InReach or Spot X Messager? Why?

[ghosthunter]

I have had a Spot for years. And it has always worked for me as far as sending custom messages.
But the recent adventure I had left it lacking. No way to explain my needs to those coming to help.

Thus I am on the search for a unit I can message with.

Spot X can be had for $199.00. InReach about $349.00

The service plans seem close but Spot a little cheaper. Spot X can message directly to phone contacts thru Bluetooth. Unclear if InReach can do that without going through their site.

Let’s here your opinion. I know InReach is more popular. But

In reach

AFFORDABILITY MEETS FLEXIBILITY
You’ll need an active satellite subscription to access the Iridium satellite network for tracking, messaging and interactive SOS. Check out our subscription options below:
FREEDOM PLANS:
* Monthly service; only requires a 30-day commitment
* Suspend service when you don’t need it
* Perfect for single adventures or seasonal use
ANNUAL PLANS:
* Year-round use
* Lower monthly cost
* Always ready for your adventures
SELECT AND ACTIVATE A PLAN
Have questions about plan pricing or availability in your country? Read More | Watch Video
   SAFETY   RECREATION   EXPEDITION
SOS   Unlimited   Unlimited   Unlimited
TEXT MESSAGES*   10   40   Unlimited
PRESET MESSAGES   Unlimited   Unlimited   Unlimited
TRACKING INTERVALS   10 min+   10 min+   2 min+
SEND/TRACK POINTS   $0.10 ea   Unlimited   Unlimited
LOCATION REQUESTS   $0.10 ea   Unlimited   Unlimited
BASIC WEATHER   1 text message ea   1 text message ea   Unlimited
PREMIUM WEATHER   $1.00 ea   $1.00 ea   $1.00 ea
PREMIUM MARINE WEATHER   $1.00 ea   $1.00 ea   $1.00 ea
   MONTHLY CHARGES      
ANNUAL PLANS   $11.95/mo   $24.95/mo   $49.95/mo
FREEDOM PLANS   $14.95/mo   $34.95/mo   $64.95/mo
   OVERAGE CHARGES      
MESSAGES (EACH)*   $0.50   $0.50   N/A
*160 characters



Spot x

*       $11.95/MO. 12 Month Term Applies

    * 20 CUSTOM MESSAGES
    * Overages: 25¢ per msg
    * S.O.S.
    * UNLIMITED
    * CHECK IN MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * PREDEFINED MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * TRACKING
    * 10, 30, 60 minutes
    * MOVEMENT ALERT
    * Not Included
    * ACTIVATION FEE: $19.95
*       ADVANCED
*       $19.95/MO. 12 Month Term Applies

    * 100 CUSTOM MESSAGES
    * Overages: 25¢ per msg
    * S.O.S.
    * UNLIMITED
    * CHECK IN MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * PREDEFINED MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * TRACKING
    * 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes
    * MOVEMENT ALERT
    * 30 min, 60 min, 4 hr, 12 hr
    * ACTIVATION FEE: $19.95
*       UNLIMITED
*       $29.95/MO. 12 Month Term Applies

    * CUSTOM MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * S.O.S.
    * UNLIMITED
    * CHECK IN MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * PREDEFINED MESSAGES
    * UNLIMITED
    * TRACKING
        * 2.5, 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes
    * MOVEMENT ALERT
    * 30 min, 60 min, 4 hr, 12 hr
    * ACTIVATION FEE: $19.95

[RockChuck]

I’m not sure about spot plans or if it matters to you but Ot appears the  inreach monthly freedom plan has an annual service fee as well 25.99 or something close

[Jason]

I have the Spot X and my buddies all have the Inreach. Every year I activate for the months of August through November. Never any problems canceling my service with Spot.

My Spot X worked great in Northern BC last year. I got the last laugh as my buddies thought it wouldn’t work and I would be screwed with no reception. The Inreach is definitely faster at sending and receiving messages. Also, I don’t ever really use the predefined messages.

[Skillet]

I'm what you might consider a "heavy user" of inReach.  A couple thousand texts a year, on average.  It's an essential communication tool in the fleet up here.  I do not have Spot experience.

InReach can access all of your contacts in your phone if you message through the phone app via Bluetooth. I've used it without the app in a pinch, but what a pain.  It's really but that different than texting, except the longer tx time.

Regarding that, there is an easy way to force the inReach to ping the satellite.  If you're in a poor coverage area, you can often wait for a long time for the incoming messages to come down to you on their own.  However, in the app, if you go down the menu to "My inReach", then hit "Check for new messages," it will force a connection with a satellite.

[ghosthunter]

I have the Spot X and my buddies all have the Inreach. Every year I activate for the months of August through November. Never any problems canceling my service with Spot.

My Spot X worked great in Northern BC last year. I got the last laugh as my buddies thought it wouldn’t work and I would be screwed with no reception. The Inreach is definitely faster at sending and receiving messages. Also, I don’t ever really use the predefined messages.

I am still confused on if you can direct text to your contacts with InReach or do your contacts have to message through the InReach site??

[Skillet]

I have the Spot X and my buddies all have the Inreach. Every year I activate for the months of August through November. Never any problems canceling my service with Spot.

My Spot X worked great in Northern BC last year. I got the last laugh as my buddies thought it wouldn’t work and I would be screwed with no reception. The Inreach is definitely faster at sending and receiving messages. Also, I don’t ever really use the predefined messages.

I am still confused on if you can direct text to your contacts with InReach or do your contacts have to message through the InReach site??

PM me your phone number and I'll send you an inReach right now that you can reply to as a text.

[buglebrush]

Inreach.  Everybody I knew that was running SPOT switched. 

[Russ McDonald]

My Spot X Bluetooth runs better than my old Spot X without Bluetooth.  Remember to update firmware on these to.  No experience with Inreach.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

[Jason]

I have the Spot X and my buddies all have the Inreach. Every year I activate for the months of August through November. Never any problems canceling my service with Spot.

My Spot X worked great in Northern BC last year. I got the last laugh as my buddies thought it wouldn’t work and I would be screwed with no reception. The Inreach is definitely faster at sending and receiving messages. Also, I don’t ever really use the predefined messages.

I am still confused on if you can direct text to your contacts with InReach or do your contacts have to message through the InReach site??

PM me your phone number and I'll send you an inReach right now that you can reply to as a text.

Yes, no issues sending texts to inreach users.

[Jason]

I'm what you might consider a "heavy user" of inReach.  A couple thousand texts a year, on average.  It's an essential communication tool in the fleet up here.  I do not have Spot experience.

InReach can access all of your contacts in your phone if you message through the phone app via Bluetooth. I've used it without the app in a pinch, but what a pain.  It's really but that different than texting, except the longer tx time.

Regarding that, there is an easy way to force the inReach to ping the satellite.  If you're in a poor coverage area, you can often wait for a long time for the incoming messages to come down to you on their own.  However, in the app, if you go down the menu to "My inReach", then hit "Check for new messages," it will force a connection with a satellite.

Spot X has the same "check for new messages" . I don't have the Bluetooth model Spot X and wish I did as it's definitely faster typing texts from your phone than it is from the spot unit. But on the flip side I don't have to have a phone to use a qwerty keyboard.

[ghosthunter]

That’s me . Makes no sense to me to have to carry a phone and a locator. I mean if you are in the truck like my last adventure . But out hunting I never take a phone. Plus I don’t have a smart phone. My work provides me with a cell phone like brick. 

[Stein]

That’s me . Makes no sense to me to have to carry a phone and a locator. I mean if you are in the truck like my last adventure . But out hunting I never take a phone. Plus I don’t have a smart phone. My work provides me with a cell phone like brick. 

I have the larger InReach and I don't know if it's substantially the same as the newer smaller one, but it can work with our without a phone.  Without a phone, it will take you a while to type out a message because there isn't a keyboard like on a smartphone, but you can do it by using the buttons and hunting out the letters on a screen and then sending it.  You can also program in contacts so you can access them without the phone.  The phone bluetooth connection is simply to make it more efficient.  You can even use both at the same time, all of the messages show up both on the Inreach and the phone app.

The messages themselves have to go up to the satellite, back down and through InReach to the destination.  This will be the same for whatever technology you use, there has to be some company that gets the message from the satellite and directs it somewhere, whether it be Inreach, sat phone, Spot or whoever.

I would say if you can do what you want with a text, get InReach.  If you need more like being able to talk, get a sat phone.  They both have pros and cons, with a sat phone, they don't tell people where you are which is one huge benefit of InReach, it can work even if you are hurt if you set it up to send out periodic texts to someone with your location.

[HikerHunter]

As far as plans go, I think it depends on your use. For me, I only need it during hunting season and I'm not trying to have full text conversations, the inreach freedom safety plan pencils out better.

[ghosthunter]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Side+by+side+compare+InReach+and+Spot+X+on+you+tube&&view=detail&mid=C75511295B1A292D1719C75511295B1A292D1719&rvsmid=2092819C20FAB12C985E2092819C20FAB12C985E&FORM=VDRVRV

[ghosthunter]

Sooo

I like the Inreach mini. But can I send a text message on it with out a cell phone? The Spot X has a key pad.

Does a key pad come on the mini screen when you select text message?

[ghosthunter]

But the Spot X is a lot cheaper. $20.00 per month 100 custom text messages. 19.95 activation fee, all other messages unlimited.

InReach $30.00 a month 40 custom messages. 24.00 activation fee. all other messages unlimited

Both year round.

UMMMMM

[Stein]

Do a bit of googling on the reliability of spot vs inReach and how they process emergency messages.  InReach flat out works.


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[Rob]

Do a bit of googling on the reliability of spot vs inReach and how they process emergency messages.  InReach flat out works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is why I went inreach.  One of my climbing buddies went through 3 spots in under a year via the warranty.   They honored the warranty but what a pain!  Did not give us warm fuzzies when it came to potential emergency use!

I have used the inreach on many trips including zimbabwe.  It was confiscated at Heathrow this year when i forgot to put it in a carryone and checked it by mistake (Li batteries i guess)  i got a replacement.  My wife works with International missionaries and they have a couple they send with their teams when they go overseas.

I have found the weather forecast requests to be very helpful when in the back country multiple days.   Very nice to get location based forecasts!

[Turdle]

 I just went with the inreach mini, recreation plan 25.00 per month. This is my first month, and only played with it a little. It works for me. I can go 10 miles from my house and be out of cell service. I do enough hunting, fishing, motorcycle riding, dirt and pavement, exploring back roads all through the year, I think its worth the piece of mind for me and the family to be able to text any info needed. And that's just for me, I come across others not as well prepared that may need it. The life it saves could be .....

[Rob]

I carry mine when I am working on the roof while the wife is out for the day!

[baker5150]

Inreach Mini can be had for 299 on a few sites right now.
Camofire had them the other day.
Makes me wonder if a new model is on it's way.

I just purchased an InReach Mini a couple months ago. Havent unboxed it yet.

Family had issues at home last season and I was out of service for 12 days.  Wife was not happy.

[HikerHunter]

Do a bit of googling on the reliability of spot vs inReach and how they process emergency messages.  InReach flat out works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree. They are different satellite networks. I actually switched from Spot to an Inreach mini because I was having messages not sent through even when above the treeline. I've haven't had a failed message from the Inreach yet.

[HikerHunter]

Sooo

I like the Inreach mini. But can I send a text message on it with out a cell phone? The Spot X has a key pad.

Does a key pad come on the mini screen when you select text message?

I have the mini and am satisfied with it, but mostly because I strategically utilize the preset messages and do only a few custom messages. Without a phone, inreach mini custom messages are a pain. You cycle through the alphabet with the up/down arrow buttons, but I knew that going into the mini and it hasn't been an issue for me.

[HikerHunter]

But the Spot X is a lot cheaper. $20.00 per month 100 custom text messages. 19.95 activation fee, all other messages unlimited.

InReach $30.00 a month 40 custom messages. 24.00 activation fee. all other messages unlimited

Both year round.

UMMMMM

I believe the inreach plan you're looking at is $25/month, so its a total of $65 different for the entire year. Even if I'm wrong and its $125 more for the year, that's a small price to pay, if your life counts on it, for a more reliable satellite network.

[ghosthunter]

All good points. I have been watching a few Inreach videos. Seems like the Mini would be the best for me. I carry a Rhino so don't need the Explorer.
My service with Spot is up in October so I am ahead of the game. If I can figure out how to cancel the Spot Service in September. They don't make the cancel easy. Tried to find it last night and even with directions couldn't figure the cancel part out. 

[HikerHunter]

All good points. I have been watching a few Inreach videos. Seems like the Mini would be the best for me. I carry a Rhino so don't need the Explorer.
My service with Spot is up in October so I am ahead of the game. If I can figure out how to cancel the Spot Service in September. They don't make the cancel easy. Tried to find it last night and even with directions couldn't figure the cancel part out. 

I couldn't figure out how to cancel my Spot either so i had to call customer service.

[Jason]

All good points. I have been watching a few Inreach videos. Seems like the Mini would be the best for me. I carry a Rhino so don't need the Explorer.
My service with Spot is up in October so I am ahead of the game. If I can figure out how to cancel the Spot Service in September. They don't make the cancel easy. Tried to find it last night and even with directions couldn't figure the cancel part out. 

It’s super easy to cancel when your ready. One click on your computer.

[ghosthunter]

All good points. I have been watching a few Inreach videos. Seems like the Mini would be the best for me. I carry a Rhino so don't need the Explorer.
My service with Spot is up in October so I am ahead of the game. If I can figure out how to cancel the Spot Service in September. They don't make the cancel easy. Tried to find it last night and even with directions couldn't figure the cancel part out. 

It’s super easy to cancel when your ready. One click on your computer.

I played around with it 15 minutes or so couldn’t figure it out.