There's a few good reasons why I always carry a satellite device like the Garmin inReach Mini 2. In fact, for both safety and utility, my Garmin may be the most important piece of essential gear I carry hiking, hunting, or anytime I'm in the backcountry.
I've been a proponent of satellite devices for over seven years, when I first started venturing into the more-remote corners of the world by myself. As someone who is frequently in the backcountry for both work and pleasure, a satellite communication device is a key part of my kit—whether I'm hunting, climbing mountains, or fishing at a remote lake. Since they use satellite networks instead of cell tower networks, satellite communication devices can send out messages in places where cellphones are useless. They're perfect for keeping in touch with friends and family on extended trips or calling for rescue in emergency situations.
Chelsey Cook for Wide Open Spaces
I've used Garmin inReaches for six years, starting with their inReach Explorer. While I loved the Explorer, as soon as the inReach Mini was released in 2018, I hopped on the bandwagon. The Explorer was a great satellite communication device—but the Mini was just, well, mini. The device is only 3.5 inches long and weighs just over 5 ounces. While I guide in Alaska, my pack often weighs over 90 pounds, so size and weight are at a premium.
Impact-resistant and offering up to 30 days of battery life, the inReach Mini 2 is small but mighty. It's a two-way messenger, so you can either send and receive messages over the device's Iridium satellite network, or link it through your phone's Bluetooth and use Garmin's EarthMate App to text directly from your phone. The Mini can track your location and route and send your coordinates to friends and family, and I use its TracBack feature to help navigate back to tricky trailheads. There's also a MapShare feature, which uploads your coordinates to a map on Garmin's website that you can share with friends and family, and its weather feature, which can give minute-by-minute weather updates.
Chelsey Cook for Wide Open Spaces
Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, the inReach Mini 2 has an SOS button. With a simple press of the button, you can notify the Garmin Response Team, who will then notify emergency responders of your situation. While I've never had to use the SOS function on a satellite device for a rescue, a few friends have pressed the button on the inReach Mini 2. In every situation, they've been injured enough to need assistance in a rescue, but not so injured that they couldn't help coordinate it. After the SOS button was pressed, the Garmin Response Team sent their coordinates and information to local emergency responders, who were able to text directly with my friends to coordinate the quickest rescue possible given the terrain and weather.
After seeing how easily my friends were able to call for rescue, the inReach Mini 2 rarely leaves my side. Not only do I bring it on every backcountry trip I take, but it also rides shotgun with me when I'm driving remote roads—and I recently took it with me when I traveled through Peru for a month. Having it with me gives me the extra boost of confidence I need to explore further and for longer. Take advantage of the season's sales and get yourself a new Garmin inReach Mini 2 for the next hunting season.
Garmin
READ MORE: The Best Sat Devices for Hunters
