I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll tell you right to your face if our paths ever cross in the real world: I don't go into the woods or out on an adventure without my Garmin inReach. It is the most important piece of gear I own, as it's saved my life and can save yours, too.
I can understand for long-time RideApart readers that this line may be getting old, but I don't care. I'll say it until I'm blue in the face so long that someone out there hears it and remembers to pack one only to need it that day. It's like putting on underwear for any woodsy adventure. You just bring it.
I'm reminding you of this immutable need as Garmin's just released its annual inReach SOS report, i.e. a breakdown of how many inReach users needed help over the last year. And, like every year, it showed how necessary these little backcountry devices are, as the company's products saved a lot of people's lives last year.
A lot of people's lives.
Since Garmin launched the program, the company has seen over 15,000 SOS triggers from inReach devices. That includes folks who are hiking and backpacking, off-roaders and regular drivers, snowmobilers, dirt bikers, hunters, motorcyclists, boaters, campers, rafters, fishermen, biking, horseback riding, and even a bunch of paragliders.
The vast majority of triggers, according to Garmin, come from backpackers, hikers, off-roaders, and motorcyclists. Garmin also broke down why folks were triggering their SOS feature, with the top being injury, followed by vehicle issues, health-related issues, and being stranded. According to the company, "When comparing SOS message triggers year over year, we saw the biggest increase in medical issues, including altitude sickness, heart problems and gastrointestinal issues, among others. Weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires also increased, as well as emergency encounters with wildlife, including bears and rattlesnakes."
If you ever see me in public, ask me about my own bear encounter...
An interesting stat given my Garmin was that around 12% of SOS triggers were actually able to self rescue, i.e. they were able to speak with Search and Rescue individuals and figure out how to get out of the situation without needing to get evacuated by those same individuals. Pretty slick, since those rescues aren't cheap. That said, helicopter rescues remained the most common dispatched vehicle for rescues last year, followed by ambulances.
All in all, the report again shows you how great of a tool an inReach device is. And no, Garmin ain't paying me to say these nice things. I just actually believe in the product and I know it'll save my bacon when I need it most. That said, if they want to talk about me getting an inReach tattoo, I've got a number in my head...
