Inreach advice?
Equipment
I’m heading to a remote area in Colorado on a 10 day solo elk hunt and thought I should maybe look into an inreach (more my wife but we know the drill) since there’s no cell service for miles.
Any suggestions on model, where to look to purchase, and just any info would be greatly appreciated! Good luck to all this coming season! Thanks
Inreach mini. Pair it with your smartphone on airplane mode. I believe the price is set by Garmin for dealers. Great tool for solo hunting if you need a leash or a lifeline or just to communicate (Killed an elk, can you come help, etc..) or for peace of mind back home.
You can get a subscription that lets you shut it off during offseason, then reactivate and upgrade on the fly if needed.
Thanks for the info. It’s mostly for a piece of mind back home and the text message feature once or twice a day. I’ll check with my local outdoor store and their inventory. Thanks
I usually always recommend S and S Archery. Good company to work with. They have the Mini 2 in stock. GoHunt has Mini 2 and Explorer+ in stock.
I have the Explorer+, which I've had since before there was a Mini model. Works good, no complaints.
Make sure you compare to a Zoleo.
X2 for inreach mini I used it last summer on a hunt. Super easy to use with an app on your smart phone. Very small and limited weight
InReach mini for me too. It is likely you will also find a spot or two where you can get regular service.
Amazing the difference now. In 1989 I went to Alaska for three weeks with zero communication.
I reach is invaluable! Highly recommend!
I use the Inreach but not the mini. Gives folks peace of mind your ok.
I agree with Charlie. I’d be fairly surprised if there isn’t a few spots you could get regular cell service in pretty much all of Colorado. But I’ve been wrong before. I have an Inreach mini. But in the lower 48 almost never find that I need it, but better to have and not need that to not have and need I guess.
I know someone who recently got a Zoleo and is very happy with it. I know nothing about the features or the plan packages/options. New guys on the block sometimes try harder though, so worth looking into.
I went Zoleo and am very happy with my purchase.
If looking at the mini, make sure you get the mini 2. I've read it has a way better battery life.
I have a garmin 66i with inreach, it works great, my buddy just got the zoleo and it works good too. I prefer having a gps unit that doesn't need your smart phone to operate and send messages. If I were to buy again I would go with the garmin inreach explorer plus, its almost half the price of the garmin 66i
Seems to me more can go wrong if you need two separate battery powered devices for one of them to work.
I have a full size InReach. Luv it. After a couple trips to Alaska, Ive decided that having a phone paired to the unit is silly. Why charge two units when one will do? The benefit of having to send text messages via the phone is minimal
Next trip to Alaska or other remote area, the phone will stay in the truck and I'll take a small digital camera to take pics
I use an an reach se (delorme). If and when I buy my next one when this one dies, I will buy the inreach with gps functionality.
I have found myself getting too comfortable with my phones Earthmate capabilities and on x, and realized if my phone goes down, I could have situation where I got misplaced. Having a inreach with gps in it and functional gives a person a great back up
Sure I should be using a compass and such (I do carry one) but I do like the convenience of tech,
I too have the 66i. Gives me back up gps. I was able to get it with credit card points for free, otherwise I probably would have gone with the mini. I always have it with me, even for our day hikes. I have no reception for the phone anywhere where we hike.
I use a mini after I lost my Delorme......kept pinging on the side of a mountain but I never could find it.....anyway, I don't bother to pair it with my cell phone and I really don't use it much. It is more for an emergency situation and if my family needs to get ahold of me for something important. To me the value in the device is both in a serious situation and in knowing that everyone back home is safe and well.
Does the mini have a built in gps and transmit your location when you hit SOS even if it isn't paired with a phone?
Yes. You don't need s phone paired to it at all. Pairing a phone just makes it more convenient for texting.
Thanks to all for your input. It’s mostly for the convenience of people back home knowing I’m ok and not having to wonder for days in a row they don’t hear anything from me. So if I understand this rate and my research is on, if I get the mini or the mini two I have to pair it with my smart phone in order to send text? Text and location in the event of an emergency are the only things I really need. I probably will have my phone with me for the onX and maybe pictures.
You can still send texts without a phone, just a PIA to scroll through the letters. When you send one of your preset messages to someone, it also sends GPS coordinates and a link to a map to your location. 99% of my messages are preset check-ins. My non-tech late wife drove right into my camp once from the link, and had never been there before.
Really, if you have your phone for OnX, it's a no brainer to pair it with Inreach.
Seems there is a lot of misleading and/or wrong info on this thread. Inreach mini does NOT have to be paired with a phone to work, it’s way easier and more features. But you can send messages, locations, sos, etc without being paired to phone. As Lou explained above.
You can also navigate to waypoints with it stand alone. It is not full featured with map and such, but if you save camp/truck/whatever as a waypoint you can certainly navigate back to it with only the mini.
Is it better paired to a phone, absolutely, but in a pinch it is a stand alone device as well. In contrast the Zoleo pretty much has to be paired to a phone, with the exception of the SOS feature.
—Jim
The Zoleo can send preset messages without the phone, though.
The Zoleo can send preset messages without the phone, though.
The Zoleo can send preset messages without the phone, though.
Can it send them 3 times though Nick!?!? ;)
Good to know.
—jim
If it sends the message 3 times in a row my wife will be on pins and needles wondering what that’s supposed to mean! Lol
So it’s an inreach mini, mini 2, or zoleo that I’m looking into. I finally got some time to sit down so I will look into the difference between the mini and the mini two but my guess is it’s just a newer version and a little more technical Thanks again for all the info and opinions! Jer
I have the mini and have presets for "heading home now", "just shot an elk" and "heading into woods", last is mostly so wife can text me if needed. I don't turn on the phone app unless I need to
Where do you get subscriptions from? I am looking for something cheap I can use for a month a year (2 different 2 week periods) - pause in between.
Check Costco for the minis they save you about $50 and the subscription is in the bundle. Don- 30 day service is what they offer, unlimited text and weather reports is like 70 per
DonV, can create a Garmin account, choose a plan, and set it all up at the site in the link.
I got my mini with free points at Cabelas, thanks! I thought it was Garmin but figured I would check. Thanks!!!!
I've had the Inreach SE (Garmin) for about 6 years. Works fine for me. Yes, texting is slow, but 95% of the time use the preset messages. Not being one to buy the latest and greatest, I can't compare it to some newer units.
I just pause my account when not in use, pretty easy...Also carry the Mini!
