inreach?

[tboehm]

Just wondering what your experiences have been with this thing. Thought about getting this instead of a Sat. I read some reviews talking about software problems and instructions not complete and having to reset to get it to work and that being stated in the instructions. Has that been fixed?

Is the size and cost savings worth just being able to send text msgs or are you staying with the sat phone?

Not sure that I understand, Do you have to have your cell phone to make this thing work?

[matty_ren]

I have an Inreach SE, which you do not need your cell phone to make it work. I have had it for since last summer and have used it from the northern brooks to PWS and have not had any issues with it. Just sync it before you go out. As far as cost savings goes, yes it is lesser initial cost, but depending on the Delorme plan you choose and what sat phone plan, it can go from being less expensive to more expensive.

[0321Tony]

I have the older Delorme and it works great I have used it from Kotzebue to Kodiak and it works everywhere. The newer ones are stand alone and you can send and receive texts from the unit the only draw back I seen on it is that it has a rechargeable battery. I like the older unit that took a battery that way I could carry extras. Battery life on the old ones was great and would last about 5 days sending out a tracking. ping every 10 minute and turning it off at night. The older ones do not need a smart phone with them but you can only send three different preset texts and there is no way to read any received texts without a phone. So far I have not had a bit of trouble at all. My monthly cost is I think 29$ per month and comes with 40 texts I use mine as an epirb on my boat and also carry it with me whenever I go hunting snomachining basically anything outdoors. I have not had to use it in an emergency and hope never to have to but it works great to keep in contact with the wife or the outside world.

[Ruckup]

I have the inreach SE and used it all last season. Here are what I consider the Pros: It was very usefull communicating with my pilot and save me an extra day or so from being be extracted from the DSU. When connected to my I phone I was able to access topos, mark locations of rams, campsites and set other reference points / waypoints. I also hate to admit that I got myself into a situation last fall where I almost had to use the SOS feature, it was good to know if I needed it I had it. The battery life is awesome. During a 9 day hunt it still had 60 to 70% left and that is using it twice to three times a day and sending several messages each day. It is hands down the best piece of gear I bought in the past several years and now that I have it I would not go into the backcountry without it.... I never had a problem with the software and the customer service is top notch. You can send messages without your phone but accessing top requires a phone or other blue tooth device. This year the Delorme changed thier plans where you can do a month to month plan.

[tboehm]

really thinking about getting one instead of the sat phone. Any thoughts on having this instead of the phone? Can anyone that has one tell me if the batteries changeable or just rechargeable. IF rechargeable, do you carry a back up power source?

[0321Tony]

really thinking about getting one instead of the sat phone. Any thoughts on having this instead of the phone? Can anyone that has one tell me if the batteries changeable or just rechargeable. IF rechargeable, do you carry a back up power source?

The older style takes batteries it runs on two AA batteries and will last about 5 days with the tracking on only turned off at night. I use the lithium batteries in it and carry a few extra sets with me. The new one the Delorme SE runs off of a rechargeable battery. I contacted Delorme to see if they had a battery pack for the new one and they didn't but said that you could charge it using the goal zero solar charger or the goal zero charger that has the 4 batteries in it. So you could carry a few sets of rechargeable batteries and use the goal zero charger. I got this instead of a sat phone and it works great for me you can text two way with it so it's easy to keep in touch and everyone has a cell phone these days.

[mlshore]

The older style takes batteries it runs on two AA batteries and will last about 5 days with the tracking on only turned off at night. I use the lithium batteries in it and carry a few extra sets with me. The new one the Delorme SE runs off of a rechargeable battery. I contacted Delorme to see if they had a battery pack for the new one and they didn't but said that you could charge it using the goal zero solar charger or the goal zero charger that has the 4 batteries in it. So you could carry a few sets of rechargeable batteries and use the goal zero charger. I got this instead of a sat phone and it works great for me you can text two way with it so it's easy to keep in touch and everyone has a cell phone these days.

I really dislike rechargeable batteries in the bush but they've become unavoidable, so I've got a couple of 18000mAH Limefuel storage batteries, which give you 3 or 4 recharges of phone-type devices each. They're heavy but compact and really convenient. I got a Goal Zero solar charger last year while evacuated (Stuart Creek 2 fire) and wasn't that happy with it, although it's better than nothing if you're carrying electronics. Slow to charge, to the point where we were drawing down the battery while charging and using the phone at the same time.

[snowbear]

I have not used an inreach but have run with folks that do. I prefer my sat phone. unlimited text messaging and I can talk to someone if I want. I've used it in a lot of NA and in parts of Asia.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

I don't understand these Delorme and Spot devices. Why don't you guys just buy a PLB one time, with no subscriptions, nd be done? It's the same satellite and the same guy in the same helicopter coming to save you.

[0321Tony]

Because the in reach has two way communication. Kinda like a satellite phone but cheaper and lighter. So it's communication and a PLB

[mlshore]

I don't understand these Delorme and Spot devices. Why don't you guys just buy a PLB one time, with no subscriptions, nd be done? It's the same satellite and the same guy in the same helicopter coming to save you.

It's actually not. Or rather, it might be, but it goes through a different dispatch center. A less-reliable one. Anyway, not only do the DeLorme and SPOT devices provide two-way communication, but they also provide GPS tracking on a map. A lot of mushers carry them so that they can show sponsors where they are and how they're doing, and it helps get them more sponsors. (And hey, I've been able to track a friend's caribou hunts from his updates and learn where his spots are).

[rosscoak]

Love my inreach in southeast alaska. Love getting texts from wife like....stop and get milk on your way home.

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[Grayling Slayer]

inreach?

I have both and I prefer the InReach SE over my sat phone for sending text messages and map locates. The smartphone app is really easy to use and includes free topo maps from Delorme. For emergency use I would choose the sat phone hands down. The service plans are very comparable depending on usage.

[BQuad]

Love mine. Easier to text with your smart phone paired, but I leave it behind if I'm backpacking, it's adequate without it. I just had a small GPS on the boat but with this you can download the app on an iPad, download the Noaa charts and bam you have a 7" screen for a couple grand less than a new garmin set up. Still use the small Garmin for waypoint routes, etc but this is nice to have on a big screen.

The new Explorer model has more GPS functionality than the SE model. My plan is the cheap one $12 a month for 10 custom messages, unlimited preset messages.

[akmatt66]

I bought the new inReach explorer from the Delorme because the stores don't carry it yet. I just got done using it in the Wrangell's and it works great! My partner quit on me after one trek up the mountain and I was able to contact the air taxi to get me the F away from him with no problems and I was able to send my wife text messages with no problem. Easy affordable plans so you can send out text messages on a month to month plan if needed. You also can set up ten reply messages and three preset messages.