Anyone have one? DeLorme InReach™ SE Satellite Communicator

[vandeman17]

Spending more and more time off the grid, I have been looking at picking something up to communicate with people back home in case of emergency or to send updates. I came across this and it looks pretty cool and has a $75 mail in rebate. Wondering if anyone has one or something similar?


http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Handheld-GPS-Accessories/Handheld-GPS%7C/pc/104791680/c/104729580/sc/104373180/DeLorme-InReach8482-SE-Satellite-Communicator/1924980.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fhandheld-gps%2F_%2FN-1100153%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104373180#BVRRWidgetID

[ghosthunter]

I have had a SPOT for four years now. Works great.

[X-Force]

rokslide had a review of the Inreach but i cant find it now.

I know that their plans are getting better for seasonal use but you are still paying a pretty good penny every year.
I plan on getting one between now and archery elk season.

If you get one write a review and let us know what you think.


Whenever you get yours let me know your login info so someone can keep track of you while your in the backcountry 

[netcoyote]

I bought that exact device for the same reasons. I was taking a trip down to Utah in April and would be exploring a lot of back roads and would be by myself so I thought it would be a good thing to be able to both communicate with people at home as well as have a rescue signal capability if I got into serious trouble.

I practiced with it before my trip and would suggest anyone trying it out to do the same. Once you get used to the clunky interface, it's a very handy tool. I would send my wife and others a notification in the morning of when and where (GPS lat/long) I was starting from. It would send periodic data points of my location based on how I had it configured. You can set it for sending a lot of points, I think it will go to as low as 10 minute intervals, or a few if you set it for 2 hr or more intervals. I had it set for half hour increments which would usually send about 16-20 points in a day. The recipient can get the messages by either email or text message or both. They can even follow your progress if they want. They can access a topo map using the DeLorme web site tool that displays the location of the points that are sent.

You can also sync the unit with a smart phone which will acts like a GPS with a map that shows your location (which the basic unit cannot do). You can also edit a text message with the synced phone and send it through the SE unit.

I like the feature that gives you a lot of options for paying for the service. You don't have to buy a whole year subscription, just buy for what you need. You can also get unlimited texting service or a standard minimum for a lower fee.

All in all I'd rate it very high, the only issue I have is the interface. I've been dealing with computers most of my adult life so I can roll with that, but I can see where some may have some issues with it. If you get one and would like some help, just drop me a PM.

[vandeman17]

rokslide had a review of the Inreach but i cant find it now.

I know that their plans are getting better for seasonal use but you are still paying a pretty good penny every year.
I plan on getting one between now and archery elk season.

If you get one write a review and let us know what you think.


Whenever you get yours let me know your login info so someone can keep track of you while your in the backcountry 

I will let you know if I do get one and what I think about it. I can't find what the yearly plans cost but if they are reasonable I will probably buy one. I like the idea of texting versus sat phone because I can use it as a log of what was said back and forth. Also don't have to worry about it breaking up or something during a conversation, or worse, breaking up during a distress call. If the text is sent, it will be there in full context.

[vandeman17]

I bought that exact device for the same reasons. I was taking a trip down to Utah in April and would be exploring a lot of back roads and would be by myself so I thought it would be a good thing to be able to both communicate with people at home as well as have a rescue signal capability if I got into serious trouble.

I practiced with it before my trip and would suggest anyone trying it out to do the same. Once you get used to the clunky interface, it's a very handy tool. I would send my wife and others a notification in the morning of when and where (GPS lat/long) I was starting from. It would send periodic data points of my location based on how I had it configured. You can set it for sending a lot of points, I think it will go to as low as 10 minute intervals, or a few if you set it for 2 hr or more intervals. I had it set for half hour increments which would usually send about 16-20 points in a day. The recipient can get the messages by either email or text message or both. They can even follow your progress if they want. They can access a topo map using the DeLorme web site tool that displays the location of the points that are sent.

You can also sync the unit with a smart phone which will acts like a GPS with a map that shows your location (which the basic unit cannot do). You can also edit a text message with the synced phone and send it through the SE unit.

I like the feature that gives you a lot of options for paying for the service. You don't have to buy a whole year subscription, just buy for what you need. You can also get unlimited texting service or a standard minimum for a lower fee.

All in all I'd rate it very high, the only issue I have is the interface. I've been dealing with computers most of my adult life so I can roll with that, but I can see where some may have some issues with it. If you get one and would like some help, just drop me a PM.

Thanks for the review. That is just what I was looking for. 

[netcoyote]

This is a sample of the website that someone would be able to see from the signal that you send from the InReach. Each blue dot is a location sent at half-hour intervals. The messages can be seen by clicking on the blue boxes. You can zoom in to get more detail of the location.

[JackOfAllTrades]

http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/subscription-plans.php

-Steve

[skagitsteel]

I have been using one for a little over a year now.  Works well for what it is IMO. Its not an instant text to send and receive, it takes a few minutes but very reliable for me so far.  Ended up coming out of the backcountry three or four hours later than expected due to packing out animals a couple times last year, it was really nice to be able to send my wife a text and let her know what was going on.  Also makes me more willing to hunt way back there alone with no cell signal.  It does send your coordinates with every text, so don't text your buddies from it when you get something down 

[High Climber]

I got one before last season... I also am happy with it. My wife appreciates it more than I do because I can send a nightly text or receive an urgent message if she has one. It's also a nice feeling to have a safety net if I broke a leg or something.

[CAMPMEAT]

Maybe not what you're looking for but, the most important thing to me is getting help first in case of emergency and contacting family second. I bought a $250 PLB, personal locator beacon. It's registered to you only, in case you need some serious help in the backcountry.

[luvmystang67]

Can you use it to send texts from unit to unit if you each have one and are both in an area with no cell service?

[CAMPMEAT]

Can you use it to send texts from unit to unit if you each have one and are both in an area with no cell service?

If you're asking me, I don't know. Mines a ACER (?) I think. I'd check out there website.

[High Climber]

I'm pretty sure you can send device to device, but don't quote me. None of my buddies have one so never tried it.

[Okanagan]

I have used the DeLorme InReach SE for nearly three years and recommend it.  It sends and receives text messages directly via satellite to and from any smart phone or e-mail address and works anywhere on earth except polar.   Along with the message is a link to a satellite earth photo with the precise location marked from where the message was sent.  Most have been accurate to within 6 feet, but one time from inside an office building it was off by 40 feet.

I had a SPOT before the InReach and the DeLorme has replaced it.  It adds custom texting composed at the moment while retaining the SPOT type emergency button to call Search and Rescue.

It has worked for me in WA State Paysayten wilderness, Olympics, Canadian Rockies, northern Vancouver Island, northern Saskatchewan and along the eastern seaboard of the US. 

It has worked in a deep east west canyon in the North Cascades under big trees loaded with over a foot of snow.  Ditto in forest rain and rain on snow conditions.  It sometimes takes several minutes to get out but has been far more reliable than my experience with satellite phones. Apparently the text goes out in a burst and does not require a long uninterrupted connection like voice needs.

I have the cheapest plan, $9.99 per month for ten messages sent or received, and it costs fifty cents extra (I think?)  for messages above that.  I went in a day early to scout a north Cascades backpack hunt and texted my son that I was camped two miles from where we'd planned, and to bring an item I forgot.  I can let my wife know I am staying out an extra night, say that my vehicle is stuck, ask someone to bring a specific tool, ask my wife to meet me at a restaurant, and even spent an extra fifty cents on a message to say my sleeping bag was lonely.

I bought mine at REI.  When I could not figure out how to use it I took it back to REI and a manager went outside to the parking lot with me and figured out how to use it himself as I took notes.  No problem since.

It has tons of bells and whistles like tracking, Twitter, Twinkies (just kidding) etc. that I never use.  I only use it for text messages, and I like having the emergency button.   As said, the keyboard is cumbersome and slow, and the messages are limited to 160 characters including e-mail address of recipient(s). 

[Romulus1297]

The spot satellite phone does work if you want to talk to your kids most of the time

[BDildine]

Been looking at getting one of these, (leaning towards explorer rather than se), the wife would be a lot less stressed out while i'm on solo day trips out of range while she's home 4 months preggo, but i wish they werent quite so much coin. Anyone got one for sale? lol

[coop2424]

I have the inreach se for the last two years and really like it.. I got it off eBay for $150 and have had no issues.. Worked well this last weekend to let family know that bull was down and would be getting home later than planned..  It does take a little time to send texts and receive them but if you plan on that it isn't a issue..

[summertime blues]

I have one.  It is great for piece of mind.  Did chinook to white pass in 1 day a few weeks ago and wife was able to watch me to pick me up at white pass.  Most of my back country stuff is solo so the wife likes it. Hopefully I never have to test the sos feature

[fc2038]

I have one as well. I have used it the last two years in Oregons wilderness. It is easy to use and messages are sent rather quickly depending on cover. I use it nightly to send messages and communicate with the kids. After the initial perches it is a yearly 19 dollars a year to keep the unit live. You can activate it monthly when needed. For me I use it about 2 months a year, depending on how long I am gone or where I am hunting/hiking I chose a plan that will fit my needs. This last trip I paid the 59 bucks for the unlimited texting and split it between 3 guys in camp. Everyone was able to communicate with their families. I recommend it. My only wish is a touch screen for faster typing. But it is light and works well!

[dwils233]

Does you have a link to the rebate offer?

[BDildine]

Does you have a link to the rebate offer?

Didn't know there was one....everyone is pretty much same cost across board, never seen one on sale/rebate

[summertime blues]

I also thought it is kind of rudimentary old school texting method and figure now that I have one a touch screen version will be coming out soon with my luck. .. that said it is still awesome to be able to text from deep in the back country to say all is well

[206hunter]

i've got the previous generation where you use the delorme gps unit to pair with the satellite communicator. the gps does the texting and the satellite communicator sends/receives. worked great for me. only issue is w/ the gps which ocassionally has trouble turning on. I'll just take out the batts and put in new ones or just keep trying and it always works. alot has been written about this issue online. the good news is that you don't need the gps if you're gonna send the sos because that function is built into the satellite communitcator. amazing i was able to send messages in nasty canyons...although that might take 30 min. make an offer if you're inclined. i could offer a return policy if ya like considering it probably doesn't sound like the most enticing set up. always worked for me and gave me great peace of mind. could buy a 200 personal locator beacon to back it up. the gps pn 60 has topos loaded on for WA and OR so it's pretty sweet setup

[Bushcraft]

I have the new version with their unlimited texting plan.  Their Earthmate app works seamlessly with my iPhone.  GPS. Maps. Weather. Waypoints. Tracking. Routes. Navigation. Texting. SOS.  Also, the internal rechargeable battery lasts a surprisingly long time even when using it hard.

Game changer.

[dwils233]

I was in Cabelas this weekend and the manager and I were talking about the DeLorme. Apparently they were recently acquired by garmin but it appears they will keep the brands separate. Sounds like if you can hold out for a year or two we might get a Delorme with garmin-grade gps functionality built in. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

DON'T OWN ONE, BUT AT WORK I'M TRACKING SOMEONE WITH ON, AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM THRU EMAIL. IT WORKS WONDERFUL NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. SPOT ON THE OTHER HAND IS GARBAGE, LOTS OF FAKE TRANSMISSIONS SENT OUT BY THEM, CAUSING FALSE SEARCHES ETC.

[BDildine]

DON'T OWN ONE, BUT AT WORK I'M TRACKING SOMEONE WITH ON, AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM THRU EMAIL. IT WORKS WONDERFUL NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. SPOT ON THE OTHER HAND IS GARBAGE, LOTS OF FAKE TRANSMISSIONS SENT OUT BY THEM, CAUSING FALSE SEARCHES ETC.

Thanks! At this point I'm pretty sold on the Delorme, just need to save a few pennies and maybe there will be a sale or a good used one

[luvmystang67]

Okay, here's a review from 4.5 days elk hunting.

What I expected:
We have some texting walkie talkies that we use to strategize when hunting.  I'll text something like "give me a few cow calls" or "come around up top and push downhill" and its critical that these texts get sent quickly, but typing takes a while.  Limitations of our current product are that you have to type old-school text message style where you hit each button up to 4 times to get the letter you want.  Also, you have no confirmation that the message sent or that the other party received them.  The range is similar to a regular TalkAbout style radio and they don't work well over hills and in other areas.  Also, the place we hunt has no cell service.  We carry SPOT devices in case of emergency or to let people know where we decided to camp.  We thought the InReach would take the place of all of these devices, allowing us to coordinate hunts, send locations, and keep in touch with loved ones.

Reality:
The InReach pairs with your iPhone or other smartphone through bluetooth.  You dont have to do this, but it improves functionality.  The app allows you to text quickly, which is great.  The app also has maps that you can download and cache, so you can use it for messaging and navigation.  Really it works pretty well in that regard.  On paper it should do everything we wanted but the reality was a little different.  Here are some notes below that were kind of surprising to us, or if not surprising, kind of some downfalls.

1. The unit performed best when outside the pack, so we had to clip them to the exterior of our backpacks and keep them paired to the phones from there.  We teathered them down.
2. At least on iPhone, the bluetooth connectivity was kind of inconsistent.  Basically when i connected it was fine, but as soon as I put my phone away (like sleep mode) it would basically sleep the bluetooth as well.  This meant that my phone would not alert me when I had new messages and unless I turned sound on the inReach, I'd have no idea that I received a new message.  When the phone was reactivated it would sometimes show disconnected and have to reconnect and refresh the connection.  Sometimes it'd sit idly for a while until I turned bluetooth off and back on again on the phone.  So I received messages to my phone whenever I remembered to check it, even if I set the delorme refresh rate to "Continuous".
3. Messages take a while to send.  Basically with bluetooth it transmits the message you want to send to your delorme, where it gets sent from.  The delorme is the weak link here.  It can take up to 10 minutes to send your message out and seems to have a difficult time doing so if you're moving (maybe it is continuously updating your location and doesn't know which location to send... dunno).  This proved particularly problematic in a car... messages wouldn't send even if you had a clear view of the sky but were moving.
4. Messages seem to take a while to receive when sending from one delorme to another.  In some cases up to 2 hours, but most were 10 min or so.  This kind of killed our ability to use them as strategic tools for hunting as the delay ended up being too long.  It was great to coordinate meet-up spots or whatever, but too tough to use if you're making a strategy on a bugling bull.
5. If you want people with cell phones to be able to text you, you MUST text them first so that they have a phone number to reply to.  They cannot just cold text you.  They might be able to use your delorme e-mail address (your_account@inreach.delorme.com), which is how you e-mail from one device to another in the field, but its much easier if you text them first so they have a randomly assigned phone number to respond to.
6. Setting up everything online ahead of time is a pretty big pain.  You need to set messages online in advance.  Choose sending options (like do you want to send your position with every text) has to be done online and then your device needs to be updated.. sometimes on the USB of your computer and sometimes (like with change of service) it needs to be updated via satellite.

Some cool Pros:
1. Messages to cell phones seem to send very quickly compared to messages from inreach to inreach

2. You can text a friend in another canyon and even share your location.  When you text a message to another inreach device, the message send location is recorded on your map (different color for you and your friend) so you can see where the message sent from and even see where yours sent from.

3. The map functionality is pretty good and might replace your existing cache type app, which allows you messaging at the same time.

4. Battery life was pretty decent.  I had it set on continuous updates and use all day.  At the end of the day I'd be at 45%.  If you turned down the refresh rate I'm sure it'd be much better

5. The independent screen is pretty nice in case you drop your phone in water or your phone battery dies or basically if your phone craps out on you, the inreach is still functional even thought the UI is severely dated.

I hope this helps people.

[RatRodMike]

Tagging along.

[luvmystang67]

I forgot a couple of other things.

The time stamps were super annoying.  I had iOS, my buddy had Android.  When he received my texts... sometimes 30 min later... he'd see the time stamp on the text from when I sent it, which is helpful.  When I got his texts, it just said the time stamp from when I had last refreshed and I'd have no idea what time he sent and get them all at the same time.  I started having him put the time in the text so I knew what time it was that it was sent.

Also, all of the functionality that is on the relatively junky UI on the inreach is not available on the the app.  The ability to send one of your "free" 3 presets and the ability to send your location, are notably missing from the app.  Why is this!?! Give me all the functionality and more on the phone so I dont have to keep going back to my pack to get this thing and send that stuff.

[acnewman55]

I love my inReach.

Have a friend that is alive today because he had his with him on a rock climb that went bad in the North Cascades.

I don't hunt without it.  Looking forward to the increased functionality as they continue to update the iphone app.

[derrickbouwman]

I love mine. Has worked very well for me. If u aren't in a nasty hole it sends and receives texts very fast. Don't leave without it niw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ghostshell]

i have the in reach explorer. i think having navigation was worth the extra $. its awesome, i do miss a satellite phone at times but for the money i cant complain at all yet. have had it every time i headed out this year. its a great tool for your kit.

[Elkrunner]

I bought that exact device for the same reasons. I was taking a trip down to Utah in April and would be exploring a lot of back roads and would be by myself so I thought it would be a good thing to be able to both communicate with people at home as well as have a rescue signal capability if I got into serious trouble.

I practiced with it before my trip and would suggest anyone trying it out to do the same. Once you get used to the clunky interface, it's a very handy tool. I would send my wife and others a notification in the morning of when and where (GPS lat/long) I was starting from. It would send periodic data points of my location based on how I had it configured. You can set it for sending a lot of points, I think it will go to as low as 10 minute intervals, or a few if you set it for 2 hr or more intervals. I had it set for half hour increments which would usually send about 16-20 points in a day. The recipient can get the messages by either email or text message or both. They can even follow your progress if they want. They can access a topo map using the DeLorme web site tool that displays the location of the points that are sent.

You can also sync the unit with a smart phone which will acts like a GPS with a map that shows your location (which the basic unit cannot do). You can also edit a text message with the synced phone and send it through the SE unit.

I like the feature that gives you a lot of options for paying for the service. You don't have to buy a whole year subscription, just buy for what you need. You can also get unlimited texting service or a standard minimum for a lower fee.

All in all I'd rate it very high, the only issue I have is the interface. I've been dealing with computers most of my adult life so I can roll with that, but I can see where some may have some issues with it. If you get one and would like some help, just drop me a PM.

Thanks for the review. That is just what I was looking for. 

Adam this would be great..I can track you down whenever I want

[vandeman17]

I bought that exact device for the same reasons. I was taking a trip down to Utah in April and would be exploring a lot of back roads and would be by myself so I thought it would be a good thing to be able to both communicate with people at home as well as have a rescue signal capability if I got into serious trouble.

I practiced with it before my trip and would suggest anyone trying it out to do the same. Once you get used to the clunky interface, it's a very handy tool. I would send my wife and others a notification in the morning of when and where (GPS lat/long) I was starting from. It would send periodic data points of my location based on how I had it configured. You can set it for sending a lot of points, I think it will go to as low as 10 minute intervals, or a few if you set it for 2 hr or more intervals. I had it set for half hour increments which would usually send about 16-20 points in a day. The recipient can get the messages by either email or text message or both. They can even follow your progress if they want. They can access a topo map using the DeLorme web site tool that displays the location of the points that are sent.

You can also sync the unit with a smart phone which will acts like a GPS with a map that shows your location (which the basic unit cannot do). You can also edit a text message with the synced phone and send it through the SE unit.

I like the feature that gives you a lot of options for paying for the service. You don't have to buy a whole year subscription, just buy for what you need. You can also get unlimited texting service or a standard minimum for a lower fee.

All in all I'd rate it very high, the only issue I have is the interface. I've been dealing with computers most of my adult life so I can roll with that, but I can see where some may have some issues with it. If you get one and would like some help, just drop me a PM.

Thanks for the review. That is just what I was looking for. 

Adam this would be great..I can track you down whenever I want

We used one in Idaho and it was awesome!

[hirshey]

Glad you had a fairly good experience. You noticed the light blinks green in silent mode to let you know you have a new message? 12 days in Idaho this year, and it was a fabulous tool for us... We had 3 in the group.

[luvmystang67]

I actually never knew what the color meant or the light meant.  I keep it on my pack shoulder strap (so it has good access to the sky) and I was wondering if animals were going to see the blinking light.  However, as long as I'm not hunting at night, I cant imagine it'd be a problem.

I do notice that on iOS it does not send push notifications, so you don't see that you have a new message on  your iPhone until you check for messages.  However on Android, you get messages pushed to you whenever they come in.  Android is a better choice from that perspective.

[sagewalker]

Love the thing, easy to use and you can pair it with your phone for ease of use. Worked great in Idaho this year. Zero issues.

[Skillet]

Use mine every day I'm out of cell coverage.  Has become the standard in the troll fleet.

[Russ McDonald]

They were just bought by Garmin.  Look on Garmins website https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/561269
Don't know if they are offering the cheaper version.

[buckmaster_wa]

Tagging

[Magnum_Willys]

Worked great for me - would not try to use without pairing with a smartfone - too cumbersome. 

I'd leave the unit outside the cabin with view of the sky and could sit inside and text with the smartfone, or leave in top pocket of pack and text with smartfone while hiking.  It works inside a tent fine but not inside a cabin.  Sit it on dash or under sunroof and it works in your vehicle also.

I just subscribed for a month then suspended billing until next fall. 

[TriggerMike]

Is the Inreach SE that is being produced by Garmin the same exact thing as the old one that Delorme made? They look slightly different but I'm curious if anyone knows if there functionality or internal make-up are different or if they're still the same thing with slightly different aesthetics. I ask because you can get the Delorme InReach for $250 right now and Garmin has their InReach on their website for $399 but I don't want to pay the extra money if they have the same reliability and functionality.

https://www.amazon.com/Delorme-AG-009871-201-DeLorme-inReach-SE/dp/B00BX7TJ2O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/561286/pn/010-01735-00#specs

[sagewalker]

Reading about the "new" garmin inReach se+, reads the same as the Delorme inReach se to me. Looks to be just a different physical design. Both have tracking, texting , weather and sos features. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

[blackpowderhunter]

Below is something i found while researching the differences...Because of the fact that I already have a GPS only unit for hunting purposes (Garmin rhino) I may look to pick up an older model to save some coin.  I don't want to carry two devices in reality, but I also dont like the idea of using my "oh crap" sos device daily, draining the battery

inReach+ versus current inReach: What’s the difference?
The new inReach+ and current inReach units have most things in common, like:

Satellite text messaging;
Earthmate app connectivity;
User interface;
Long-lasting battery life; and,
Service plan options and cost.
There are also a few obvious differences. The inReach+ units:

Cost more, by $70 to $100 at retail;
Weigh about a half-ounce (15 g) more;
Feature a bigger screen, though the size and resolution is hardly on par with even entry-level smartphones; and,
Better protect the S.O.S. button.
The new inReach SE+ is more similar to the current inReach Explorer than to the current SE. The current SE has no mapping functionality. The inReach SE+ has basic features: a feature-less grid map, and the ability to import and create waypoints, routes, and breadcrumbs. It’s like an old-school GPS unit, before they were spec’d with decent screens and maps.

The new inReach Explorer+ is best compared to a conventional handheld GPS unit, but with inReach functionality.

Should I upgrade?
If you already own an inReach SE or inReach Explorer, you may be wondering if there are compelling reasons to buy an inReach+.

It’s not a simple answer, and largely depends on your current and anticipated use, as well as your budget. If you only use the inReach for text messaging, and if you have another GPS solution (e.g. Gaia app) or don’t need one, then the current inReach SE will remain adequate. But if you would appreciate having a combined inReach/GPS, then the Explorer+ would be worth a look.

If you own a current Explorer, the Explorer+ offers only one benefit: it can be used as a GPS even without an active service subscription. If you can avoid paying for months when you hardly use the service (but sometimes want a GPS), an upgrade may actually make financial sense.

[kselkhunter]

I just hope Garmin doesn't change the service plans.  I like being able to enable the service for the hunting months, and disable the rest of the year.  Even with the GPS via app capability in the old Explorer, I still carry my old Garmin Etrex as backup.  As I've had to do more solo backcountry hunts the past few years due to friends' work schedules changing, the breadcrumbs and ability to check in makes the family more comfortable when I'm on the weeklong backcountry trips. And the optional SAR insurance that you can purchase as an add-on to the service is worth it for the low price.