Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - inReach Messenger 1.08" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Average customer rating
4.3
(204 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 204 reviews
5 Stars
127
4 Stars
41
3 Stars
15
2 Stars
14
1 Star
7
Customer Reviews for Garmin - inReach Messenger 1.08" GPS with Built-In Bluetooth - Black
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
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
5
on March 20, 2024
Posted by: Anonymous
I find this device to be intuitive and user-friendly. Making it especially useful for individuals who communicate through messages more frequently. The longer battery life is also great for longer hikes or trips.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Works as advertised
on March 3, 2024
Posted by: Sid P
Garmin seems to focus on quality of build and technology
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Practical & easy to use.
on February 21, 2024
Posted by: Judith B
from Fayetteville, AR, US
Love the size and minimal buttons to have to figure out. It has been incredibly reliable.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
on February 20, 2024
Posted by: Kevin F
from San Diego, CA, US
So far this has been a valuable upgrade to the Garmin Inreach Mini that I previously had. I use this predominately for paragliding, so I appreciate the cleaner footprint on my flight deck, but the main value is in the improved messaging (faster, more streamlined interface) and battery life. I was just on a paragliding trip where I used it 6 days in a row for 5 hours a day, tracking every 10 minutes, and it still had 95% battery life without charging it. My only complaint is that it doesn't appear to be able to do group message threads, which can be an important feature to have. I'm hoping that is something Garmin can change in a future update.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Love this device
on February 1, 2024
Posted by: Skip H
As a long time user of the Spot system I was a little hesitant to make the change but the 2-way messaging ability of this device is a true game changer compared to other straight emergency only items. Couldn't be happier with this change.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin