Thread: Garmin In Reach

I have both an InReach mini and a PLB, I use them for different purposes. The PLB is obviously for emergency use only and I’ve thankfully never used it. I use the InReach mini for communicating with my wife. I’m often in places without cellphone coverage and I’m often late, I hunt by myself a lot too.
I love the way you just tether it to you phone and use the app to send messages using your normal phone contacts.
If I had to get one thing I’d get a PLB, for safety reasons, but if you have the cash, get both.

Originally Posted by craigc

I have both an InReach mini and a PLB, I use them for different purposes. The PLB is obviously for emergency use only and I’ve thankfully never used it. I use the InReach mini for communicating with my wife. I’m often in places without cellphone coverage and I’m often late, I hunt by myself a lot too.
I love the way you just tether it to you phone and use the app to send messages using your normal phone contacts.
If I had to get one thing I’d get a PLB, for safety reasons, but if you have the cash, get both.

What he said. I have both - a 66i (GPS with inreach) and a PLB. The PLB is the "oh-shit" device - dedicated battery, one-trick (call SAR) better coverage. The Inreach is surprisingly useful. You can communicate a delay, organise a chopper (don't need SAR but do need a pick-up), etc. So that sort of restricts the PLB use to the kinds of things where you really want SAR - which in my opinion is what they should be used for. I hear of people activating a PLB because they have run out of water, or something where its not life or death... get an InReach and organise your own chopper at your own expense for the trivial shit. If I ever had a real emergency I would use both - I'm sure SAR would appreciate any information/context that could be provided. (Lost? Or Injured? Urgency? etc)

Originally Posted by craigc

I have both an InReach mini and a PLB, I use them for different purposes. The PLB is obviously for emergency use only and I’ve thankfully never used it. I use the InReach mini for communicating with my wife. I’m often in places without cellphone coverage and I’m often late, I hunt by myself a lot too.
I love the way you just tether it to you phone and use the app to send messages using your normal phone contacts.
If I had to get one thing I’d get a PLB, for safety reasons, but if you have the cash, get both.

@craigc so you just text on your phone when the mini is linked in? I loaned a 66i garmin and i hated the old school texting on it. tap tap down across type thing. And a lot of shit on the gps i will never use