Various Retailers have
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Compact Satellite Communicator (Various Colors) on sale for
$249.99.
Shipping is free.
Thanks to Community Member
ScarletField5751 for sharing this deal.
Available from:- Amazon
- HRM USA Inc via eBay
- Walmart
- Garmin
- Best Buy
Features:- Compact, lightweight satellite communicator enables two-way messaging and interactive SOS globally (Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices)
- Bluetooth
- Water Resistant
- Navigate back to where you started by using TracBack routing
- Share your location with loved ones back home at any time (active satellite subscription required) by using your MapShare page or with your coordinates embedded in your messages
- Get accurate heading information using the digital compass — even when you're not moving
- Sync with the Garmin Explore app and website on your compatible smartphone for trip planning and topographical mapping, and create waypoints, courses, activities and collections you can sync to your device
- Pair with Garmin devices, such as wearables and handhelds, and use them to send and receive messages and trigger an SOS (active satellite subscription required)
- Battery life: up to 14 days in 10-minute tracking mode
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Top Comments
Monthly Enabled Plan
Price per month:
$7.99 USD
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/837461/
This is the plan I'm on and it's the one I was on when I had to punch the SOS button last summer.
Priceless if you need it to save your life or someone else's.....
Edit: A good resource describing various plans: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-gear...breakdow
It is 100% true that things like satellite SOS/texting on iPhone has made these unnecessary for a lot of uses. That's why my inreach subscription is not currently active (well, also some farkery around their subscription plans). I spend a lot of time recreating outside of cell service, but mostly things that last for a few hours and aren't that far out. Service is pretty spotty here, so I'm probably doing something mildly dangerous outside of service a couple times a week.
But for more serious applications, a phone is NOT a substitute.
-These things are built *rugged*--I've seen multiple stories of people crashing on bikes or similar and breaking their phones. The inreach will survive a ton of abuse.
-The batteries last forever--you can get WEEKs out of an inreach while running 10-minute tracking pings (and like a year if you leave it off). My phone is good for about a day. Can extend that with airplane mode, powering it off, etc., but odds are good I want to use my phone for other things like photos or maps...If I get stuck outside overnight in the cold, odds are good the phone doesn't make it to the morning.
-It is harder for the phone to get a good signal as it uses a smaller antenna and an inferior satellite network--if you crash in a ditch with thick tree cover...I'd rather have a Garmin. Maybe TMobile + Starlink improves on this.
-Last I checked, iphone can't even do continuous 10-minute/1-hour style tracking...part of that is because the antenna is so small that you have to be manually holding and pointing at the sky to get enough service for a text to go through.
Also this is a solvable problem, but I 100% would rather my SOS ping be connected to Garmin's dedicated rescue operations center. iPhone SOS usually routes to local emergency services which may not be appropriate. Garmin has a team that is experienced at contacting and coordinating between Search & Rescue, 911, etc.
I won't hesitate to reactivate my inreach subscription next time I need it (longer or more remote trips). I almost did earlier this year, but the guy I was skiing with had one that was already active.
edit: also, the list of countries where inreach works is WAY longer than iphone SOS...and T-mobile+starlink is US only so it won't even help you in Canada. You 100% don't need one of these things to go for a day hike in a national park or something...but that's not the market (and people who do that are probably the same people who think kids should wear helmets on the playground).
You can cancel service for up to a year without paying the activation again.
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Monthly Enabled Plan
Price per month:
$7.99 USD
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/837461/
This is the plan I'm on and it's the one I was on when I had to punch the SOS button last summer.
Priceless if you need it to save your life or someone else's.....
Edit: A good resource describing various plans: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-gear...breakdow
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank sarcasmogratis
You can cancel service for up to a year without paying the activation again.
Monthly Enabled Plan
Price per month:
$7.99 USD
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/837461/
This is the plan I'm on and it's the one I was on when I had to punch the SOS button last summer.
Priceless if you need it to save your life or someone else's.....
Edit: A good resource describing various plans: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-gear...breakdow
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It is 100% true that things like satellite SOS/texting on iPhone has made these unnecessary for a lot of uses. That's why my inreach subscription is not currently active (well, also some farkery around their subscription plans). I spend a lot of time recreating outside of cell service, but mostly things that last for a few hours and aren't that far out. Service is pretty spotty here, so I'm probably doing something mildly dangerous outside of service a couple times a week.
But for more serious applications, a phone is NOT a substitute.
-These things are built *rugged*--I've seen multiple stories of people crashing on bikes or similar and breaking their phones. The inreach will survive a ton of abuse.
-The batteries last forever--you can get WEEKs out of an inreach while running 10-minute tracking pings (and like a year if you leave it off). My phone is good for about a day. Can extend that with airplane mode, powering it off, etc., but odds are good I want to use my phone for other things like photos or maps...If I get stuck outside overnight in the cold, odds are good the phone doesn't make it to the morning.
-It is harder for the phone to get a good signal as it uses a smaller antenna and an inferior satellite network--if you crash in a ditch with thick tree cover...I'd rather have a Garmin. Maybe TMobile + Starlink improves on this.
-Last I checked, iphone can't even do continuous 10-minute/1-hour style tracking...part of that is because the antenna is so small that you have to be manually holding and pointing at the sky to get enough service for a text to go through.
Also this is a solvable problem, but I 100% would rather my SOS ping be connected to Garmin's dedicated rescue operations center. iPhone SOS usually routes to local emergency services which may not be appropriate. Garmin has a team that is experienced at contacting and coordinating between Search & Rescue, 911, etc.
I won't hesitate to reactivate my inreach subscription next time I need it (longer or more remote trips). I almost did earlier this year, but the guy I was skiing with had one that was already active.
edit: also, the list of countries where inreach works is WAY longer than iphone SOS...and T-mobile+starlink is US only so it won't even help you in Canada. You 100% don't need one of these things to go for a day hike in a national park or something...but that's not the market (and people who do that are probably the same people who think kids should wear helmets on the playground).
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I used the enabled plan on my trip this year and just paid to upload tracking points to my mapshare page. It was only another $6 or 7 to do this for a week of hikes.
Protegear is another company you can get inreach service thru. They have an annual fee and minimum charges per year but they allow you to turn service on for a day, week, month, however long you want.
The Inreach 3's are out now. Here's a video comparing them to the 2: https://youtu.be/VUv2ew5S0_E?si=
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You're both right and wrong.
It is 100% true that things like satellite SOS/texting on iPhone has made these unnecessary for a lot of uses. That's why my inreach subscription is not currently active (well, also some farkery around their subscription plans). I spend a lot of time recreating outside of cell service, but mostly things that last for a few hours and aren't that far out. Service is pretty spotty here, so I'm probably doing something mildly dangerous outside of service a couple times a week.
But for more serious applications, a phone is NOT a substitute.
-These things are built *rugged*--I've seen multiple stories of people crashing on bikes or similar and breaking their phones. The inreach will survive a ton of abuse.
-The batteries last forever--you can get WEEKs out of an inreach while running 10-minute tracking pings (and like a year if you leave it off). My phone is good for about a day. Can extend that with airplane mode, powering it off, etc., but odds are good I want to use my phone for other things like photos or maps...If I get stuck outside overnight in the cold, odds are good the phone doesn't make it to the morning.
-It is harder for the phone to get a good signal as it uses a smaller antenna and an inferior satellite network--if you crash in a ditch with thick tree cover...I'd rather have a Garmin. Maybe TMobile + Starlink improves on this.
-Last I checked, iphone can't even do continuous 10-minute/1-hour style tracking...part of that is because the antenna is so small that you have to be manually holding and pointing at the sky to get enough service for a text to go through.
Also this is a solvable problem, but I 100% would rather my SOS ping be connected to Garmin's dedicated rescue operations center. iPhone SOS usually routes to local emergency services which may not be appropriate. Garmin has a team that is experienced at contacting and coordinating between Search & Rescue, 911, etc.
I won't hesitate to reactivate my inreach subscription next time I need it (longer or more remote trips). I almost did earlier this year, but the guy I was skiing with had one that was already active.
edit: also, the list of countries where inreach works is WAY longer than iphone SOS...and T-mobile+starlink is US only so it won't even help you in Canada. You 100% don't need one of these things to go for a day hike in a national park or something...but that's not the market (and people who do that are probably the same people who think kids should wear helmets on the playground).
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