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
Best Standalone Satellite Communicator Device
on July 29, 2023
Posted by: Christopher M
from St George, UT, US
Used the original to coordinate an evacuation from the South Kaibab Trail at Grand Canyon while thruhiking the Arizona Trail in 2019. I came around a corner and saw a woman sitting in the middle of the trail. After triaging the situation, we concluded she had broken her ankle. Since I had recently finished working at the Canyon, I took point on communications. Given her location on the trail, carrying her out or assisting her to walk out was not an option, but I had recently acquired an inReach Mini for my AZT thruhike and offered to use it to get SAR to assist, an offer they accepted. Garmin's emergency communications center connected me with Grand Canyon SAR, to whom I also made a direct call using an emergency phone farther down the trail. However, the inReach allowed me to return to the injured party and acquire additional information to provide to SAR while we waited for a medic to reach us on the trail. A fellow hiker splinted the ankle using their poles and my cord while I filed the reports with SAR. Being able to remain with the injured party allowed me to attend to them and use my knowledge of park emergency protocols to keep them calm while we awaited the arrival of SAR; if I had relied solely on the emergency phone this would not have been possible.
Beyond this incident, the inReach has served me and my family well on multiple long distance hikes across the lower 48 and Alaska. Unlike its competitions, it is a fully functional standalone communicator as designed. If your phone dies, the inReach is still functional (even if the Mini does become somewhat awkward on this front, it still functions). This redundancy is essential to providing any follow up information to SAR that they may require or that would assist in an effective response even after the initial report, far more useful functioning than just a location - the most competitors can provide if one's phone has died.
My only comment is that there should be a plastic cover underneath the rubber buttons so if the rubber peels away, as it seems to over time, there is still something that prevents water and other substances from getting into the interior of the device. Hopefully this newer version has corrected this one issue.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Easy to use
on June 8, 2023
Posted by: Anonymous
Very easy to use and a great way to keep safe out in the woods. With the new apps that are coming out everything just keeps getting better
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Great simple device that works well with a smart phone
on June 7, 2023
Posted by: Anonymous
Easy to use. Feel safe knowing you can get help or reach a family member when you are outside of cell coverage.
the screen is a little hard to see if you need glasses for reading. Illl do the bigger size next time
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
on May 4, 2023
Posted by: Parker F
Great for any adventure that takes you out of reception!
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
small and tough
on May 3, 2023
Posted by: Joshua T
from Fort st James, BC, CA
Love this little guy, battery life is insane, pair that with the app on your android. In the bush for days love it. I use this on remote calls for work, never fails.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Great peace of mind for any trip
on April 26, 2023
Posted by: Nicholas B
Have used this on two thru hikes and many shorter trips. It keeps the family up to date on where you are, allows you to message from your phone easily, and gives the hiker peace of mind if something goes wrong. Never had a problem getting a GPS lock or sending/receiving messages.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
There when we needed it!
on April 9, 2023
Posted by: Guy A
This is the type of product you hope you never have to use. But when you do... it works flawlessly.
We have 2 units and we or our adult kids always travel with one as the cell coverage can be spotty.
Last Christmas a family
Member was travelling home when they ended up in the ditch. No injuries but very stuck. There was no cell coverage so the I reach mini came to the rescue and we were able to help our loved get home and recover the truck the next day.
Member was travelling home when they ended up in the ditch. No injuries but very stuck. There was no cell coverage so the I reach mini came to the rescue and we were able to help our loved get home and recover the truck the next day.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
on April 3, 2023
Posted by: Timothy F
This product has never failed me. If I am in the backcountry snowboarding or camping or fishing, I never have to worry about being able to reach help if I need it.
The main drawback is if you have to type out a message to send, but it more than makes up for that disadvantage with its size.
This is an excellent product for beginners and experts alike. Experts may appreciate more features found on more expensive models, but this device is more than capable.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin