Garmin Inreach Mini 2 tips/advice/tricks.

Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Other than watching endless YT videos on the mini 2 (which I've done) I was wondering if people want to share some tips or tricks or do's or don'ts regarding the inreach mini/mini2.
Possibly to help other people who are thinking of a future purchase.

So I will start.
Each message -
Checkin unlimited, I'm guessing these are the preset ones?

upto 10 with my package.
I'm guessing per month.
Can people reply to these and how? Cost to them or me?
Screenshot_20240415_193128_DuckDuckGo.jpg

So then is it 50p per text after that?

Screenshot_20240415_193305_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
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edh

edh

Thru Hiker
Yes, 10 a month.
If they reply it comes off your tariff. With a message you send they get a reply link.
Over your tariff is charged.
 
Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Terrible reviews but does anyone use this with their inreach?
Or any better suggestions?

Screenshot_20240416_202914_Google Play Store.jpg
 
Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Odd Man said:
I only use it to transfer my planned routes gpx files into my Garmin watch. I use OA to plan the routes and export them in gpx and then use Explore to upload it to the watch. I guess you could do the same with inReach?
Click to expand...
Could I create routes in OS and send to Explorer?
 
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echo8876

echo8876

Thru Hiker
Diddi said:
Terrible reviews but does anyone use this with their inreach?
Or any better suggestions?
Click to expand...
i've jumped million hoops to make it work with my Ukranian phone number.
Slovak phone number wasnt' even better.
I suppose UK should be ok.
It's also basically unusable for main function - Maps.
 
Johnny3000

Johnny3000

Trail Blazer
Diddi said:
Terrible reviews but does anyone use this with their inreach?
Or any better suggestions?

View attachment 53928
Click to expand...
I don't have an Inreach, but I use Garmin Explore with my Garmin watch to store and edit waypoints and courses, and for that purpose it's quite ok. Usually I create points of interest like shelters, cabins, fords, etc. for the region I'm going and plan the course on my PC on a bigger screen and they get synced to my watch via the app on my phone. Explore can do routing following trails or manually and shows me the distance and altitude profile of the course. The TopoActive maps in Explore aren't as detailled as a survey map, especially altitude lines are more sparse and a bit difficult to see, and sometimes smaller trails are missing in my region. When planning a course, I compare to the survey map and draw a line manually in Explore where required, and that works fine. Explore also shows me the tracks of my previous activities on the map.

This might not apply to Inreach, but on the trail, my watch tells me the distance to upcoming waypoints included on the course and shows the course on the map. You can also have it beep at crossings or when off course, but I switched that off. Garmin also sends a map link showing the planned route and my position to my wife while I'm on the trail.

I like the fact that Explore works without mobile connection when needed, so I can change or create courses and waypoints and sync them to my Garmin device via bluetooth even when out of coverage. The app stores Garmin's TopoActive maps for offline use, so it's easy to do changes anywhere on the fly or at night in the tent if required. (As far as I remember, Garmin Connect can't do offline routing but requires a mobile connection to the cloud for it to work.)

Probably you wouldn't be navigating using your Inreach, but I can imagine at least having the most important POIs or the planned course shown on the display might be useful in case of an emergency.

Not sure why Garmin have so many different apps for partially overlapping functions, Explore, Connect, Connect IQ, Basecamp, etc. I wish they would combine all into one good app, but it's probably due to the variety of devices and platforms using different bits of each.
 
Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Thanks for sharing all that info, its info like that that could save folks hours of trying 👍.
The inreach is mainly for emergency use only as when we are say doing Via ferrata in the Dolomites or hiking in Tenerife nobody ever knows our exact plans, So wouldn't miss us until posdibly too late 💀🦴 😄...
But I do want to learn about all its capabilities over time.

I use a Garmin etrex 20 for main nav and my phone 👍
 
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Johnny3000

Johnny3000

Trail Blazer
Seems the etrex 20 isn't supported by Explore, that would have been ideal.

Forgot to say I always carry a physical map, too, unless it's a very familiar location.
 
Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Johnny3000 said:
Seems the etrex 20 isn't supported by Explore, that would have been ideal.

Forgot to say I always carry a physical map, too, unless it's a very familiar location.
Click to expand...
I use basecamp for the etrex 🤮 but yeah it have been nice for 2 in 1..

Same on the map front but very very rarely have to use, its more for planning...
Even if I'm only ever going to ue it the once I get one 👍
 
WilliamC

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
Odd Man said:
I only use it to transfer my planned routes gpx files into my Garmin watch.
Click to expand...
Are you transferring from a phone or from a computer? From a computer, you can just copy and paste gpx files to Fenix watches without the need for an intervening app.
 
Odd Man

Odd Man

Thru Hiker
WilliamC said:
Are you transferring from a phone or from a computer? From a computer, you can just copy and paste gpx files to Fenix watches without the need for an intervening app.
Click to expand...

I've either have the gpx files synced automatically to my phone over iCloud or I might've also shared from my OA app to Explorer app on my phone. This is mainly because all my planned routes are on OA app, so I can just take from there and import into Fenix via app when needed.
 
Diddi

Diddi

Thru Hiker
Its sorted now but that may be because I was stood at the back door? Satalite lock maybe like you said? Thanks
 
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