Inreach vs spot

[ScottPruden]

How does everyone like there inreach? Better then the spot? Help the gf is only going to buy me one and I want to get the best one!!

 

[maxwell]

Love my spot connect. Works great every time

 

[teeroy]

I've got an InReach, used it a few times around home and so far works as advertised. will report back on how it works in the mountains in a few weeks. I have had a spot for the last 4 years, it has always worked great.

 

[rmk 800 144]

I've got an InReach, used it a few times around home and so far works as advertised. will report back on how it works in the mountains in a few weeks. I have had a spot for the last 4 years, it has always worked great.

How was your InReach? Better then spot?

 

[arff]

I've got an InReach, used it a few times around home and so far works as advertised. will report back on how it works in the mountains in a few weeks. I have had a spot for the last 4 years, it has always worked great.

i have a spot now. We looked at the InReach at the sled show. How some nice features. Also has a selection of plans.
I am considering going with an InReach

 

[Turts]

I have the old in reach.
Works well. It is a little complicated with the Bluetooth to the phone and the flashing lights on the unit.
Was able to see where I was in the iPhone app every time I checked.
No problem sending text and locations at any time.
I would jump all over the new one though!!!!!
Sell you my old one??





Turts, typing on

 

[teeroy]

How was your InReach? Better then spot?

yeah, it worked great everywhere I used it. I think it's better because you can send and receive messages, and it tells you that your outgoing message was received even if the recipient doesn't respond. I gave it to my pop to use this summer when he went fishing up in the NWT and it worked good up there too. thinking I'm going to upgrade to the newer one with the screen this year so you don't need to have your phone with you.

 

[arff]

yeah, it worked great everywhere I used it. I think it's better because you can send and receive messages, and it tells you that your outgoing message was received even if the recipient doesn't respond. I gave it to my pop to use this summer when he went fishing up in the NWT and it worked good up there too. thinking I'm going to upgrade to the newer one with the screen this year so you don't need to have your phone with you.

Thanks. That's what we looked at. The message information is confirmed.

Just need to research the different plans now.

 

[teeroy]

Thanks. That's what we looked at. The message information is confirmed.

Just need to research the different plans now.

it does all the same things as a spot too (the first inreach), you can just hit a button to check in, and also has 3 pre programmed messages you can send without having to pair it with a phone. also has the SOS button which notifies a call center and they forward the info to the closest RCMP and S&R. I think I went with the middle plan that allows 15 text messages a month, can't quite remember. cool thing about the inreach is you can also deactivate it if you don't use it in the summer, they only charge you 99 cents a month for the inactive period. there is also some incentives if you are an ASA member, fill out a form with your membership and receive 15% off I think it is, for the lifetime of the unit.

 

[mountainbigbull]

I got the new yellow Inreach. Works good. Seems to pick up satellites quickly. Awesome battery life. Sends messages promptly in the back country. Decent plans and ability to suspend plan in off season. One thing that I found after four days of sledding. I threw it in my sons pack powered down. I thought why power it up all the time. So the buttons stick out slightly and to power it up you hold the check mark three seconds. So anyways I'm driving home and I get these email from the my unit saying I'm beginning my trip! So I look in my sons pack and it's powered up! Must have pushed on so something in the pack and powered up then pushed the x button and sent a few (I got two) messages! Now it has a button lock deal but it has to be powered up. So having knowing all this it's possible to send a SOS by mistake. Now you would have to press a sequence of buttons to do this but I'm thinking this is a real issue. Now I'm thinking of keeping the unit powered up and use the button lock. But yet again it uses a sequence of two button presses to get unlocked. So the other option is to carry it somehow as to not press any buttons but not sure how! I really think I should contact Inreach and express my concerns. But what the heck why not throw it out on the Internet! Inreach could change software to allow for better button lock. Other than that it's nice to know that I can let someone know where I am. My son is 12 so he's the driving factor in getting one of these!

 

[sledhead5000]

I've been having issues with my Spot tracker lately. Some of the messages aren't getting through. In McBride (Renshaw) I musta hit the check-in button 10 times, only 1 message got through. I was not impressed. I called spot, they promised a Tech guy would call me back, which never happened. I'll be looking to go to In-Reach for next season I think (Spot just auto-renewed a few weeks ago).

 

[ferniesnow]

I gave up on SPOT. The message receiving was getting too inconsistent. It was to the point of me thinking that in the case of an emergency it may not be reliable. Some messages would go through the system, some wouldn't? I have used a SPOT from the get-go and was very familiar with the way they worked or didn't work in our area (like where the dead spots were).

I ventured out and bought the inReachSE. I am in testing mode right now. I have contacts loaded (it would be nice if one could load contacts from the computer with a USB port) and will send a few messages today.

I'll keep you all up to date.

 

[ferniesnow]

................So having knowing all this it's possible to send a SOS by mistake.........

The SOS button has a lock on it's own. There is no way that would get unlocked in a back pack as it is quite stiff and reset. The other buttons I can see things happening with them. There is a Ram mount available for this unit and that would serve that purpose.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Just purchased a Spot Gen 3. Did my first test and all was a success. I too have always had a spot.


Sent from my phone ---- is anyone listening ?

 

[kfrey]

You can download "in reach sync" then transfer your contacts from your computer.
I've been a faithful spot owner for some time but the two way messaging is an upgrade. So far I'm finding that the in reach has no dead areas, all the messages have gone through. It's not instant like a regular text but may take a few minutes.

 

[bailer]

The SOS button has a lock on it's own. There is no way that would get unlocked in a back pack as it is quite stiff and reset. The other buttons I can see things happening with them. There is a Ram mount available for this unit and that would serve that purpose.

That is what I thought as well, but you can also initiate an SOS by pressing the checkmark while the SOS icon is highlighted on the screen. You only have 5 seconds to cancel it.

It takes a series of 3 buttons to power up the unit and also then 3 button pushes to initiate the SOS. Unlikely but it can happen.

I like to keep this emergency device on myself rather than mounted on my sled or bike. That way if I'm separated from my vehicle in a crash/avalanche etc I can still get help. Now I mount my phone on my vehicle and use it as a gps because the Inreach Se is my final line of communication.

I also therefore agree that the checkmark button should be physically protected somehow.

 

[Grinder]

I just took it a step further. Ive had the spot 1st gen loved it compact long battery life and messages were getting through. Seen the in reach i think was the first or second gen the black box. It was bulky but i liked the iphone message set up. Now next step spot sat phone they are 500.00 at cabellas and im going to try it out will let you know how it does. the one thing so far is there is no call display your call will be unknown name unknown number.