Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/08/08/the-garmin-inreach-mini-is-thi.html
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I’ve used earlier versions of this product (also the InReach line) with great success. It’s helped my loved ones feel much more secure when I’m off for days doing technical mountain climbing. Just a simple “at camp, done for the day” really allays fears. The quick “delayed but everything’s ok” also makes my wife happy.
There are also numerous reports in the 2017 Accidents in North American Climbing report where sat communicators were key in timely and life-saving rescues.
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I had good luck with an inreach on a 2000 mike sailing trip I took by myself. My dad was really anxious about initially but he ended up really enjoying watching my progress. The coolest part was that it gave me a map of my route when I was done.
I find their billing situation very irritating. I have no plans to use it any time soon but still get billed yearly to keep it working. Or something. I can never really understand what’s happening with that.
I’m hoping to take a long, very leisurely cross country trip in the not to distant future. One of these types of devices is first on my equipment list.
Yeah, I really wish they had a pure pay-as-you-need-it plan. An initial charge to set things up, but then you pay only for what you use. A monthly service charge for an emergency communications device that hopefully simply sits in my pack isn’t very palatable.
Yeah every time I get the bill I’m like wtf? And I send an angry email to them and they respond that that’s the billing plan I’m on.
These things are great.
Friends have also really good experiences with Spots in remote places like Gharwal Himalaya and whatnot - at a fraction of the price: https://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=133
Seamus if you ever drift in Calgary I’m happy to buy you a pint at the Ship.
Marcus
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