Hi all,

Forgive my ignorance but i do not know much about these. i have tried finding all the info i need to decide if i want one, and if i do, which one do i want.

it seemed like a simple job at first but keeps getting more complicated. lol

i have been looking at the zoleo, the spotx, and the garmin inreach mini 2.

1 - i understand the zoleo and garmin use the same sat network and it is supposed to be the best. the spotx does however seem to cover my area in canada so i am assuming it would o just fine

2 - i understand the zoleo only has limited function with a cell phone paired to it, but the other two can be used as stand alone units. the spotx seems to offer easier use with the built in keyboard

3 - i do not want to be bringing my good cell phone in the bush. but i have several old phones. the one i prefer to use still functions just fine but is NOT connected to any cell phone plan. i was finally able to get someone at spot to confirm the phone used DOES NOT need to have an active cell phone plan. can anyone confirm whether that is the case with the garmin or zoleo? i had a garmin dealer tell me the phone has to have an active cell phone plan in order to work. that makes no sense to me.

4 - i believe none of these devices will offer any real useful mapping info. but i always assumed that if they were used with a cell phone, that the phone would be able to access weather and mapping info using the sat link. i am told that is not the case. and in order to get good mapping info, i need to buy a much more expensive garmin unit, and they pay extra to load my areas map. is this correct? or am i missing something?

i did learn (not that long ago lol) that i can use my cell phone "offline" with different map apps (google maps just for example) and as long as i download the area map i want (at home using my wifi) then i can use the phone in the bush as a gps and map. so i do not see the point in spending any extra money on the more expensive garmin. i assume the maps on that would be much better than google maps for example, but i am sure those would be just fine for me as i bring paper maps anyway for primary navigation on my short trips.

if anyone has any other info, suggestions, or comments that can straighten me out on the things i have gotten wrong pls let me know.

just fyi....they are all on sale right now. zoleo is 200. spotx is 300. and the mini 2 is 400. thats canadian dollars btw. :)

thx
rick

I have InReach Mini 2. It has a small screen that offers a very limited mapping feature. If you want to utilize the full potential of the Mini 2 while in the wilderness, you need to have it paired to your phone and that will provide you detailed mapping through the Garmin Explore app. As an emergency SOS device with active tracking, live weather, and ability to message, you dont have to have your phone with you.

With that said, messaging and weather reports can go to your phone through the Garmin app which is far easier to use than the buttons on the device. Mapping in Garmin Explore app can be used when your device is off as well assuming you downloaded the maps onto your phone prior. At least this is the case with iPhones, as it used the GPS connection through you phone. When you don't have a data connection, then you are accessing the mapping data through the Garmin's satellite connection and the maps would not need to be downloaded prior.

For the price of a new Mini 2, you can most certainly find a used 67i or 66i and that would give you a handheld unit with more detailed mapping, though it still wont be as good as your phone in terms of image clarity and user friendliness, and it will of course be much bulkier by itself at least. The benefit of these devices is the battery life, SOS features, the weather reports(for Garmin at least), the reliable satellite connection, and the ability to message out to someone if you needed to.

Personally, I bring my iPhone, the Mini 2, an Anker 20k Mah battery pack (no larger than my phone) which would allow me to go at least 3 weeks on the Garmin (with tracking enabled), and 2-3 weeks on the phone.

When I am in the BWCA, I also use the Gaia app on my phone with the campsite and portage overlays, which has been extremely helpful.

To summarize, you are correct that they dont offer mapping data that you couldn't just download to your phone beforehand. But these devices you're looking at were never really intended for that purpose. They are beacons/tracking devices at their core, not navigational devices.

I am not going to tell you what to get. I have Garmin inreach explorer + and iPhone 15. I have found good information from hikingGuy on youtube. He has reviewed most of them and has great information. Also, go to outdoorgearlab.com and put "satellite messengers" into the search box for that site. They have good article on them. Good luck.

alexandersupertramp......so you have provided some info that further confuses me. the way you describe how the inreach would work while paired with a phone is how i assumed it would work. however, the dealer told me the opposite. he said i would not have access to any maps even if i did use a phone with the garmin app. he said i had to upgrade to the 67i (which he said was brand new and just came out). they are 650 i think. then he said i had to buy an sd map card to load maps of my area into that device. that card cost 150 regularly but if i bought the 67i the card was 120.
since you own and use one, i assume you know exactly how it works.
perhaps the dealer here has no idea what he is talking about. lol

AlexanderSupertramp: "I have InReach Mini 2. It has a small screen that offers a very limited mapping feature. If you want to utilize the full potential of the Mini 2 while in the wilderness, you need to have it paired to your phone and that will provide you detailed mapping through the Garmin Explore app. As an emergency SOS device with active tracking, live weather, and ability to message, you dont have to have your phone with you.

With that said, messaging and weather reports can go to your phone through the Garmin app which is far easier to use than the buttons on the device. Mapping in Garmin Explore app can be used when your device is off as well assuming you downloaded the maps onto your phone prior. At least this is the case with iPhones, as it used the GPS connection through you phone. When you don't have a data connection, then you are accessing the mapping data through the Garmin's satellite connection and the maps would not need to be downloaded prior.

For the price of a new Mini 2, you can most certainly find a used 67i or 66i and that would give you a handheld unit with more detailed mapping, though it still wont be as good as your phone in terms of image clarity and user friendliness, and it will of course be much bulkier by itself at least. The benefit of these devices is the battery life, SOS features, the weather reports(for Garmin at least), the reliable satellite connection, and the ability to message out to someone if you needed to.

Personally, I bring my iPhone, the Mini 2, an Anker 20k Mah battery pack (no larger than my phone) which would allow me to go at least 3 weeks on the Garmin (with tracking enabled), and 2-3 weeks on the phone.

When I am in the BWCA, I also use the Gaia app on my phone with the campsite and portage overlays, which has been extremely helpful.

To summarize, you are correct that they dont offer mapping data that you couldn't just download to your phone beforehand. But these devices you're looking at were never really intended for that purpose. They are beacons/tracking devices at their core, not navigational devices.


"

This is the perfect response above.

hopefully just two more questions......
1 - i was told when i register the device i need a working cell phone as they will send a text for verification. but will i then have to use that particular phone with the device? or can i pair it with any old phone i have laying around? i do not want to bring my good phone in the bush and will need to use one of my old phones that is not currently connected to a cell plan.
spotx is the only company so far that has confirmed i can def use a different phone and does not need to have a cell plan

2 - i have been told the weather info when using a zoleo provides a wind forecast along with the other basic weather info. can anyone verify whether the spotx or garmin mini also provide wind forecasts

thx for all the help so far

I have a Garmin Inreach mini (original). I do not use my phone with it when out in the wilderness - although I take it for other reasons - and am able to send the preset messages and receive weather reports without it. I do not use it for navigation, just to verify position if necessary.

You can find a lot of useful information about the devices at hikingguy.com (see post down the page.

You may also want to contact Garmin directly for answers.

I would check sale prices on the Garmin 66i at REI. Allows using it by itself and so much more you can do with it if you want to use more of its potential. When I got mine a few years ago it came with a lifetime subscription to satellite imaging downloads. No devices allow loading maps from the satellite.

163568/garmin 163568/garmin

I just checked REI and the Garmin 66i is $400 US. Comes loaded with topos and you get a lifetime subscription to Birds eye satellite imaging downloads.

I second the 66i. It is not cheap but it is a stand alone device. sends messages, has great GPS and can receive weather reports. Good battery life. I love mine.

rick00001967: "alexandersupertramp......so you have provided some info that further confuses me. the way you describe how the inreach would work while paired with a phone is how i assumed it would work. however, the dealer told me the opposite. he said i would not have access to any maps even if i did use a phone with the garmin app. he said i had to upgrade to the 67i (which he said was brand new and just came out). they are 650 i think. then he said i had to buy an sd map card to load maps of my area into that device. that card cost 150 regularly but if i bought the 67i the card was 120.
since you own and use one, i assume you know exactly how it works.
perhaps the dealer here has no idea what he is talking about. lol"

The dealer is misinformed, or he's just trying to get you to spend money. You can absolutely access Garmin maps through the Explore app with or without a connection to your Garmin. The only way the maps work in remote areas is if your Garmin has satellite connection, or if you downloaded them beforehand. You can download GPX files right off the web for free in many cases, and upload them directly to any GPSMAP device over the air using the Explore App.

67i has been available for almost a year now, it's a marginal upgrade from the 66i, most notably the battery life. The 66i and the 67i sold in the US already have topo maps of US, Canada, and Mexico uploaded on it's internal hard drive (16GB). You can opt for an SD card for additional storage and maps if you want to, but it's certainly not necessary to use the device out of the box, you would want the additional storage for any additional maps, as both devices come with a nearly full internal drive from the factory. Class 4 through Class 10 micro SD cards work in Garmins, you dont have to buy the Garmin-branded or pre-loaded cards. But the max size they will take is 32GB. You can get one on Amazon for $15.

You can get a 67i right now from Scheels or REI for $499. If you're looking for the Cadillac of handheld devices with the best screen, then you would want the Montana 700 or 750, but that is a very large device and not super practical for canoe tripping.

All InReach devices, should you want to use it as an emergency GPS device, require a once-annual InReach subscription, as well as one of their monthly service plans. I opt for the Freedom plan so I can cancel and restart any time I want to save money.

If I were in your shoes, I would either go with a Mini 2 and cell phone combo, or the 67i for an extra $100 and skip the 66i. With that you get far more battery life and better antenna.

There are some really good resources on this site in the GPS forum for map files and where to get them, etc.

alexandersupertramp......thx again for taking the time to give such a detailed reply.

for anyone that cares lol ...... i was able to reach zoleo support today. there is no problem using my old cell phone to pair with their device. i just had to check if the software was too old or not. it's fine. all i need to do is load the app on the old phone, enter my active cell phone number when i register the app (different phone), and when i receive the verification code just enter it in the app.

i also decided to try and download the garmin explore app to my old phone. no good. it would work on that phone.

i am not sure if the explore app is the app needed to pair with an inreach or if there is a different app for that. but it seems unlikely that it would work on my old samsung phone.

so i guess i need to decide between the zoleo (200 on sale now) and the spotx (300 on sale now) as the other garmin options are just too expensive for me to invest that much. as i said before, the 67i is like 650 here.

I see where you are coming from but would still recommend spending a little more for the 66i with all the topo maps and lifetime downloads of Birds Eye satellite images. The phone is not needed to easily use the 66i as a stand alone device. REI kicks back about 10% on purchases further closing the gap.

An upcoming unknown is what will be the future of satellite use between these products. Apple is bankrolling Global star (spot) so they can put up more satellites but in the deal gets to use 85% of their capacity. Inreach uses the presently worldwide satellite fleet of Iridium.

marten.....appreciate all the info but i just do not do enough tripping to justify the expense of a 66i or 67i. if i did longer trips with complex routing over hundreds of miles etc then i think having a top notch nav device to compliment real paper maps is a must. i just don't do that type of canoeing.

on another note.....i just found out spotx does not allow the used to access any weather info. that is a pretty significant con.

so at this point i am leaning towards the zoleo. it is the least expensive, apparently has very good weather forecasting (including wind forecasts), has good battery life, looks well built (got to actually hold one the other day), will pair with my old samsung phone that i always bring with me anyway for taking pics (i dont have to worry about damaging or loosing my good phone), has a check in button and sos button that still function if something happens to my phone.
only major draw back is not being able to have two way communication if something happens to the phone. this may be an issue if a situation arises where i am thinking of activating sos. but the sos is till avail in a life and death situation.
i think the odds of being in a situation where two way communication is required, and loosing the use of the phone at the same time is pretty remote.

Glad to have helped clarifying your options. In the next few years as smart phones start having access to satellites the choices will be even more confusing.

I run a Zoleo, IPhone and Garmin watch.

The route goes on the GIAA App which is on my phone and also gets loaded as a route to my watch. I can then look at my wrist for pinpoint location vs intended route on large bodies of water with a lot of islands-bays to navigate.

GIAA route on phone really helped on my last Quetico map to find some portages not used that often.

Portages in the Q are not always as pronounced as in BWCA due to sheer volume of traffic.

Garmin Fenix 6 Solar is the watch I use.

And keep in mind that ‘lifetime’ anything electronic is about four years. After that it is really outdated. Satellite communicators are evolving fast.

If you are trying to to get out of trouble in the bush then you might want to brush aside all the other neat things they can do.

I own a Zoleo. I’ve never looked back and I don’t care what other devices do or not do. I made my decision ands really love my device. I use it for daily check-ins and texting my spouse which is rock solid reliable.

My account is currently suspended for the winter. It costs $4 a month and in the spring I’ll activate the full use again. That’s $20 a month. US cost is $149 right now on sale. That’s the same price it was two years ago on sale.

Enjoy your purchase, whatever it is, and then you can stop looking lol!
Tom

I carry a device simply for my wife's comfort. No interest in navigation, weather, or sos really. Had a Spot 2 for a ong time but now moved onto a Zoleo. Very pleased.

Without a phone with cell service, you will miss the savings of free messages via cell versus the paid for messages via satelite. Don't know if you can move your sim card for the trip.

Here's another thought for you, rick, if price is a concern. I bought my Garmin Inreach mini as a refurbished unit from GPS city, which saved some money.

I too am in the market for a 2-way communication device and in my search stumble across the Motorola Defy. It is a very small device that appears to be a disrupter in the market with is small size and very reasonably priced plans.

Anyone have any feedback or insight on this option?

Right now the device is $100 at REI, the first year subscription is free and after that plans start at 4.99 for 30 messages per month and from there are a few other service plans.

This service is through the Bullitt Satellite, coverage is not world wide yet but they say they will continue to expand the offerings.

The SOS service runs through FocusPoint which appears to be an emergency response service. So as far as I can tell an SOS call would first go to them, they would gather info and then pass it along to the local authorities.

Looking forward to some more information about this platform.
Thanks in advance.
CC

I don't think I would get the Defy. If you go to hiking guy on youtube he has at least 3 videos on the Defy in last 3 - 4 months. Sounds like there could be some problems. Maybe some members on here have experience using it in Boundary Waters.

Thanks for the insight KJW, I will probably hold of until there is some real world data on the Defy.

The unfortunate part is probably only 2 or 3 years before cell phone service via satellite is common.