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
Great product
on March 1, 2025
Posted by: Baja
I bought this for a baja trip and it performed perfectly. Battery life is fantastic
Response from GarminBy Garmin, March 5, 2025
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Big improvement from original inReach Mini
on February 7, 2025
Posted by: MikeCO
This is my second inReach - replaced my original Mini with this. The Mini was actually very good - I used it to evacuate a guy from the Grand Canyon last spring - but I hated the Earthmate app and was quite disappointed that the Mini was effectively orphaned by Garmin in that ancient app. It would not communicate with my Garmin watch either. This fixes both problems - the Messenger app is much better and I get notifications on my watch. Battery life is better, it is a USB-C connection (rather than micro), it is almost as small, and still has a tiny screen if your phone dies in an emergency. I do wish the lanyard hole was larger and the device was more thoughtful about how you'd connect it/mount it/tether it to something else.
Common to both devices is being on Iridium rather than Globalstar. I had a pair of Spots years ago and thought they were awful and unreliable with no for-sure confirmation that a message was received and many places in the world without coverage. InReach/Iridium is just solid and reliable everywhere. So those of you that think an iPhone is the cats pajamas for this, well it is on Globalstar. Enough said.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, February 11, 2025
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Priceless Peace of Mind
on February 5, 2025
Posted by: Kolby H
The Garmin inReach Messenger is hands-down the most valuable piece of gear I carry. Whether I’m hiking, hunting, fishing, or working on a fireline during an initial attack, this device provides peace of mind when out of cell service. It’s compact, easy to use, and connects seamlessly to my phone, with fantastic battery life and affordable monthly plans that are well worth the investment for safety. One of my favorite features is the ability to send a location update every 10 minutes, which reassured my family that as long as I was moving, I was okay. Of course, you can turn this off to conserve battery when needed. The only minor downside is that occasionally, when sending a message while moving or if the device is covered, it can take longer to send, but stopping in an open area without tree cover speeds it up, so it’s not a dealbreaker. If you spend any time in the backcountry—especially solo—get a satellite communication device. The inReach Messenger is my top choice, but no matter what, having something for emergency communication is a must. Just bite the bullet and get one—it could save your life.
Written by a customer while visiting ExpertVoice.com
Customer Rating
5
Excellent product!
on February 3, 2025
Posted by: John H
This is another great product from Garmin. If you’re looking to stay in touch with the family when you are out of cellular range this is a must. Easy to set up and very user friendly! As far as satellite messengers go this is the best one I’ve found.
Response from ExpertVoice.comBy Garmin, February 5, 2025
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting ExpertVoice.com
Customer Rating
3
What I learned in the field
on January 21, 2025
Posted by: David1525
I purchased this for emergency situations while hunting in the mountains of Nevada. I like the ability to text my wife but I found the text option on my phone doesn’t work without cell phone coverage so I need to use my glasses to use the device at 66 years old. I have not been able to pair the messenger to my Garmin gps map unit that is only three years old.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, January 31, 2025
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.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Impressed so far
on January 16, 2025
Posted by: wasatch22
Bought this a month ago and have used it 3-4 times. Has worked perfectly even in a pretty intense storm. Was able to contact my wife and let her know where I was and I was okay without delay.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, January 17, 2025
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Amazing battery
on January 14, 2025
Posted by: AV8Rsailor
It does exactly what it says it does. The battery lasts for weeks while tracking. It's a shame it doesn't integrate with the Earthmate app, which I like more than the Messenger app, but it gets the job done.
Response from GarminBy Garmin, January 17, 2025
Thank you for your review.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Perfect for when you're beyond cell service.
on December 11, 2024
Posted by: R B
Excellent for peace of mind when you don't have cell service. I can text and even send pics from the backwoods. Let's my wife know I can be reached any time. Awesome battery life.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin