Anybody with recent experience with DeLorme InReach?

[netcoyote]

Been putting off getting an emergency beacon/transmitter for years and it's time to make it happen. Had a bad experience with the early version of the SPOT so I already have written that unit off. I've read a couple of the older threads here on the DeLorme and they seems positive with the exception of the subscription.

Anybody have current experience with either of the DeLorme communication tools?

[Russ McDonald]

I am going to tag this because I am in the same boat.  I have been doing research on these units and with the subscription you can do a month to month.  That is what I like because I would only use it during the hunting season.

[BetoBow]

Tag

[acnewman55]

I use the inReach a model year before the color screen. I love being able to send out texts to family and hunting partners.  I just send a message each night with an OK and camp location, and maybe a little more to the girlfriend as required.

I pay $12 a month for the basic plan which serves my needs.


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[acnewman55]

Best benefit is pairing with smartphone for texting, or viewing colored and detailed maps with my location pinpointed.


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[Hunter mike]

Can you receive texts back as well?  I looked into these a bit a few years back but they were pretty new and unknown at the time.  Any reception problems?  (I'm talking thick westside brush here...)

I ended up going with a PLB.  Seems solid, no subscription but we'll see what happens if I ever need to activate.  It would be nice to have something to use for lesser emergencies (lost keys, etc.).  I would only use my PLB if my life was in danger or hopelessly lost/stranded/injured.

[netcoyote]

Well, I finally sprung for the InReach SE and got a chance to test it out on Monday. I was doing some trail work down in Elbe Hills so I was in open areas for awhile and in some really thick cover; tall firs and thick maples. I set the unit to transmit a location point every 20 minutes. You can set it from every 10 minutes up to every 4 hours, depending on how many points you want to see and record.
The unit worked flawlessly all day and I retrieved the data map from the DeLorme web site when I got home. You can automatically have the map sent to anyone you have identified as a contact. In a twelve hour day transmitting points every 20 minutes, I think I used about 10% of the battery. For a long distance trek or where charging is not available, I would have the increments set to more like an hour or more. I would also look into a solar USB charger for an extended backpack trip. I plan to use it for a road trip, so I'm not too concerned about battery life.
I have it synced with my Android phone but haven't quite figured out how all that works yet. Here's a picture of the location point map from the web page:

[acnewman55]

Can you receive texts back as well?  I looked into these a bit a few years back but they were pretty new and unknown at the time.  Any reception problems?  (I'm talking thick westside brush here...)

Yes you receive text messages back.  I've used mine mostly in the Cascades but also in very thick bush and in steep ravines and didn't tend to have signal problems from trees and cover but only had them occasionally when large portions of the sky above were blocked by ravine walls, etc.

[actionshooter]

My buddy has one and we have used it in Mt and Ak with no trouble and this last year he was sending me play by play reports while he was hunting in Africa.
 
 Always worked well for us.