmin inReach portal site. you really have to learn 3 things and they are all documented separately. 1. The inReach mini unit. 2. The Earthmate App 3. The inReach Portal Web site where you set up your plan, contacts, quick messages and map sharing. I tested everything. I used the unit along with my iPhone and started tracking a short walk in a local park. I turned off my phones data and wi-fi. Messages sent fine and replies were received. The tracking interval of 10 minutes ( lowest option available with my plan ) worked ok too. I set a logging interval of 2 minutes and that seemed to work as well. You will have to read the documentation to learn the different in tracking and logging intervals. I then tested navigating to an established way-point. I created a way-point from the map on the web portal and synced up my Earthmate app with automatically synced to the inReach over blue tooth. I used the inReach without the smart phone to navigate to the way-point ( a couple of blocks from my house ) and it worked fine. This navigation is a simple arrow point in the straight line direction of the way-point giving you the distance as the crow flies to that point. I did the same test using the Earthmate App on the iPhone. In both cases the navigation worked. When I got to within a few feet of the way-point the inReach and the App both alerted me that I had arrived. It seems as if once you buy an inReach mini unit you get all the Earthmate features and maps and the only purpose the mini serves is to allow SAT Com messaging. You could turn the mini off and still get map share tracking points via your GPS on your phone. Don't take my word on that as I have not tested that exact use case. That is next. Things I find odd: 1. While the Earthmate App will tap into your phone contact list for sending messages through the app, it will not sync those contacts up to the inReach device. To get contacts loaded on the inReach mini you have to add them manually one at a time form the web portal. 2. While you can use the App and the Mini independently of one another, the app seems to require use of the phones GPS chip rather than using the GPS on the mini for map positioning in the app. I though I could turn location services off on my iPhone to save battery life and the Earthmate app would still show my location on the map by use of the blue tooth paired mini. This appears to not be so. 3. The inReach mini is not compatible with Garmin Connect. 4. You cannot set way-point proximity alerts with the mini. Not sure about the SE or Explorer. Overall the mini is a strong unit. If I had it to do over again I may have gone with the full Explorer for a few more ounces just to have the better integrated interface on the unit. Earthmate works with all 3 units so there is no sacrifice there. I do recommend this product.
Date published: 2018-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind! I recently upgraded to the mini and love the compact size and the new attachment that fits perfectly on my backpack. It pairs fast with my phone for great messaging and GPS maps , I don't go anywhere with out it, I am always outdoors hiking, hunting, fishing traveling somewhere and it gives me and my family peace of mind! Thanks Garmin inreach for a great life line.
Date published: 2018-08-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great size. Powerful features. Love this unit. Small size makes it hard to beat. Paired with an iPHone, great graphics and interface. Peace of mind knowing I have the SOS button. Nice to text family occasionally via sattelites when out of cell service range.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Light weight, easy to use, essential I love that this is so lightweight! I will be returning my other garmin for another mini! With the app it is so simple to use. I recommend this phone to everyone whether traveling or outdoors- it’s an essential! My boyfriend recently called for help on a backpacking trip when someone in his party took a big fall and suffered a compound fracture. I’ll never leave for a trip without mine!
Date published: 2018-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Much better than the previous model I had an inReach for the DeLorme PN-60W and, while it was better than nothing, it was bulky and seriously limited by not having any sort of useful keyboard. Also, the restricted list of contacts created difficulties in communicating on the road. I'd give the Mini five stars but I'm still having mixed feelings about the rechargeable battery. Several times I've gone to use the unit and the batteries have been discharged. Apparently it still draws some current even while shut off and this can drain the battery. The old model had a choice of rechargeable or standard batteries. The small size doesn't allow for standard batteries. As a work around, I've purchased an auxiliary USB battery that can substitute for the internal battery and recharge it at the same time.
Date published: 2018-09-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It working great and up untill now no problems I bought the InReach mini a few weeks ago. I am still testing and everithing is working properly . Also the connection with Eartmate and Mapshare is operational. I have to teach my family how to work with the Earthmate but they do wel. The only problem is still to remove older tracks.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Let's others track you and enable messaging The tracking worked well, but the displayed mileage was consistently 10 to 20 percent lower each day compared to maps and other known sources. You should not use this product to find landmarks at specific mileages on trail. The satellite messaging works pretty well, but slowed down considerably each evening around 8pm PST. Messages would take up to 20 minutes to send, or they would fail and be sent in the morning hours. My #1 complaint was if you looked at a message on the in reach, you could never get that message to appear on application on the phone. Checking messages involved checking them on the phone, and then checking on in reach to see if there were others that didn't show up. There is also an issue with some messages showing up as unread messages on the in reach that you can never clear out. We tried opening and scrolling through viewing every message, but none of us could clear them out on the mini. Others on my trip using the mini also had similar experiences.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Half of everything it would seem! I own two InReach Explorer+'s and was very excited to get and use the InReach Mini due to it being half the size and weight of my Explorer+. I used the Mini for a month in the remote Brooks Range in Alaska and when compared to the Explorer+ (which one of my employees had and was using during the same time period) I'm afraid it fell well short of my high hopes and expectations. While it IS half the size and weight of the Explorer+, which is what made it so attractive to me, it also appeared to have half the battery life and half the antenna power compared tot he Explorer+. While the Explorer+ would send and receive messages almost instantly (with a 3 minute period being a long time to send or receive a message) with the Mini I more than often had to wait 20 minutes to 1 hour to send and receive messages, which was extremely problematic for numerous reason. I checked all the settings and changed the "check intervals" numerous times but regardless of what I did the Mini was just VERY slow to send and/or download messages, regardless of the number being sent or received. The Mini is a great option for someone who likely won't send any messages, or if they do they will be very minimal, but for someone that needs to send multiple messages to multiple people every day it is not a good option in my opinion. I have now deactivated and shelved my Mini and have gone back to using my Explorer+, which continues to be a great device and tool! If the Mini can get a better antenna and longer battery life that would change a lot but until then I'll carry the extra weight and size of the Explorer+.
Date published: 2018-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Keeping in touch This is one of the best backpacking items I’ve bought in quite some time, it gives my family a great peace of mind me checking in daily.
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Untapped Potential I assume the mini will work for the main reason I bought it, to save me in the woods if I don't have a cell phone signal and need help. Beyond that, I'm a little disappointed because this item has so much untapped potential. For example, I would like to upload GPX files into the companion map, Earthmate. This is possible but you must convert tracks (thousands to tens of thousands of points) to routes (limit of 200 points). I uploaded a 100 mile gpx track file and when I converted it to a route, it took over 20 miles off the course. This is because it reduces the points and makes a straight line between the reduced points. Since trails are windy, much of the run is missed. I would like this product to work like some of the free apps so I could upload a GPX file and keep every track point so I can follow a very detailed course in the Earthmate app to make sure I am not going off course. In the area I run, there are many intersecting trails so the potential for error with only 200 track points and straight lines between them is great. How can I get this from a free app, but a leader in GPS technology fails to provide this feature? Also, I would like the ability to have family accurately track my location. If you use one of the less expensive subscription plans, you are limited to sending a track point out every 10 minutes. When it does this, it only sends your current point. Why can't it send all the track points for the previous 10 minutes so it accurately plots your route. One point would be fine if your family could follow you on an accurate route, but as previously mentioned, the routes aren't accurate because they reduce the track points to 200. Since there are straight lines between the points, I would guess I would be "off course" most of the time. The Earthmate app is clunky as is the website. It is clear Garmin hasn't put much thought into this portion of the company since acquiring it from Delorme. I also have a Fenix watch and use the Livetrack option. This is a great feature which works wonderfully, but requires a cell signal. I was hoping to get the same via the InReach Mini and a satellite signal, but this has not been the case. Since Garmin is collecting money from InReach customers every month, I would think they would invest that money in product development. Overall I am happy I have it so I can communicate in an emergency or just to send a quick text, but I hope Garmin invests some time into improvements.
Date published: 2018-12-30T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great innovation I am very happy with the device however I was desapointed not to receice some messges as well as delays up to one hour on some other communication
Date published: 2018-11-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love the size! Perfect for rugged, out-of-the-way, remote trail runs. Love the weight and the ability to pair with the phone.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great size Great size and better than ELT beacon. You can text back and forth with SOS personal in an emergency. It would be nice to have more than 3 preset messages to choose from to send free of charge and it would also be nice to be able to choose those messages on your phone instead of only on the unit.
Date published: 2018-12-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good but could be Great The device is small, which is nice. Build quality is good, Menu system works, the Earthmate app for ios is dysfunctional, definitely seems like a hack job but it does connect and work, just could be so much cleaner like other Garmin apps. When the inReach Mini is moving, it will send/receive tracking and messages at custom intervals, default is 10 minutes. However when the device is not moving, it will send/receive tracking and messages every 4 hours, Garmin fails to mention this anywhere and I feel it is misleading that the manual mentions Stationary Interval but only applies to professional customers. The battery life seems to work well in Extended Track mode, but be aware the display is off and you have too press the power button to wake, the device will not make any sounds on new messages and will not connect to bluetooth or ant+ devices. With Extended Track mode off and bluetooth on, I would expect to have to charge every night. For my use as a communication device in the backcountry with other inreach users, it's limited, probably not the best choice.
Date published: 2019-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great tool I used this for the first time on a backcountry hike. Great marks for user friendliness and portability. Not so good performance in heavy timber. You definitely need a clear view of the sky. This could be an issue if you were injured and not able to get yourself to a position with a clear view. I was able to send and receive a message fairly quickly once I had that clear view. Battery life seems good as well. I think this will be useful but not necessarily life saving depending on the situation.
Date published: 2018-08-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Impressive! I have taken my new inReach Mini on a long backwoods drive in Maine, a 4-day remote canoe camping trip in Maine's Allagash Wilderness, and a hike in northern Vermont. I am beyond impressed with it. Size and weight are easy to manage when hiking, and it fits in my hand perfectly. The interface is function-packed, but easy to use with some practice -- I recommend spending some time with it at home rather than trying to figure it out in the field. Battery life is plenty for my usage, although for any trip longer than about 4-5 days I would want the ability to charge it for peace of mind (e.g. if I end up needing it for significant messaging or navigation, I will use up my buffer). Messages always went out easily -- note that receiving them promptly is not guaranteed and seems to depend on your settings (how often the device checks for mail), but you can force checks as well. Reception was fantastic in an open water setting, less reliable when attached to my backpack on a wooded hike -- this seemed to improve when I repositioned it on my pack. The built-in typing ability is surprisingly good for only having 3 buttons, and with my cell phone paired it was as easy as text messaging. As a navigation aid with pre-programmed waypoints, this was absolutely perfect for big lake canoeing. When I wanted to double check my heading to be sure I was going to the right campsite, a few button presses made sure I was on the right path, and I could get a magnetic bearing to check with my compass. When hiking or driving on remote logging roads, I was quite happy with the ability to use the cell phone app for detailed mapping. Slick! Billing - I am happy with my Recreation Freedom Plan. I pay one annual fee to keep my subscription and online data alive, and a monthly fee when I choose to use the device. With free sending of pre-programmed messages (you can set up 3 of these to send as many times as you like), I was able to keep the number of paid messages down. I had no additional charges with my use, even though I was checking in with family twice daily and checked the weather several times. While I would not classify this as "cheap," I do think the features and functionality are well worth the money, even before you consider the SOS feature (priceless if you need it). My only prior experience with a device like this was a basic Spot unit several years back. With the Spot, reception always seemed to be spotty, and we were never sure that our messages were getting out. In stark contrast, the inReach Mini consistently met, and often exceeded, my high expectations.
Date published: 2018-11-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Smaller than I expected..I LOVE it Compact... integrated well with my phone. Easily found satellites...setup went well
Date published: 2018-09-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Loving my InReach Mini I took the Mini out for my first backpacking weekend in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho and it was brilliant. Love the tracking, the weather reports, the ability to pair with my phone and be in touch with my wife across the distance. This small device is elegant and efficient.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not as useful as hoped w/ Earthmate app crippled I bought this fully expecting to use and control it with the Earthmate app. Let's face it: such a tiny device, with such a tiny screen, is difficult to use at best without a linked smartphone. Garmin has removed the ability to send Preset messages (the FREE ones) from the Earthmate app. Surely, this is no coincidence. Garmin just wants to nickel and dime us for the PAID messages that can be sent via the app. I'm a big, tall guy with big hands. Using the actual device to send messages is essentially impractical for me. Not being able to send reassuring free preset messages from my phone takes away most of the utility of the device for me. I'm going to return it. As is the device & app combo do not deliver as promised.
Date published: 2019-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device, Documentation and Apps Lacking The device itself is very sophisticated and of high quality. But the user documentation and the apps are lacking. There are 3 apps that appear to pertain to the device, and documentation is spread across the Garmin/Inreach/Delorme website, the apps, and a summary user manual. Yet none of them is complete, and they are not consistent with one another. It has been quite a challenge to figure it all out. The respective functions of the Mini, one's cell phone phone, and one's computer are difficult to master - especially in the areas of syncing the 3 devices, messaging and mapping. A thorough rewrite would be welcome.
Date published: 2018-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use Being new to this technology we are finding the InReach mini fairly easy to use. The setup and confirmation check took a little longer than expected to get a satellite feed but otherwise it has performed well. We have been able to send and receive email messages while on a cross country trek and out of standard connection zones.
Date published: 2018-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Ounces make Pounds It’s always nice to shave ounces without sacrificing the benefits of the InReach. Constant companion of mine on the trail.
Date published: 2018-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device!!! I recently purchased the Inreach Mini for my two week Alaskan Backcountry hunt. It was a great piece of mind for me and my family and barely takes up any space. My hunting partner had an I reach as well and we were able to text each other our locations. Must have!!!
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Safety Item The unit is small and light weight, easy backpacking item. I wish the monthly plans were less expensive. It costs a lot to utilize all of the features of the unit. On another note it's nice to pay per month instead of yearly contracts. The unit always send my info and keeps my family informed. The screen is easy to read and the back light helps at night. For the size, I wouldn't change the design. I primarily use mine for hunting, during rescues at work, and while jet boating to our remote cabin. A lot could go wrong, it's nice to know that I can communicate my problem with the correct people. Last item, I like the having the ability to communicate with the individual during an S.O.S. In the past an activation would go out and as a rescuer you had no clue what the person needed. Now we can communicate with the person needing help and bring the proper equipment to help. Great product!
Date published: 2018-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing range of capabilities. The small unit seems great. The menu takes a bit of practice to understand. It would have helped to find a detailed menu directory in the owner's manual. I have been able to send personal messages but writing them takes practice. There appear to be built-in short cuts for message writing but I can't figure out how to make use of them. Again, more detail in the Manual would be helpful. It is a very impressive device.
Date published: 2018-12-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not working yet! I received this device yesterday and attempted to set it up and obtain a service plan. My first problem is that I have multiple accounts with Garmin, iCloud, .me. and .mac. The service rep resolved this problem for me, but then the Garmin server went down and I could not obtain a service plan. Garmin is closed today, so I will have to wait to write another review. Garmin products generally work exceptionally well, I feel that this experience is an anomaly.
Date published: 2019-01-19T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great functionality in such a small package Bought this for hiking & motorcycle trips off the grid. Everything works as advertised. LInking to the phone is great for texting custom messages.
Date published: 2019-02-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love the small size but instructions are poor Looking for answers like how to delete old tracks. Most interactions are through the phone app but cannot do this there. On-line mini manual incorrectly lifted sections from the larger full featured units so totally useless. Please make a mini manual that also covers the phone app!
Date published: 2018-08-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small, light, peace of mind The device is small, light, and provided peace of mind for both me and my wife. My primary reason for upgrading from the Spot Gen 3 was to be able to receive inbound texts. Outbound texts are nice but less essential since I had the limited fixed messages from the Spot. I'm still on the bubble regarding the UI: The Mini's 3-button on-device menu plus small display is painful, even for simple tasks. On the other hand, paired with my phone, it seems like I shouldn't care as much about the device UI. I love being able to interact with the Mini without removing my pack to access the device. In my experience so far (canoe trek and day hike), I'm still drawn to physically interactive with the device, maybe I'll become more focused on access by the phone as I get more experience. Negatives: the Mini is more expensive in both fixed and subscription cost. The mini's battery charge has to be watched/recharged whereas the Spot was essentially infinite. The Mini is harder to attach to my pack in a way that doesn't want to swing around reacting to pack motion. Overall, I think the positives will greatly out weigh the negatives. Time will tell!
Date published: 2019-03-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Everyone who goes on advetures needs this My wife go SOTOA Adventures (summits on the air) once or twice a week. Were we hike to mountain tops and set up portable HAM radio equipment. This little unit has already proven to be a very valuable tool. With it's tracking feature and the ability to send out messages. A number of places we go in the forest do not have cell service. We hope to never need the S.O.S. system, but it's good to know it's there if we do. The customer service and support was outstanding, helping me get set-up.
Date published: 2018-10-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Review Brought it to take on the AT trail with me last month and it’s not working as I need it to
Date published: 2024-03-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Lightweight: Learning Curve-Easy to Use Glad to have this for the SOS feature, but if not a full time backpacker, the subscriptions (without slashing necessary options) are pricey.
Date published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from The right solution Bought it for solo hunting trips. With a wife and two young kids at home it was perfect for the family to have peace of mind while I was out in the mountains away from cell service. Pairing with the app and being able to use my phone to type messages, or using the presets right from the device made comms so quick and easy. I also loved it has weather updates, tracking, and navigation.
Date published: 2023-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from inReachMini Generally good, but I find that it takes a long time for it to start tracking. Don't know if that's unique with my device, but maybe not.
Date published: 2023-08-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind It took a bit to set up. Waiting for a satellite transmission instead of instant WI-FI took some getting used to. Blue tooth to phone is a great feature to set up. I am still unclear what happens when my phone goes dead. Directions could be improved.
Date published: 2023-08-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind Bought the Inreach mini last month, spend alot of time out of cell service, this allows me great communication with the others- works great thus far.
Date published: 2023-11-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficult I liked the idea of being able to communicate via the IPhone but was not able to set it up. Ultimately I found out that it wasn’t compatible or at least that’s what it said when I tried to link up the Mini with the Garmin App on my phone. It consumed a lot of my time and ultimately returned the device. If someone knows how to make this happen, someone should make a You Tube video! Ultimately, I took back the device and obtained a refund
Date published: 2023-11-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small Size I have used the inreach explorer with map function and I would recommend purchasing it over the mini.
Date published: 2024-02-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Bad set up. Paid and registered and still can’t get device to active despite being outside with clear view of sky
Date published: 2024-02-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just can’t trusts Maybe just me, but a few things that bother. Once turned on, I can not tell if it has connected with satellites, unlike my gps unit. When I press send for a message I can not tell if it went thru, sometimes it doesn’t. I would feel better if unit would display when connection to satellites and message sent was displayed.
Date published: 2024-02-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Chromebook After I bought this and got a subscription I realized your system will not run on Chromebook’s so I can not fully set up my mini. Wish I had known that before buying.
Date published: 2023-06-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good hardware I like the inReach Mini. It is a quality device; however, the Garmin websites are confusing, with too many things to download; instructions are not intuitive and the maps are completely out of date. I get better maps using free apps on my phone.
Date published: 2023-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Potential life saver This unit was purchased prior to a solo, backcountry canoe trip at the behest of my fiancé. Money well spent as I was forced to SOS after getting lost in a northwoods bog. Response was in minutes. Very satisfied with my purchase.
Date published: 2023-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It’s ok So first, I wouldn’t give this two stars however there are two major thing wrong with it. FirstThe battery life is very poor and when I go for into the back country in Alaska I always have to bring a battery bank because this dies fast. Secondly the texting only allows me to send text to emails account which is very odd. However I am able to send text out. I will be upgrading I’m the future
Date published: 2023-06-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from works good bought for remote Alaska and it works well. Very easy to use.
Date published: 2023-06-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Error Code Renders inReach Useless Unit showed a "Your Device is damaged" code. Unit would not send or receive messages. Rebooted and messages worked again but was advised this does not fix the problem. Can get it replaced but I just can't trust it. What might happen in an emergency?
Date published: 2024-03-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great tool Not easy to use. The materials are not helpful to answer questions.
Date published: 2023-10-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach.mini I have a hunting buddy that had the inreach mini and after seeing all the great features I had to have one for myself. The unit gives my wife peace of mind while I travel into the back country to hunt Very impressed!!
Date published: 2023-10-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor reception, in mtns & hollows Bought this a mónths ago for hunting trip in mtns of WV where little cell service exist, so I would have some form of communication in case of emergency or simple communications between friends also hunting in nearby mtns. The device performed poorly or not at all in remote areas despite clear open views of sky. I will be returning it upon the completion of my trip once home
Date published: 2023-11-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Disappointed Not user friendly. Takes hours to get a satellite connection.This is with a clear view to the sky.
Date published: 2023-11-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not thrilled with it so far Let's start with I'm not a tech savvy person. I purchased the monthly plan. Tracking is not yet set up. I initially charged it in an outlet in a building. Since then it's been charged in the car since I'm on the road for a few months. The first time backpacking the battery was dead after 19 hours. When charging it only reached 97%. I then turned it on. After 22 hours the battery was dead again. It is now charging to 100%. Second backpacking trip the battery died at 26 hours. Guess I need to learn more about how this works. If the performance does not improve it's going back to REI.
Date published: 2022-05-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works well when it works I bought this for a backpacking trip in southern Utah in April '22. I initially subscribed to the basic service but upgraded when I realized how few custom texts I could send with basic. I found that this unit worked well only when it had an unobstructed view of the southern sky. Unfortunately, this was often not the case when hiking in areas like Coyote Gulch and Egypt Bench. While in Coyote Gulch, for two days we were unable to get any satellite connection at all, even though we had a clear view of much of the sky. While in the Egypt Bench area, I found highly variable performance. One one day I was a able to successfully send messages from our campsite in a canyon. But the following day it would NOT connect from the same location and I had to climb about 1 mile up a steep mountainside before it would finally connect and send. I was carrying this device in case of an emergency but frankly I was underwhelmed by the limited connectivity. I no longer trust that this will summon help when I'm in remote areas unless I'm in an area with no obstructions in the southern sky, and that's fairly rare. I suspect that this isn't unique to the Mini -- it's probably true of all such communicators. But I'm still VERY disappointed that I can't rely on this to summon help in all places and situations.
Date published: 2022-05-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not all who wonder are lost! Excellent little device! I used my Garmin In-reach in the Cranberry Wilderness recently in West Virginia where there was zero cell service. This awesome tool was able to contact my wife while on trail and keep her at peace knowing each time I made it to camp and started again on my journey the next day! Thankful to have such great technology.
Date published: 2022-05-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach I’m new to backpacking. Bought the inreach not knowing there was a 2 out. Doing the Appalachian trail next year. Will need the battery of the two. Feel like I was cheated by Garmin.
Date published: 2022-05-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Guess what! it does what's it's suppose to do. We use it to communicate from our off grid cabin as there is no service in the area. Like the fact that it has pre set messages, I can keep in touch with the familia. Safety is our main communication concern. Excellent after sale service !!!!
Date published: 2022-05-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wish it had map display. I use this for backpacking and for the weight, it should have more features. ie: the Garmin watch shows your location on a little map. I do like the message sending feature. The battery does not last long and if you forget to shut it off overnight just once, it will not last 3 days.
Date published: 2022-04-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Smaller is Better? After 8 years, my inReach SE quit working last year (2021) right before hunting season. After looking all over for a replacement I found an inReach Mini (not the new Mini 2) near me this spring. I have only tested it on one trip so far, but other than one hiccup it worked perfectly. For some reason it stopped tracking midway through the second day. It could have been me as the device I bluetooth tethered it to was also running my music over the car stereo, so until I know for sure, I will stick to 4 stars. I have a couple more trips planned where I will be using the Mini so I will be sure before I am off the road system (I am in Alaska). So far, it's about like using the older SE as I used the tethered app most often since it was easier to see the phone screen and use the buttons that way. Only real downside at the moment is I did drop it in the car and it went between the seat and the console as it's quite small. But that's a clumsy me issue. With the exception of the SOS feature I thankfully have not needed to use, everything else on the Mini seems to work as it should. Glad to have the message anywhere and tracking capability back.
Date published: 2022-04-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Hard to figure out how to use it. I keep looking at videos and still can’t figure out how to have friends and family follow me.
Date published: 2021-02-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Necessary Tool I purchased the inReach Mini two days before starting my hike on the Lost Coast Trail (LCT) in California. My permit was for Feb 1 which was at the tail end of some of the worst winter storms in the area. I was hiking solo and the need for some sort of SOS device was considered critical. Even with one, the LCT can be very dangerous. I went with the inReach over other PLBs because of the ability to communicate with the rescue team. Rather than sending out an emergency beacon (it does that) you can also tell them exactly what is going on so they can better prepare. Beyond that, it gives a ton of peace of mind to family and friends. I'm not a big communicator so the preset messages were all I initially needed to give starting points and stopping points; however, I chose the Freedom Expedition Plan so that I'd have as many texts and such to work out any bugs or issues. I'd read a lot of reviews saying it was difficult to set up and, given the proximity of my departure, I felt that was necessary. It was very easy to set up. Out of the box, I turned it on, got on the Garmin website, the inReach updated, and I sent texts to a few contacts to test it out. There were no issues outside of that. I am not sure what the reviews were talking about as far as it being complicated. This is my first GPS so maybe that is considered complicated, I don't know. It worked for me, is all. There is no reception on the LCT or even in the parking lots at either end. The inReach was able to communicate through my car and through thick storm clouds to send texts quickly. Throughout the trip, the inReach communicated fine through my tent and my pack (I kept it either in the mesh side pocket or in the top flap depending on weather). I used the Earthmate map a few times to mark exact grids but I've always been a map and compass guy so I prefer that. The app is a good fall back. Especially since printed maps are typically years old and with an ever-changing route like the LCT, a GPS map is a wise choice. Overall, I now consider the inReach as necessary as a tent. You can do without either, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Date published: 2021-02-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device This is my second I reach mini. I gifted my first one to my son who mountain bikes. I m 68 and I like The security of having one along while hiking.
Date published: 2021-02-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Slow...Don’t trust it much I run long distances a one and out of cell range. As an older guy my wife is more comfortable knowing I have a way to get help in a dire emergency. I text her before I start...then again when I am done. Problem is, sometimes it takes upwards of 2 hours for her to get a text. Makes me wonder if the SOS feature would have the same lag. I still carry it because it makes her feel better...but I personally do not trust it as the lags seem to be getting more common.
Date published: 2021-02-06T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It works well! Works well in all the remote places I bring it!! I’m enjoying it!!
Date published: 2021-02-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Features My husband surprised me with this since I do a lot of trail running in areas without cell phone service. This will give us both peace of mind while I’m out running.
Date published: 2021-02-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nice size, questionable ease of use I purchased the inReach(R) Mini to se while out on adventure rides (motorcycle) and mountain biking. I thought the setup process was a bit long and convoluted. Not a very user friendly experience. Why does the device need to be hooked up to a computer? I felt tis defeats the purpose of a single device to communicate. My first test message appears to have been a total bust. I now need to go back into the wilds (an area with no cell reception) to test the Preset 1 message function. I sent the message from the inReach using the on-screen prompts. Turns out my contact never got that message. They did get a message when I forwarded my copy from my phone. This is not an acceptable approach to wilderness communication. It seems you need to keep your phone handy so you can communicate with the inReach. Totally defeats the purpose. Then to make matters worse - when we were 38 miles into our off-road motorcycle ride and I tried to pull up the map function - NOTHING! No map. Just coordinates. Fat lot of good that does. Thankfully we knew where we were and this was just a test run. Apparently even though the map for California was loaded at my home once I got into the wilderness Garmin (or Apple) decided the map should be in the cloud and no longer accessible on my device. I do plan to keep the inReach Mini and invest more time in trying to figure it out. Would be nice to be able to READ preset messages before sending. I knew PS1 was a safe message. My PS2 was about running late and PS3 come pick me up. As I build out more preset messages I will either need to bring a 3x5 card with all messages written down or find another mechanism to read the message before it is sent. And again - using SEND directly from the inReach did not work. I also sent a map location to my wife. Fortunately she saved it for me to view. USELESS!!! Not a map at all. Just the coordinates. What is she supposed to do with that? This is a very frustrating device and the application is of questionable use.
Date published: 2021-02-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind Amazing product. Takes a little familiarization but once you use it, you’ll be thankful you purchased it. Now loved ones can track and communicate with you no matter where you are especially in non cell coverage areas.
Date published: 2021-03-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind for my spouse My spouse really likes the peace of mind she has when I am out of cell phone reach. Last week I hiked the Grand Canyon from the South Rim to the North Rim at night during the full Harvest Moon. I set the tracker function to leave a track point every 10 minutes so she and my friends could watch my progress by using a link I gave them. This was great plus I left her several predetermined messages along the way letting her know that things were fine with us and we were continuing to hike. My friends thought it was fun to check in on our progress throughout our hike with the link.
Date published: 2021-09-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Game Changer This thing is great. Such a cool piece of technology. Little bit of a learning curve as far as all of the lingo and technology goes, but spend an afternoon learning it and you’ll be glad you did. I feel much better about taking very remote fishing trips now.
Date published: 2021-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Ok - when it actually works Bought to use on 10 day Elk hunt in 2020. When we returned home Garmin sent an email saying they had an AT&T outage during our trip. No messages sent or received. Only agreed to partial refund after I called them. Used again in 2021 - tested before trip. Worked a couple days. Realized no replies to messages for several days - Garmin not working. Closed Earthmate app, turned off Garmin and iPhone. Forgot / deleted bluetooth connection for Garmin and reconnected. It finally started working again. Lucky had friend with me to send test message. Premium weather is also inaccurate. (Darksky) We would have to update daily to get anything close to correct. Temps supposed to be 44 at night and water would be frozen in morning. Happened several nights. 40 percent or less rain chance and it rained 3 days. Have not had to try SOS yet. Hope it works and I wont need to reset and reconnect everything during an emergency.
Date published: 2021-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Others keep track of me! I purchased this finally this year so my family could track my progress through my weeklong, solo backpacking trip. They enjoyed the ability to follow my progress. And I had piece of mind knowing I could send messages if so inclined and summon help if I got caught up in an area affected by an active wildfire. I bought my son the same unit last year so he could get help in an emergency - he lives in rural Alaska and he and his wife spend a lot of time in the outdoors. I got a message from him yesterday as he started an 8 day trip. The unit is lightweight and small. Great purchase!
Date published: 2021-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great fetchers and it works I got it a month ago. Haven’t got to use it much. Will use it when deer season comes in. I hunt in WV in mountains with no cell services. Got it for peace of mind and keep in contact with family.
Date published: 2021-09-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Bluetooth sucks This thing is a bear to get Bluetooth to connect to my phone....finicky beyond belief.
Date published: 2021-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great features but a pain to setup I bought this a few weeks ago primarily to have with me out on boating trips. Definitely a pain to setup completely and correctly. Directions arent very clear. Honesly, I am not really sure how I ended up getting it to sync or I would share.
Date published: 2021-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy enough to use I've been using it for month now practice makes it easier to understand. I'm a hands-on learner so practice was needed. I especially liked syncing with my phone.
Date published: 2021-05-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good for the SOS service If you need a SOS satellite capable device it is adequate. If you want great mapping features and an easy to use unit, don’t even consider this unit. Just to activate and plot one track took several hours, the in Reach mini, a smart cell phone, and a computer. I also had to download a syncing app. Garmin software seems to be up to date for 1998 technology. Worst software applications I’ve worked with and I work for a government agency. The mapping is horrible, the user interface is awful.
Date published: 2021-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Can't get it to sync with the system!! I got this for a Christmas present. I downloaded the latest software. I cannot get it to sync with the garmin system. And yes I went outside in a clear view of the sky in ALL directions and my unit wouldn't sync.
Date published: 2021-04-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Simple and Useful I've only had this a few days, trying it out on short hikes near home. I don't have a smartphone. I can say that it was easy to set up and use. I mainly bought it for some peace-of-mind for my wife while I'm off on solo adventures, but it has a few useful functions that can be appreciated on an everyday hike. It can give you a simple weather forecast, tell you your coordinates & how far you have travelled, and provide you with an on-line map of your whereabouts and route, which can be seen by your chosen contacts (or yourself when you get back home). It is a comfort to know that I will have this resource along when I am in more remote settings where small accidents can be a big deal.
Date published: 2021-02-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Beware won't activate Purchased the inreach Mini to use on hikes and while off-road but so far is been a expensive paper weight. If you buy this devices, you should buy it two (2) weeks before any trip as you might experience problems activating the unit.
Date published: 2021-04-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from safety and letting love ones know I think it l be great when i go out west this summer I am trying to get good at using it before I go on this trip love my Montana I have on my Yamaha WR250R this is the safety to get help or just touch home in back country
Date published: 2021-05-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small device that might be big help Only had the inReach mini for a couple weeks. It took a while for it to finally “Authenticate” the device, but it finally did. Have sent and received a few test messages and they went through fine. Got the inReach specifically for our camping trips in the motor home in case of a break down when there’s no cell service. Also, when we’re hiking. Hope we never need it but it’s comforting knowing we can call for help.
Date published: 2021-05-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Safe Got it for Just in case. Easy to use . Lots ow youtube help.
Date published: 2021-04-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works fine out of the box! Simple and easy to use. More secure in remote areas.
Date published: 2021-03-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love this inReach model I chose to get the inReach Mini because I already have the Garmin GPSMap 66S with Birdseye imagery and have no need for the higher end mapping capable inReach models. It takes a while to send and receive messages, and so far only once has my wife NOT received my messages. I would do a 4.5 star review but couldn’t, just because of the mishap texts. But I do LOVE using the Earthmate app for everything. So much better than tapping and tapping buttons to get one letter. it’s such a convenience to use what your normally used to (your own personal phone) to do the texting, configurations, and just about everything else. Oh! I also have been able to use my GPSMap 66S with the mini with the ANT+ feature. LOVING it so far
Date published: 2021-03-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing product I bought the unit to support my daughter's journey to Nepal and the high mountains. We kept track of her voyage throughout her trip. We communicated with her on a daily basis. After her safe return I'm using yhe tracker in my sailing yacht. It's simple to operate and easy to carry around. It's a majestic piece of art.
Date published: 2021-03-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use Worth every cent because of the peace of mind that it gives.
Date published: 2021-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Challenging I'm 73 years old and not very educated in GPS navigating etc. I'm comparing the Inreach Mini and the in reach Explore . I want a GPS unit with satellite capacity. Mini has smaller screen, not so clear menu, so for this person, the Explorer is much more user friendly, and if I ever need an SOS, much easier to operate. Both have easy access button, but messaging much better with Explorer. Jim
Date published: 2021-03-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Do your research We bought the InReach Mini and have the yearly safety plan at $12 a month. It is primarily for SOS communications. I like using the Earthmate app on my phone. This the perfect size device to give us piece of mind out on the trails or as we travel during our retirement. We have a Garmin Montana 680t with topo maps that we have used for navigation and tracking (tracking points every two minutes for free) for the past five years. I think these are perfect compliments for each other for our needs.
Date published: 2021-03-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficult I have owned a GPS's since the early 80's and the off road software and setup for the InReach Mini is the most difficult I have ever came across. The Garmin support videos were not that much help either.
Date published: 2021-03-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mediocre I bought a little over a week ago. Used it in a remote part of Central Oregon. Transmissions were spotty even with a clear sky. Messages took hours, not minutes, to send and receive. Didn't pair well with my Galaxy Note so using the Earthmate was a bad experience, leaving me with unexpected bad weather. I'm going to return the IR Mini.
Date published: 2021-06-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does what I got it for. Used it for the first time on my hike without a cell signal and sent the preset message to my contact. Messages were received successfully along with the link to the location (you can turn on/off this option). I dont think I will really need to send messages other than the presets unless I am truly in trouble. Based on that I chose the lowest subscription option. Love the smaller size/weight. Only wish the selections were a bit more intuitive on the device. I think it should just highlight whatever option you want, but instead it is the option that appears in the center of the screen. Hard to explain unless you have used the device.
Date published: 2019-08-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great product, Great Features in a perfect size This is a perfect product and gift for any mountaineer. My wife loves that I finally bought one.
Date published: 2019-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worry-free off grid I have thoroughly tested this unit and it flawlessly does everything it is supposed to. Make sure you understand exactly what this unit is and is not before you buy it and you will not be dissappointed.
Date published: 2019-05-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from WOW - Such much more than expected! I have never lost satellite, it is so easy to communicate with family at home - easy to pair with my phone. AND, it shares my speed and distance. Plus it is tiny! Haven't found a thing I don't like about.
Date published: 2019-06-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from hope the sos function works bought this for only one reason; the sos function. surely the other features this device offers are nice and i will use some of them. walking around my area the inreach mini shows movement, elevation, rate of travel speed and several other choices which might/could be useful. the small size and weight are very beneficial, especially with me carrying a 40 pound backpack load for a 10+ day trek. it appears as well built, very rugged, very water resistant, compact and lightweight. not made for texting but it does come with several preset messages so no hindrance with communicating. the sos function is truly the lifesaver (pun intended) of this device. if for no other reason the price paid for the sos function is worth the cost of the mini. Only wish the how to's were as easy to set up as the buttons on the mini were to use. there should be a video dedicated to the mini that shows how to set it up. i had to spend too much time searching everywhere, viewing many different videos, and trying to understand exactly what garmin's written tutorial meant with some of its instructions. there should have been a very clear and very precise step by step instructional format and maybe there is, but it didn't present to me as clear and easy to use. garmin tells you to sync the device but they don't tell you how to sync the device. when told to sync the device that word sync should be highlighted so you only need to click on sync and it takes you to the video that shows you how to sync. nope, garmin knows you are lost and they seem to want to keep you that way even though this device is to keep you from being lost. i don't remember how i found the video that shows how to sync the mini but i did. anyway, now that i have the mini synced and operational i will give it some testing on the many hills/mountains in my living area. so far, what i have seen of its operational functions, i very much like. my 5 rating might not be warranted but until i can find a reason to not rate it a 5 i will continue to rate it a 5. i give a 1 to the instructions but you only read the instructions when everything else fails, therefore, no cause for concern.
Date published: 2019-06-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good so far. Already have an Oregon 650t which I really like so opted for the mini just for the satcom capabilities. It's smaller and lighter than I thought, very good attributes. Setup was easy except for the WEB app, that wasn't that hard just took a while to connect. I had everything but that working and couldn't figure out why it didn't work. Tried again next day and it was working. Patience is a virtue.
Date published: 2019-08-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Shuts down randomly and will not turn back on I purchased for my son to go on a long distance horseback ride. Having difficulty keeping the unit to stay on consistently. Shuts off randomly and won’t come back on for an hour or so. Not reliable. Planning to return it.
Date published: 2019-05-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing little device. The Garmin inReach Mini is perfect for daily life, hiking, boating, and, more recently, deployments. I have used this awesome little product daily since I got it a little over a week ago and it has been flawless. Set up was a bit tricky as it needs a clear path to get signal but other than that it is strait forward. Using the downloadable manual that can be found online I was able to multi task and link the Mini to my Fenix 5x Plus and iPhone X in little over 5-6 minutes with no hassle. I have used this product to send texts to friends in the United States with only a 5-10 delay from sending the text to receiving a response back. Tracking and setting waypoints is easier on the Mini than on my iPhone and my Garmin eTrex. Overall I rate this product a 9/10. The only reason I am not rating this product a 10/10 is because nothing is perfect and Garmin always outdoes itself so its never a total 10. Haha!
Date published: 2019-05-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I am impressed In the couple of weeks since buying it I have gone through the fairly involved process of setup and testing. I have not tested all of the features, but so far everything has worked as well or better than expected. It took some time, reading, and thinking to fully understand what some of the features do, how they work, and how to use them. Now that I have it set up and have used many of it's capabilities, I am pleased and impressed with the multiple uses in this tiny package: text messaging anywhere at any time, location tracking, SOS, weather reports... while it is not nearly as convenient or versatile as a cell phone, it is a reliable backup for travel where there is no cell service, or in case of a disaster (e.g. Cascadia earthquake). I had not planned on it beforehand, but it is in many ways a better backup than a land line, and the basic "Safety" subscription costs much less than my land line service.
Date published: 2019-06-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great for when there’s no cell phone service I bought this inreach mini for keeping in touch when I’m out of cell phone range while boating or driving. It adds lots of peace of mind that I can still reach friends and relatives at all times.
Date published: 2019-08-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great so Far! I recently bought the inReach Mini and used it on a hike for the first time today. It was mountainous terrain with tree cover down low and open alpine areas up high. All messages were sent quickly and completely. I also tested having the inReach Mini receive replies and it worked without a hitch. Looking forward to the peace of mind of having my wife be able to reach me while I'm backpacking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness this year. The inReach mini was easy to use, even with gloves on.
Date published: 2019-04-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A genuine life saving device! I decided several days ago that I would go hike the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine. All was going well up until about 45 miles into it, and I started getting cramps, and fatigue. Then I got hungry and tried to eat and I couldn't keep any food down. Then I started having other unpleasant issues, but long story short I sent an SOS and passed out of exhaustion. When I woke up I was safe no longer in the wilderness, and some how alive... all thanks to the Garmin InReach MINI. I highly reccomend this if you ever do anything risky! You never know when illness can occur, and if it happens at the worst time you will want this device nearby.
Date published: 2019-07-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Security and Insurance I purchased this for some remote trail running and fast packing on the AT. It is really small and compact. It attached to my trail running pack great. Garmin offers several subscriptions which can be a bit pricey getting started. You probably know this already if you're buying this product. I did a few test runs prior to my long trip. The device does take some getting used to. I had marginal connection on a 25 mile run in the GSMNP. Possibly due to terrain, canopy, and really sub par weather? For my long trip, all of the AT within GSMNP in under 24 hours, I had a really great experience with the device. We received motivational text from family and friends, made important text to our crew, and most importantly had great tracking all along. The battery held for 23 hours on 1 minute logging intervals, 10 minute tracking intervals, and sending receiving 62 text messages. I used the month to month recreation plan. I only had to cough up an extra $11 for the text overages. I am happy with the device as well as my wife is. It is a must have for you adventurers that go long in the back country.
Date published: 2019-05-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from not so user friendly Very clunky menu , and seems very slow takes 15 min to acquire position... And the Earth - Mate app is a joke..
Date published: 2019-06-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great setup tech support The product is very good of course being a Garmin. The tech support was very helpful and patient setting up the account. I could not be more satisfied.
Date published: 2019-10-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not reliable It would be great if it were reliable... It is having problems working with the ATT network, so it's almost useless until that is fixed...
Date published: 2019-04-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Whew, made it back safely! I bought this, at my wife's urging, just before heading into an area with very few or no people at all! Terrain is rugged and steep and it's a long way out. The Garmin did its job letting me notify my family that all was good! It did give me messages saying that it was having a hard time connecting to satellites, but that only meant it took a couple of minutes to send. The most difficult thing with the mini is trying to type in your own personal message. I think I'll have to read the manual to make it easier. All in all, it provided great security for me and my family. It added that additional level of safety that was needed and performed flawlessly with great battery life!
Date published: 2019-06-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not sure. It is probably good but l am having a hard time learning its features and how to use them. After about 20 hours of trying I think I'm about 20% done.
Date published: 2019-04-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from More than expected it has been a month since I have my inReach Mini, it does all what is promised Weather has been very accurate till now. Great product.
Date published: 2020-01-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Love it's compact size. Really fast up loading. Just had it a few days so I haven't had a chance to go offshore but it seems to work really well over here in the Bahamas.
Date published: 2019-06-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very easy to set up and use Very happy so far with inReach. It gives my family comfort when I hike in the backcountry solo. My only ask and maybe I'm not using it correctly is for the ability to give updates on my progress automatically
Date published: 2019-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worst Out of the Box Experience in Years, if Ever I cannot remember a worse out of the box experience on something that cost me several hundred dollars to acquire. The online aspect of the ecosystem -- required for the Mini to function -- is poorly and confusingly designed, offers critical advice at the wrong point (and doesn't explain the consequences of making the available choices) and generally looks and acts like it was designed by someone who just discovered the web. Worst of all, barely 1 in 4 of the test messages I've sent (!!!) ever arrives at its destination, and there is >>no<< indication when a message fails to get through. Which is extremely bad performance, and design, for something intended to be used in difficult and/or emergency situations. I strongly recommend that buyers look elsewhere for the capabilities purportedly offered by this product. Oh, and BTW, to the cretins who designed this review collector: extremely bad form to require ad blockers to not run, and then be so poorly programmed that your site doesn't recognize when the adblocker is suspended. Makes you wonder what's really going on with your site, and gives a bad rep to your clients.
Date published: 2019-05-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best features, reliability and value I just cancelled my Spot contract and switched to the InReach Mini. This is better in every way. More reliable, it costs less since I don't need to pay when I am not traveling outside of cell service and it has more capabilities. Love it!
Date published: 2019-07-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Piece of mind on the trail Great little gadget and absolutely packed with features for its size. Will use it mainly for emergency communications and checking in with loved ones when outside of cell coverage. If I want fancier navigation features, Ill get a fancier navigation device. This device is small enough to go on any adventure, and adds the piece of mind that I can connect to the outside world even in the most remote areas. Seamless bluetooth pairing with my iPhone, it connects right when the inReach is turned on and I can keep the inReach clipped to the back of my pack and use the earthmate app on my phone to peruse all the messaging and navigation features without ever having to touch the inReach.
Date published: 2020-01-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing little device! I love my inreach mini, however, there was not a lanyard in the box. Bummer. I do hiking and ATV riding & it gives my wife peace of mind to know where I am & that things are OK. Hope I never have to use the SOS feature.
Date published: 2019-05-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does what it needs to do I purchased the mini mainly to be inyouch in case of emergency while out on the trail or lack thereof. The mini pairs easily with your smart phone. No complaints so far.
Date published: 2019-12-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from The best device I’ve ever owned Works great for many things, texting, gps interface to iPad, even provides emergency tracking to next airport in event of iPad mapping failure.
Date published: 2019-11-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wonderful product I bought it a few days ago and took it with me hiking. Since most of my hiking (I'm 67) is alone, it provides me with a high level of security, if I get lost or hurt.
Date published: 2019-10-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A UX update would make it perfect It’s the right size and has all the right features - if the UX/UI was more modern it would be easier to use. Also, if the app worked with Apple Watch that would be cool too. Right now it’s probably the best version of this type of device that’s available despite those things.
Date published: 2019-11-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good hardware. Poor software As others have indicated, Garmin does a good job developing their products (rugged, good buttonholing) but the software is many degrees of separation behind. Bought the Mini for the JMT mostly for the SOS function but wanted to try out the Earthmate.mapping and the preset messaging and the weather. As usual, didn’t use the SOS and was disappointed with the mapping. Poor tracking, poor visibility on the trail. Doesn’t scroll or enlarge smoothly. Most of the time the map was almost useless. in the real world the battery of the mini doesn’t last as long as Garmin says, even when you make all the adjustments which means you can’t use the mapping function. The preset function worked well when the “satellite was found”. The weather updates were ok. I would buy it again with the service and will use it on future travels. But my expectations with Garmin are always muted as experience reinforces.
Date published: 2019-08-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Features! I needed a small, rugged GPS messenger with tracking and SOS features. This device does all this well, and much more. I had narrowed my choice down to two devices: the Garmin inReach Mini and the Spot Gen3. I chose the Garmin because of two specific reasons; 1. The subscription: Garmin's Freedom Plans, which allow me to pay for a month at a time and suspend the service when I don't need it. The plans are far more flexible than those of the competition. 2. The messaging features: The Garmin can both send and receive messages whereas the Spot Gen3 can only send. Two-way messaging, along with several other features, came at a higher cost which, for me, was worth paying, however, the Freedom Plans are the standout reason that I chose the Garmin.
Date published: 2019-05-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works well but check text functionality locally This was a gift and I really like the Freedom plan affordability which works well for occasional use. Check that the text functionality works in your country as it doesn’t in Botswana for the moment. Garmin are looking into the issue. The suspicion is that it’s the cellular providers that need to be brought on board.
Date published: 2019-10-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Its so small! I've been using satellite messengers for many years. I upgraded to InReach when it first came out because of the two way communications capability. The InReach device and Earthmate Smartphone App just keep getting better. The Mini does everything I need and its so small. Best InReach ever, when you know you'll carry your phone. (who doesn't carry a phone?) Please integrate the Mini with the Garmin Edge cycling computers.
Date published: 2019-06-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mountain Bikers Tool I just bought my mini and used it on a bikepack trip. The comfort of being out in the wilderness and knowing I could text my contacts was a great relief. Small and compact
Date published: 2019-06-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device for backpacking! Took a while to set up and get used to the functionality. Still not 100% comfortable but realized how valuable it is to have when hiking in the back country with no reception. Gave piece of mind in case we had a serious incident
Date published: 2019-08-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from amazing little device I would be giving a 5 star review if the Earthmate app was slightly better. Overall I think the app is mediocre at best compared to the amazing abilities of this device. So the device does everything you need it to. It links to your phone via Bluetooth. You can see maps, send texts, and even receive weather reports. The products commands you to get a data plan but well worth it for any adventurer who wants a safety device. I would 100% recommend this device to any outdoor enthusiast who knows they are going to be receptionless.
Date published: 2019-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device I purchased this specifically so I could communicate to family members when I’m on my off-the-grid excursions. I subscribed to the Safety Plan with an annual contract. I used it for the first time yesterday in a deep narrow canyon (West Fork, AZ). At the parking lot, where I did have a cell signal, I was able send out a test message in about 30 seconds. I received an immediate response back. Later, when I was deep in the canyon with a poor GPS signal as indicated on the inReach, I sent out a couple of preset messages which took approximately 3 minutes. The responses I received were almost immediate. Later, with my inReach connected to my phone via Bluetooth, I typed a custom text message on my phone and sent it out through the inReach—very slick. I clipped the unit to my backpack and left it on the entire time I was hiking in the canyon (about 5 hours) just to test the battery performance. When I returned to the parking lot, I had consumed 24% of the battery capacity which was better than I expected due to the poor GPS signal in the canyon. Normally I’ll leave it off until I’m ready to send/receive messages. The display is fantastic, even in direct sunlight it is easy to read. The unit seems very robust the menus are easy and logical to navigate. This device works extremely well and as advertised. The Mini inReach is perfect for me since I already carry an Oregon 600 GPS. I purchased mine through B&H, it is well worth the cost and I think subscription plans are reasonably priced.
Date published: 2019-07-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So far, mine doesn't work well at all! I got this about a week ago and have taken it out in the field to try it out. I do a lot of hiking and exploring in the Appalachian Mountains of East TN and NC. I'm in hardwood forests with decent canopy cover. And I can't get messages to send out. I do have the device set up, it's active, and I have a subscription. The other day, I was in a small clearing in the forest and tried to send two messages. I stayed there for an hour and they never sent. My phone GPS and Garmin 64ST GPS both had great signal. I got back in my car and drove out to the main road (where I had cell coverage again) with no canopy cover and a clear view of the sky. Still couldn't send the messages. About an hour later while I was driving down the road, they finally sent. So, I guess if I get hurt, I'll have to hike back out, drive around for an hour, and then will be able to get a message out. As of right now, it's looking like I've wasted nearly $400.
Date published: 2019-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Brand new...screen dark spot Bought brand new, activated, screen has dark spot. Working to get it replaced. Too pricey a little item to have a dark spot on the screen.
Date published: 2019-10-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very handy! What an excellent way to stay in touch. I solo hike frequently and the InReach keeps peace of mind for me and my wife. And having unlimited preset messages is a great way to let her know what's happening. It's small and light and simple enough to operate.
Date published: 2019-05-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from very intuitive, even for a nontechy person. I bought the gamin mini several months ago and just used it for the first time several weeks ago on the JMT. I am very pleased with the size and it's capabilities. especially paired with my cell phone. The mini took the place of my satellite phone. With a rechargeable battery,cell phone and the mini, the weight came out to be the same as the satellite phone.
Date published: 2019-07-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I am flummixed I haven't been able to use it yet, it has been so difficult to start
Date published: 2019-06-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Extremely slow response time no messages We have performed several test messages and have yet to receive the reply message in under 20min. Some of the reply messages have taken over an hour to receive. I would not recommend this product for quick/fast communication. It would work to do a daily transmission and know that you need to wait an extended amount of time. I do not feel for the price it is worth the investment. Garmin support is somewhat good on helping, but is unable to resolve this issue.
Date published: 2019-06-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So Far So Good I got a chance to break in my inReach Mini yesterday and it worked great, at least the messaging and other non-SOS functions. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5-star rating is because I thought the initial setup and activation process was cumbersome and not as clear in the instructions as it could have been. but I’m always happy with my Garmin products.
Date published: 2019-08-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very easy to use and reliable! I bought this Midsummer for hang gliding and paragliding, It works flawlessly. Very easy to use. It's great to be able to communicate with loved ones and let them know that I have landed safe or that I need help getting back home. Makes flying that much more enjoyable. In all my flying I haven't seen any missing track points. It's also great peace of mind to get confirmation that the message is sent. Something that always concerned me with my previous device, I never knew if the message actually sent or not. Having two way communication is invaluable.
Date published: 2019-12-04T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fantastic GPS Reception, App Issues Though Just went on a 2 day trip to Smoky Mountains National Park. It was raining and very overcast the entire time. It got great GPS coverage and sent messages in short order, receiving responses quickly too. I left on for 1 full day and got a message that it only had 35% battery left, seems somewhat short. Can be avoided by turning off when it's not needed. I paired with my Garmin Forerunner and could send and receive messages from my watch, but the inReach app on my watch caused my watch to freeze a few times and it didn't pair the 2nd day of my trip. No worries though as I could still use my phone to send and receive messages thru the inReach and could also send/receive messages through the actual inReach itself. Build quality seems fantastic. Garmin, please work on pairing and freezing issues within the inReach app on the watches.
Date published: 2019-12-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Product The Garmin InReach Mini is a fantastic product in size and function. Only complaint would be the subscription service could be less expensive.
Date published: 2019-04-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from How do You like your inReachMini? not much so far Took forever and several phone calls to get it set up and now it won't pair with my phone...........waiting for a call back. Hope SOS works better.
Date published: 2019-08-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Trouble sending messages Unfortunately I received my Mini the day before my hike. I sent out 2 messages. One using the app from my iPhone and one from the Mini. Neither went through . I have been able to send out messages when I am at home but that is useless. Hopefully I can figure out the trouble.
Date published: 2019-04-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect for fishing trips Our teens go fishing in the mountains at least once a week where there is no cell phone coverage. We feel better knowing they can always reach us or call out in case of emergency. It’s worth every penny!
Date published: 2019-06-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind Works fine only problem is it doesn’t stay connected to the Fenix 5S but I think this is more of a problem with the Fenix, it won’t stay connected to my phone either. But as far as the inReach Mini it stays connected to the phone just fine and works great.
Date published: 2019-08-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from just getting started had it less than a month - there a lots of videos on how to use it and how to set it up - including videos from GARMIN (very helpful). Activation process halted - "server error" part way - but (truly) logging out and logging back in got me back in action - so its all good. Don't forget to download the SYNC app by clicking on the link (Duh!) in your web browser. Earthmate seems like a nice app (it tracked my on a neighborhood walk).
Date published: 2019-09-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device poor software Bought 1 week ago. Used in backcountry for 3 days. Device works well. The software only works on your phone or tablet not a pc. Pc compatible only through online portal which makes trip planning without WiFi impossible. If Garmin can create a downloadable program for a laptop this problem will immediate become null and void. Until then. Average product.
Date published: 2019-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Functional and Perfect Size I did not want another full size device for my motorcycle trips.. so I opted for the mini. I paired this small device with my phone and use my garmin app for maps and communication.. I can tuck this device away in my tank bag, on my shoulder straps or jacket etc. problem solved..
Date published: 2019-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Device is great, MapShare & Mobile app need help The mini seems like a well built device and is working as intended. The online application and mobile app need some improving as far as the MapShare is concerned. Also, the mobile app doesn't have the ability to send the "Preset Messages" via the Mini... which is annoying.
Date published: 2019-07-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Still too early to tell . . . My first test wasn't a good one. In clear sky with no obstructions, the outbound text was picked up on the test cell phone within seconds. But the return reply from that cell phone to the inReach Mini took about 25 minutes. I find this to be unacceptable but am hoping that when I'm travelling at 400 mph at 40,000' the results will be better. This device should be a godsend for communicating with people via text on the ground while I'm traveling. Hope it works!!
Date published: 2019-08-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from User interface is not intuitive I'm struggling to learn how to use it. Instruction materials are not always consistent. I do love the size, and the ability for two way communication while in the back country.
Date published: 2019-07-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Everything works, no problems. Make sure to read the online manual carefully, and download the software. I've already sent and received text messages and emails from remote places with zero problems. Very happy with the (tiny) unit.
Date published: 2019-04-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for Emergencies in Hurricane Target Florida We were out of power and cell phone service for a week following Hurricane Irma in 2017. When paired with an iPad, the Garmin Mini is the perfect device to provide emergency communications capability when off grid - either by choice or not!
Date published: 2019-09-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach Mini Just purchased and seems to work well. However activation, updating and web experience is quite confusing. Too many updating sites. i.e. webupdater, Garmin express, inreach site. Some work and some don’t. Also need a printed map of the menus on the unit. Not intuitive of where to go for desired feature. Have to trial and error to find a selection. Unit does work fine. Happy with its performance.
Date published: 2019-08-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Did I get a bad unit? I was so looking forward to buying this unit after reading so many incredible reviews. However, I have had nothing but frustration and wondering if I have a bad unit compared to all the others who have left amazing reviews. Day one, all worked great, and sent my share of test messages to friends and to my second cell phone. On my first trip, sent 7-8 messages, none of which were delivered. Very frustrating. When I returned, I could not get a hold of anyone on Chat (they were all too busy) or on the phone. Sent an email, which was responded to a day later. Email said to update software and try again. Couldn't explain why everything worked fine on day one, but not after. Regardless, I updated, synced and started over. Then, it could not acquire a gps signal for an entire day even though it was in a wide open field unobstructed to the sky. After a day, it finally acquired a gps signal and the messaging seemed to work. However, the sporadic gps acquisition still exists. Just went on another trip, and set up tracking to send my location every 10 minutes. It only showed sending 8 points in 6 hours. Every time I checked the unit, it said it was waiting on a gps signal even though I was outside with a clear view to the sky all day. I fully understand the reviews would not be this good if everyone was experiencing the same experience with this InReach Mini. It is the reason I am wondering if I just have a bad unit.The frustrating part is there is nobody to consult, besides email which seems to take a 24 hour turn around between messages.
Date published: 2019-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So far so good So far so good! Tested it out at my house and is exceeding my expectations Taking it on an Elk hunt in 2 weeks.
Date published: 2019-09-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good product with software flaws TLTR: I do not recommend anyone to purchase this product unless you really know what you are getting yourself into. The product itself is pretty good and serves a solid niche market, but it has some serious software flaws. The flaws can be fatal in certain situations. I would give it four stars if the customer service at least admits the flaw and promise to submit a request to fix it. However, a representative named Chris rudely mocks me when I point out the software flaws, and refused to provide any solution (he doesn't admits the flaw exists). Though the review guidance tells me to avoid talking about customer service, I believe I'm obligated to put my experience here. The customer service is an essential part of the user experience of any inReach product. We are paying monthly bills and are trusting our lives to the SOS function. Essentially, Garmin is providing us a service, not just a device. I do not recommend anyone to purchase this product unless you really know what you are getting yourself into. You might be insulted and rejected when you talks with a customer service representative. Read as much as you can online before you buy. Read the subscription plan in detail. Know how they gonna charge you (incoming messages are also charged for example). These inReach devices has a cult following online. Most people will try to hide the flaws of this device and blame you for not knowing how to use it "correctly". Do not believe them. This device behaves in a certain way. You better know how exactly it gonna work before you trust it as the only way to communicate with outside world. The flaw I mentioned earlier: In normal mode, the inReach Mini will periodically (suppose to be every 10 minutes, but it varies hugely) attempt to communicate with the satellite to check whether there are incoming messages. This is good if you are outside and have good view to the sky. But this 'check mail' process will not stop even if it cannot reach the satellite after a while (i guarantee you there is no signal if you are inside a building). It will continue the process until battery is completely drained. The inReach mini suppose to last over 50 hours on idle, but once the 'check mail' is triggered, the battery will be drained in 10 hours. Let's suppose you are hiking in a dense forest. You won't have satellite signal unless you go to an open area. You hang your inReach Mini on your backpack and hiked for 6 hours. Then you stop to send a message to your family and realized you only have 20% battery left because it was trying to reach satellite the whole time. You planned a 3 day trip, but now what? What's worse. You left your inReach mini on for the night. The rest 20% is gone. Now you don't have SOS anymore. Let's say you are smart and you turn it off imminently to save that 20% battery for emergency. And then the next day you are injured and you need SOS. But you know what? Not everyone gets a helicopter lift. It might take them 6 to 10 hours to find you. And your battery dies before they reach you. Now what? So much for the inReach, huh? I use inReach Mini normally as a backup communication device (for unforeseeable disasters) , and I stays indoor most the time. You can already guess if I don't take any actions my battery will be drained to 10% or even 0% on a daily basis. So you must know exactly how inReach mini gonna behave for your usage.
Date published: 2019-06-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Challenges Out of the box the firmware was outdated. Even after firmware update not all test messages were received. Still trying to figure it out without getting nailed on text costs while still at the house
Date published: 2019-05-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from InReach is expensive I boughtvit for the tracking, but you have to pay $25+/month for the feature. This is not feasible for me at this point. Will be buying a SPOT for this purpose at half the monthly cost.
Date published: 2019-12-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from great devise/horrible setup have been trying to setup for 4 days and still can’t finish the process!!
Date published: 2019-09-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great little device. GPS reception not very good. Great little device. However, the software is clunky and GPS receiver is not very sensitive. I expected this device to pick up a GPS signal when my cell phone would be unable. Unfortunately this is not true. I.e.: My phone gets GPS signal in house just fine, the Inreach does not. When clipped to the belt of my jeans, when riding my motorcycle, it also does not always have GPS reception (as evidenced by not sending out the message until I got home!). GPS reception not to be confused with Iridium reception!
Date published: 2019-08-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Nice product if you can get it working correctly I would give this product a higher review but I can't get it to send any messages to my 1 primary contact that I would communicate with. Talked to support twice with no resolution to date. Otherwise it works well when I have tested messages to others as well as other features like weather. My tech skills are average & I could mostly figure everything out. However, you tube videos of others giving reviews & demonstrating how to use were very helpful. Would be nice if Garmin had in-depth instructional videos. The earthmate app on android is ok. I think it could be better. Had some issues with figuring out maps but seem to have figured it out. It will be a good item to have when I am out in backcountry. Hopefully I will figure out where the issue is with that one contact.
Date published: 2019-06-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for most things I think the Garmin InReach Mini is great for its SOS feature (at least I assume it is. I didn’t have to use it in that way). It’s also great for being able to communicate with people. What it’s not great at is accurately tracking mileage. I realize this is true about most GPS devices and apps. So, use it for SOS and communicating, but don’t rely on it to accurately track your mileage.
Date published: 2019-08-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great tool I work on boats and this unit helps me stay in touch and keeps me safe
Date published: 2019-03-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Get acquainted with the device - download routes I bought it August applied for the Freedom plan, paying by month in use. The device was recommended by a friend. The device works well. First issue was on how to use the device. Yes there is great support, but there is not a grace period for beginners. So the first week of my trip, I was able to send pre-text message, but I thought that my family did not receive them. Finally, someone in the group with Garmin explorer helped me to worked out the problem. But I lost out a week, and it stressed me out. Suggestion: give a week grace period to get acquainted with it. Second issue: download maps. I called support to help me with this task. I wanted to download the route of my trip in Mongolia, I don't know if I can see them using Google earth as I was told, because I have been working (my paying job) instead of playing with the Inreach. I am used to download the information from my runner watch with just a click. Otherwise it is fine, but I am considering to change it for the explorer, but I need to make a call again and see the pros and cons.
Date published: 2019-09-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Handy Little Guy I used a friends before buying my own. That was seamless. When I purchased my own, I had troubles pairing it with the phone and left town shortly after. Anyone who purchases it allow some time to activate it, sign up for the right plan, update the firmware, and troubleshooting time. Definitely do all of this BEFORE you have no reception.
Date published: 2019-08-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It’s pretty decent! I just got it, but it does deliver on my primary need of being in communication and the SOS feature. I went with the $35 Freedom plan, but was not happy to see overage messages are .50 each, as the Garmin tech rep who demo’d it for me said they were .10 each. I’m not totally impressed with the Earthmate mapping, and would love to be able to link with AllTrails or similar apps. Posting updates to Facebook is NOT straight forward, from what I can see. It looks like I need a special page. I set one up they the app, but something isn’t right. In the end, I guess it’s not the best GPS system, but I won’t be out of touch any more.
Date published: 2019-07-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Only used once, but so far works fine Setup was simple and straightforward, as was the activation. Satellite subscription fees and plans are costly and there aren't enough options. Pairing the inReach with an iPhone worked well and the Earthmate app, while pretty ancient and poor, works OK. I mainly got the inReach for the SOS services and for 2-way communication. It should serve those purposes just fine.
Date published: 2019-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Life Saver! I use it for tracking, emergencies, and the ability to communicate with my family literally from anywhere on earth! A must have for traveling in the back country and off the grid!
Date published: 2019-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from small lightweight It’s very nice so far so good it is a bit of a pain to set up activate requires some time and effort preliminarie test are good will update after more thorough testing Battery life is excellent if your not tracking
Date published: 2019-04-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works Great I just purchased this inReach and so far everything seems to be working great. All my messages have gone through without an dropped calls. Taking it a week long trip on th PCT and looking forward to see if all messages go through.
Date published: 2019-07-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from initial troubles thought the unit would work right out of the box. WRONG. so did the sync thing and that did not work. call to Support. waited ten minutes and got friendly advice. unit would not work to connect. call #2 to Support. need to do several other things. so after several hours the unit finally connected to satellite. next day battery was dead so call #3 to Support. Waited on hold for over an hour and hung up. Since this is something that could save my life I want it to work. I also want the instructions/directions that came with it and on line to be specific and not need an advanced degree to follow--and they should be complete and step by step. Not the case with my inReach Mini. Think after all this it is ready for prime time but it has been a struggle and it did not need to be this difficult. Hope everyone else has had a much easier time.
Date published: 2019-04-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So bought this on Friday Anyway, bought this on Friday only to find out Garmin doesn’t support their products on the weekend. Nice to know their support of an emergency beacon is bankers hours only. Activation so far “Monday “ hasn’t happened yet. Also good to know I’m not sitting somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a broken leg. So far a total waste of money.
Date published: 2019-06-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very nice size So far I like it though I am having trouble with downloading sync and figuring out how to set up contacts.
Date published: 2019-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best one yet! This is probably one of the coolest Garman devices that I own. I love how compact it is, but it is still packed with plenty of features. I bought it as a secondary means of communication for when I’m out on the ocean.
Date published: 2019-09-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fabulous Survival Tool Never get lost again. This is such a great product and worth every penny. Garmin is a wonderful company for anybody who enjoys the outdoors.
Date published: 2019-12-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Exactly What I Needed In my younger days cell phones didn't exist. I hiked, fished and hunted off trail with only a map and compass. They saved me from being lost more than once. The missing piece was being able to let others know that I was O.K. or on the way home. The inReach Mini meets these needs perfectly. Hopefully, I will never need the S.O.S feature, but having it, is fantastic. It's certainly worth the subscription costs to me.
Date published: 2019-05-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use! I do a lot of very remote volunteer wildlife habitat conservation work in wilderness and this unit provides me with a much needed communication tool for those remote areas in case something develops.
Date published: 2019-12-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great so far. A little complicated to set up. Waiting to really use on vamping trip soon.
Date published: 2019-11-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Defective unit battery won’t charge Took forever to activate and battery would not charge. Customer service had me do updates and a variety of things only to still not have the unit work. Waiting for a replacement as I hope this review will become a better on
Date published: 2019-04-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Enhanced SPOT, I’ve used the SPOT ELB for many years and have always wanted better ability to have 2-way communication without carrying a Satellite phone (with its high cost). I tried the original pre-Garmin InReach with great success, including Bluetooth pairing to my phone, making it easy to use. This InReach however, won’t even think of pairing with the Garmin EarthMate app. I’ve deleted and re-installed the app, paired and unpaired to no avail. Please, Garmin, get your act together and fix the buggy software.
Date published: 2019-07-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Light Just got the mini inReach. I can’t tell you much about the function yet but it looks great and very light. Activation was pretty straight forward.
Date published: 2019-10-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Everything I need! So many great features in a small package. I love the peace of mind (so does my wife) knowing that no matter where my adventures take me, I’m not out of touch. Iridium network has world class coverage and this works great paired with my iPhone too!
Date published: 2019-10-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great when it works... Bought this for a trip where I knew cell service would be an issue and often times unobtainable. Did everything I was supposed to in order to activate and setup the device. I had an error message on the Earthmate app that informed me that my device might not be activated. I logged into the garmin website, and put in my device’s IMEI number and pin, and the website said that my device was already activated. Fast forward a few days into the backcountry of Colorado... I attempt to check-in with my wife, but am unable to, device isn’t activated. I call customer service and learn that the inreach mini did not go through all of processes that it should have upon activation. Matt was very helpful, but could not explain why it hadn’t activated properly. Just getting back from another trip, where the inreach mini worked as it should. When I pay $350 for a device, and then a service plan on top of that, I expect to have a working device. Thankfully there was not an emergency when my inreach mini was just a paper weight in my pack.
Date published: 2019-10-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just Right Perfect add to my kit for going out of bounds and having emergency services if needed, plus keeping home base informed. Easy to configure, easy to use, lots of flexibility. Paired with smart phone app and computer, I am very satisfied with the additional level of communication, emergency service, and trip planning tools.
Date published: 2019-04-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Safety Device I bought this as a backup safety device to let my spouse know where I am. I explore remote areas on a motorcycle with sometimes very few (if any) people around and definitely no cell phone coverage. I can send preset texts (emails) and that person can click on the link and see exactly where I am. I do not use the tracking features but they are available. The "Mini" subscription was easy to setup and once you learn the devices menu, it is easy to use as well.
Date published: 2019-10-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from inReach Mini - Excellent My inReach Mini worked perfectly well for 9-day float trip in remote western Alaska out of cell range. I used the Mini with the Garmin Earthmate app on my iPhone to monitor our location on the river, text my family, and text our outfitter for pickup details. I have also applied the inReach Mini with iPhone Earthmate to successfully locate survey monuments and bearing trees from a 40-year old survey. inReach Mini is a very good value for my applications. I haven't used the tracking function, but plan to apply tracking this winter backcountry skiing.
Date published: 2019-08-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great piece of mind, but expensive. I wish this was a bit cheaper. I totally get that the technology is expensive and innovative, but paying $300 a year if you're paying monthly is a bit much for something you'll almost never use, hopefully. If there was an SOS only plan for say, $50 a year, then I'd go with that. But in that situation, an PLB is a better option.
Date published: 2019-10-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worked As expected Used this hunting in the mountains of Colorado to communicate with others hunting around me and family back home. Communication is a big deal while in the mountains and this fit the ticket. However, my locations services on my my phone stopped working properly such as Maps, Onx maps, and Google Earth after installing the Earthmate app. Neither Garmin or Apple has been able to help with this but as long as my phone was paired with the InReach Mini my location would work.
Date published: 2019-09-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind I purchased this as a means to communicate with family and contact emergency services if necessary. I travel a lot off grid on an adventure motorcycle. This is the best reviewed and smallest unit I could find. I purchased it for peace of mind while adventuring and it allows for me to explore farther and always know that I have a means of communication.
Date published: 2019-12-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome Size, Awesome Coverage I bought this so that my employees could reach me anytime and anywhere. It definitely did not disappoint. Would highly recommend 100/100
Date published: 2019-11-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device But Needs Improvement I purchased the inReach Mini one week ago and took it on an overnight backpacking trip this last weekend to test it out. Overall it is a great little unit and it will definitely be part of my base kit for any outdoor adventures. The size and weight of this unit make it almost unnoticeable hanging off of the shoulder strap of my pack. However, the size is not so small that it's difficult to use. The four simple buttons are easy to access and use (unless you are trying to send a freeform message from the device!). The SOS button is covered by a rigid cover that should easily protect from accidentally sending an unintentional SOS signal. The screen is easy to read, even in bright sunlight. Power consumption seems to be adequate. I left the unit on for the entire time I was out (~36 hours) and had tracking set at 5 minute intervals with 1 hour intervals for transmitting my location. I also pulled a weather forecast on the first day and sent a preset message to my wife that evening to let her know where I was camping for the night. All worked flawlessly. As I prepared to start my hike out the next day I sent a preset message to indicate that I was starting my hike out. for some reason, that message did not go through but the tracking on the hike out worked as designed. (The failure to send the preset message could have been operator error as I am still learning how to use the Mini.) At the end of the hike I was at ~50% battery power. If I were to use this on a multi-day hike I would either turn it off at night or bring an external charging brick to top it off. The preset messages is one of the areas in need of improvement. The only way to send them is from the Mini. There isn't an option to send them from the Earthmate app on my phone. This unit can be used without a smartphone but it really shines when paired with the Earthmate app. I've owned many Garmin devices over the years and the software has always been the weak link in the chain. That situation is no different with the InReach Mini. Solid hardware performance but lacking in the software department. The mapping functionality and features leave a lot to be desired. Mapping and route planning, via the Earthmate software, is rudimentary but does get the job done with limitations. Garmin really needs to beef up its software development team. That said, the inReach will be a great addition to my outdoor equipment. Now that I know what the limitations are I can reset my expectations on the device capabilities. Still great for messaging and location tracking but I will use something else for detailed mapping and route planning. No review would be complete without a mention of the price. The unit cost is a bit steep but I usually follow the philosophy of "Buy once, cry once" for quality gear. However, even the most basic Personal subscription for the service is more than what I would expect for the features delivered. For what you get with the basic plan I would expect to see the price in the range of $8-$10/month. For the monthly price of the annual Safety Plan contract I would expect to see at least double the number of text messages and 100+ tracking points included in the cost.
Date published: 2019-03-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great size and layout.... Bought to use on solo motorcycle rides or to use the tracking feature on longer group rides. Family, friends can follow us from back home. Seems to work well so far but my Pixel 2 phone and the Mini lose Bluetooth connections easily. Not sure which device is having the issues but hope I'll figure it out eventually. Then I'll update to 5 stars.
Date published: 2019-06-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fine piece of hardware. GPS location is pretty quick, messages also get out quickly, much better than the SPOt Gen3. Acknowlegment of messages sent and two-way capabliltiy also very reassuring. Web page (particularly Quick Messages) is awful, but after a couple hours I managed to get my messages installed. Otherwise, 5-star.
Date published: 2019-07-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use can’t wait to test it out I’ve had my inreach for a couple of weeks and just activated it 2 days ago it was a breeze I love it so far.
Date published: 2019-06-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Difficult setup So far, very difficult setup process. I tried to activate over the weekend ... unable to activate until Monday. A lot of time on the phone and messing with it. After it was activated, it took several hours for the test message to be successfully sent. Unit was outside with clear skies. Perhaps delay was related to ongoing activation issues.
Date published: 2019-10-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Get familiar before first field use! Using the mini stand alone works well. Pairing it with a smartphone and using the Earthmate app is not user intuitive, buggy and leaves a lot to be desired. I've spent close to 5 hours figuring things out and have a high tech background. Because of the small screen, needing to pair it with a phone is pretty important. Garmin needs to hire some better UI engineers to fix this (others have reported similar challenges). The mini by itself I would give it 4 stars. The Earthmate app 1 star. Weighting the two together for a total score of 3.
Date published: 2019-10-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must have for backpacking!!! So nice thing! Works great! Mini plus software, everything is perfect! Now my wife annoying even in forest :)
Date published: 2019-06-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Ease of use, Peace of mind As an Adventure motorcyclist I should've had one of these long ago. Recently a friend was involved in a mishap off grid and luckily someone in our group had a Garmin. We were able to arrange services from our remote location without a problem. Can't rely on others having one of these (it's seldom anyone has one) so I had to have one for peace of mind when going off grid. Setup was very easy, the size is perfect for putting in a pocket or hanging off your riding suit, and it pairs with your mobile which makes it very easy to send emails and texts with Garmin's app - Earthmate. Like many things in life, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. If you go off grid, are away from cell services, travel foreign lands, whatever you do - give yourself the peace of mind of staying connected to friends, family, or emergency services if needed.
Date published: 2019-04-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from easy to use set up went pretty well. This will be very safe and handy when I am out in the wilderness by myself summer and winter.
Date published: 2019-06-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good tool but expensive What they don’t tell you is there is always fees that make the service more expensive. It is a great device just hard to justify needing it!
Date published: 2019-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does what it’s supposed to do The interface on the Mini is inconvenient and not really intuitive, and unfortunately the app that should make it easier is not reliable. For example, the unit said it was connected, the phone said it wasn’t. I found the instructions for this unit to be confusing, and I incurred charges that I wasn’t expecting. But it does what I want, which is allow me to have connectivity to others when I’m in the back country.
Date published: 2019-10-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small enough to attach to survival vest. Nice size. My only complaint is the service plan. There needs to be an option between ten minute and two minute reporting. I had a SPOT with five minute reporting and that was perfect. I had to quit using it because it interfered with my GTN650 GPS, causing it to lose satellites every five minutes.
Date published: 2019-06-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Activation Never had so much trouble activating a device. Too many problems to list here. Took me several hours to get it all sorted out.
Date published: 2019-12-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Featherweight, palm sized, great for trail running Have had this for around a month. I love the diminutive size & light weight. I've taken in on several trips now far from home and it has opened new doors- traditional satellite communicators are pretty bulky but you can run with this in a pocket or even in your palm. Unfortunately it seems to have trouble locking GPS while running in the forest in the mountains. Not unexpected- that's a challenging environment- but my GPS watch has no such troubles. It really prefers to be stationary.
Date published: 2019-09-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind I have a few different uses for my inReach Mini. What I like best is it truly gives me peace of mind when I am out of cell range. It's compact size and ease of use make it the ideal must-have travel tool.
Date published: 2019-09-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It just works The communicator just works. Sending message is quick and easy and menu is simple and intuitive to navigate. The free preset message are great features to let people know you are doing great. Overall, I highly recommend this product if you find yourself in places with limited cellular coverage.
Date published: 2019-08-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Seems ok Garmin is asking me to review it after only owning it for a couple days. I did use it on an overnight just a few days ago. As such, it was somewhat difficult learning the processes and functions. I also didn't seem to be able to enter a phone number from the device to send text messages, instead I could only send to an email address that I wanted to contact. I figure if it worked differently or Garmin wanted to give me more time to learn the features, they would have done so before asking me to review it, so that's what it is. The tracking seems to work well. It's disappointing that the Garmin devices use a rechargeable internal battery though, for field use batteries are still king because you can carry extra and buy them anywhere. You may not always have access to a USB charger/power source. I wouldn't say don't buy this so far, it seems to work well and I think it will do what I bought it for, but it does have compromises so be well aware.
Date published: 2019-12-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin InReach Mini After 3 days I am totally blown away by the Mini. It does exactly what it claims. The Mini is really small. I have it onnected to my Garmin 935 and to my phone and both are working well. Yes it is a bit complicated so plan on spending several hours learning the ropes. With open sky the connection is a few seconds. With tree cover the gps fix seems to be the poorest connection and can take a couple of minutes. I got the Safety plan and so far it will meet my needs. With all the features the Recreation plan is tempting.
Date published: 2019-11-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Perfect for my needs I bought two of these since there have been so many natural disasters lately in PR and we are left incomunicated
Date published: 2020-01-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from so far good Just got and have only had it out once I'm Grayson-Highlands VA. All is good and felt so much better that I had communication as I was hiking alone. Just need to have some time to sit at my computer and get everything set-up. Well worth the cost in my mind
Date published: 2021-03-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Better than SPOT I have been using SPOT for 12 years. Upgraded to SPOT X (from Gen 3). Found it hard to use. I also wanted two-way communications. inReach is working well for me. Highly Recommended.
Date published: 2021-07-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Convenient Bought it, set it up, activated, haven't used yet though. Garmin keeps asking me to review so here it is!
Date published: 2021-05-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My mini I bought this last fall and finally registered it for summer backpacking
Date published: 2021-05-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It works! Just got it, so it’s early to judge. I will say this: out the box, setup was fairly straight forward. Took awhile to understand the need to install an app on your phone, and manage your device from a Garmin website after establishing an account. I tested it once on a day hike to 10,000ft. Got weather, sent texts, and emails - all were received, plus, I received responses. Still learning more, but I feel good about it serving me well on my next through hike.
Date published: 2021-05-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Don’t know what we would do without it On a recent backpacking trip , my husband hurt his foot and could not continue. We had no service at all - save the garmin . I was able to text my sister who arranged a ride for us . Without it , we would still be stuck in the backcountry .
Date published: 2021-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Checking It Out. Just got it a few days back ... just finishing the install and starting to check out if's features. So far ... I'm impressed and am looking forward to taking it out on a few "familiarization" hikes. Planning for big use in Sequoia NP in August. Good job on another Garmin product.
Date published: 2021-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good device providing basic GPS communication I have gone out with my new inReach Mini a couple of times and it has worked well, as advertised. Preset messages and standard messages worked well, and operation through iPhone app is well designed and simple to use. The cost of the plan kept me from buying the device sooner, I still think it is outrageously expensive, but the peace of mind is important to me.
Date published: 2021-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Super small, all that I need! I just needed a satellite communicator, not another smart phone. I got one of those already. :) This is perfect. It synced up with the satellite service within a couple minutes, setup through my iPhone was fast (this is where you get all the features of the more expensive Garmin devices anyway), and while the actual interface on this device isn't intuitive, it's not a difficult learning curve. It's pretty light, too, as it should be for its intended purpose. If you haven't used the inReach service before, this device lets you set up three "check-in" style messages that can be sent in unlimited quantity to your contact's email addresses. This is helpful for sending messages such as "I'm doing great! Just checking in" or "I'm delayed a little. I'll send more details later" or whatnot. In addition, there are something like 10? preset messages you can edit through your inReach account that make it much faster to send common messages to your contact's mobile phone as a text message. You can also type your own from the device, but it's painful, haha. Definitely best to make use of the presets. These message types have a limited quantity in some of the plans, so I would recommend spending some time setting them up in a way that plays well with the 3 unlimited type messages that you'll want to send more often. You should know this is not a satellite "phone". It just sends and receives text and email messages. Anyway, loving this little device!
Date published: 2021-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome device A great device for peace of mind. I won’t go into the backcountry without a device like this ever again.
Date published: 2021-05-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from So far… so good! I bought this after hocking my guitar and amp so my wife would have piece of mind as I hiked the mountains. Customer support is awesome. I cannot wait to use this.
Date published: 2021-05-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Havent been able to activate I bought this but have been unable to activate. Contacted Garmin SuPport and worked with them for over an hour without success. The Rep indicated that he was going to send it to Engineering to determine what else could be done or if they will send me another unit. I haven’t heard from anyone in 2 days…but my subscription has started…. Very disappointing and my confidence is low that this thing will work in an emergency…
Date published: 2021-05-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Like it for comms and SOS I bought the mini for a PCT section through hike and will use it for future hikes and travel. My main reason for getting this is the SOS feature and the fact that you can communicate with others when you don't have cell service. The tracking features are nice but of a little less interest to me. There is a learning curve and I've done many neighborhood "hikes" to become familiar. The messaging works well but I did find the unit kept saying I have unsent messages when it wasn't true. The interface is a little clunky with the rolling through menus, so if you get one try it out a lot before you need it (but it is to be expected with a unit and screen this small). I like the small size and light weight even though I'm not an ultralight hiker. The Mapshare is pretty cool and works well so I plan to use it to keep the family informed. Of course I have no idea if the SOS works and hope I never need it. I will have to have faith in that. I got my Inreach on sale and I do think it is well worth the price I paid. I would recommend this to others
Date published: 2021-05-24T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy configuration and peace of mind! Recently diagnosed with a lethal heart rhythm, but I refuse to just sit at home. Purchased this to give my spouse and me peace of mind. Setup was extremely easy. Hope we never have to use it!
Date published: 2021-05-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Just ok! The mini is seems awfully fiddly and sometimes a bit overengineered where I had difficulty understanding how to use some of its functionality--like how to turn off the alarm that a new message has been received....But, I bought it so my wife could track me when I was out of cell phone service range and it did that.
Date published: 2021-05-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Seems Very Promising The inReach mini seems like a very capable device, but it will take time to learn how to fully access all of its functions. It would be nice if there was a "learning curve" allotment of messages and weather reports that could be sent/received in order to become more familiar with the device
Date published: 2021-05-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not accepted by insurance company We have always enjoyed the quality functionally of Garmin equipment. We purchased a We purchased new Pursuit and the marine carrier required a satellite based security device to monitor the boat's location 24/7. Though, the Garmin was satellite based and could be setup to report location regularly, it was not an approved device. We had to return the Garmin and purchase a SPOT-Trace.
Date published: 2021-05-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device- setup/activating could be easier This is a great device. The devise itself is very user friendly. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is that the activation was a pain. I had to use 3 different apps/programs and contact support to finally get the activation to complete.
Date published: 2021-05-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great but hard to learn I have only had my mini for < a week but it does perform as expected. I have owned Garmin gps since the first summit with no maps, black and white screen. Garmin has too many apps (ie: express; mapinstall; webupdater; basecamp;map manager; inreach sync) for different functions. I would like to see one app that takes care of all the functions of the gps.
Date published: 2021-05-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome portability and function We bought a pair of these to use for an off grid side by side ride for the group on the trail to communicate with the support vehicles. They worked great, especially when paired with a phone to text. We didn't really use all the features this trip so looking forward to using these more in the future.
Date published: 2021-05-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A Great Tool I’m in the process of creating a hiking guidebook in Alaska. The Garmin Mini has been a great tool for helping me track my hikes in the backcountry, providing service for days between charges, and for pinpoint waypoint accuracy.
Date published: 2021-05-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind Able to give my family leave of mind when I hike. Still working out what I can do and can’t do with subscriptions and tasks and costs. haven't really used it backpacking and overnighting just yet.
Date published: 2021-05-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind! Loving this little "piece of mind"! Only reason it's not a 5 star is the fact the GPS can take several minutes to locate. Other than that, it worked great for us, on our first trip with using it, on our section hike this weekend through the "Heart of Darkness" on the Benton MacKaye Trail. Would recommend to anyone in need of some peace of mind, both for yourself and your family, friends and loved ones at home.
Date published: 2021-06-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Like it I like it.........................................
Date published: 2021-05-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor Documentation/Instruction Manuel Overall I am happy with the performance of the device. My main gripe is with the documentation. The instruction manual is incomplete and very basic. Text messages are limited to 160 characters - not in the documentation. A dynamic phone number is assigned for texting - not in the documentation. The official videos on Youtube are all sales pitches, not a tutorial on how to use the device.
Date published: 2021-06-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great Initially I was considering going for the Explorer+ but I am really glad I went with the InReach Mini. The size of the device is just perfect. Battery life seems pretty good, too. User interface is also quite good! I read some negative reviews where the messages are either delayed or not received. I experienced otherwise. In my tests over the last week, I never had any issues with reception nor message delays. I recommend this to anyone who goes on hikes alone especially on trails which aren't so busy.
Date published: 2021-05-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of Mind So far I'm very happy with my purchase. However, having just purchased the device it's a little early for a review. I'm an overlander and spend a lot of time without cellular communication. It will hopefully never have to be used for an SOS, but having it will give me and my family peace of mind.
Date published: 2021-05-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Needs some work but accomplishes its main purpose. I have been putting off the inReach Mini for a while but after a situation pushed me to be more active in my ability to communicate while off-roading I picked one up. The device itself as a communication device does some great things but with all products there is certainly room to improve. I have found battery life to be good while connected but I can drop 3% on start-up while it hunts for satellites. If you leave it on overnight and it loses connection however the battery will be very low in the morning. Since it's mostly plugged in for my uses that doesn't effect me greatly but something hikers may want to consider. The size is perfect for what it needs to do as well. It's very "out of the way" and light so I can see that this would be great for backpacking and travelling with limited space. The buttons are big enough to use easily even with gloves. The usage is a bit cumbersome as far as features. Since it is a "mini" device I think there should be some enhancements to how the device sets up. I know Garmin is trying to recoup expenses with allowing 3 preset messages being the only "free" option not coming out of your plan but figuring out what 3 messages cover your entire trip or until you can get to a PC can be limiting. Even some adjustment of changing who receives the presets at while out would improve the use of the device. Overall I am satisfied with the inReach and it does a great job of "off network" communication and updating locations and I am sure Garmin will keep improving the experience.
Date published: 2021-05-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Piece of mind and convenience on my next adventure As an aspiring amateur wildlife photographer and hiker, I bought the Garmin InReach Mini about a month ago and am very pleased with the functions it provides and integration with my iPhone through the app. While the text transmission time is longer than I expected, I assume this is due to the Iridium satellite system rather than the Garmin unit. Still, it's amazing that you can get a satcom connection at all with such a tiny device.
Date published: 2021-05-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Awesome Device Great little device, it does everything you’d expect. I was torn between this and a 66i. Ended up going with this as it’s the best rated device for backpacking and hiking. Activating it online was easy, just follow the guide. Download the Garmin software to your computer to update it, then you need to download the sync software as well because syncing it is done on your computer, too. Once you figure out the online portal and the software you’re good to go!
Date published: 2021-05-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor ui, didn't work, sent it back The ui and integration with the Earthmate app is poor. Despite several hours of installing updates and reinstalling apps, it never got Bluetooth working. It would take a minimum of 5 mins to get a sat fix under clear skies. I have doubts that it would work for the reason I bought it, emergency communications.
Date published: 2021-05-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Pretty Disappointed. Recently purchased for my trip to Isle Royale. Constantly get poor GPS single when outside with no obstructions. Did a software update and still get poor GPS single. What's the point of having this device if you don't have confidence you will get service. Also pretty disappointed that you need to connect your device to a hard drive for updates, it's 2021. Not worth the money
Date published: 2021-05-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Get It Before You Need It In 2020 I hiked the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park and struggled but passed it off as the altitude. In the Spring of 2021 after having some chest pain I was diagnosed as needing a triple heart bypass. I did not have an inReach in 2020 but after surgery and cardio rehab I have one now. I continue to walk/hike in preparation for Angels Landing in 2022 and I won't be going without it. I have used it extensively this past month learning and becoming comfortable with it and I have been very impressed with it. No deep canyons or valleys in SW Georgia but plenty of tree cover and as far as I can tell the tree cover has had no loss of signal issues with with. Very easy to set up and a lot of YouTube videos showing you how. Linked to my Android phone and Garmin Fenix 6 Pro making it very easy to send and receive messages and turn tracking on and off. Since I am only a day hiker I have not used more than 25% of the battery in a day so battery life is a non issue for me.
Date published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It's a neat, lightweight, hard to use device I like the battery life and how convenient and compact it is. But messaging is overwhelmingly difficult. They could've made that small e-ink touchscreen capable to help send a text.
Date published: 2022-01-07T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Features just right This works well for notifying someone that I want to know I’m hiking. Text messages work well after you figure out how to set it up. Their instructions are very poor. Nice to have emergency beacon when needed. I’ll have to watch the battery but has plenty for day hikes
Date published: 2022-01-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for my purposes but the manual sucks The manual is not very helpful to someone using the inReach for their first time. Simple things, like “there’s no off button; it will turn itself off after __ minutes” and “this will happen when you test it” and “your contact will receive messages from you only when…” would have made the learning curve a LOT easier.
Date published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great device, but complex Garmin interoperability The inReach Mini, at it's core, provides what I wanted -- call for help in an emergency across the globe. ?? But, clearly this device was designed by engineers -- good engineers. But, Garmin should have included "user experience" design For example, to use the inReach, one needs a special Garmin website (but using your existing Garmin credentials). Why a separate login and site? A user also needs ALL of these to use the device adequately: - An app on their cell phone - Garmin Sync app (not web site) on a computer - Garmin Express The relationship of the InReach device, phone app, special Garmin web site, Sync app, and Garmin Express are not laid out in one place (or one picture). A user must learn where to make a change such as creating a pre-worded message (it's down in some menus on the Adventure.Garmin site. Then, on that same web site in another location, request a sync. But then the user must sync the device using the Sync app (not Garmin Express) and a USB cable (can't use the phone app either). If you think there is a firmware update for the device pending, the process is all different from updating a setting. The firmware update is found in Garmin Express (not the Adventure.Garmin site). I could give you more examples of the complexity and ambiguity, but you get the picture. I did not intend for this to be a "how to" post, but rather a warning about the time required to piece together all the parts to understand the big picture to accomplish simple tasks. Garmin -- perhaps you might hire a user experience professional from Apple or Tesla -- or some other product designer who successfully combines engineering and user experience.
Date published: 2022-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Should Have Bought Sooner! Was able to set it up and use it very quickly. After being out of reach, pun intended, on a couple MTB rides where family got worried and I did too as they may not know my exact location, having this device is a game changer in comfort and confidence.
Date published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from High Sierra Loop I bought this device 3 days before an attempt to hike the High Sierra Trail. Ultimate goal was the summit of Mt Whitney with a group to celebrate a 50 year anniversary of our first Whitney summit. 2 days in on this point to point trip it was apparent Mt Whitney was out of reach.With the inreach mini I was able to alert our pickup crew and reroute our trip. So glad we had the inreach mini to communicate our change of plans. Our trip ended much more enjoyably than a forced march with no way to change our plans.
Date published: 2022-01-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Happy to have the inReach Mini I got this for Christmas and it’s a treat. I didn’t find the setup intuitive and was so frustrated when the first thing I did was accidentally set the language to Polish, which is a lovely language but I don’t speak it. Instructions on how to change the language did not help so thanks Google translate for getting me through. Once set up things made more sense but I need to use the Mini a few times to get a better feel for it. I’m optimistic about it
Date published: 2022-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Problematic GPS Connectivity I bought this unit because of the compact size and lighter weight which would be advantageous for backpacking...the unit seems well made and is easy enough to operate but I have consistently had problems with the unit indicating "Poor GPS Strength" when trying to send a Preset message and that I should position the unit so that it has a clear view of the sky...I've had this problem in the Phoenix valley, Sedona and Mt. Rainier, and with one exception, always had a very open view of the sky...although I just wanted to send a Preset message, I am concerned about this happening if I was in a true SOS situation...I talked with a Garmin support person after the first few occurrences of this problem and he had me update the firmware, indicating that this would more than likely fix the problem...the test in my backyard worked fine (but so did the initial activation test when I set up the service plan) but when used on hikes after this, the problem was encountered each time although for all but one time, the message eventually was sent...on several of these hikes, an inReach Explorer in the same area worked with no issue...I switched to Garmin because of the reliability of the inReach full-size units, but, for me, the jury is still out on the mini.
Date published: 2021-08-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Goodbye Spot Hello inReach Mini - I love you! I have used a competitor's device for 11 years. That company recently changed its associated insurance company. That company will not allow me to purchase SAR insurance for all the people who are depending on my emergency device during a backcountry adventure. That won't work - so I switched to a Garmin device that is supported by the insurance company previously associated with my other device, MyGeos. Problem solved and an extra bonus! The inReach has excellent, updated software and is very user friendly. The bluetooth on the inReach allows me to use my cell phone to access my contacts and text on my phone's keyboard. Wonderful improvement. My son just used the inReach for nine days in the Wind River Range, about half of those days spent off trail fishing for the Golden Trout. I knew exactly where he and his buddy were at all times (both with SAR insurance in place - thank you!). Huge piece of mind. I highly recommend the inREach Mini.
Date published: 2021-08-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Confusing I find that it is confusing to use. Plus half the time it won't sync up to my phone. I can't imagine being out on the trail with no cell service standing there trying to use the Garmin Mini. It's hard to navigate or find the different features. Sometimes you end up pushing several up, down and back arrows to get where you want. It could just be me not being very technical. I was hoping it would be simpler to use on the trail. It may be something I just need to use a few times to get the hang of it.
Date published: 2021-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good & Useful I've had the device for about a month. I see great utility beyond the SOS feature, but the learning curve is more than I expected. I am getting the hang of it and expect after an upcoming hiking trip the rating will improve. Support has been excellent in assisting me.
Date published: 2021-09-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Light and perfect for my needs. I was deciding between Garmin InReach Mini and Exprorer. In the end my choice was Mini, as anyway I take a cell phone with me which, efficiently, turns Mini into explorer. Plus Mini is more than 100 grams lighter. For now I am satisfied, tried it in few runs in the mountains. Don't exect it to be as responsive as usual cell hone messaging and you will not be dissapointed.
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Very handy I purchased the mini 3 weeks ago for a solo bow hunting trip in an area known for a large amount of grizzly bears. The mini gave me peace of mind for help getting to me. The thing I did not expect was the easy way to send messages home through my phone. This was a great feature I did not know about until I was bored in camp one night.
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind Myself and two hunting partners were able to be in contact with our families while we were away on a remote hunting trip the added security of SOS also a plus
Date published: 2021-09-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Pretty good Reassuring to have this device. Generally like it. But its annoying to be at 10k plus and be exposed to half the sky and still get notification there is poor GPS strength. What happens if I have a compound fracture down in the bottom of a canyon?
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best piece of equipment for backcountry! Debated Sat phone vs InReach. Was leaning toward Sat phone. I was skeptical of relying on 3rd party as intermediary in event of emergency. Garmin bought 3rd party earlier this year. In July I had to use InReach SOS for evac on John Muir Trail for broken bone in foot. Could not be more pleased! Communication was perfect! Exceeding expectations! I was evaced by helicopter via California Highway Patrol with in 2 hours. Garmin kept everyone updated throughout. CHP officers acknowledged Garmin is extremely helpful to them as well.
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Expensive, but worth it We've only used our inReach once. On a 10-mile hike in Shenandoah National Park. Was nice to have. Kept us up-to-date on how far we'd gone and our pace. Nice to know when you're out for a longer hike. Especially on the day of our hike because we got started later than we should have. Gave us an idea of when we would make it back given our current pace. Took a bit of effort to figure out how to set up the free, preset messages -- which must be done on the website ahead of time -- but it's a nice feature. Sends a map of your location to whomever you put on your preset distribution list. I initially hesitated to buy it because it was expensive, bought it for the SOS feature, but will continue to use it because I like how it functions. Initially it seemed on the small side, but it's a perfect size to simply hook to the outside of your pack and it comes with the GARMIN carabiner! If you're thinking you can rely on your cellphone, this is safer because it uses satellites, rather than cell towers. Much better coverage.
Date published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Poor battery life Battery lasted less than 30 hours and that was while it was idle - not tracking etc. I used the weather once a day. It was very slow linking up.
Date published: 2021-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Makes me feel safer in the woods This was given to me by a family member and I have used it for the last couple years and really like having the app on my phone to send messages. I feel more confident in the woods knowing I can contact someone if I need to.
Date published: 2022-01-14T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Tiny device, big relief I recently used the inreach mini on a 5 day remote camping trip in mountains. The device was reliable and easy to use. It gave a lot of peace of mind to us and the family back home. Great product!
Date published: 2023-10-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Extreme lag time I have had the in reach mini for two years now and am fairly disappointed in its performance. There has always been a several hour lag time in receiving and sending messages even with a very clear view of the sky. This year has been exceptionally worse with some messages not being sent or received at all even after doing the suggested updates. If I were to do it all over again I would look for an alternative with less or no monthly fees.
Date published: 2023-10-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Not very useful I bought this unit for a month long wilderness trip to keep in touch with family. It worked poorly for the intended purpose. There was a bit of a learning curve at first on how to operate it and it did not pair well with my android phone. I would not receive the messages on my phone unless I restarted my phone for every message. The user interface on the unit itself is very poor at best. I definitely would not rely on trying to message with the unit itself it an emergency situation. You cant even turn the unit off without first scrolling through the menu, and the battery life is way to short and needs a reliable source to recharge with. My friend had an in reach messenger and it worked much better. With technology the way it is right now I would have expected much more, especially in this price point. I was very disappointed.
Date published: 2023-10-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Original Mini - purchased Oct 23 I bought this for a trip out of country So far - limited use but good piece of mind Got a great deal on original mini For more regular use 2 may be better Battery life could be better
Date published: 2023-10-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excited! Just received my unit, still in the early stages of learning the device! Does seem to have a little difficulty locating satellites even when in an open area and clear skies?
Date published: 2023-10-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Confusing and non-intuitive You have to use a website to sign up while at the same time being outside with an UNobstructed view of the sky. In total I've spent nearly 2hrs hours trying to set it up and get it to work. It wouldn't connect in my backyard and finally had to walk out to the street in front of my house for it to connect to a satellite. The interface is confusing and not intuitive at all. I was eventually able to send a successful test message and a text to my wife, but I can't imagine trying to use this in an emergency or if I've been injured in the woods. If where you hike, ride motorcycles or anything else outdoors is in the desert, on a beach or wide open prairies it might be use. Don't count on it if there are any trees around.
Date published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It didn’t work The device could not connect to the satellite. I spent over an hour with customer service and we could not make it work.
Date published: 2023-10-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A friend indeed I bought an inReach mini and I’m falling in love with it. It is nice to know that even if I was that dreadfully lost, I am still within Rreach!
Date published: 2023-10-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great product Tested about 70 miles offshore and all was good sending and receiving.
Date published: 2023-05-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Small but Mighty Bought at the behest of fiancé. Had to be rescued on first trip. Avoided catastrophic event.
Date published: 2023-06-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from love the peace of mind. Im a youtuber who camps and fishes solo. I take the back roads and end up in far away and very remote spots. The Garmin has allowed me to stay in touch with family thanks to it's texting ability and the app makes it even easier. Also, the weather feature is spot on and takes the guess work out of when it's going to rain etc...
Date published: 2023-04-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Keeps us safe in the AZ desert We’ve had this for about 2 1/2 years. My only complaint is that when someone messages you, the alarm is such a pain to silence. You would think that when connected to my tablet it would silence when you view the message from Earthmate
Date published: 2023-05-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for staying in touch I use the inReach primarily for staying in touch with people. It’s great for messaging people when I’m out of cell range. The preset messages are great since they don’t count against your message limit. I like the fact that you can adjust the plan you’re on based upon your needs. I’ve used it for navigation and it did fine but I find that my iPhone does just as good a job on its own. Never used the SOS feature (and I hope I never have too) but it’s good to know I have it should anything come up.
Date published: 2023-05-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great for a solo adventure I can explore safely, especially on a solo trip in the desert
Date published: 2023-05-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works just as expected. Works just as I need it to. With a little fiddling, it's easy to figure out.
Date published: 2023-04-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Highly reliable with great features My previous device was a Spot messenger, that had no where near the features of the inReach Mini and did not reliably send my messages.
Date published: 2023-04-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Capable and reliable It is peace of mind. We sometimes are on different adventures near our mountain property, and of course both off grid. We can rely on our 2 inReach Minis (nicknamed STUBBY 1 and 2) to keep us connected. So much better to send a message instead of a generic SOS.
Date published: 2023-04-25T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My wife has peace of mind when she tracks my rides My wife needs to know I'm safe when I go out on a solo motorcycle ride in the mountains. I asked around and 99% of the motorcycle riders i know recommend the garmin mini.
Date published: 2023-05-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from It was free! To be perfectly honest, I had a lot of Cabela's points saved up after years of using their credit card... So my purchase was at no cost to me! I had wanted an SOS/GPS unit for safety while backpacking for some time. For basic safety and communication this unit is fine. To be honest, the newer version of the Garmin inReach Mini has more usable features and pairs with a better app. I wish I had waited. But for basic needs ... this one will certainly do!
Date published: 2023-05-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Piece of Mind for others I have had an InReach Mini for 3 years (and an InReach SE for 5 years before that). It works well for me to keep my wife updated on status of trips. I often go for 1-2 week wilderness kayak trips and weather can be a big impact on where we get each night. Being able to call in an emergency is secondary. Hopefully I will never need that. On a couple of occasions I have used VHF radio to call for help for other groups since that help would be local (like a fishing boat a mile from me). A limitation with the InReach Mini is that it is even harder to type on than the SE was. Plan on using it with Bluetooth to your phone. Most of my messages are pre-defined on the web site and can be sent with only a few button presses. Which is good because typing on one of these while kayaking isn't fun.
Date published: 2023-05-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from navigation I used it to navigate a new lake in Canada we flew into. The first day, I didn't bring it and almost got lost between all of the islands & bays plus no sun. The next day,we used the map on the phone app. We were able to mark our home base & our target. No more concerns about getting turned around. It was also a great comfort being able to text the lodge and family. thanks
Date published: 2023-06-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Product That Will Come In Handy I'd thought about purchasing a Garmin inReach Mini for a while, though I wasn't sure if it would be worth the expense. Well, recently for my 68th birthday. My daughter rented a vacation cabin for several days at one of our favorite lakes, where I would take her fishing as a kid. I knew the cellular service was spotty in the area. But come to find we had no service at the cabin. Since it was off season at the time, and we were the only persons staying in that area of the park. It was concerning that we did not have a way to call for assistance in an emergency. So, after arriving back home. I decided that the inReach was well worth the expense, even if only used occasionally. Now, it accompanies me whenever I travel away from home. Out of town visits, long ebike rides, fishing trips, etc. It's easy to carry and use, the monthly service fee is reasonable, and it allows you to stay in contact with someone at all times and provide location information. It's a definite must have for those that are safety conscious. If an emergency arises, there's always someone to hear your call. Thanks for a great product.
Date published: 2023-04-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mini I’ve had this out on the boat 8 times now All I can say is awesome Nothing better feeling always safe
Date published: 2023-04-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best Hiking Partner It is nice to know that help or a loved one is only a button push away. The SOS feature speaks for itself. The texting feature makes it nice to let my wife or kids know that " I am starting my hilke", "I am on the summit". " I am heading down" or that "I am back at the truck". Better yet, if something happens at home, while I am in the backcountry, they can let me know as well. I even take it on business trips when flying. This is a subscription service that I will gladly pay for. Please note that depending on subscription service, numbers of texts are limited. Having said that,I would not leave home without it.
Date published: 2023-05-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from I never leave home without it. Since most of my camping takes me to areas with zero cell coverage, and closest means of communication can be hours away, my inreach mini is always on my person. Also useful to just let family know where you are when you travel out of the cell coverage areas. Sending a pre-saved message is merely a press of a button and includes GPS location. Cuts their anxiety level down knowing where you are and all is OK.
Date published: 2023-04-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from garbage Wont pair to phone and died overnight. Will update after calling garmin
Date published: 2023-06-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Does the job I use inReach Mini for my hiking and climbing trips and as an additional source of rescue contact while flying a single-engine airplane. So far was lucky enough not to use SOS feature. Sent preset and dialed-in texts to my contacts from the climbing trips. Works well as a source of communication where there is no cell coverage. Connection with iPhone makes some features easier (like reading incoming texts), but the app definitely lacks some crucial functionalities, like adding/editing contacts. All in all, I’m staying with it for two years now
Date published: 2023-05-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Device You never notice it until you need it. Great way to keep in touch with family when in the backcountry. They also have great customer service and flexible subscription plans.
Date published: 2023-05-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great peace of mind. After an experience having to walk miles to call for help, I purchased the inReach Mini. It affords me the peace of mind that I will be able to get help if I am in an area without cellular service. I have not had to use it for an emergency, but I like the tracking feature which lets me keep track of the places I have been.
Date published: 2023-05-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact & Easy to use The inReach Mini works great. Small and compact and works as it should.
Date published: 2023-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Complicated, but uniquely useful tool. There is a lot of memorization and practice to be able use this tool effectively when any emergency comes. I had an emergency and it was slow and awkward to use. They were very reluctant to dispatch help. Be sure to download the phone app to interface with it much easier.
Date published: 2023-09-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Instruction lacking I love the most thing about the Mini. What I find it lacks good basic instruction. There are a lot of Reviews and How to's out there. I have had a hard time figuring out how to put the basic information into it or in the app. Most just say 'up load', heck I don't know how to start to an up load and or where. I had to stumble through it. I can now send a pre sent message. Which means my wife will let me hike by myself. I have to go through the menu tree several times to make that happen. I am glad the SOS button is easy or I would be up a creek.
Date published: 2023-09-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Good features I was wanting the mini 2 but they did not have it in stock so I had to get the one it was pretty helpful on my Utah elk hunt, still would like to have gotten the 2 for the track back feature on the device itself
Date published: 2023-09-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Sometimes in reach I have been using this hunting for a few weeks. When it works it is great. I live and hunt Alaska where I bought it, but the response times can be hours sometimes before receiving messages or before it actually sends the messages.
Date published: 2023-09-08T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Best Experience So great full for the in-reach in the bush of Alaska.
Date published: 2023-09-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from As advertised Used my mini this for a week in the Colorado High Country. No problems with sync or satellite connection. Communications were straight forward. Keeping this one.
Date published: 2023-09-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great little device I got this just in case of emergencies and I’m paying off the very first time we broke down
Date published: 2023-09-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Grate Unit Grate Unit but the battery life is short. That may make it hard to charge in the field.
Date published: 2023-09-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Still learning Tracking was slow but increased the time interval. So far I feel so much safer out there!
Date published: 2023-09-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use. So easy to use with the mobile application. It really helps to stay in touch while away from cell service. Extra peace of mind knowing you can SOS from anywhere.
Date published: 2023-09-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Lifesaver in the Wild The Garmin inReach is an absolute game-changer for outdoor enthusiasts like me. This compact device offers a lifeline when you’re off the grid, providing reliable communication and SOS capabilities. I’ve used it on remote hikes and camping trips, and it has never let me down. The ease of sending text messages, tracking my route, and knowing I can call for help in an emergency has given me peace of mind like never before. If you love adventure and safety, the Garmin inReach is a must-have companion.
Date published: 2023-09-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from onlyinafield The inreach was very difficult to link with phones, some customer service agents were helpful, and some were not.
Date published: 2023-09-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy to use Bought this to use in Colorado mule deer hunting to be able to communicate to my wife. Works great
Date published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must have! My second one this is a replacement to one I lost in a creek on a fishing trip, immediately bought a new one. I recommend this to everyone I can and wouldn’t do what I do without it now.
Date published: 2023-09-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Activation failed Tried to set the device up as soon as I got it. A few hours later still waiting for activation to finish. Bad start
Date published: 2023-09-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from An impressive device with a subpar app and site. I'm a big fan of Garmin who used its watches from Vivoactive to Fenix 6. I was impressed by both the device and the software infrastructure - both the phone app and the Garmin website. Inreach Mini was different: it's a wonderful tool, but I had tons of unsolved issues synchronizing my phone's now-retired Earthmate app with the "explorer" site. I can't make tracks and transfer them to the phone and the device, for example. I understand that Inreach Mini 2 uses a different infrastructure and apps, and that makes me sad. I contacted Garmin support and got no answers. It appears that they intentionally want people to move to Mini 2.
Date published: 2023-09-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works like a Champ I was in the NWT hunting Caribou and sending messages out daily to family in the U.S. I will take this with me on all my hunts from now on.
Date published: 2023-10-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Inreach to inreach Use inreach hunting with my daughter she had inreach too could see her location when sending messages
Date published: 2023-09-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Works great Bought this for communicating with my hunting partner and family at home while in remote locations. My Inreach Mini performed great. Allowed easy contact with my hunting partner and piece of mind in case of an emergency.
Date published: 2023-11-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin In Reach Mini Paying for a plan and the in reach will not connect or show that it’s activated
Date published: 2023-12-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Important piece of kit that goes on every adventur I work in Forestry and am regularly out of service for work, daily the in reach allows me to stay in touch while at work. On the weekends and evenings I’m out hiking, hunting or out relaxing at camp where there is no service, I like the peace of mind that having the in reach provides. The other features like tracking and mapping are very handy too
Date published: 2023-12-01T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Garmin mini Bought my garmin inreach mini after getting my vehicle stuck in the roads. Spent the night in the woods because we had no cell service. I used the mini to locate my son and his family after they got stuck in some mud in a turn around area. I won’t leave home without my Garmin mini we have very limited cell service where we live.
Date published: 2023-12-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from InReach Mini My wife bought this for me before my trip to Mexico so I could check in with her on occasion when I am in sketchy spots....then I went to Alaska on another trip....just being able to check in with he has made my time away MUCH easier on her.....wish I had one earlier!
Date published: 2023-12-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from GREAT! I used it while deer hunting in northern Pennsylvania and was very pleased with the ability to communicate in remote rugged terrain! Amazing technology!
Date published: 2023-12-13T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Smaller is not better The convention of a small size requires the phone of tablet near by. I am from the camp that the InReach should be a PLB by itself however the text function is a huge selling point. The smaller size makes it very difficult to author a text message outside of the preset and without the phone interface. Needed one so I went back to Garmin for the network and I buy the insurance for the big trip(no review because I never had to use the insurance). This can be made half size bigger and still be half the size of a SE and perhaps not require a tethered phone
Date published: 2024-01-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Will serve purpose I bought this for a thru hike of the AT. I ha e been using it and the features are great for what it is. The one complaint I have is the battery life. I only get a few days of life out of it with all tracking and Bluetooth off. Maybe I am doing something wrong and would love to know.
Date published: 2024-01-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great little device Provides excellent peace of mind for myself and my loved ones whenever I travel solo to more remote areas
Date published: 2024-01-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Help in a small package. I like the fact that I could summon help to my exact location in a tiny, light-weight device.
Date published: 2024-01-28T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Initializing Was Confusing At 63 it certainly wasn't user friendly completing the set-up. It took 2 Garmin techs 2 hours to get both units talking to each other. Works great now and adds additional peace of mind. Call for assistance after opening the box.
Date published: 2024-02-14T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great piece of mind. Easy to navigate. This is a must. If your like me, you don't tell people where your going. This unit is easy to use. Small enough to just clip on your pack. My wife lives the fact she can look on the computer to see where I'm at and that I'm OK.
Date published: 2024-01-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Worth every penny! I spend a lot of time in the remote areas of the Guadalupe mountains in south east New Mexico with this device I am able to keep in contact with my wife and kids and have the piece of mind with the s.o.s button if needed.
Date published: 2024-01-15T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Welcome addition to Snowmobile Gear Excited to try out the new Garmin inReach Mini on trip to McCall ID. Will be nice to let family know that all is well when out riding each day. iPhone app needs some work.
Date published: 2024-01-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Wife feels safe I'm older now and my wife gets worried whenever I don't have some reception now I feel comfortable going anywhere I want because she now feels comfortable
Date published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Problems with inReach Mini I received inReach Mini three weeks ago as a gift and I do no like it. The instructions are very short and incomplete, and mot helpful. The device was not user friendly, nor was the App user friendly. An email was assigned which I found out about through another person. Because of this I do not intend to use it.
Date published: 2024-01-18T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Peace of mind My husband and kids sailed to the Bahamas and were able to keep in touch with me while crossing the ocean. Having the device on board gave them peace of mind when there was no cell reception. I could see their location whenever I received a text through the map feature which gave me peace of mind.
Date published: 2024-03-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Extremely Accurate Great device, I live in the desert and there’s not always cell service
Date published: 2024-03-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Compact and capable I fish offshore alone, I will and have, sent an invitation to my wife and son to track my trip, in addition to leaving a float plan. The only issue I have so far is sending the tracking notification to my wife and son and having the track on and functioning. I am sure the more I use it, the better I will become at the functions.
Date published: 2024-03-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from compact size is great I've had this for a month now and brought it along as a safety precaution on our Motorcycle trip in SW TX thank fully we didnt need it but it takes up very little space. I really attest to how well it works . However I do find the monthly cost high and the tracking option price high [ Frequency options etc] also and should have a twice a day auto pinging location included. Id prefer a one time yearly fee.
Date published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Un-used messages do not roll over I bought this for the safety aspect; not as a play toy. The SOS feature is invaluable. However, it is unfortunate that the un-used messages, or at the least 50% of the remaining un-used messages, do not roll over. Unless the part time backpacker wants to pay annually for the premium subscription. The unlimited "checking in" is nice to have, but any replies back to the Mini are charged to your monthly message alottment.
Date published: 2024-03-10T00:00:00-05:00

This page was printed on 5/6/2024 5:47:44 AM.