[Review] The inReach Mini by Garmin

Whether you’re an avid hiker, extreme mountain biker, world traveler, adventure motorcycle rider, off-road explorer, van lifer, or anyone else seeking the wild corners of the world, the inReach Mini by Garmin is a beneficial piece of tech gear to have with you. Measuring in at 4 inches by 2 inches and weighing only 3.2 ounces, anyone can make room for the inReach Mini. At its core, the inReach Mini is a two-way communication device that, at the press of a button, can get you the service and help you need if you find yourself in an emergency situation. The safety features don’t stop there.

The benefit of inReach devices is that the SOS button that communicates with the GEOS Safety Center at any moment (no cell service required), also allows you to communicate clearly with the GEOS center to let them know the urgency and severity of the problem. You can also text with family or friends who are at home to let them know you are safe. In addition to being able to communicate clearly with friends and family, they can also track your progress. Not only is the location tracking and sharing a safety feature, but it’s also really fun for people to engage in your adventure.

It’s evident that the inReach Mini (and the inReach full size) are a step above in the way that they have not only enable you to text back and forth with friends or family, but that you can Bluetooth to your phone and use the Garmin app to type messages. With only 4 buttons, typing on the inReach Mini can take quite a bit of time. It’s doable for sure in the situation where you may not have your cellphone but when you have access to a phone, the typing/texting feature is just like it is on your phone with a full keyboard. There are also preset quick texts by Garmin that you can use and you can program in your own preset messages.

Garmin uses the 100% Global Iridium® network for connection and we’ve never had an issue with it. We’ve been in some very remote places, deep canyons of the desert, and miles and miles from anywhere and the inReach always works for us. There are many places we travel to where we don’t have cell phone service, so it’s really nice to know we can always rely on the inReach if we need to. Before we had the inReach, we had an incident where we were traveling and could only check for messages or emails every few days. There was an emergency and we didn’t know about it until days had passed. It was heartbreaking. With the Garmin inReach, we’re always in reach if there is an emergency at home.

There are so many features to touch on with the inReach mini including the mapping and tracking features, the weather updates, and more so I very much recommend that you read in-depth about the inReach Mini on the Garmin website. The Earthmate app is easy to use, extends the usability of the inReach, and provides your exact location no matter where you are.

The inReach Mini is an expensive device and a subscription-based plan is necessary for the network but it is hands down worth the money. We hope to never have to use the inReach device but we’d hate to have to find out what would happen if we didn’t have it with us. If you’re ready to stay connected no matter what corner of the world you’re exploring, check out the inReach Mini by Garmin. If you’re interested in purchasing the inReach Mini, doing so using our provided link supports us as we get a small kickback from your purchase. We appreciate the support!

*We received the inReach Mini for free in exchange for a review, however, it’s important to know that all thoughts are our own.