As the guy on the other end of some of the messages, I'd say the text messages could have been a bit more detailed. I realize the hikers have been living their realities (bad weather, broken tents, flooded rivers) for hours or days and what they mean is obvious to them, but I'm living my usual life at work, ferrying my kids around (and traveling around the US throughout) and a little more verbiage and background would have helpful at times. On the text-a-tweener, write-an-email, blog-a-post, write-your-grandmother spectrum, err on the write-your-grandmother style.
And yet, with the inReach, if anything was unclear, I could text Manfred back and get more info. That is a HUGE advantage over a send-only device.
I've long been negative about SPOT due to its SPOTty coverage in the north, in rough terrain, and the inability of the basic model to send and receive messages. You couldn't devise a more challenging itinerary than mountainous terrain above the Arctic Circle, and yet I never missed a message from Manfred nor were there any times I couldn't message him back. It has me rethinking my choice of my Res-Q-Link PLB (I wanted the most bomb-proof panic button) because the value of sending a reliable text (for non-emergency support and for emergency purposes). I've been in a situation where I wouldn't hit the PLB panic button because we weren't in any immediate danger and I refuse to let rescuers endanger themselves for my comfort, but if I could have sent a message, it would have relieved some worry on the home front.
