Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - InReach GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Red/Black
Average customer rating
4.1
(717 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 717 reviews
5 Stars
411
4 Stars
133
3 Stars
74
2 Stars
45
1 Star
54
Customer Reviews for Garmin - InReach GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Red/Black
Customer Rating
4
High Sierra Loop
on January 8, 2022
Posted by: Bucko4155
I bought this device 3 days before an attempt to hike the High Sierra Trail. Ultimate goal was the summit of Mt Whitney with a group to celebrate a 50 year anniversary of our first Whitney summit. 2 days in on this point to point trip it was apparent Mt Whitney was out of reach.With the inreach mini I was able to alert our pickup crew and reroute our trip. So glad we had the inreach mini to communicate our change of plans. Our trip ended much more enjoyably than a forced march with no way to change our plans.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 10, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Great features, good value.
on January 8, 2022
Posted by: Newmexdex
Very nice little device for secure, remote communications. Low monthly cost for very reassuring features. A bit difficult to get setup. Took a bit of persistence, but worth it.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 10, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Great device, but complex Garmin interoperability
on January 9, 2022
Posted by: Global hiker-cyclist
The inReach Mini, at it's core, provides what I wanted -- call for help in an emergency across the globe. ✔️
But, clearly this device was designed by engineers -- good engineers. But, Garmin should have included "user experience" design For example, to use the inReach, one needs a special Garmin website (but using your existing Garmin credentials). Why a separate login and site? A user also needs ALL of these to use the device adequately:
- An app on their cell phone
- Garmin Sync app (not web site) on a computer
- Garmin Express
The relationship of the InReach device, phone app, special Garmin web site, Sync app, and Garmin Express are not laid out in one place (or one picture). A user must learn where to make a change such as creating a pre-worded message (it's down in some menus on the Adventure.Garmin site. Then, on that same web site in another location, request a sync. But then the user must sync the device using the Sync app (not Garmin Express) and a USB cable (can't use the phone app either). If you think there is a firmware update for the device pending, the process is all different from updating a setting. The firmware update is found in Garmin Express (not the Adventure.Garmin site).
- An app on their cell phone
- Garmin Sync app (not web site) on a computer
- Garmin Express
The relationship of the InReach device, phone app, special Garmin web site, Sync app, and Garmin Express are not laid out in one place (or one picture). A user must learn where to make a change such as creating a pre-worded message (it's down in some menus on the Adventure.Garmin site. Then, on that same web site in another location, request a sync. But then the user must sync the device using the Sync app (not Garmin Express) and a USB cable (can't use the phone app either). If you think there is a firmware update for the device pending, the process is all different from updating a setting. The firmware update is found in Garmin Express (not the Adventure.Garmin site).
I could give you more examples of the complexity and ambiguity, but you get the picture. I did not intend for this to be a "how to" post, but rather a warning about the time required to piece together all the parts to understand the big picture to accomplish simple tasks.
Garmin -- perhaps you might hire a user experience professional from Apple or Tesla -- or some other product designer who successfully combines engineering and user experience.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 10, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Happy to have the inReach Mini
on January 9, 2022
Posted by: Nett
I got this for Christmas and it’s a treat. I didn’t find the setup intuitive and was so frustrated when the first thing I did was accidentally set the language to Polish, which is a lovely language but I don’t speak it. Instructions on how to change the language did not help so thanks Google translate for getting me through. Once set up things made more sense but I need to use the Mini a few times to get a better feel for it. I’m optimistic about it
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 10, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Great size and weight!
on January 9, 2022
Posted by: Brad1234
The size and weight of the Garmin inReach Mini is awesome. This will be easy to carry while thinking, fishing, etc. Setup was pretty easy. Using the device with the pre-written messages is also pretty easy. Were I to have to send any other message it would be a time-consuming challenge. For its size and for what it can do, I'd recommend this product to others.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 10, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Features just right
on January 10, 2022
Posted by: Utfan55
This works well for notifying someone that I want to know I’m hiking. Text messages work well after you figure out how to set it up. Their instructions are very poor. Nice to have emergency beacon when needed. I’ll have to watch the battery but has plenty for day hikes
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 11, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Just works.
on January 11, 2022
Posted by: Mark A.
I've been testing the inReach Mini for the last couple of weeks. Once I got the app(s) installed (one on my phone and another on my desktop) and configured it, I took it out on the trail and it works just fine. I've been tuning some of the parms and find it pretty easy to configure.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 11, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Should Have Bought Sooner!
on January 11, 2022
Posted by: RSM MtB
Was able to set it up and use it very quickly. After being out of reach, pun intended, on a couple MTB rides where family got worried and I did too as they may not know my exact location, having this device is a game changer in comfort and confidence.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, Outdoor, January 12, 2022
Thank you for your review. Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin