Garmin InReach or SPOT??

[bobrebos]

anybody use or have experience with these.  Thinking of getting one or the other for my Deadhorse Alaska Trip.....Thanks for any info on either....


https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100
https://www.amazon.com/garmin-inreach/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Agarmin%20inreach

 

[Kiwi_Roy]

I have had a Spot messenger for about 5 years and use just the check in OK feature costing about $160 per year.
Each time I stop when I think of it I send a Spot so my family can keep track, they find it reassuring to know that I am ok
I tried the tracking feature once but it sends out so many messages it's just annoying.
I also take it on my world travels, it's nice to know where I've been.

If you buy either the Spot of Garmin get it well ahead of the trip so you can get familiar with setting it up.

[Yukonica]

Have had the Spot since 2013. Originally bought it to keep in the car while travelling Yukon for work in the colder months.
Service contract went from $162 to $187/year ($US); not that it should matter when you are shivering in a ditch but, in honesty, the service isn't all that reliable in mountainous areas.
I also used it as a 'find me' if I went off the road on my bike but, again, the device needs a clear shot at the sky to send/receive signals. Between Whitehorse and Palmer AK there is at least 4 hours of the 10 hour drive that are blacked out.
That is a lot of area to cruise looking for someone in trouble, or a long time for family to be wondering where you might be.
My wife and I now make a habit of checking in by other means as we pass through towns (cell/internet service is available).
I recently emailed FindmeSpot to cancel the automatic renewal ... apparently the only way to do that is by telephone. Interesting marketing: you can't opt-out through the web-account but you can add more service options.
Can't speak for areas south but, for me up here, the device is really not the best option.

[bobrebos]

Have had the Spot since 2013. Originally bought it to keep in the car while travelling Yukon for work in the colder months.
Service contract went from $162 to $187/year ($US); not that it should matter when you are shivering in a ditch but, in honesty, the service isn't all that reliable in mountainous areas.
I also used it as a 'find me' if I went off the road on my bike but, again, the device needs a clear shot at the sky to send/receive signals. Between Whitehorse and Palmer AK there is at least 4 hours of the 10 hour drive that are blacked out.
That is a lot of area to cruise looking for someone in trouble, or a long time for family to be wondering where you might be.
My wife and I now make a habit of checking in by other means as we pass through towns (cell/internet service is available).
I recently emailed FindmeSpot to cancel the automatic renewal ... apparently the only way to do that is by telephone. Interesting marketing: you can't opt-out through the web-account but you can add more service options.
Can't speak for areas south but, for me up here, the device is really not the best option.


Since I was going to be using it on haul road etc and in the area of Deadhorse AK and other AK areas, I appreciate your feedback.  Thank You

[Caffeineo]

I have had an Inreach for the past few years and use it mostly when I go off road exploring. The wife can see where I am on the "map share" https://share.garmin.com/MichaelHartman The text message feature is also great. I got it after taking the "scenic way" out in the Owyhee desert when I ran out of gas and it got dark. Did not need 911 service but sure could have used some help. The texting feature would have been handy to let the wife know I was not hurt but need gas. Since I have it I now also take it on bike rides and any trip out of town. Very good service for $25/mo. Cheap insurance......

[ITSec]

SPOT devices are now pretty much mandatory among the long distance, IronButt crowd. They're well-proven, reliable, and have support outside the company service through the excellent SPOTwalla website created by Jason Jonas (a very experienced rider).

I've used one since 2011; I share the tracking info through SPOTwalla rather than the SPOT company website since that gives me very granular control over what information is shared. An optional offering is the SOS signal monitoring, which includes an extra level of safety monitoring and search-and-rescue insurance coverage.

I'd buy another SPOT tomorrow if I lost mine.

[Nick]

SPOT devices are now pretty much mandatory among the long distance, IronButt crowd. They're well-proven, reliable, and have support outside the company service through the excellent SPOTwalla website created by Jason Jonas (a very experienced rider).

I've used one since 2011; I share the tracking info through SPOTwalla rather than the SPOT company website since that gives me very granular control over what information is shared. An optional offering is the SOS signal monitoring, which includes an extra level of safety monitoring and search-and-rescue insurance coverage.

I'd buy another SPOT tomorrow if I lost mine.

  :1:

[billgilbert]

Just discussed these things with a friend who does a fair amount of far north canoe trips etc. He says the SPOT is cool and has used them, but the various rescue agencies hate them, since there is no way to query the user for the exact nature of an SOS message, like "is your life in immediate danger, or have you run out of toilet paper?" Apparently there have been some incidents where helicopters were sent for what turned out to be false alarms or pretty trivial problems. He says if he as to get set up again he would probably use InReach for its text message facility.
BG

[Caffeineo]

Just discussed these things with a friend who does a fair amount of far north canoe trips etc. He says the SPOT is cool and has used them, but the various rescue agencies hate them, since there is no way to query the user for the exact nature of an SOS message, like "is your life in immediate danger, or have you run out of toilet paper?" Apparently there have been some incidents where helicopters were sent for what turned out to be false alarms or pretty trivial problems. He says if he as to get set up again he would probably use InReach for its text message facility.
BG

Exactly why I have an inreach. I hope to never need a medevac and only need to get out of the woods, desert due to mechanical problems and can let others know exactly what I did to end up needing help.

[dee g]

We've had an inReach for about 2 years now.  Really happy with it. Worked great for our Asia trip and everything we've done here in US and Canada.  Spouse texted me with exactly why he was stopped somewhere for 2 hours while on his last trip.  Kept the guesswork and worry as to why he wasn't moving.  :-)

My SAR guys LOVE the inReach. Being able to text the unit has saved lots of time, effort and $$$.  And on the last SAR we had, the group texted and were able to give exact location of the injured person, extent of injuries, conscious level, etc.  Can't do that with a SPOT.

And as a 911 dispatcher, I won't go into my beefs with SPOT.  I cringe when the phone call from thei
r alert center comes in. 

[Green1000S]

I've used Spot 3 many years. Right now in Labrador with it. I can send 3 different types of messages to my wife:
1) Ciao, I'm OK
2) Staying night here,all OK
3) Bike is broken, I'm OK
And lastly you have the SOD, which launches automatically cops, ambulance or air rescue, I guess depending where you are... the three first messages can be personalized as you wish.
I use spot tracking for wifey and right now I also shared with you guys in my thread "Stelvio heading north, pics". It's fun to let friends see where you're roaming and that wife sees I'm moving and not in ditch. You can also zoom to see in what type elevation it is.
You can use spot homepage or whereamiriding.com: 
Whereamiriding: http://www.whereamiriding.com/my-profile/userprofile/Toofat2fly

Or spot: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0qqY6spH7T3azmGl1xtBav3kWHIlyrf0J

Luckily never used the sos button, but many have. It's a lifesaver when shit happens in a bad way.

[ChuckH]

I've had a Spot (Gen 2) for several years and have been to much of the US and a bit of Canada but not to Alaska.  I have the normal service plus the tracking feature.  Has been costing about $150. per year but have heard/read (on AdvRider) that the fees are drifting up.  Will need to contact them before they automatically charge me in December, sounds like I need to call them.

My wife likes me to use it.  She can follow my trips on her laptop using the tracking feature.  On trips I turn it "on" in the morning and "off" when I arrive at night.  I call/text at night so she knows all is OK.

It's been fine for my use.  Other options were not so readily available back then.  Maybe if I had a Smartphone an app would be available that would replace the Spot, but I'm still a flip phone guy.

[bobrebos]

SPOT= 75$ plus 20$ per month

InReach= 450.00$ plus 15$ per month

InReach costs mch more but gives more messaging options.  Guess it depends on how much I want to spend.  Thanks for all the opinions.......Now it will take me 6 months to decide, as good at decisions as I am!   

[dee g]

SPOT= 75$ plus 20$ per month

InReach= 450.00$ plus 15$ per month

InReach costs mch more but gives more messaging options.  Guess it depends on how much I want to spend.  Thanks for all the opinions.......Now it will take me 6 months to decide, as good at decisions as I am!   

Besides the bells and whistles, you should compare the mechanics of the two units. Power output, coverage area, who the SOS goes to, etc.