Need a phone that will work where your smartphone won't? The wilderness is dangerous. ; For an immediate forecast for your current GPS location, send the message “wx now” (without quotation marks).US forecasts are provided by the National Weather Service.Elsewhere they're provided by Darksky.net (formerly Forecast.io). The inReach Explorer+ is one of the largest and heaviest products we tested. Garmin InReach Explorer+ Handheld Satellite Communicator with GPS Navigation, Maps, and Sensors 010-01735-10 and Wearable4U Ultimate Power Pack Bundle 4.6 out of 5 stars 124 $459.99 $ 459 . We prefer to separate our satellite communication and navigation devices, and usually use smartphones to navigate. When you push the SOS button on a personal locator beacon, you are sending your GPS coordinates and saying, "This is really, really bad." Log in or sign up to leave a comment Log In Sign Up. Inreach mini horrible battery life. Like the InReach devices, Zoleo relies on the Iridium satellite network, which offers true global coverage. The SPOT satellite network covers the major terrestrial wilderness destinations of an American adventurer. Including, but not limited to, flexible plan activation fees, suspension fees, etc. InReach Mini vs. Spot Gen3 (Photo: Andrew Skurka) Spot invented the satellite messaging category in the late-aughts. Garmin Support Center is where you will find answers to frequently asked questions and resources to help with all of your Garmin products. Let’s now take a look at how the Inreach Mini stacks up against other satellite messenger devices. SPOT, Bivystick nor inReach apps allow you to send and receive messages over cell/wifi. They are sent, respectively, to a monitored satellite network and a local aircraft distress frequency. Not Answered. This makes it the easiest two-way texting device to use. Use, testing, and investigation yield test data and comparisons in SOS function, non-emergency messaging, signal coverage, ease of use, and portability. share. Our intention and hope here is to have shed some light on a confusing topic and category. He almost always brings a satellite messenger or personal locator beacon along on his adventures. SHOP NOW. All have various features that you can choose to use. For InReach vs Zoleo, I went with the InReach because it also offers tracking and mapping functionality (via your phone) whereas the Zoleo doesn't. Professional inReach subscription plans offer additional features that are not available to inReach users with personal monthly Freedom plans or Annual contract plans. Here Benja texts, from his smartphone, through the GoTenna Mesh, (no longer in our main review). Sending customized messages directly from the inReach devices is slow, but it works. This is a two-way, satellite-linked, backcountry messaging device that works entirely on its own. Zoleo compares favorably to the popular Garmin inReach Mini, with the main benefit that the Zoleo is initially about $100 less expensive ($200 vs $300.) Unified messaging app to send sms or email messages across cellular, wifi or the iridium satellites based on the best option. The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a GPS tracker, navigation tool, 2-way satellite messenger and SOS device all in … Don't take these things for granted. You want the best satellite messenger. Those are the problems that ZOLEO are attempting to solve with their new satellite communicator and associated smartphone app: I did a quick Cost-Of-Ownership compare table to show the difference between the ZOLEO, inReach and SPOT which are the main competitors in this space (at least in North America). But the two-way messaging of many of the other options makes them more useful products overall. That being said, through an inexpensive subscription to 406Link you can replicate an informal "off label" non-emergency message protocol. The device itself is compact, light, and low profile. Garmin Inreach Mini vs The World: Competitor Comparison. We also found subtle differences in message integrity. Sort by. It broadcasts a distress signal through two radio channels, 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz. Our reviews are carefully considered and based on testing of purchased equipment by dedicated wilderness travelers. All trademarks property of their respective owners First, there is two-way texting with or without location data attached. Do your homework to know what your SAR options are for any given adventure. We use each device and service in real-world applications and have been doing so for decades. TEXT vs EMAIL: The InReach must use local Cellular services to get texts to a recipient's phone. On the Bivystick Blue, you can only send an SOS message and/or a routine "I'm OK" check-in message. The initial purchase price of a personal locator beacon or satellite messenger is only part of the equation. For wilderness travel of any kind, the communication products on the market as of early 2020 are crucial and super useful. Decades of history and anecdotal evidence confirm the global coverage and effectiveness of the COSPAS/SARSAT system that these devices employ.