I'm still here because of my Garmin InReach.
That's not hyperbole. I'm still typing these words because while snowmobiling earlier this year, my sled blew up. It overheated and blew out every ounce of coolant onto the snow. 13 miles in the backcountry. With not another snowmobiler around. And the winter sun was dwindling quickly.
Thankfully, I have good friends and had my InReach Mini 2 hooked onto my backpack. Help, as it were, was just a "Help!" text away. Even before that incident, however, I legit didn't ever leave my house and went off on my insane Utah adventures without it.
But as with anything, there's always room for improvement. And Garmin wasn't happy to rest on its laurels as the new InReach Messenger Plus takes everything I love about my Mini 2 and the Messenger and ups the ante, giving it not just photo messaging, but also voice messages, too.
All of which is wrapped in the same bomb-proof casing (IPX7, temperature resistant, 600 hours of battery life of hard use) that'll ensure you can reach help if you so need it. Oh yeah, it's got the goods.
According to Garmin, this upgrade has been a long time in the books. Like since 2011 when a reporter asked Garmin's product manager Chip Noble, "Texting is great, but can it send a picture?" The simple question has likely caused Noble many sleepless nights as, well, it's a valid question. Especially for a safety and communication device like the InReach lineup, as having a photo of your location or photos of visible structures or landmarks can help Search and Rescue more easily pinpoint your location.
The last decade-plus has been one of Noble and the team at Garmin working tirelessly to provide that capability. But instead of just rolling out photos, Garmin also went further, hedging off the most likely next question of, "Photos are great but can it send voice messages?"
Yup, absolutely. 30-second voice messages to be exact, which is more than enough to scream "HEEEEEELP, I'M STRANDED AND THIS BIGFOOT IS TRYING TO EAT ME!"
The idea behind the InReach Messenger Plus is that it can provide wanders, explorers, hunters, off-roaders, and all who enjoy recreating in the backcountry the safety, security, and peace of mind that Garmin's other InReach products provide, but do so at a much higher level. Think about it, between having voice, pictures, text and exact GPS coordinates, you can relay essentially every ounce of information Search and Rescue needs to help save you bacon.
"Here's what the tree looks like that I just crashed into," sends photo. "I'll be waiving my arms like one of those dealership noodles since my arms are broken from hitting the tree," sends voice message. "I'm at 77.8455° S, 166.6698° E," sends text and GPS data.
I mean, you practically save yourself.
Moreover, to give you more than just that, Garmin also upped text characters from 160 to 1,600, and added mapping through Garmin's Explore app. As for how the company figured it all out, previously, Garmin's InReach messengers used Short Burst Data packages to send texts, but by using Iridium Messaging Transport through the Iridium satellite network, you get voice and pictures. That, however, isn't just a software update. It's completely new hardware within the Messenger Plus.
So despite the Messenger and Messenger Plus looking similar, they've got different guts. And guts matter. And as for price, it's $499.99, though you'll also have to add the monthly $14.99 satellite subscription to use the services, which honestly isn't bad for a life-saving device.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Garmin's VP of global consumer marketing Susan Lyman, said, "Garmin inReach satellite communicators have proven time and again to be a crucial tool for powersports enthusiasts. Thanks to the new inReach Messenger Plus’ ability to pair with a compatible smartphone via the Garmin Messenger mobile app, you can now exchange voice and photo messages outside of cell service so friends and family can be part of every offroad adventure even when they’re miles away.”
Now back to the personal anecdotes.
I use my InReach Mini 2 all the freakin' time. At the time I'm writing this story, I was using it last night to keep in touch with my wife while out hunting elk. I let her know that I got to my hunting spot, that I was safe throughout my hunt, that I saw two bull elk, and that one screamed at me repeatedly. I also let her know that I was safe when I got back to my truck and was headed home.
What I would've loved, however, was to have this two weeks prior to its launch as it could've maybe helped me talk to my hunting friends as I tracked my first mule deer buck. I could've sent pictures and voice messages, which would've provided far better insight into what I was seeing.
But now I can, and I'll be testing the new Messenger Plus in the coming weeks. So stay tuned as I put it through its paces. And yes, you can expect me to toss it into the river, treat it like a rock, and probably run it over with an ATV or UTV for good measure.
