These days, you hardly ever hear about a mountain rescue effort that doesn't involve a Garmin InReach device, and that's a good thing. But if your outdoor adventures involve more hiking boots than parachutes, you might think that a $400 satellite communicator is overkill.
Think again, says Garmin, after releasing its 2024 data that shows that the vast majority of SOS calls last year came from hikers and backpackers.
According to the Garmin 2024 Year in Review report, these two groups made up nearly half of all SOS alerts last year – that's more than mountain biking, paragliding, skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling combined.
The data also shows that while SOS alerts were triggered across six continents (and three oceans), the vast majority were in North America, with the west coast and Alaska showing the heaviest InReach use.
Meanwhile, the most common reason for a hiker, or anyone, activating their InReach device, was due to injury, though 2024 saw an increase in alerts due to wildfires, flash floods and hurricanes as well as encounters with wildlife like bears and rattlesnakes.
Of course, this almost certainly doesn't indicate that hiking is more dangerous than dirt biking – even if it does pose hazards like sprained ankles – or that Americans are particularly accident prone on the trail. Most likely, it's just a question of numbers. More people go hiking than skiing – according to Statista, 61 million Americans went hiking last year compared to just 18 million skiers, never mind the fact that most skiers are on resorts where there is cell service.
What this hopefully does indicate is that hikers are increasingly taking safety seriously. Since hiking and backpacking can take us way off the beaten path, cell service is often unavailable, which poses a problem if you fall, become ill or get lost.
With a device like the Garmin InReach Mini 2, you can quickly send a distress signal or communicate with emergency responders, even in areas with no cell phone service, all over the world (but don't take yours to India, or you might get arrested).
An active subscription is required with an InReach device, with plans starting at $14.99 a month. It's a small price to pay for your life, but there are other options if that's not in your budget.
Just yesterday, we reported on Overwatch x Rescue, an SOS subscription plan that costs $79.99 per year and works with InReach devices as well as iPhone 14 or higher running on iOS 18 in North America and. Then there are Personal Locator Beacons like this one on Amazon that don't require a subscription at all. Newer iPhones have an SOS function but if this is your backup, you'll need to make sure you carry a portable charger.
If you're considering updating your hiking kit, get more guidance in our article on satellite communicators.
