Garmin inReach Messenger

Does not work at the location it was purchased for.

Works great. Small and compact while still being able to send messages without the app if your phone dies or gets disconnected from the device. Battery lasts a long time with regular use.

It seems like garmin has gone to great lengths to make the device nearly impossible to share with your wife, son, daughter, or friend. Because they want you to purchase everyone their own device. By doing so the complexity of using it has rendered the device nearly useless. You need different apps for talking and tracking and the instructions are non-existent, unless you want to spend a couple hours searching the help site and user forums. Example- they don't tell you exactly how to use the garmin messenger app. So we assumed we both needed it on our phones to chat back and forth. Nope, that was a mistake because then the device couldn't decide which one of us it belonged to. It re-assigned itself over to my wife and when I really needed to use it in the backcountry, it was a failure. It just kept saying "assigning device to your account", or something, which it couldn't do because I had no cell service. I can't wait until satellite service for cell phones makes these expensive pieces of junk obsolete! If you are shopping for a satellite device I would recommend a different device. One that isn't so locked down by a greedy company. (Zoleo is what I'm swapping this garmin for)

I chose the InReach Messenger because it is more compact and has a more streamlined shape than the Mini. I found the reverse charging feature a nice bonus in case of emergencies. I have now taken the Messenger on adventures across desert trails, canyons, and open waters, usually on my harness or vest, and it has seamlessly tracked my whereabouts accurately, kept me in touch with loved ones thousands of miles away, and gave me a safety line always one button away. The basic plan costs about what you'd pay for a sixpack of beer, and it integrates perfectly with my Fenix and the iPhone. I have never used its limited screen since it's very cumbersome. The Garmin Explore website must be used for some administrative and browsing features. It uses a very dated user interface and it is extremely slow.

I bought this for a baja trip and it performed perfectly. Battery life is fantastic

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.