GPS Tracking

[JeffH]

Does anyone here use the InReach Mini? It's on sale right now at REI and Costco, a hundred bucks off makes it more attractive. If you have one or know someone who does, what is the reliability of the messaging?
I have a SPOT Gen3 and it manages to send maybe half the messages I attempt and also misses a lot of the tracking. Right now tracking isn't as important to me since I generally stay on established trails, but the messaging is because it makes me more popular at home. Of course if the web interface was a little more friendly the tracking might be more interesting - for now I also deplete my phone battery by using AllTrails.

[Girl Hiker]

The leader if one of my wed group uses one on all our hikes. Anyone can track your progress as you check in. I dont know all the specifics but from what I hear it's great! I'm planning on getting one myself.
Thanks for the info on the sale.

[JeffH]

Thanks, I'm curious about the actual tracking accuracy. My SPOT is supposed to track, I even went in and set the tracking interval shorter and it couldn't keep up with me on a hike heading north above treeline, which should be perfect satellite conditions.

[jfr]

I've got the full-size InReach, and I also saw that REI ad and thought about buying it just to save a few ounces. So I can only tell you about the full-sized one, not the mini. (I think the main difference is that the mini doesn't display a map.) The InReach tethers to your phone via bluetooth, and the texting is really easy using the phone. Last Summer I was able to ask the folks at home about nearby fires when the smoke got heavy in the Sierra, and they replied back that the fires were far away, so I wasn't worried. The map they have on the app is decent, and you can upload your own waypoints and tracks beforehand on your computer and sync it with the app. The device also beeps when it sends and when it receives a message, and you can check on the app that it sent successfully. You can also change the "ping" interval for the folks at home to follow your progress. When I got home and checked the map, it looked like all the pings were in the correct location. although the shortest interval I've used was ten minutes. I have also used the "premium weather report" function a few times on longer trips, and it was OK, but knowing that you're about to get drenched doesn't change the fact that you're about to get drenched. You'll know it when you're getting drenched. ?

I also have a dedicated GPS that I use for recording tracks, so I can't say how good it is about creating accurate gpx files. Tracking uses battery power, and I like to have plenty of reserve available for an emergency. Which I haven't needed, thank goodness.

I have the cheapest subscription service, too, the one that's $15/month and I can suspend it over the winter so I only pay for the months I use.

BTW - if you pay CalTopo $20/year you can use their app to record tracks. The app was still in "beta" last I checked but it worked fine, and allowed me to sync my maps and tracks to the phone. Great for trip planning and checking your position while on the trail. And CalTopo has a MUCH better set of map layers (and map interface) than the InReach. But you still need the InReach to talk to the satellites...