In Reach vs Spot X

[captchet]

So my group for this year backed out for a DIY in CO, 3rd week Sept. I’m traveling from western Pa. My wife is questioning my sanity for going solo. To ease her anxiety I am going to purchase a GPS emergency 2 way device.

Anyone have preferences/experience on In Reach mini vs Spot X? I have multiple Garmin devices and have no issues. Read some reviews but I’d like to get some first hand reviews from the backcountry.

Thanks!


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[87TT]

First, you are insane. Welcome to the loony bin. I have a full size Inreach and I love it. DeLorme got it right. Must be a reason Garmin bought them and not Spot.

 

[hikenhunt]

I had a SPOT Gen 2 and it only had about a 50% message sent rate. Since it wasn't a two-way device, I wouldn't know until I got back. It works off a less reliable satellite network than Inreach. I cancelled my SPOT and bought an Inreach Mini.

 

[Brittereiser]

Go with the inReach, no question. They use different satellite networks and the iridium network, used by garmin, is far better.
The inReach functionality, paired with a smartphone, works really well.

 

[Rossc]

I had the same dilemma. After about a month, I purchased the SpotX. I like the spotx but I think the inreach (full size) has better sending and receiving capabilities. I heard the mini is no better then the spotx as far as sending/receiving. I used all of last season. My decision for the spotx was because of the cost to purchase and the monthly costs. The spotx had a better deal, especially when it came to sending/receiving custom texts. The spotx also offered 10 pre-typed texts that can be sent at no cost. I am not 100 positive but I think the inreach only offered 3 or 4 pre-typed. I would also hold off until you have to buy as I think the spot is coming with a new model that also offers bluetooth connection to your phone to be more similar to the inreach.


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[Kootenay Hunter]

I had a SPOT Gen 2 and it only had about a 50% message sent rate. Since it wasn't a two-way device, I wouldn't know until I got back. It works off a less reliable satellite network than Inreach. I cancelled my SPOT and bought an Inreach Mini.

I have the Spot X and found that half the time it wouldn't connect and the other half had massive delays in the two way communication.

To me, if that damn thing won't connect to a satellite when I really need an SOS, the thing is absolutely useless, better off with a carrier pigeon.

I'm going with the InReach Mini this season.

spot X plans might seem a little cheaper, but inReach has a better deal for suspending months, I think they're a wash in pricing, but the InReach units are a bit more. But, reliability in an emergency situation is really what it's about. If I wanted two-way comms, I'd consider a sat phone.

 

[mearfx]

I have had two of my close friends' Spot devices fail. One failed in SOS. Everyone in our group has gone InReach only since either the mini or the full size explorer.

 

[JeffRaines]

+1 for the inReach.

I too considered the spot x, but after reading reviews on the different satellite networks, messaging constantly failing to send, sos not working, and spotty coverage(must be why they call it a “spot”) I decided against it and I love the Inreach.

FWIW, I’ve heard spot has next to no coverage in Alaska if that’s ever in your future. It’s in my 5 year plan so that also nixed spot.

 

[Shane]

I have a Delorme (pre-Garmin ownership) InReach that I've never used. I'd sell it for $200 shipped to you if you are interested. No difference from the current Garmin model, other than the name on it, as far as I can tell.

 

[jmez]

If you get the mini plan on pairing it with your phone to send messages or only send saved messages. You won't try to type out an actual message more than once.

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[dla]

I love how people are swayed by 3rd hand horror stories and mindless fables.

The fact is that Garmin's InReach product line is the better mousetrap. But you're going to pay more for it.
Spot's SPOTX is pretty good and costs less.

And if you don't need 2-way communication - which 99.5% of people don't (but want it anyway), Spot Gen 3 is the best one-way messenger.

Since this is a pro-InReach board, you'll never hear about the multitude of InReach problems.

The fact is that devices, systems and users fail from time to time. Regardless of your choice, learn how to use it correctly, learn how to test it before you head out, and involve your loved ones in the education process.

Some bathroom reading material:
Personal Locator Information

 

[semperfidelis97]

I have no experience with the Spot products. I do however own the in reach mini, and it has been problem free in my experience. This is from well traveled national parks to wilderness areas in some of the toughest country in the lower 48.

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[muddydogs]

I love how people are swayed by 3rd hand horror stories and mindless fables.

The fact is that Garmin's InReach product line is the better mousetrap. But you're going to pay more for it.
Spot's SPOTX is pretty good and costs less.

And if you don't need 2-way communication - which 99.5% of people don't (but want it anyway), Spot Gen 3 is the best one-way messenger.

Since this is a pro-InReach board, you'll never hear about the multitude of InReach problems.

The fact is that devices, systems and users fail from time to time. Regardless of your choice, learn how to use it correctly, learn how to test it before you head out, and involve your loved ones in the education process.

Some bathroom reading material:
Personal Locator Information

Reason this board is pro InReach is the InReach flat out performs the Spot system.

Why not have 2 way communication? What good is a unit if you can't receive messages? Something is just as likely to happen at home to family members as it is to me in the woods and I have to say if its time to say my last words to the wife, kids or parents I sure would like to try and make the run home instead of being oblivious to the situation no matter how good of a tag I have in my pocket. Not to mention being able to communicate with rescuers could be the difference between me living or dying.

I think if you look at other InReach posts you will find plenty of posts about InReach issues, I've posted some and replied to some in the last few years.

With over 100 InReach's in service at my job and my email getting 50+ inreach messages a day I can say the InReach is a reliable device. There's many reasons we switched from Spot to InReach a few years ago and reliability was the big one followed by 2 way communication.

I send at least an hour a day checking InReach messages in my email and spot checking times, senders and receivers in the Garmin web portal to make sure things are working right, someones life may depend on it. We have had a few problems over the years but for the most part messages are within 10 minutes of real time and go where there supposed to.

 

[Dos Perros]

I love how people are swayed by 3rd hand horror stories and mindless fables.

The fact is that Garmin's InReach product line is the better mousetrap. But you're going to pay more for it.
Spot's SPOTX is pretty good and costs less.

And if you don't need 2-way communication - which 99.5% of people don't (but want it anyway), Spot Gen 3 is the best one-way messenger.

Since this is a pro-InReach board, you'll never hear about the multitude of InReach problems.

The fact is that devices, systems and users fail from time to time. Regardless of your choice, learn how to use it correctly, learn how to test it before you head out, and involve your loved ones in the education process.

Some bathroom reading material:
Personal Locator Information

There was literally just a topic on InReach Mini being slow. Literally.

 

[dla]

Reason this board is pro InReach is the InReach flat out performs the Spot system.

Why not have 2 way communication? What good is a unit if you can't receive messages?

I just want to focus on those two.

I'm an 11 year SPOT user - all 3 generations of messengers. I've hiked, fished and hunted all over Oregon and Idaho. I'm older now, family is raised, wife is still with me after 38 years and grandkids think I'm fun. I have no idea how many multi-day trips I've taken into wildernesses, but I've been "off grid" a lot and I frequently goof off in places with no cell service. Highly likely that I will "upgrade" to either InReach or SPOTX next year after my special service plan expires.

One of the things I've learned is that for me, probably because I'm special, Spot has been rock-solid reliable. I have tested the system more than most, and I'll gladly link to a bunch of YouTube videos showing how I did it and the results. So to say something like "the InReach flat out performs the Spot system" isn't gonna fly - I'm not some ignorant noob. Anybody can make unsupported statements like "Glock voids your warranty if you shoot cast bullets" - but saying it doesn't make it so.

Probably the most interesting thing I learned about providing loved ones with tracking/status info is that they never use it. Nobody ever opens the link I've added to look me up on the map. Nobody checks the tracking. What they want is the comfort of knowing I'm OK - and it is a very big deal to them. Only once did my family get nervous, and that was when I sent them a custom message saying I was OK, but running late. My son, (avid backpacker/hunter/fisher), in Idaho pulled up the webpage to check my track progress and then called my wife to reassure her that "he's on the wrong trail taking a weird way back so he's gonna be late. He's making progress so he's OK". Neither my wife or daughters had ever looked at the track info before - even though I made it a no-brainer. But I catch hell if I go somewhere and forget to take my SPOT.

So if I look at my average texting a day - probably less than 10 texts a day. When I'm on some lake with a grandkid, all folks want to know is that we're OK. Since my adventures are slightly higher risk (weather and isolation) my family is more concerned about my safety than getting ahold of me. Because of all this, for me 2-way is a "nice to have", not a necessity.

SPOT, InReach and PLB Info

 

[Dos Perros]

For some people, 2-way is not a nice to have, it's essential.

 

[camping1601]

I own both a full size Inreach and a Mini. Yes they both can be very slow.
I'll say with pretty good confidence that the full size units have stronger sending and receiving power.

I still love having them.

 

[ozyclint]

If you get the mini plan on pairing it with your phone to send messages or only send saved messages. You won't try to type out an actual message more than once.

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is it really that bad? i want to get a mini but don't want to use it with a phone or apps or anything. just send preset messages, the occasional typed message and weather, that's it.

 

[muddydogs]

is it really that bad? i want to get a mini but don't want to use it with a phone or apps or anything. just send preset messages, the occasional typed message and weather, that's it.

It's very slow. If you don't want to use a phone or apps get the SE+ as its a little more user friendly as a stand alone unit. The Mini's alphabet is stretched out in a line along the side of the screen so to type a word you have to scroll up and down the line of letters to pick what you need. Its not impossible to type a text with the Mini but if you don't want to pair a phone then get the SE+.

Why so against pairing your phone to the Mini?

 

[muddydogs]

I just want to focus on those two.

I'm an 11 year SPOT user - all 3 generations of messengers. I've hiked, fished and hunted all over Oregon and Idaho. I'm older now, family is raised, wife is still with me after 38 years and grandkids think I'm fun. I have no idea how many multi-day trips I've taken into wildernesses, but I've been "off grid" a lot and I frequently goof off in places with no cell service. Highly likely that I will "upgrade" to either InReach or SPOTX next year after my special service plan expires.

One of the things I've learned is that for me, probably because I'm special, Spot has been rock-solid reliable. I have tested the system more than most, and I'll gladly link to a bunch of YouTube videos showing how I did it and the results. So to say something like "the InReach flat out performs the Spot system" isn't gonna fly - I'm not some ignorant noob. Anybody can make unsupported statements like "Glock voids your warranty if you shoot cast bullets" - but saying it doesn't make it so.

Probably the most interesting thing I learned about providing loved ones with tracking/status info is that they never use it. Nobody ever opens the link I've added to look me up on the map. Nobody checks the tracking. What they want is the comfort of knowing I'm OK - and it is a very big deal to them. Only once did my family get nervous, and that was when I sent them a custom message saying I was OK, but running late. My son, (avid backpacker/hunter/fisher), in Idaho pulled up the webpage to check my track progress and then called my wife to reassure her that "he's on the wrong trail taking a weird way back so he's gonna be late. He's making progress so he's OK". Neither my wife or daughters had ever looked at the track info before - even though I made it a no-brainer. But I catch hell if I go somewhere and forget to take my SPOT.

So if I look at my average texting a day - probably less than 10 texts a day. When I'm on some lake with a grandkid, all folks want to know is that we're OK. Since my adventures are slightly higher risk (weather and isolation) my family is more concerned about my safety than getting ahold of me. Because of all this, for me 2-way is a "nice to have", not a necessity.

SPOT, InReach and PLB Info

So who cares about tracking heck I never track so no one has anything to look at anyway or if I do I use my phone GPS to get a better track line, if you would have had 2 way communication your wife could have texted you asking your status and you could have reassured her instead of your son jumping through a bunch of hoops.