Garmin -In Reach: Your Experience/ Any better options ?

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

I’ve been using Somewear for almost a year now and really like it.   Super easy to use and intuitive.  I bought direct from their site with no issue.  I had the InReach before and had a few issues with it freezing up and not responding, I had to send it in for repairs a few times plus any update had to be downloaded by computer at home before heading out.  Somewear does auto updates without having to plug it in.   InReach may do this now so that may not be an issue anymore.   Anyway I was tired of my inReach breaking or freezing up at the most in opportune moments so I decided to switch and give Somewear a try.   It just works.  It may not have all the bells and whistles but I don’t need all that stuff, I can send a text to my wife letting her know I’m okay and that’s all I really need.  I’ve been really happy with it. 

Thanks for posting this.  I've been considering a Somewear for awhile now, and hesitant as it seems like an expensive product from a startup that could easily be orphaned tech if they don't survive.  

The somewhere device looks very similar to the inreach.  Same satellites, rescue service, cheaper plans.  What i don't know about is what happens when you use up your messages for the month.  Does it stop working until the next month or do they charge by the message? Inreach charges by the message which can be a life saver. 

climber pat wrote: The somewhere device looks very similar to the inreach.  Same satellites, rescue service, cheaper plans.  What i don't know about is what happens when you use up your messages for the month.  Does it stop working until the next month or do they charge by the message? Inreach charges by the message which can be a life saver. 

They charge you for going over just like In Reach.  I don’t think any company would pass up a chance to make money and I would think there could be a liability issue if they prevented a message going through in an emergency. 

climber pat wrote: The somewhere device looks very similar to the inreach.  Same satellites, rescue service, cheaper plans.  What i don't know about is what happens when you use up your messages for the month.  Does it stop working until the next month or do they charge by the message? Inreach charges by the message which can be a life saver. 

I think they charge by message if you go over.  I looked into it awhile back but held off due to concerns about the company sticking around.  It's mostly the lower cost $100 a year plan that is appealing vs the inreach mini (to me).

A C wrote:

Thanks for posting this.  I've been considering a Somewear for awhile now, and hesitant as it seems like an expensive product from a startup that could easily be orphaned tech if they don't survive.  

That's what makes me nervous. It isn't just the dependability of the unit, it's needing the company to be around for the life of the unit to get the service through.  I was just watching an old Ask This Old House on Youtube and they got called back to a high end house where they had installed a cutting edge water heater from a startup company 4 years earlier. The unit had crapped out and so had the company, so the owner was simply out of luck but for the good graces of TOH who installed a new one for them. Food for thought.

Johann Jells wrote:

That's what makes me nervous. It isn't just the dependability of the unit, it's needing the company to be around for the life of the unit to get the service through.  I was just watching an old Ask This Old House on Youtube and they got called back to a high end house where they had installed a cutting edge water heater from a startup company 4 years earlier. The unit had crapped out and so had the company, so the owner was simply out of luck but for the good graces of TOH who installed a new one for them. Food for thought.

The Iridium constellation isn't going anywhere.  Uncle Sugar made sure of that a few years ago.  Iridium-Next constellation is already going up. Just like INMARSAT - they have already moved on to newer geo-sync constellation GlobalXpress

there are some other start ups that may or may not last long but there handsets and services aren't as expensive.  So not a massive loss if it goes under.

SAT PAQ is one such example.  cheap sat-based messaging, but none of the SOS functionality that comes with inReach: https://satpaq.com/, it used existing geo-synch sats and freq ranges that aren't in use any more.  cool stuff, but I'll keep my inReach.

The issue with Somewear that concerns me is that without an ancillary phone it's useless. I have an Inreach Mini and usually pair it with a phone but it IS useful without one. Especially because I can pre-load a dozen or so stock responses into it to select with just a few button clicks. 

Señor Arroz wrote: The issue with Somewear that concerns me is that without an ancillary phone it's useless. I have an Inreach Mini and usually pair it with a phone but it IS useful without one. Especially because I can pre-load a dozen or so stock responses into it to select with just a few button clicks. 

same!  not needing a phone to use was the original reason way I ruled out the mini.  wanted some redundancy for messaging and fast navigation should phone fail or die.  (yes i know a map never runs out of battery.. I usually have one of those also.... The Airborne Ranger in the sky would strike me down if I didn't....)

Hey, dumb question, but does the Inreach do better with an Apple or Android phone? I've been Android, because I use Republic and really like them, but I need a new phone soon too. I'll probably try to go with whatever gets service outside of cities, particularly City of Rocks/Almo and other small towns, like Mackey Idaho and the little towns around the other empty parts of the west.

Best, Helen

Jim Urbec wrote:

same!  not needing a phone to use was the original reason way I ruled out the mini.  wanted some redundancy for messaging and fast navigation should phone fail or die.  (yes i know a map never runs out of battery.. I usually have one of those also.... The Airborne Ranger in the sky would strike me down if I didn't....)

The mini works just fine for messaging without a phone. Albeit the typing of messages is more difficult. But for SAR responses you really just need yes, no, and basic messaging. The preset messages are terrific for things like "We're at the summit" or "Delayed from return but we're fine. Will update later."

Old lady H wrote: Hey, dumb question, but does the Inreach do better with an Apple or Android phone? I've been Android, because I use Republic and really like them, but I need a new phone soon too. I'll probably try to go with whatever gets service outside of cities, particularly City of Rocks/Almo and other small towns, like Mackey Idaho and the little towns around the other empty parts of the west.

Best, Helen

garmin apps are pretty stable on either platform.  service outside of cities is more a function of carrier than device you're using.

Señor Arroz wrote:

The mini works just fine for messaging without a phone. Albeit the typing of messages is more difficult. But for SAR responses you really just need yes, no, and basic messaging. The preset messages are terrific for things like "We're at the summit" or "Delayed from return but we're fine. Will update later."

Ah, thanks sir! I was thinking of someplace like City, where I have often met up with people. It's a real pain trying to coordinate with others which campsite you got, where they should look for you out in the park.... It requires a lot of driving back to town, to the message board, or both. Yes, I'm just talking convenience. But? I could also see using this sort of "convenience" to quietly coordinate with SAR when I'm a mock mission "victim". Or friends need  me on the other side of the range to pick them up from their mountaineering trip. Stuff like that, which needs to be related in a timely manner, and needs a reply. 

Best, Helen

Señor Arroz wrote: The issue with Somewear that concerns me is that without an ancillary phone it's useless. I have an Inreach Mini and usually pair it with a phone but it IS useful without one. Especially because I can pre-load a dozen or so stock responses into it to select with just a few button clicks. 

It’s true you can’t text with it unless you have a phone but you can use it without a phone it’s just a simple SOS device.   One reason I didn’t buy another inReach is that I never used any of the other features.   Trying to text with it is a PITA and I never used the preloaded messages.   I never go anywhere without my phone now mainly because it’s my camera too so not having my phone to text with has never been an issue.   If I’m going to be on a wall for more than a few days I bring a small solar panel and a battery pack.   The inReach products are great but I just don’t need all the extra stuff. 

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

The inReach products are great but I just don’t need all the extra stuff. 

It's worth mentioning what most in this thread probably already know - the inReach is considerably smaller and lighter than anything else on the market.  "Extra" firmware and features weigh nothing and take up no space.  IMO, the success of inReach is largely due to its small size and thus users not seeming like such a goober carrying it around.

Jim Urbec wrote:

The Iridium constellation isn't going anywhere.  Uncle Sugar made sure of that a few years ago.  Iridium-Next constellation is already going up. Just like INMARSAT - they have already moved on to newer geo-sync constellation GlobalXpress

there are some other start ups that may or may not last long but there handsets and services aren't as expensive.  So not a massive loss if it goes under.

SAT PAQ is one such example.  cheap sat-based messaging, but none of the SOS functionality that comes with inReach: https://satpaq.com/, it used existing geo-synch sats and freq ranges that aren't in use any more.  cool stuff, but I'll keep my inReach. 

But if Somewear goes defunct, who are you going to buy the specific service for the device and it's proprietary software from? It's not like changing cell providers, is it? If it was, everyone would be shopping around for cheaper service than Garmin for their Inreach's. 

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

It’s true you can’t text with it unless you have a phone but you can use it without a phone it’s just a simple SOS device.   One reason I didn’t buy another inReach is that I never used any of the other features.   Trying to text with it is a PITA and I never used the preloaded messages.   I never go anywhere without my phone now mainly because it’s my camera too so not having my phone to text with has never been an issue.   If I’m going to be on a wall for more than a few days I bring a small solar panel and a battery pack.   The inReach products are great but I just don’t need all the extra stuff. 

My concern would be dropping my phone or something. I also tell my climbing partners that if something happens and I'm unconscious to just hit the SOS button on my Inreach Mini (usually on the outside of our summit pack) and wait for SAR to start texting with questions. So they don't need my phone. 

Señor Arroz wrote:

My concern would be dropping my phone or something. I also tell my climbing partners that if something happens and I'm unconscious to just hit the SOS button on my Inreach Mini (usually on the outside of our summit pack) and wait for SAR to start texting with questions. So they don't need my phone. 

The Somewear has an SOS button just like the InReach.   No phone is needed.  

Just posted this in the Great Deals thread but thought it might be helpful here, too. Inreach Mini currently on sale $75 off at Garmin. Plus something about a free month of service when you activate it.

​https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/592606/pn/010-01879-00​​​

Señor Arroz wrote: Just posted this in the Great Deals thread but thought it might be helpful here, too. Inreach Mini currently on sale $75 off at Garmin. Plus something about a free month of service when you activate it.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/592606/pn/010-01879-00

Saw that at B&H too, great deal, but they won't ship international. Apparently there's a prohibition of some kind.

George Hayduke wrote: Ive owned Spot Trackers ,ACR EPIRBs, and as of 3 years ago  the  Garmins in Reach series. IMO Garmin was very expensive, difficult to use, and had a unfavorable  pricing / use schedule.

 Im wondering if its just me.... what the communities experience been w Garmin -  In Reach? 

What do you think of the weight, features,functionality , design, button layout,  operability, pricing etc.

Look forward to your insight.  

Just two coins.
I have Explorer +, it's good for gps functions and I like that it's quite small, low weight and has a SOS button in case of emergency - gladly, we haven't used this function yet, but better be safe than sorry. But as for plans - it's best to start small and keep a few bucks aside for overage charges. My first plan allowed me to send about 20 messages + a fee for anything over, but gladly I don't use this function too often. Just messaging from time to time to keep my relatives updated that I'm safe (and so they could track my current location - I really like that it's possible to upload my current position).

And as for competitors, I heard that not too long ago Spot released the Spot X which also has many of the same functions as the In-Reach. Never tried it, but maybe someone else on this forum (and in this thread) did.