Garmin inReach Mini

[MarbleEyez]

The older I'm getting, the more I'm realizing that I am no longer "Bullet Proof" anymore. Damn kids and wife seem to "soften" a guy up a bit. Was looking into investing into something for when a guy ventures into the mountains and was thinking about either a Sat-phone or a Garmin. I don't really care if I can call or text. Just if I break my leg in some Hell Hole I want to be able to send an emergency signal and get some help on the way.

I was looking at the inReach Mini and that looks like it might be the ticket. It would be fun for the people at home to watch/track where I'm at. And if God forbid something happens to me, anyone who needs to know can see where my last coordinates were and the direction I was traveling in.

Anyone use the Mini? Like's, dislikes vs Sat Phone??

 

[Kurtr]

Got the full size in reach as I wanted back up gps for my phone will be the first year I use it but so far I have herd nothing but good on it bunch of reviews on Rokslide you could check out

 

[BGH]

For a hundred dollars more, get the full version ... not the mini. I’ve heard good things about the mini though

 

[MarbleEyez]

For a hundred dollars more, get the full version ... not the mini. I’ve heard good things about the mini though

I've got a Rhino already for GPS, so was looking at something small and compact if I didn't go with a sat phone. Garmin bought Trigentic, and is going to be re-doing all of the full size handhelds like the in-reach soon (probably next year). Then all of the map chips will be compatible with the new in-reach version. Which will be nice!

 

[Meelosh]

In a similar vein, when I go off into the bush somewhere, I mark some spots on my home computer on Google earth. Labeled things like "likely camp spot", "water source" etc. Then show my wife where to access the info. Something happens where she thinks something is wrong, the search party has a something a little more precise to go off than "he's in Montana elk hunting...somewhere".

 

[JMF]

I've got a Spot, works good for tracking your daily progress and has a "shit hit the fan" button. You can preprogram a few messages. If you want to be able to text get the Spot-X.

 

[LBrandt]

Good that you guy look out for yourself and your loved ones.

 

[Kurtr]

I think in reach se are on sale for 280 at Costco.

jmf you ever have problems a few guys I know said there spot x did not work worth a shit for texting . The globostar sats vs the iridium sats is what they said the problem was

 

[JMF]

I have the regular Spot, no experience with the Spot-X. It has worked good so far, but its pretty limited for messaging. If I had it to do over again I'd probably go with a GPS all in one.

 

[BGH]

I've got a Rhino already for GPS, so was looking at something small and compact if I didn't go with a sat phone. Garmin bought Trigentic, and is going to be re-doing all of the full size handhelds like the in-reach soon (probably next year). Then all of the map chips will be compatible with the new in-reach version. Which will be nice!

howd you find out this info about making new units?

 

[CJR]

As a guy who had an oh shit moment out in the field last season, I did look into the inreach and went with the Spot instead. I already had a gps I really liked and wanted something that was stupid simple. When I was having issues last fall (heart attack) I found my mind wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders. I think I would have a better chance of just swallowing my pride and hitting the SOS button with the SPot. The inreach is feature rich compared to the Spot, but when it’s SHTF time I want stupid simple.

 

[Kurtr]

The in reach has the sos button on the side that’s all you have to push on that to

 

[CJR]

The in reach has the sos button on the side that’s all you have to push on that to

Roger that. I was talking more to the full size others were recommending. The mini and the spot are six of one/half dozen of the other. I went with the spot as its significantly cheaper on the front end. I honestly didn’t look at the ongoing plan costs when I purchased and found that the garmin has a plan that would have probably been cheaper in the long run (month to month pay).

 

[Kurtr]

The big one is the same just a button on the side. I was looking at gps to supplement my phone and sat phone. The iridium go was really interesting but didn’t think I would use it enough. It is a hot spot that turns your cell into a sat phone. After a bunch of research I found the iridium network is way more reliable than the globostar one

 

[CJR]

The big one is the same just a button on the side.e

Roger that again. Unfortunately it gives me too many other options. I proved to myself last year that I may make stupid choices (walked ~2 miles out of the badlands and drove myself to Dickinson while having a heart attack). I worried I would use the texting functions to try to get help instead of just hitting the SOS. I know it sounds stupid but for me simpler raises my chances of overcoming the stubborn German in me. In reality I don’t care what unit a person goes with, but strongly recommend having one with if your going to be out alone.

 

[Kurtr]

Probably not to stupid considering your other option was lay there and die and let the coyotes naw on your carcass. I think you went the right way. I agree something is way better than nothing when shit goes south

 

[MarbleEyez]

howd you find out this info about making new units?

I know a few people who work in the industry and they said to hold off on purchase a GPS version and wait until next year.

 

[CJR]

Probably not to stupid considering your other option was lay there and die and let the coyotes naw on your carcass. I think you went the right way. I agree something is way better than nothing when shit goes south

Ya know what shocks the shit out of me? I left hundreds of lbs of meat laid out like a buffet on a couple of space blankets overnight and the yotes didn’t touch it. I figured the meat was a goner but the guys who went in the next day said it was sitting there like nothing touched it. This was in December so it stayed fresh even. Didn’t lose a pound. I didn’t expect them to retrieve anything but the rack.

 

[Kurtr]

wonder if you had enough human smell around it to keep them away