Satellite communicators worth the cost?

[elkivory]

Glad you're doing ok, thank you for sharing. Did you have the Garmin insurance?

I did not have Garmin insurance.

 

[elkivory]

Inreach has many other capabilities that are really handy for the money. If I turn tracking on, my wife can be on computer at home and see where I am. You also can create canned messages that don't count in your text allotment, that can be sent from anywhere, anytime. example: All well, making good progress.
Arrived at camp.
My son and I use them to keep each other informed during day while hunting in non cell coverage area.
You pair it to your smartphone and use an app to type, read messages, etc.

 

[ToolMann]

My wife and I picked up a Mini 2 on sale and using dividends at REI this year for our upcoming drop camp hunt. As many other people have said, it's worth the price if you ever need it. Probably should have got one years ago for when I'm out without her and don't have service. Push of a button can bring you back home to mama.

 

[TA2510]

I bought the InReach + for a drop camp hunt last year, I took my 20 year old daughter on a hunt 3rd rifle. Just wanted to be able to communicate with my wife at home and just incase something happen my daughter would have the SOS button. I consider it to be some of the best money I have spent. My wife agrees, to be able to text her about our day and I also could get weather reports. It worked great.

 

[stretch866]

In-Reach mini is reliable for emergency or checking-in. My only complaint is it can take 20-30 minutes to send/receive a message. If using for communication between users without cell service sometimes it takes a while to send/receive messages. This has caused issues for us a couple of times when coordinating for help after a harvest.

Hey quick question. When it took the 20-30 minutes, was that the first time you powered it up in a new location? I've heard(and confirmed with tests) once you get somewhere new it can take a while to get a connection. Or are you saying any back and forths between inreach devices takes 20-30 mins each?

 

[BBob]

^^^I've seen where mine is on continuously there can still be a delay. I figure it has to do with cover or canyons and having a satellite in view or waiting for one to move into view. The coverage is actually pretty sparse.

Iridium Coverage Map Live View of Satellites

View Live Iridium Coverage Map of Exact Satellite Locations. Geolocation will pinpoint your location on earth, view your exact coverage area.

apollosat.com

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I figure it has to do with cover or canyons and having a satellite in view or waiting for one to move into view.

Yes, you're correct. Satellite devices are straight line, line-of-sight dependent.

 

[Mebe007]

This is something that has greatly interested me for quite some time. Between my trips to the mountains and the time I spend offshore fishing it would be great to stay in contact with my wife and 4yo son.

The Motorola defy has peaked my interest. I wonder how reliable their service will be? I have downloaded the app and it seems.fairly nice and straight forward.

From what I can tell where the inreach wins in this situation is that it can function standalone for texting? While the Motorola rely on your phone (which would have to have battery) to communicate with home, unless the sos function is used.

Can someone confirm and help point as to which direction would be best. I usually carry a solar battery pack in my pack. Wanting to get something g before I go into the maine Northwoods in sept.

 

[TA2510]

Hey quick question. When it took the 20-30 minutes, was that the first time you powered it up in a new location? I've heard(and confirmed with tests) once you get somewhere new it can take a while to get a connection. Or are you saying any back and forths between inreach devices takes 20-30 mins each?

Where me and my daughter was camping last year was in a small bowl in some aspen. My daughter would sit inside the tent and text my wife at night and it may take a minute or so to send or receive. When we would be out hunting if it wasn't a lot of cloud cover I could text my wife and it would send pretty quick.

 

[Zaner]

No, not worth it. Until it is. Then it's more than worth it/idiotic to not have one already. If I was cash strapped and did maybe one hunt a year, might go with other things first. No brainer/necessity for someone who spends much time in the mountains at all.
I've had an inreach mini for years now. Mainly just rides around in a pocket buried in my pack. Shut off the subscription out of season, but have it active probably 8 months of the year. I do like being able to check the weather with it - forecasts localize pretty good and it can be helpful for planning next steps when fronts roll in. Also nice to help with coordinating timing/location for meeting up with people in the backcountry. Never had to use it for any emergency, just insurance.

What do you think about the iPhone update incorporating this feature? Trust it or stick with the Inreach?

 

[BBob]

What do you think about the iPhone update incorporating this feature? Trust it or stick with the Inreach?

iPhone is not ready for prime time yet and I expect it'll be awhile till everything gets going. inReach works.

There's some discussion and thought as to why in this thread:

Iridium vs Globalstar satellites

Thought this might be of interest to some folks. Garmin and Zoleo use Iridium satellites, Apple and Spot use Globalstar. From testing by backpackinglight. Globalstar remains constrained by the fact that its satellites can't talk to each other - they have to talk to ground stations...

rokslide.com

 

[zdoyle123]

I have always just tried to get by without a satellite communicator and brought a personal locator beacon to put my wife's mind at ease. I have been mulling over picking one up but they seem to be expensive and the plans look costly as well.

Any thoughts, recommendations or advice from anyone that's tried one?

I bought a zoleo for a backpack hunt above the arctic circle. Paid something like 200 or 250 for it, and think I had to buy a 3 month plan. Worked great. My wife was able to track me. Sent her check in messages daily. Peace of mind for her after me being stuck in a blizzard on Kodiak for 11 days with no outside communication and her not knowing if I was alive or not two years prior...

 

[98XJRC]

The ZOLEO and Inreach while needing dedicated apps work seamlessly unlike the iPhone sat messaging in my experience. The iPhone requires you to ensure your phone is connected to the sat while in use. This means stopping what you’re doing allowing the device to locate and then transmit. You won’t receive a message in return if you loose connection.

The beauty of the ZOLEO and Inreach is that you send the message and the device will do the work for you allowing you to continue with what you where originally doing.

 

[fngTony]

I think the cost is worth it. The Zoleo retails for $250 and you have to pay for three months of service ($60) before you can suspend it. If you’re considering it for a one week trip you could recoup a good portion by selling it. That’s how I picked mine up from the classifieds here for $80.

 

[MulemanMT]

A Garmin inreach saved my life this fall. We were packing our elk hunting camp into the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area the day before bow season opened. I was riding a green broke mule. The mule bolted, I fell off and went over a steep bank into a creek. I ended up knocked out face down in the creek. My son rolled me over and gave me a couple chest compressions. I threw up the water in my lungs and started breathing. A friend had an inreach and Sent a SOS. Search and rescue airlifted me out on a hillicipoter. I had a head injury, broke 10 ribs and punctured my lung. I was in ICU for 5 days and the hospital for another 4 days. I don't remember the incident but am told I was going down hill before search and rescue got there. It is unlikely I would have made it without the Garmin. I won't go into the backcountry without one from here on.

 

[98XJRC]

Dude that’s a hell of a story and glad to hear you made it out. I understand that thousands have done it before and survived, but why some still don’t use it is beyond me. The sos feature particularly when you have a family provides a sense of security for them.

 

[kk11]

I have used the Garmin for years. The last one I had was the Garmin messenger. It works pretty well. They have new plans that are better than the old plans, I think they are trying to compete with the iPhone satellite messaging. I use the iPhone satellite messaging more than the Garmin. When using the iPhone, it is more limited because you can only text from iPhone to iPhone, except for SOS. But it works pretty well. We spend a lot of time in the back country where there is no cell service at all, it really helps to check in with the family. I canceled my Garmin last week.

 

[Luked]

I have a Zoleo.
Had the Garmin and like the Zoleo so far.
Weather you get either I think they are a good peace of mind for family.
I know it is for mine.

 

[elkivory]

I don't know yet. I've done a little research, but nothing clear. At the point I pushed it, cost didn't matter. Garmin does offer insurance to cover costs, but again nothing definitive. I'm assuming the ambulance will be like any other event where an ambulance is dispatched. Mentally it was really hard to lift the protective cover on SOS and push . I never dreamed I would do that.

Been a while since my SOS use of Inreach. I only had to pay $100 insurance deductible for ambulance. All hospital and associated costs were covered 100%. This was all covered by my health insurance. Not suggesting anyone not carry Garmin insurance, just reporting my costs.

 

[98XJRC]

I have used the Garmin for years. The last one I had was the Garmin messenger. It works pretty well. They have new plans that are better than the old plans, I think they are trying to compete with the iPhone satellite messaging. I use the iPhone satellite messaging more than the Garmin. When using the iPhone, it is more limited because you can only text from iPhone to iPhone, except for SOS. But it works pretty well. We spend a lot of time in the back country where there is no cell service at all, it really helps to check in with the family. I canceled my Garmin last week.

I've tried the Apple messaging and like it, but it's not as smooth or consistent as a Zoleo (which I have) or Garmin. My biggest issue with the Apple sat messaging is having to remain connected. Meaning I can't just send a message, put away my phone and allow the device to get it out and also receive an incoming message. From my experience the Apple current design you need to point your phone towards a sat and when not connected you can not send of receive, which isn't the case with Zoleo or Garmin. I believe Apple will get it right, but they aren't quite there yet.