Garmin Inreach explorer+
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Hessticles
26-May-17
May have been threads on these already but couldn't find one. Does anyone have one of these and what do you think about them? I elk hunt every fall and have no cell signal whatsoever! Going to have a 1 month old at home this year and would like to stay in contact with the wife while im gone! Just getting your opinions before I pull the trigger!
From: Overland
26-May-17
There are cheaper alternatives if all you are looking to do is stay in contact. If you want the GPS capabilities, as well as the ability to text back and forth and post to Facebook, the Inreach+ is a good choice.
If you just want to send a generic "I'm ok" message, consider one of the cheap SPOT devices. If you believe you will have a need to actually talk things through, satellite phone rentals are not necessarily prohibitively expensive.
From: smarba
26-May-17
Search past discussion of Inreach. The 2-way ability to text is IMO what make it head and shoulders above the SPOT (which I previously owned). The new Garmin unit is no doubt nice, but I don't feel the need to upgrade my current standalone Oregon 650 & Inreach. However, when they make a touch screen version...maybe as texting one letter at a time with direction arrows to the grid of letters takes a little time
From: yooper89
26-May-17
I picked one up a month or so ago from someone on Rokslide. Haven't used it yet, but with a newborn son, I know I'll need to report back to the home base daily if I want to stay out in the woods for 7-10 days in September.
From: Kurt
26-May-17
They need a barebones tiny unit to provide satellite connection for the iPhone so you can text. The phone makes such a superior GPS with aerial photos that I really don't want a Garmin 7 ounce large device with a screen to carry around (last Garmin touch screen broke....out $400 plus $150 in maps). Wish the phone makers would add this technology right into the iPhone.
I think I'll stay with Spot for right now. Keeps my wife updated adequately.
From: tr
26-May-17
I just got the new InReach and it works great. Just used it in northern Alberta. It works as advertised. The new unit from Garmin also has a weather forecast which was pretty accurate. Works great for staying in touch.
From: Chief 419
26-May-17
I have an InReach and use it on a regular basis. You can pay for a one month subscription for the service and then turn of the subscription when you're not using it. It also has an SOS similar to the SPOT devices. If you're going to be off the grid, InReach is a great way to be able to communicate back home. The person receiving a text from your InReach device also gets Lat/Long coordinates of your position. Hopefully, those are never needed. It's money well spent IMO.
From: cnelk
26-May-17
The Inreach is quite the tool. I just did an update on mine and paired it via bluetooth with my iphone.
Another thing to do is download the Earthmate App on your phone. Open it up and zoom to your favorite hunting areas and download all the maps - topo - aerial - hybrid. Then when you actually go hunting, put your phone on airplane mode, bluetooth it your InReach, you will have a GPS and you can see aerials [colored] and have the ability to text, just like you are sitting in your man cave.
From: cnelk
26-May-17
Like this
:)
From: hillbender
26-May-17
I came really close to pulling the trigger on one of these last week but the subscription fees looked very complicated which caused me to table the idea.
From: AKHUNTER
27-May-17
I have had an inreach for several years. I keep it in the plane so my wife can flight follow me and we have taken it on several adventures from as far north as you can go in North America to as far south as you can go in South America and all over Europe. It is nice to be able to text someone but it can be a real pia when you are trying to communicate something fast as there is a couple minute delay between receiving and sending.
I still find myself preferring to use my satellite phone though. Easier to text or call but no tracking function on my phone.
Whatever you do make sure you get something using the Iridium satellites. Globalstar satellites suck. I have tried for days to get a call through at northern locations but ended up hiking 17 miles and then hitchhiking 70 miles to get to a place to use my cell.
From: Hessticles
27-May-17
Thanks everyone! Im thinking I might pull the trigger now! Now does anyone know if there are any deals on them out there? :) 450 is about the cheapest i can find!
From: Native Okie
27-May-17
I would just get the basic model. Got mine for $240-250 at BH photo last year. Like cnelk, my setup is the same. Works fine and don't see the need for much more.
From: SteveB
27-May-17
Get the basic InReach unit and never look back. They are amazing. Waaaaay better than a SPOT. Long battery life, two way texting from ANYWHERE. Easily pair to your smart phone for easy texting. Subscriptions are simple and can buy even one month unlimited at a time. Best device out there currently.
From: dmandoes
28-May-17
is the inreach cheaper than spot? i have the spot and us it for one month a year. it cost me $260 to us for a month. i have to get years subscription. whats it cost u to use inreach for a month? is it easy to deactivate? in order to deactivate the spot u have to call and get some one to deactivate. u still pay for the whole year.
From: SteveB
28-May-17
InReach is less than $100 for a month last time Ibused it and simple to start stop. You do it on line yourself.
From: cnelk
28-May-17
The basic Freedom Plan is ~$15/mo - that includes 10 messages and unlimited 'pre-set' messages.
Unlimited plan is about $60/mo
From: Chief 419
28-May-17
^^^^Cnelk x 2. I get the $60 plan and have unlimted texts. Keep in mind that text messages are limited to 140 characters. InReach will let you know when you reach the max. Just hit send when you hit 140 and start another text.
From: planebow
29-May-17
I have one of the original inreach's and have to use earthmate on my phone or tablet to text but would not be without it when I am gone for 2 weeks with no cell service
