In Reach Mini, SE, explorer or 66i
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King Brown
Registered User
Nova Scotia
The SE works well for me.
RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
I got the mini because it is, well, mini.
It seems to work pretty well. The screen and interface might be too minimal for regular texting or map-gazing, but it syncs OK to a smartphone.
Mostly I use it just for the text capabilities as I travel over our fairly broad no-cell zones. My wife can watch my progress on an app, too, if she's interested.
It seems to work pretty well. The screen and interface might be too minimal for regular texting or map-gazing, but it syncs OK to a smartphone.
Mostly I use it just for the text capabilities as I travel over our fairly broad no-cell zones. My wife can watch my progress on an app, too, if she's interested.
I own an Explorer. Great as a backup GPS unit in flight and fantastic while on the ground exploring after flights into the backcountry. Easy buttons to operate. Great tracking for loved ones to flight follow with. Down to 30 second intervals for great resolution. Communications are reliable on Iridium network. Pairs well with iPads and iPhones.
Do you want a PLB or a tracker? A PLB (e.g., ACR ResQLink) costs less, has no subscription costs, and no way to communicate with friends and family. It does more or less what an ELT is supposed to do.
A tracker requires a subscription. They typically have an SOS button that will notify SAR, but goes through a middle man who you pay with your subscription. Let that lapse, and your SOS falls on deaf ears. Some trackers allow two-way text communication and all of them allow other people to follow your course on a website or app. So, for several hundred bucks up front and another couple of hundred a year, you can get what amounts to Messenger and Find My Friends in areas with no cell coverage.
I’ve had a couple of SPOTs and an inReach Mini. They’re all OK. None really great. Explorer might be better, idk. As to the satellite reception issue with SPOT at extreme latitudes, mine worked at Tok. The SPOT gps interference issue is more or less real, but easily fixed by moving the SPOT, sometimes by only inches.
Then there are the subscription plans. Trying to figure out what’s best will drive you nuts.
A tracker requires a subscription. They typically have an SOS button that will notify SAR, but goes through a middle man who you pay with your subscription. Let that lapse, and your SOS falls on deaf ears. Some trackers allow two-way text communication and all of them allow other people to follow your course on a website or app. So, for several hundred bucks up front and another couple of hundred a year, you can get what amounts to Messenger and Find My Friends in areas with no cell coverage.
I’ve had a couple of SPOTs and an inReach Mini. They’re all OK. None really great. Explorer might be better, idk. As to the satellite reception issue with SPOT at extreme latitudes, mine worked at Tok. The SPOT gps interference issue is more or less real, but easily fixed by moving the SPOT, sometimes by only inches.
Then there are the subscription plans. Trying to figure out what’s best will drive you nuts.
I have the exlorer+ with maps downloaded you can link to your phone or text off the unit alone. You can set it up as a tracker (you set how often it pings) if you want, has 911, and has pre recorded messages. Download the app called spot and my wife can track my waypoints as I fly. Works great in Alaska. I put a hardwire mount in the plane so it starts sending when I start the plane and stops when I turn it off.
DENNY
DENNY
WWeldon
Registered User
Chugiak, Alaska
I have the SE since it was a DeLorme product. I am impressed by how long it will hold a charge turned off. I also like the easy pre-compossed text messages etc. If I were to buy a new one I would go with the newest version for sure. In fact they have a $100.00 off right now!!
If you want good battery life and a set and forget tracker I'd shy away from the 66i. Great platform for navigation, very detailed maps, but needs to be recharged more often than inreaches
If you will always have your phone when you need to send messages out and like the small form factor get the mini. It's stupidly small and quite nice. When my older InReach Explorer (prior to Garmin purchasing Delorme) dies, I will likely get a mini.
If you want topo maps with longer battery life and a bit less detailed maps than the 66i then go for the Explorer
If you don't need topo maps go with the SE.
If you will always have your phone when you need to send messages out and like the small form factor get the mini. It's stupidly small and quite nice. When my older InReach Explorer (prior to Garmin purchasing Delorme) dies, I will likely get a mini.
If you want topo maps with longer battery life and a bit less detailed maps than the 66i then go for the Explorer
If you don't need topo maps go with the SE.
JimParker256
Registered User
Farmersville, TX
I went with the InReach Mini, and I use the provided carabiner to clip it to an overhead tube in the skylight area. I really like it. Small enough to be hardly noticeable, extremely rugged design with excellent satellite reception, and the 30-hour battery life means I get several full day's flying (tracking points for my wife's peace of mind) on a single charge. Next step is to add a power connection so it comes on and tracks when the master switch turns on. Bonus points for serving as a backup GPS source for my iPad / iPhone with either ForeFlight or FlyQ EFB.
Amy
SPONSOR
WI/MN/SD
I recently bought a Mini to upgrade my 10-year-old Spot. I’ve flown with it three or four times so far. I wish it didn’t require the phone for texting, but I fly with two (work and personal), have a solar panel to charge them if I don’t have power (no-electric Cub), and I talked to Explorer owners who explained that texting on the device is like using your remote at home to spell something. You arrow around, up/down/left/right to select each individual letter.
So far, so good, good battery life (though it’s hard to beat 10 years in my Spot with one set of batteries), solid little unit. I bought the backpack tether to Velcro around a tube but the straps are a bit big.
You can access maps through the phone app as well.
—Amy
So far, so good, good battery life (though it’s hard to beat 10 years in my Spot with one set of batteries), solid little unit. I bought the backpack tether to Velcro around a tube but the straps are a bit big.
You can access maps through the phone app as well.
—Amy
FdxLou
BENEFACTOR
Canton, GA
Love my Inreach Mini. Buy it through the RAF (https://theraf.org/) and get the bundle for the price of the mini alone at most retailers. Bonus...the RAF makes a buck or two that goes to maintain and acquire backcountry airstrips and access.
Lou
Lou
JimParker256
Registered User
Farmersville, TX
Lou, that's how I bought mine as well. And the RAF hat that came with it was really nice. I say "was" because I managed to misplace it somewhere at the Belén airport (KBRG) near Albuquerque, and am really pissed at myself for that!
aktango58
FRIEND
18AA
I am looking hard at the SE right now. I don't want to be required to have my phone with me all the time, I often leave it behind when in the woods, so sounds like the Mini is out.
My desire is for tracking while flying/boating/sledding, and be able to let Lyn know I will be 'late' getting back because I am kicked back at the cabin and don't want to deal with life.
Does anyone use the SE in tracking? How does to do?
Thanks
My desire is for tracking while flying/boating/sledding, and be able to let Lyn know I will be 'late' getting back because I am kicked back at the cabin and don't want to deal with life.
Does anyone use the SE in tracking? How does to do?
Thanks
tedwaltman1
FOUNDER
Delta, CO
I had an SE that I bought used. Worked well for couple of seasons. Then I bought the Mini. I like it’s size and weight better. I have an iPhone that I pair it to which makes it easier to text and do other functions. Great products and excellent customer support.
JimParker256
Registered User
Farmersville, TX
Don't rule out the Mini quite yet... You can set up three customized messages that you can send by just selecting them from the screen. It's quite easy both to set them up and to send those messages. My three pre-configured messages are set as follows:
1) Departing now.
2) I'm delayed, but everything's OK.
3) Arrived safely at my destination.
[Side note: I wound up using that 2nd one a couple of times on a recent trip, fighting 35 mph headwinds in a 100 mph airplane...]
Those three messages take care of all the "routine" things for me. Bluetooth pairing to my phone handles the rest. And, in the event the phone and iPad both go dead, and the two battery packs I carry with me are also dead, you're still not out of options... You can still use the Mini's "scroll through the alphabet and select the letter" method to send texts from the device. It's not fast, and it's not convenient, but it works well enough to be used when all else fails. The tradeoff for small size, light weight, and extreme ruggedness is well worth it, to me.
And if you do buy it, go through the RAF, and purchase their bundled kit. They get a small portion of the proceeds from Garmin, you get one month of free service, plus a really nice hat, paracord 'survival' bracelet, and a folding knife, all in a little drawstring-top bag that is a convenient way to carry stuff.
RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
It took me around 20 minutes of playing with it to figure out how to text using the select letter approach effectively. It has auto fill once you've done a few messages. If you are not long winded, you can pack a lot of info into a message just with the little side buttons.
The coolest thing (OK, I'm easily entertained) is when you are in a canyon far from anything and you send a message. It does a little squeal when it goes out to a satellite. Similar when you receive. Anywhere on earth....
Still blows me away. Of course, I remember being excited when the 8 party line came to our place in the 60s.
Charlie Longley
MEMBER
Anchorage, AK
I have a second hand Explorer that works great. Mostly I use it while flying my glider. Since we wear parachutes there’s a chance all you’ll have is what’s on your body. I attach it to my parachute cross strap.
