Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - inReach Mini 3 Plus Compact Satellite Communicator 1.9" Outdoor GPS with Worldwide Maps and Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Average customer rating
4.3
(49 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 49 reviews
5 Stars
32
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
2
1 Star
3
Customer Reviews for Garmin - inReach Mini 3 Plus Compact Satellite Communicator 1.9" Outdoor GPS with Worldwide Maps and Built-In Bluetooth - Black
Customer Rating
5
Huge upgrade from Explorer+
on June 10, 2026
Posted by: David5
I am a Park Ranger in Alaska that spends many weeks in the backcountry. I use my inReach primarily for communication - not for mapping or tracking.
I have previously used an inReach Explorer+. While that device was great - this was a massive upgrade. Extremely lightweight, small, incredible battery life, and sends messages at almost the same speed as my iPhone. The voice notes and photos are a fun upgrade, as well. Was well worth the purchase for a device that is leaps and bounds beyond its earlier predecessors.
I have previously used an inReach Explorer+. While that device was great - this was a massive upgrade. Extremely lightweight, small, incredible battery life, and sends messages at almost the same speed as my iPhone. The voice notes and photos are a fun upgrade, as well. Was well worth the purchase for a device that is leaps and bounds beyond its earlier predecessors.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Overkill for me, should have gone messenger plus
on June 9, 2026
Posted by: Paul D!
I probably should have gone with the messenger plus, the onscreen navigation is poor, and I’m using apps on my phone instead anyway…but I guess piece of mind if I drop/break my phone.
From 5:30am Thursday to Noon Sunday, battery went from 100% to 83% in Yosemite. I did turn it off at night, kept it on my pack at 45 degrees F. Sent 1 check in message a day. Started activities but didn’t send tracking updates as I have the cheap monthly subscription
From 5:30am Thursday to Noon Sunday, battery went from 100% to 83% in Yosemite. I did turn it off at night, kept it on my pack at 45 degrees F. Sent 1 check in message a day. Started activities but didn’t send tracking updates as I have the cheap monthly subscription
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
even better than expected
on June 8, 2026
Posted by: zpp124
I bought this for back country skiing and mountain biking. I was mainly interested in the SOS features, but the activity tracking, MMS messaging over satellite, mapping features, weather reports, and the ability to do live GPS tracking were all added bonuses that have been great to use so far. Plus the battery life is very long, so you can stay out for many days and not worry about needing to charge it. Also the satellite connection is much better than smart phones that claim to do satellite messaging as well.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
I Love this new Mini and other criticisms :-)
on June 5, 2026
Posted by: I don't have a nickname!
Greatly improved from the Mini 2, the interface is easier to use. Yet, I continue to wish Garmin would incorporate a more Apple type approach with the interface. The engineers at Garmin are amazing but they need some human input. Second, the maps should be much more detailed, that the feature is included is a benefit but not much use, not unlike having a poorly fitting shoe and changing it's shoelaces. That said, I love my Mini 3 and it's capabilities, the peace of mind for me and my wife when I am in the wilderness. My colleagues and I are aging, having SOS capabilities is beneficial to everyone. One feature that is missing yet included with the Mini 2 is the ability to send my exact coordinates to fellow hikers and backpackers via text. For times when we hike at different paces we could send coordinates of our exact camp location to others with inReach capabilities. Let's hope Garmin gets the message and adds that into a firmware update.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Best hiking adjunct ever
on June 3, 2026
Posted by: Nine
It’s awesome across the board
Battery, messaging, tracking
Battery, messaging, tracking
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Exceptional performance
on May 20, 2026
Posted by: MorePow
I bought the the mini 3 Plus as a replacement for the SpotX device with a built in keyboard. While I will say that typing out a message with the SpotX is easier, the combination of lightening fast message sending, built in weather app, and easing blue tooth connection makes the 3 Plus the better of the two by a miles shot.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
1
Worst investment I ever made
on May 17, 2026
Posted by: Mikerogs
No clue how to use it. Tons of errors. Battery life is non existent.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
1
Buyer, be aware!
on May 16, 2026
Posted by: CoHike
So far, the mini 3 plus has not been holding power for more than 4 days. Mine is brand new, no idea why this happens. The mini 2 battery could last for weeks on standby. Not very happy with it so far.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin