Garmin inReach Messenger Plus Review

[Backpacking Light]

Companion forum thread to: Garmin inReach Messenger Plus Review

The Garmin inReach Messenger Plus can send short text, photo and audio messages, weighs 4.1 ounces and has an MSRP of $500.

[Terran Terran]

I read about this technology. Sharing photos with S&R is a big jump.

[Brad W]

1-the cost is too high. $500? 2-It’s a matter of time before Apple and Android adopt this and you are able to send/receive pics over satellite. 3. Why do we need to be so connected? Can’t these photos/voice memos wait until you are within cell phone range-which in the US, is almost everywhere now. Long term, out of country trips I could see some use in a medical situation, but other than that, no.

[Jerry Adams]

I wait until I get into wifi range

I pay $15 per month for 2 phones with 1G of data from xfinity

[Brad W]

@Jerry that is an incredible price! How is your coverage?

[DWR D]

Note that the authors of the review have not actually tested this device. I would like to see reviews of actual use and specifically just how long it takes to transmit one of those large photo files. Thinking that just getting a connection that will allow that much data could take a long time…

[Jerry Adams]

My coverage is fine.  When I’m going to the wilderness I can text or phone my wife before I leave cell phone range.  It may be worse coverage than some other carriers.

Another thing is if you’re near a wifi router with xfinity, you can connect to that.  Like, whenever I go by a Les Scwabb.  Or the pub I go out to eat at.  I can surf the web without having to use my 1G of data.

Occasionally I think I’m on the xfinity wifi, but I’m actually using data.  It quickly eats up that 1G of data.  I have it notify me when I go past 0.5G so that shouldn’t happen.

[Stephen M]

It seems Garmin has changed their subscription plans starting today as well.  No more annual plans.  Monthly only and you can no longer suspend your service.  Just reduce it to a $7.99/month SOS only plus pay-as-you-go for other features.  You can stay grandfathered into your annual plan as long as you don’t change the level.  If you update your InReach Message app, it will tell you all about it.

Frequently Asked Questions on September 2024 inReach Consumer Subscription Plan Changes

[Brad W]

@Stephen M well the plan change really stinks. Thanks for letting us know.

[Megan W]

Thanks Stephen M,

Those plan changes will probably work better for me 🙃

[Brad W]

@Ryan Jordan. I appreciate all of the in depth information on this device, but I feel this comes across as an infomercial for the product. I know you don’t take sponsorships or compensation from products you review, but it really feels like a paid spot. The video and copy seems to just be rehearsed ad copy. It seems to lack the unbiased critical eye I have come to appreciate from your reviews. I don’t mean any of this as insult, just the sense I get on this review.

[Charlie Brenneman]

How much juice can you get with the reverse charge on these messenger devices? With the excellent battery life of phones/watches/headlamps these days, I am wondering if I need a battery bank even for a 4-5 day trip. I only use the inreach 1 for messages a few times a day and that old model does ok for that time, my coros watch easily lasts that whole time, the iphone probably could too if I am not using caltopo that much, and a headlamp only gets 30-45 minutes a night max.

[Adrian Griffin]

The change in Garmin’s subscription plan might be the result of changes in the way that Iridium charges for intermittent access. I have a Bivystick that I bought a few years ago. The main attraction for me was that I could deactivate the account in the off-season and reactivate it the next spring—no maintenance or reactivation fees, just the monthly charge. But this year, Bivystick started to charge a reactivation fee. That might be because Iridium is now charging them to activate a connection.

BTW, I’m ok because my device is grandfathered to the old system. But the reactivation fee makes Bivystick less attractive for new buyers.

[Ken (summmitboy)]

“on screen keyboard” seriously? display seems a bit small for that…

[Nicholas M]

Does anyone know whether the new Messenger Plus or original Messenger are able to record on device breadcrumb tracks while hiking (like the Mini or Mini 2, or any other Garmin GPS) which could be downloaded after a trip by connecting the device via USB?

I know the Messengers can send a track via satellite to Garmin Explore but in my experience this is much less granular than an on device track (since an on device breadcrumb records points very few seconds rather than minutes), and requires an expensive plan with shorter (but still relatively long) tracking intervals.

I am able to use an InReach mini to record tracks and  provide SOS/messaging capability but would value the much longer battery life of the messenger (and don’t need the additional navigation functions).

Thanks in advance for any insights!

[Mike G]

After T-Mobile and Starlink will start providing SMS service in areas without cell coverage to users with any LTE phone–no iPhone 14+ required, it will be a game changer.

I built my own Iridium messaging device as a passion project in 2018-19.  I did this by taking the hardware design for a generic microcontroller, created my own PCB layout, assembled it, wrote the firmware for the microcontroller.  Then I had to write two phone apps (one for Android and one for iOS) and write web APIs to communicate between the Iridium gateway and Twilio (SMS provider).  It worked and I still have the hardware, but I am waiting for T-Mobile to solve this problem using standard LTE phones.

[Jeff McWilliams]

I am unhappy with the plan changes.

I’ve been using an InReach since it was known as a DeLorme InReach SE (before getting acquired by Garmin)

I use the freedom plan and suspend for about 9 months out of the year, and then switch to the “Safety” plan on and off for a few months in the spring, summer, and fall.

I do not like that I’m being forced to maintain some minimal paid monthly plan because the reactivation fee is now prohibitively expensive to justify suspending/re-activating throughout the year.

If this is the game that Garmin is gonna play, then I will definitely jump ship when some of the phone base alternatives become available.

EVERYTHING is being turned into an expensive monthly or yearly subscription:  cable/streaming channels, software licenses, printer ink (HP, which I do not use).  I’m tired of being bled by corporations looking for ever-increasing quarterly financials.

[Alan W]

Help me understand please.  Is Garmin’s new “Enabled” actually a Plan, and does it fit me.

$8 per month x 12/yr = $96/yr.

My Mini has, in the past, been active on Freedom Plan 6-8 months/yr. At $15/ mo plus  addition of annual fee, that is $30-$60 more than monthly fees for new “Enabled”, though it is not treated as a Plan.

However, I’m not clear on added fees per type of message under “Enabled Plan”, and Garmin web seems a bit obtuse to me, perhaps even done intentionally.

Has anyone located on Garmin site a definitive statement that “Enabled” is a plan and a clear Plan fee schedule?

Beyond emergency SOS contingency, my messaging comprises:

1 per day preset “I’m safe and located here” to wife and daughters sent about 40 times per year when no cellphone.

5 weather reports per year, about.

6 free form messages per yr, combined in & out, about.

At following web link, I THINK (wish?) I’m seeing a very ageeable $0.10 per preset and $0.50 per free form text and per weather showing a column for “Enabled”.

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=gZRPJT2F4l3kG6vrZEpM8A#:~:text=As%20of%20September%2018%2C%202024,inReach%20satellite%20communicator%20you%20have.

However, “Enabled” is otherwise treated as “Not a Plan” in contrast to the other 3 plans being marketed; and I wonder if I am understanding “Enabled” correctly.

[Alan W]

Sorry, previously on lowest cost Safety, not Freedom.

[David D]

@Alan, I was just looking at this today.  Prices are in Canadian, but this might help

[Paul S]

I am all for having a device to send out an sos and do primitive communications for emergencies. But this new device goes too far for me. I like being out in the wilderness specifically to be NOT connected, not communicating, not texting, emailing, etc. Yuch to all this constant “connected”-ness.

[Jeff McWilliams]

Paul – I predict that in 10 years, tech like Starlink Direct to Cell is going to take this MUCH FARTHER.

People will take for granted that they can get cell-like coverage worldwide.

InReach Plus is just the tip of the iceberg, and constant connected-ness will become much more prevalent.

 

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