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
5
Great Safety Item
on September 11, 2018
Posted by: BLS103
The unit is small and light weight, easy backpacking item. I wish the monthly plans were less expensive. It costs a lot to utilize all of the features of the unit. On another note it's nice to pay per month instead of yearly contracts. The unit always send my info and keeps my family informed. The screen is easy to read and the back light helps at night. For the size, I wouldn't change the design. I primarily use mine for hunting, during rescues at work, and while jet boating to our remote cabin. A lot could go wrong, it's nice to know that I can communicate my problem with the correct people. Last item, I like the having the ability to communicate with the individual during an S.O.S. In the past an activation would go out and as a rescuer you had no clue what the person needed. Now we can communicate with the person needing help and bring the proper equipment to help. Great product!
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Smaller than I expected..I LOVE it
on September 14, 2018
Posted by: Dar1
Compact... integrated well with my phone. Easily found satellites...setup went well
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
2
Half of everything it would seem!
on October 3, 2018
Posted by: Taita
I own two InReach Explorer+'s and was very excited to get and use the InReach Mini due to it being half the size and weight of my Explorer+. I used the Mini for a month in the remote Brooks Range in Alaska and when compared to the Explorer+ (which one of my employees had and was using during the same time period) I'm afraid it fell well short of my high hopes and expectations.
While it IS half the size and weight of the Explorer+, which is what made it so attractive to me, it also appeared to have half the battery life and half the antenna power compared tot he Explorer+. While the Explorer+ would send and receive messages almost instantly (with a 3 minute period being a long time to send or receive a message) with the Mini I more than often had to wait 20 minutes to 1 hour to send and receive messages, which was extremely problematic for numerous reason. I checked all the settings and changed the "check intervals" numerous times but regardless of what I did the Mini was just VERY slow to send and/or download messages, regardless of the number being sent or received.
While it IS half the size and weight of the Explorer+, which is what made it so attractive to me, it also appeared to have half the battery life and half the antenna power compared tot he Explorer+. While the Explorer+ would send and receive messages almost instantly (with a 3 minute period being a long time to send or receive a message) with the Mini I more than often had to wait 20 minutes to 1 hour to send and receive messages, which was extremely problematic for numerous reason. I checked all the settings and changed the "check intervals" numerous times but regardless of what I did the Mini was just VERY slow to send and/or download messages, regardless of the number being sent or received.
The Mini is a great option for someone who likely won't send any messages, or if they do they will be very minimal, but for someone that needs to send multiple messages to multiple people every day it is not a good option in my opinion. I have now deactivated and shelved my Mini and have gone back to using my Explorer+, which continues to be a great device and tool! If the Mini can get a better antenna and longer battery life that would change a lot but until then I'll carry the extra weight and size of the Explorer+.
Response from GarminBy Chris, Inreach, October 5, 2018
Hello Taita44
Sorry you were unhappy with the messaging delay on the mini.
Since the inReach is communicating with Iridium satellites and not the cell network the traffic can be delayed due to their orbital position as they are only overhead once every few minutes. Also communication can be delayed due to blocked line of sight to the sky. Battery life will be reduced if you have a very short tracking send interval set
Thanks
Sorry you were unhappy with the messaging delay on the mini.
Since the inReach is communicating with Iridium satellites and not the cell network the traffic can be delayed due to their orbital position as they are only overhead once every few minutes. Also communication can be delayed due to blocked line of sight to the sky. Battery life will be reduced if you have a very short tracking send interval set
Thanks
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Must have for backcountry activities
on October 7, 2018
Posted by: General09
Great device. Functional best for its SOS capability. Worth the money for that alone when you are a lone hiker. Cons: subscription too pricey, very small screen - - lightweight more important than size--seems Inreach missed the middle ground.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Simplicity, and simple design in light weight.
on October 8, 2018
Posted by: WildlandFireNate
I am glad I upgraded to this unit. I previously have used several similar units and moist recently the Delorme InReach Explorer. This little unit is so small it takes up very little real estate on my back. I clip it up high for the best signal. Its ability to work with my garmin watch is a real nice plus. The phone interface is smooth and straight forward and overall I'm impressed with the unit. Ive taken it on a few trips and it doesn't disappoint. I didn't need the unit with onboard mapping as I already had that capability on my watch. I look forward to getting a good life cycle out of it. Last advice is change the message alert to ring continuously. Sometime this unit my be far away at camp and you won't realize you have an unread until you look directly at the unit.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Service
on October 25, 2018
Posted by: Kayo43
Would have been 5 stars if the activation process had worked as it should have. However, the support service was finally able to resolve the issues. Used it for the first time yesterday. Everything seems to be working as expected.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
3
Difficult to find info on how to use this
on November 5, 2018
Posted by: Hugh
I think in general the device is excellent. The biggest problem is trying to understand what the person sees at the other end when receiving texts or emails. How do they respond? I think in general you can find stuff on YouTube and google, but there should be training videos which do a better job on walking you through Earthmate and the mini. I’m very tech savvy and still struggled.... couldn’t even imagine somebody that isn’t familiar with technology picking this thing up for the first time.
Response from GarminBy Jenny, Outdoor, November 5, 2018
Thank you for your review and sorry to hear about your experience with the inReach Mini. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you could please email us at social.support@garmin.com.
Thanks
Jenny
Thanks
Jenny
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Impressive!
on November 8, 2018
Posted by: wildbill
I have taken my new inReach Mini on a long backwoods drive in Maine, a 4-day remote canoe camping trip in Maine's Allagash Wilderness, and a hike in northern Vermont. I am beyond impressed with it.
Size and weight are easy to manage when hiking, and it fits in my hand perfectly. The interface is function-packed, but easy to use with some practice -- I recommend spending some time with it at home rather than trying to figure it out in the field.
Battery life is plenty for my usage, although for any trip longer than about 4-5 days I would want the ability to charge it for peace of mind (e.g. if I end up needing it for significant messaging or navigation, I will use up my buffer).
Messages always went out easily -- note that receiving them promptly is not guaranteed and seems to depend on your settings (how often the device checks for mail), but you can force checks as well. Reception was fantastic in an open water setting, less reliable when attached to my backpack on a wooded hike -- this seemed to improve when I repositioned it on my pack. The built-in typing ability is surprisingly good for only having 3 buttons, and with my cell phone paired it was as easy as text messaging.
As a navigation aid with pre-programmed waypoints, this was absolutely perfect for big lake canoeing. When I wanted to double check my heading to be sure I was going to the right campsite, a few button presses made sure I was on the right path, and I could get a magnetic bearing to check with my compass. When hiking or driving on remote logging roads, I was quite happy with the ability to use the cell phone app for detailed mapping. Slick!
Billing - I am happy with my Recreation Freedom Plan. I pay one annual fee to keep my subscription and online data alive, and a monthly fee when I choose to use the device. With free sending of pre-programmed messages (you can set up 3 of these to send as many times as you like), I was able to keep the number of paid messages down. I had no additional charges with my use, even though I was checking in with family twice daily and checked the weather several times. While I would not classify this as "cheap," I do think the features and functionality are well worth the money, even before you consider the SOS feature (priceless if you need it).
My only prior experience with a device like this was a basic Spot unit several years back. With the Spot, reception always seemed to be spotty, and we were never sure that our messages were getting out. In stark contrast, the inReach Mini consistently met, and often exceeded, my high expectations.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin