# Best GPS Messenger?



## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

I like the inreach mini for everything (backpacking, rafting, etc.). Small enough form factor to throw into a trail running pack but full featured enough to use anywhere. The subscription price isn't a big deal if you use it year round.


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## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

#1 for us


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## Liquidsunshine (Mar 6, 2020)

+1 for InReach. Lightweight for backpacking, compact, fits in pocket when sledding. The ability to communicate directly with other InReach users helped us out when we had a minor shuttle issue on the Main a couple years back.


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

Another for Inreach.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I switched to Zoleo a while back. The actual device and the subscriptions are cheaper then Inreach and their whole system has an emphasis on messaging over maps. If you need maps and location tracking get the Inreach... if you don't I like the Zoleo better.

Its not fool proof and I've had a few issues with their app this year...but it was the same when I had the Inreach too. I still keep my Inreach as backup and have it on the base level subscription level.

The main reason I like Zoleo is you get a dedicated number that you keep till you cancel service and people can text it like a normal number. It also uses Cell or Wifi signal for messaging when it is available so you don't use up your messages unnecessarily.

Additionally... if your primary contact back home signs up and has the app...it can send MUCH longer messages (like 900+ characters vs. 160 or something) and has a read receipt feature so you know when the person received it.

One downside I've found is the person has to check the app to get the message and it may not notify them if the app settings are incorrect (this can happen with texts too...but probably less likely).

It has similar weather forecasts and they recently started a add on service (a little extra cost per month) that allows location tracking/reporting... so it can do a lot of what the Inreach's do too.

The only other downside is that, as you said, you need a phone to send messages outside of preset "check in" that can be sent via a button push on the device.


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## Sawatch Rescue (Apr 17, 2010)

+1 InReach Mini


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## Easy Tiger (Jun 22, 2016)

Another Inreach mini vote here


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## IDriverRunner (Aug 18, 2015)

Another InReach Mini user here.


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## Paul_Beckford (Jun 12, 2010)

For the Inreach proponents, how easy/intuitive is it for the other end to reply to your messages?


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

Paul_Beckford said:


> For the Inreach proponents, how easy/intuitive is it for the other end to reply to your messages?


I’m not a very tech save guy and I’ve found the Inreach Mini2 to be very intuitive and easy to use.


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## IDriverRunner (Aug 18, 2015)

Paul_Beckford said:


> For the Inreach proponents, how easy/intuitive is it for the other end to reply to your messages?


For the other end, it is as easy as replying to a text message.


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## pepejohns (Jul 14, 2014)

I borrowed an Inreach mini for my recent Grand trip, worked like a charm on the river and in camp. Also, because we had two of them in our group we were able to use it as an emergency option to keep in touch with a couple people in our group that did the Deer Creek loop overnight and met us further downriver the next day. Easy to use and reliable, and easy to link to my phone and others even though it was not my account. So - another +1 for the Inreach.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

xN+1 on the inreach mini, although I am tempted to try the Zoleo for reasons E-M has mentioned. I think you can get the email address off the inreach for inreach-inreach communications or a direct line from outside users to you.


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## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

Correct, inreaches can talk to each other. Came in handy on our Cat trip this season when I decided to go on a big long side hike solo - it meant I could keep in touch with our main group via what amounted to Iridium texting.


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## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

+1 for the Garmin Inreach Mini. It pairs with your phone, which allows you to send text messages. I've been using it for several years with no problems, and it has saved my butt a few times when trip logistics didn't work out.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Research which business has the most resources. Garmin is everywhere. Relaible, solid infrastructure and technology. This is a case where anything cheaper is not the same.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Again Inreach, explorer here, like the ability to use it without a cell phone if one has to, and the weather reports are nice. The ability to act as a GPS sealed the deal for me.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

To be clear... the Zoleo uses the same Iridium satellite network that the Garmin Inreach products do. Whether they are in it for the long haul I can't say... but the device is well made and the app is about as good as the Earthmate app that Garmin has. For GPS nav.... I found I prefer the Gaia app on my phone over the Earthmate app. If you look for a discount....you can usually find a discount code for an annual subscription to the Gaia app for less then $20. It won't do location reporting...but I'm not overly worried about that anyways.


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## Paul_Beckford (Jun 12, 2010)

Ok, I went against the grain and went with the Zoleo. Reasons primarily being cost, ease of use for those I’m messaging, and ability to save the number through months of service suspension. I have already shared out the email and number as a mobile contact to all my emergency contacts and will test this weekend. I really like the idea of having two devices on a trip, and odds are the second device would be an inreach, so good to have some fault tolerance there.


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## Big Wave (6 mo ago)

+1 more for InReach Explorer. Cell phone or IPad compatible. Great maps in different layers. Weather reports can be helpful. Different subscription plans available for amount of use and can be changed monthly. Interesting articles come to my email about others experiences using device. It’s fun for friends and family to track you and see your location on a map.


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