Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - inReach Mini 2 Compact Satellite Communicator 1.3" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Average customer rating
4.4
(1,289 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 1,289 reviews
5 Stars
907
4 Stars
186
3 Stars
92
2 Stars
41
1 Star
63
Customer Reviews for Garmin - inReach Mini 2 Compact Satellite Communicator 1.3" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Customer Rating
3
Works well but complicated
on June 19, 2024
Posted by: gfbrett
I bought this a month ago and used it a few times. The unit works well but trying to figure out how to best use it and what plan to get is complicated. This unit has activities, tracks, check in messages, standard messages, routes..... There is significant opportunity to simplify. I bought this for safety when I am off the grid. For that purpose, it does a good job. I would definitely rework the plans and software to improve the user experience.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, June 28, 2024
Thank you for your review and experience with the inReach Mini 2. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you would please email us at product.support@garmin.com.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
3
Seems Nice. Very Complicated. Confusing Use-Cases
on June 21, 2024
Posted by: Brad in AZ
I bought this primarily for emergency situations. I already use the Gaia GPS app with a premium membership subscription. I can download a map for my area (with a large variety of map layers) and use it when offline to find my way. I just needed something for emergencies or for sharing location while offline.
This product and the two apps that work with it have a lot of functionality that only work when online. Or they provide little value but use precious battery power or satellite time. i.e. creating waypoints and routes, syncing with the device, following those routes, etc.
Seems Garmin is providing more functionality to justify its cost to the purchaser but is just muddying the water and making the whole user experience more confusing.
I'll give it more learning time out in the wild but it seems the most valuable features to me are SOS messaging and maybe Mapshare. BTW, the Mapshare site should be more intuitive and not require that I 'train' those I'm sharing it with.
This product and the two apps that work with it have a lot of functionality that only work when online. Or they provide little value but use precious battery power or satellite time. i.e. creating waypoints and routes, syncing with the device, following those routes, etc.
Seems Garmin is providing more functionality to justify its cost to the purchaser but is just muddying the water and making the whole user experience more confusing.
I'll give it more learning time out in the wild but it seems the most valuable features to me are SOS messaging and maybe Mapshare. BTW, the Mapshare site should be more intuitive and not require that I 'train' those I'm sharing it with.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, June 28, 2024
Thank you for your review and experience with the inReach Mini 2. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you would please email us at product.support@garmin.com.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
1
Not customizable anymore.
on July 6, 2024
Posted by: Mimo
I am appalled. Apparently these newer devices are not as customizable as the old ones. Shouldn’t things get better not worse? For years on all our past devices we have specific quick checkin phrases. Garmin apparently took it upon themselves to choose three checkin phrases that everyone is supposed to use. What the heck? I now hate my new device and am so disappointed. There are other things I dislike but that’s the main one.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, July 8, 2024
Thank you for your review and experience with the inReach Mini 2. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you would please email us at product.support@garmin.com.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
2
Why inReach mini is not a touch screen device?
on August 5, 2024
Posted by: alberto machado
Why inReach mini is not a touch screen, as now a day devices are?
Response from GarminBy Garmin, August 6, 2024
Thank you for your review and experience with the inReach Mini 2. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you would please email us at product.support@garmin.com.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Great device
on August 13, 2024
Posted by: TiaInve
The best device for solo backpackers, i suggest it for everyone
Response from GarminBy Garmin, August 15, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Easy to use!
on August 29, 2024
Posted by: Loon
My husband set it up for me and gave me a 10 minute tutorial. Easy! Came in handy when he got hurt and had to be picked up. We could communicate with one person that it was not an emergency. Then, I could use it to send him more specific messages when I was hiking alone. Sending the daily check-ins was a breeze. Very happy with it! Highly recommended.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, September 6, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
2
Battery lasts only 2 days with constant tracking
on September 11, 2024
Posted by: AT hiker
I bought the agarmin a month ago to use on the appalachian trail. The first 2 days in Maine it couldn't even track me because the trail was completely tree-covered. I woyld get messages from the device stating "move to a location with a clear view of the sky". Finally when I got to the top of a mountain, my cell phone worked anyway so what was the use of buying the Garmin? In fact my cell phone found satellite gps with its Google Maps when my Garmin couldn't track at all, which told me that Garmin put in a really cheap satellite receiver compared to my cell phone.
I then had to hike the remaining 8 days with my dead garmin before reaching a place to recharge it.
Even after recharging it, it lost battery level quickly at 2 hour tracking intervals, and was unable to last the 14 days advertised.
I was so disappointed with it.
I then had to hike the remaining 8 days with my dead garmin before reaching a place to recharge it.
Even after recharging it, it lost battery level quickly at 2 hour tracking intervals, and was unable to last the 14 days advertised.
I was so disappointed with it.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Compact, reliable, and requires workflow adherence
on September 18, 2024
Posted by: Ranboze
Bought the Mini2 to replace my inReach Explorer SE+ for an upcoming international trip that has weight restrictions on our flight to our jumping off point. After a few weeks of using, I notice the following compared to the Explorer SE+. My Explorer SE+ was able to settle on my location near tree cover better than the Mini2. Even under a clear sky on a summit, I've received the 'low gps strength' message on the Mini2. To send a check-in message with the Explorer SE+, I simply pressed send and if the device hadn't locked on to a location, it would automatically wait and send it when a location was locked in. With the Mini2, after pressing 'Send', the user is presented with a screen (on which one has to scroll to see the full message) advising that their is poor satellite strength. The user can opt to Wait or Send Anyway. The latter option sent the message, but not the location (as expected). This functionality means, that the user has to scroll thru more screens and click more buttons to send a message. If you don't select one of the 2 options (or think you pressed 'ok' for one of the options, but didn't press hard enough), the message never sends (in my experience).
I combed through much of the online support materials, but still had to contact Garmin for a couple questions. In each case, my question was fully answered, and in only 1 instance did it take more than 2 business days to answer.
One of the things that confused me has having to manage 2 phone apps: Messenger and Explore. The supporting documents for Explore provided instructions for sending messages using the Explore app, but when both apps are installed, when sending a message in Explore, it opens the Messenger app by default and that's from where one can send a message. That makes perfect sense, I just wish the supporting documentation for the Explore app mentioned it. I do like having the ability to update my recipient list for check-ins, check # of messages sent/month, and sync changes with the device by using the Explore app. Hopefully, the Explore and Messenger apps can be combined in the future for more seamless usability.
I like the small size and weight of the device, and these will come in handy on my trek. Despite the extra clicks to do the same thing (with the Mini2 vs Explorer SE+), the Mini2 is a great device and I recommend it.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, September 23, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin