New InReach

Oh wow. I already have a GPS, and was going to pick up an inreach this summer. I hate carrying two devices, so this looks pretty sweet. However I don't know, if they drop the price of the inreach because of this I would probably still go with that.
 
It's too bad, because it's a great idea. I just wish that it was way better executed. With Android being free, and simple, I don't get why someone hasn't worked that software into a gps device. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
 
You know how I feel about anything DeLorme makes... :poop:

That reminds me, anyone want to buy an InReach? It's the one for Android/iPhone. $100 obo. It's in great condition. It's this model: http://www.amazon.com/DeLorme-AG-008449-201-Satellite-Communicator-Smartphones/dp/B007ZOK6B2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398443735&sr=8-2&keywords=delorme inreach

I thought you liked the InReach @Nick. I have a Spot, but would really like being able to send and receive messages. What didn't you like about it besides being kind of bulky?
 
I thought you liked the InReach @Nick. I have a Spot, but would really like being able to send and receive messages. What didn't you like about it besides being kind of bulky?

I pretty much hated everything about it EXCEPT the fact that it sends 2-way messages. And actually, I kind of hated that too. I ended up going back to a Spot. Here's my bitch list on the InReach:
  1. Had a hell of a time sending messages sometimes. Granted, when it did, it would send them SUPER fast, but it was bizarre how it would not be able to get a message out in some locations.
  2. Frequently told me that the message got out, but it sent coordinates of 0 lat and 0 long (the middle of the Atlantic Ocean). Great to think that your message was successful but it really wasn't.
  3. When Audra asked customer service about that, it took them like a week to respond and then they just said 'well it didn't have a good enough signal'. REALLY!??!
  4. Bulky, looks and feels like a high school science project made from parts found at Radioshack
  5. TERRIBLE user interface for their online management of the device
  6. Wouldn't let me have more than one map link
  7. Spots on tracking map tie together by proximity, not time sent.
  8. Heavy
  9. SUPER expensive. I was paying like $35 per month for the option with tracking and the ability to send more than a few messages per month.
  10. Super expensive up front as well - I think I paid around $350 for it.
And finally, while 2-way communication is good in an emergency, it is also a bit of a curse. Having the ability to send messages both ways makes people at home expect more communication. Good nights, I love you's, things are great, etc. It's a pain in the ass to be busting out the phone and dealing with that stuff when I should just be enjoying wilderness. Pulling out the spot and firing off a quick 'okay' is fine but I was not a fan of being able to message. Also, unless there was a catastrophe at home that I could actually do something about - I honestly wouldn't want to know. If someone died or something, I think I'd rather finish my trip and come home and find out, assuming I didn't miss anything important because of it. It's not like I can change it by finding out when I'm 2 days from a car. I don't want to have to worry about things I can't change and possibly ruin a trip for myself and the whole group. I know that's kind of dark and gloomy, but that's a factor that made me like the Spot better There is a lot to be said about being disconnected.
 
I pretty much hated everything about it EXCEPT the fact that it sends 2-way messages. And actually, I kind of hated that too. I ended up going back to a Spot.
And just to voice my standard counter-point: I've never had any problems at all with my InReach :)
 
Agreed. The spot gets messages out in some extremely tight places. I've had some canyon trips where I couldn't get them out reliably, but I was working with a very small slice of sky. The InReach has struggled in what I would consider to be wide open places.
 
Good to know. I originally was going to pick up a spot, then I started reading some terrible reviews, so I changed my mind and decided I would pick up an inreach instead, now I have been hearing all sorts of bad things about the inreach as well. I would prefer the spot since it's a heck of a lot cheaper and I don't necessarily need two way communication. I know you can send custom messages with the spot, but are you limited to just one message you can send, or can you create say 2-3 different messages before hand that you can send?
 
You can assign custom messages to the custom message button and the non emergency help button. So for me, I have the following messages I can send from my Spot:

1. OKAY BUTTON: I'm okay, having fun, blah blah
2. CUSTOM BUTTON: "For some reason I can't make it back on time, but I'm okay. I'll try to get back ASAP." (I use this in case I am delayed by something out of my control but don't want SAR coming after me)
3. HELP BUTTON: "I'm okay but I need non-emergency help sent to my location" (aka, my truck won't start, send someone out here but not Search and Rescue)
4. SOS BUTTON: This is the real deal 911 button
 
I'm going to have to think about it but it sounds like the spot might be a better choice for me.
 
I've my eyes on the NEW inReach. Important for me is the 2-way communication in a case of emergency.
The new one can used as a standalone device for texting, no 2nd device is necessary.
Nick has had the old version w/ a non comfortable use. I've nearly the same, PN-60 and SPOT by Delorme.
Data plans. In the past expensive. Now they have a new one - more attractive for occasionally use.
Maybe the best way for me is to wait till the next year, when more experiences are on the market, or here on BCP.
I haven't enough time to test the inReach, because in four weeks I'm in Utah for backpacking.



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Hmmm...thanks for the detailed response @Nick. That makes me second guess the inReach. I have the same combo @Michael has, and I've never been a fan of the Delorme GPS. The whole interface is not very user friendly, especially the software, and while I've figured out how to use it for basic purposes I feel like the Garmins I've seen others using are far superior. I can't even download a gpx track to the damn thing without converting it to another file format first. Ugh! Maybe eventually there will be an all in one device with Spot. Would be cool...
 
@pixie1339, this combo we have isn't really bad.
But the screen size isn't up to date. I've to wear my reading specs, when I using the PN.
That's painful in the field.
What about software? TNA10 by DeLorme has no problems w/ any kind of gpx-files. You don't need to converting this and other file formats. I love this program. It's very versatile.
Yep an all in one device would be really cool!


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@pixie1339, this combo we have isn't really bad.
But the screen size isn't up to date. I've to wear my reading specs, when I using the PN.
That's painful in the field.
What about software? TNA10 by DeLorme has no problems w/ any kind of gpx-files. You don't need to converting this and other file formats. I love this program. It's very versatile.
Yep an all in one device would be really cool!


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The screen size is the biggest negative about the GPS itself. I have TNA9, and it won't allow me to use gpx files without converting them first.:(

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