Watch the Intro:
About the Course:
- Title: How to Use the Garmin inReach for Navigation, Tracking, and Messaging
- Presenter(s): Ryan Jordan, Publisher, Backpacking Light
- Length: 3.5 hours
- Enrollment Fee: $47 (FREE to Unlimited Members)
Course Outline
Video Content:
- Introduction
- The Garmin inReach Ecosystem
- Setup & Activation Process & Issues
- How Sync Works: inReach Device, Garmin Express, inReach Sync, Earthmate, and Explore
- How to Use the inReach on a Trip
- GPS, Navigation, and Trip Planning
- Messaging
- Issues, Questions, and Answers
- Overview of Additional Materials (Email Addendums)
In addition, you’ll get these email addendums once/day starting the day after you sign up for the course:
- How SOS and rescue response work.
- Gaia and Garmin GPX conversion issues and how to resolve them.
- Weather forecasting issues and additional tools
- Pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip checklists for maintaining and using your inReach.
- inReach battery management: issues and optimizing.
- How to monitor the efficacy of GPS and messaging satellites to maximize the chance messages will be successfully sent and received, and locations will be accurately determined.
- What I use for Preset and Quick messages, and why.
What Participants are Saying
- “Thanks for the extremely comprehensive and well-delivered webinar.” – Thomas D.
- “Well, two things are obvious: 1. Watching this masterclass is WAY better than dealing with Garmin Support or trying to mine their support docs for answers that don’t really exist, and 2. Ryan probably knows more about the Garmin inReach ecosystem and devices than anyone at Garmin.” – David S.
- “Thanks so much for such an in-depth, wonderful inReach webinar.” – Brian B.
- “Ryan clarifies issues that most other self-proclaimed ‘expert’ bloggers only seem to guess about. Very disappointed in other websites promoting affiliate sales of the inReach but Backpacking Light actually provides us with the education we need. Thank you.” – Lisa T.
- “I’m 62 years old and planning on hiking the PCT in 2021. I watched this masterclass with my husband tonight and he went from ‘I’m not enthused about you doing a thru-hike’ to ‘I’m really excited for you to do the PCT with your inReach Mini!’ Thank you, Ryan!” – Debbie H.
How to Enroll
Unlimited Members: Click Here (Free Enrollment)
Or Become an Unlimited Member Now
100% no-questions-asked-money-back-guarantee.
Masterclass FAQ
How do I know where to go after I enroll?
- You’ll receive an email with instructions that include a link to the “room” where the masterclass course videos are available!
Will I have access to the entire course right away?
- Yes! Within minutes of signing up, you can access the entire course and slide deck.
Will the Garmin inReach Masterclass be free for Unlimited Members?
- Yes, all online courses, including webinars and masterclasses, are free for Unlimited Members. Become an Unlimited Member today.
What will the cost of the Garmin inReach Masterclass be if I’m not an Unlimited Member?
- Like our Lightweight Backpacking in Inclement Conditions Masterclass, the Garmin inReach Masterclass will be $47.
How long is the masterclass?
- The actual course will be about 3.5 hours long.
Is this masterclass only relevant to the inReach Mini?
- We use the inReach Mini as the primary device in our instruction, but the masterclass is applicable to the entire inReach ecosystem, including Garmin Earthmate, Garmin Explore, and all Garmin devices using inReach technology.
Where do you recommend purchasing an inReach?
- Purchase an inReach Mini, inReach Explorer+, or GPSMAP 66i at REI.
Should I get a Mini, Explorer+, or GPSMAP 66i?
- Get the inReach Mini if you want minimum weight and bulk and you already bring a smartphone for GPS or other uses. The smartphone interface for inReach devices is far better than the device interfaces.
- If you don’t bring a smartphone and are primarily using the device for messaging and weather forecasting, get the inReach Explorer+.
- If you don’t bring a smartphone and are primarily interested in GPS functionality with messaging secondary, get the GPSMAP 66i.
Where can I learn more about the inReach Mini?
- Read our 8,500-word Garmin inReach Mini Review.
Who is the course instructor?
- Backpacking Light founder and publisher Ryan Jordan, who also authored our comprehensive inReach Mini Review.
inReach Comparison Table
Garmin offers three models of the inReach – the inReach Mini, the inReach Explorer+, and the GPSMAP 66i GPS.
Here’s how they stack up against each other:
| inReach Mini | inReach Explorer+ | GPSMAP 66i GPS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | |||
| more info | Read our Garmin inReach Mini Review | ||
 |  |  | |
| weight | 3.5 ounces | 7.5 ounces | 8.5 ounces |
| unit size | 3.9 x 2 x 1 inches | 6.5 x 2.7 x 1.5 inches | 6.4 x 2.6 x 1.4 inches |
| display size | 0.9 inches | 1.9 inches | 3.0 inches |
| water-resistance | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| altimeter | GPS | pressure | pressure |
| compass | yes | yes | yes |
| topo maps | no | yes | yes |
| SOS | yes | yes | yes |
| 2-way messaging | yes | yes | yes |
| weather forecasts | yes | yes | cellular only |
| wireless pairing with Earthmate | yes | yes | yes |
| battery life (typical) | 40-80 hours | 80-110 hours | 30-200 hours |
| battery type | USB-rechargeable Li-ion | USB-rechargeable Li-ion | USB-rechargeable Li-ion |
| waypoint capacity | 500 | 500 | 10000 |
| MSRP | $350 | $450 | $600 |
DISCLOSURE (Updated November 7, 2019)
- Some (but not all) of the links on this page may be “affiliate” links. If you click on one of these links and visit one of our affiliate partners (usually a retailer site), and subsequently place an order with that retailer, we receive a small commission. These commissions help us provide authors with honoraria, fund our editorial projects, podcasts, instructional webinars, and more, and we appreciate it a lot! Thank you for supporting Backpacking Light!