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Whats the pros or cons to either one of these units. thanks for your input!!
I used to have the Spot and bought a In-reach.
The only pro I see for the Spot is it is a bit cheaper per year. Other than that the In-reach has it beat in every way.
With the Spot you send a message, hope it gets out and cant get any reply.
The In-reach is much more affordable with the plans you can suspend.
You can send messages and know they get out. You can receive messages and can even send to other In-reach users.
I used a In-reach for two weeks last year in the Colorado wilderness. Had a packer on standby I could get a hold of if needed, had the weather report for the day my wife sent me every morning, and I knew how my boys where doing in their sports.
IMO if Spot doesnt come up with something better they will be left in the dust........
I've used a SPOT for years.
Pros: it works where a cell phone doesn't, multi-day battery life, can send up to three different pre-programmed text messages in addition to the 911 service, fairly small and lightweight, I can store/look at tracks online back home to see where I've been. Takes a beating; I haven't been able to break mine.
Cons: cost of annual subscription, constantly blinking light that drives me insane at night unless I keep it covered with black electrical tape.
Perhaps the newer models have more functionality. I don't know.
I'm heading to alaska this year and buying an In Reach. I used a Spot on my last Alaska trip and sent an "Ok" message and my location every night.
The nice thing about the InReach is texting each night and if something happens I can keep in direct tough via text message. As I get older and still hunt alone it's nice having the security of a Spot or InReach. If you only go on 1 trip a year it's tough paying for a year subscription but I believe they offer new plans where you pay by the month or pay by the amount of texting.
For what it's worth I just bought an InReach SE. Same reasons as others noted I can pay for one month and send messages daily.
What Don already said. My children have bought the units as gifts and have used them both in remote Canadian locations for hunts, plus in the Adirondacks back home.
If interested, PM me and I'll give you a great deal on the SPOT.
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Funny story. Using the SPOT the first year in Ontario, CA, I had set up a message that said "One of us got lucky and killed a big buck". I had called SPOT before the trip and they said to hit the OK button (where that message was) and leave the unit on for 10 minutes. The SPOT sent the message out to the prearranged group via email. Two of us had killed bucks the same day. So, I sent the message for 10 minutes, shut down the unit. Turned the unit back on and sent it for another 10 minutes.
My oldest son called my wife and says "how many f*****g tags do they have? I've gotten over 40 emails!" LOL :)
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what model In Reach is recommended?
I went with the spot because I didn't want to carry two devices, and have no way to charge a phone (to pair with the InReach) on long trips.
I got the SPOT because it's cheaper and I have no need to put my track on any spacebook page or send long texts. I use it year round, works great for my needs. $69 delivered, $9 a month.
Last year my wife found me from it to tell me about a friend dying. She'd never been anywhere around there before, drove down the two-track to my base camp from the coordinates and aerial map link. I'm happy with it, don't need any more functionality in the woods.
VARon- I bought the SE model. I already have a GPS so I didn't need to spend extra for mapping model. (See link)
Only potential knock I can see is it has an internal battery. (No AA's). But specs and reviewers have it lasting over 100 hours of continuous use. (I have also read the keyboard screen to text is a little burdensome.) But I am not out there to BS, I am hunting. I will have a couple of pre-loaded messages and that is about it.
My plan is to leave it on during the day. Set a ping for every hour or two and check in at night, then turn off. Not sure if I will even pack my phone, although it can pair up via blue tooth. If paired and using voice to text, it could be a sweet set up.
JAQ- If I was retired, I could see the year around need too. But us working folks need to make the most of our time! (Do you remember those days???? LOL!)
Ha, Z! I actually got it after scouting way back into a hell hole in a nasty place. It occurred to me that if something happened to me the there, fall, whatever, they'd probably never find the body. So I use it for scouting, backpacking, fishing, adventuring, most of which I do solo. Its tiny and always in my survival kit with a pair of extra lithium batteries.
Its been a great little tool for my lifestyle.
i had the spot but lost it :< it served its purpose ! What i didnt like in some areas with steep canyons some ok messages would seem to take a while to complete .
I have the SE model and didn't see a need for the more expensive one.
Also the SE works as a stand alone model and you don't have to pair it to your phone. I have a inexpensive solar charger that works great if I do need to charge anything though.
If you just turn the SE on two or tree times a day to check and send messages it will make it a week or more with no problem on one charge.
I researched this for quite a few months. I went with the InReach SE. Main reason was so I could send custom messages while I am out scouting, hiking and hunting and my family will have piece of mind that everything is ok. But also for my piece of mind, my family can send me a message and whenever I turn the unit on the message will appear. The SPOT was one way and I had no way of knowing that the message was received and they were not able to contact me if there was an emergency back home. Main reason that I got one was I blew my knee out last year 6 miles from my rig and by myself; needless to say I got home quite a few hours later than expected. It would have been nice to have been able to let someone know what had happened and that I was alright, but would be late.
The Delorme is pretty sweet. With an iPhone on airplane mode you can use it for weeks without the phone dying. Grab a newtrent charger and use it as much as you'd like. It's pretty nice to be able to get weather reports and text with my wife each evening.
I have owned and used both. The Spot is sitting at the house and is looking for a new owner. The Delorme InReach is the cats meow. I can text with wife and my friends either from the InReach or pair it with my phone and use the phone to type the messages and send it through the InReach when I'm in areas without phone service. I pay for the service for the InReach for the fall and during the spring when I need it, with the Spot you had to pay for yearly service even when it was collecting dust when I wasn't in the field hunting.
I have the InReach. It worked great for me. I use the per month plan and turn it on if I go on a trip.
I started using the inarching last year and if worked very well.
Anyone use the Iridium Go? I have the InReach and like it fine...just curious about the Go
In reach, the battery lasts about a week
If I recall the Go is pretty much a satellite internet Wi-Fi connection using your smartphone. Voice calls, text, even check email, surf the web, check on bowsite....
And $800 vs $300 for the InReach units. No idea on cost or options on the plans, my research didn't get that far, just a guess but likely more expensive as well....
Since I don't work anymore, my wife is self-reliant and independent, and my daughter is out on her own, I sort of like the limited one-way capability of the SPOT. She knows I'm alive and kicking, and I don't have to think about any drama back home when focusing on the adventure.
:-)
In a different place in life I can see how the InReach would be a great tool for staying connected.
InReach is great. Got stuck in my moose camp an extra day last fall due to weather. The other guys at camp used it to text their families to tell them they would be a day late. Also, I used it to have my hotel and airline reservations changed.
It was also nice to check in with my wife. I didn't use it for long drawn out texting sessions, but it is nice to know everything is ok, when you are far from home in a remote place.
