Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - inReach Messenger 1.08" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Average customer rating
4.3
(255 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 255 reviews
5 Stars
160
4 Stars
50
3 Stars
20
2 Stars
15
1 Star
10
Customer Reviews for Garmin - inReach Messenger 1.08" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Customer Rating
5
on April 11, 2024
Posted by: Justin L
from Melbourne, FL, US
This is a great compact option for basic text only communication. Starting with the limitations: 1. It is very susceptible to overhead interference (trees, roofs, power lines, etc)
2. There is an additional annual fee on top of the subscription
3. Due to the limitations of the iridium system and with the possibility of high structures or trees around it could take up of 30min to send or receive a message.
2. There is an additional annual fee on top of the subscription
3. Due to the limitations of the iridium system and with the possibility of high structures or trees around it could take up of 30min to send or receive a message.
What's great: 1. the interface is very intuitive.
2. The system is perfect for what it's designed for.
3. Compared to other systems, this one is far superior.
4. The battery life is great. I used it in the mountains of Idaho, I had full text conversations everyday with my fiance. I never turned it off, and it held a charge for about 12 days. That's 12 days of heavy usage, temperatures in the 30s and never being turned off. You could easily get 15-20days of battery by turning it off at night.
I prefer this system over the inreach mini 2. The comparison I would have to make is, the inreach min 2 is a gps unit that can text. Whereas the inreach messenger is a communication device that can also get you back to where you started. it's a great option for messaging and its limitations are no different than any other satellite messaging platform.
2. The system is perfect for what it's designed for.
3. Compared to other systems, this one is far superior.
4. The battery life is great. I used it in the mountains of Idaho, I had full text conversations everyday with my fiance. I never turned it off, and it held a charge for about 12 days. That's 12 days of heavy usage, temperatures in the 30s and never being turned off. You could easily get 15-20days of battery by turning it off at night.
I prefer this system over the inreach mini 2. The comparison I would have to make is, the inreach min 2 is a gps unit that can text. Whereas the inreach messenger is a communication device that can also get you back to where you started. it's a great option for messaging and its limitations are no different than any other satellite messaging platform.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Fantastic Device For Remote Emergency and Family Communication
on April 10, 2024
Posted by: Anonymous
Very much enjoying the Garmin inReach Messenger device. A subscription plan is required and I could have done without the plan's initiation fee, but the plan options themselves are reasonable.
I frequently work as a firearms instructor. Some of the locations we use have very poor or non-existent cell phone reception. While safety is our #1 priority and we have never had a firearms incident, the ability to quickly request emergency support with the push of a button - and automatically include GPS coordinates - offers peace of mind. This also allows me to communicate with family while I am away (family does not need their own device).
The online map sharing features and functionality are a bit non-intuitive, but with a little time to figure out how they work it's do-able. The battery life on the inReach Messenger is excellent. It does advertise reverse charging, by which power can be taken from the device to a smartphone, etc. Something like 20% of the device power only increased my smartphone battery by 5% so in nearly every case, this is not a useful feature - not a deal breaker for my use cases.
The smartphone app to send messages is very easy to use, and messages can be composed slowly but directly on the device itself. I have a Garmin GPS watch which acts as a real force multiplier. The two can connect, and I can leave the inReach Messenger in my pack and view / respond to messages or initiate an SOS call directly from my Garmin watch.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
So far so good!
on April 7, 2024
Posted by: Jtclark13
I bought this device for my trip to Arizona. I luckily didn’t need to use the SOS features, but I loved the security it gave me. My family was able to follow me throughout the day via the tracking features. I had used the Spot in the past and never got it to work properly, but the Messager work as expected. I’m very satisfied with my purchase!
Response from GarminBy Garmin, April 10, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Great piece of mind
on April 4, 2024
Posted by: Daniel M
I do a lot of remote outdoor activities. It's great to have the reassurance of being connected to loved ones and help if needed. I tested the device on a surgical mission to Africa. It worked great and my family was able to track me the entire trip. I plan on using it for a grand canyon trip and rocky mountain adventures.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Much better than the orange one
on April 2, 2024
Posted by: Anonymous
Battery life and it worked much better in the cold.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
2
1 week still not working
on March 31, 2024
Posted by: WTNUT
I bought this and have been trying to get it to pair with phone and be operational. Still no luck needs instructions. On line instructions vary.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, April 1, 2024
Thank you for your review and experience with the inReach Messenger. We would like to discuss this further over email. If you would please email us at
product.support@garmin.com.
product.support@garmin.com.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Simple safety
on March 28, 2024
Posted by: DurtGurl
Great for remote travel to let loved ones track and communicate. Wishing for inreach to be an option in bike computers!
Response from GarminBy Garmin, April 1, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Garmin Inreach Messenger
on March 22, 2024
Posted by: Anonymous
Received our inreach messengers. Got it in 2 days. Charged it, set up and bought a faraday bag for them. Incase of a "solar flare".
Response from GarminBy Garmin, April 1, 2024
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin