Garmin inReach Messenger Review

When the Garmin inReach Messenger first came out, I didn’t know who it was for. It doesn’t have real navigation, Garmin’s own marketing shows it being used while car camping, and they don’t even sell a clip or strap to mount it to a backpack. It felt like something more for casual users, not for people spending time deep in the backcountry. But having used it a for a while, I think it does have a place in your hiking or backpacking gear.

Why the inReach Messenger Exists

Garmin already has solid devices like the Mini 2 and the GPSMAP 67i. But the Messenger has some key differences:

• It's more affordable (often on sale for $199 USD)
• It's primarily designed to be used with your phone
• It's got a more powerful transmitter and path antenna (not quad-helix like the other devices)
• The battery lasts a long time
• There is only very basic navigation built into the unit

Satellite Performance and Reliability

This unit has a highertransmit power than many of the Garmin inReach devices (~3.9 watts). It uses the Iridium satellite network, giving you coverage on 100% of the globe. I've had subscribers send me messages from the South Pole. It really works.

In my testing I've found:

• Messages went out faster than my Mini 2, usually within a minute
• Performance in heavy canopy more reliable than other devices
• It supports GPS + Galileo + BeiDou + QZSS, which helps with satellite lock in tough environments
• You can also tuck it inside the brain of your backpack—no need to mount it externally. Just keep it upright and near the top.

You need a subscription to use any of the satellite functionality. Here's the best move for a subscription, including options that Garmin doesn't tell you about.

You Need the Messenger App

I appreciate that the Messenger has a small screen allowing you to use the device without your phone, but to use it effectively, you'll want to mainly be on your phone. The Garmin Messenger app is what you use, and it lets you access all the functionality that an inReach offers.

• If you are connected to cellular or wifi, it will send messages using that instead of a satellite message. This happens automatically.
• You can start and stop location breadcrumb tracking.
• You can trigger an SOS.
• You can get weather forecasts with icons and a visually pleasing display
• The app allows you to update the device and inReach settings and usage

However, there are some limitations with the Messenger.

• The Messenger does not pair with the Garmin Explore app. You have no navigation aside from the Trackback on the device.
• Location sharing is always done over satellite.
• Just because the Messenger app will try to use WiFi or cellular to send messages, for some reason it doesn't stop the Messenger device from checking for messages via satellite every hour. If you're indoors turn the device off to avoid battery drain.

You can also remote control your Messenger (in a limited way) with your Garmin watch.

Battery Life

Garmin claims 28 days of battery life in 10-minute tracking mode. In my testing:

• I averaged 5% drain per day, even in cold weather
• On a 5-day trip with check-ins and tracking, I used less than 30% total

The device charges with USB-C, which is appreciated.

Navigation

Even though the Messenger is certainly capable of navigation, Garmin has disabled the full functionality here. That said, there are two things you can do when it comes to navigation.

When you power the  inReach Messenger on and connected to satellites, it automatically records its location every 10 minutes on the device. If you need to backtrack, you can access it through the menu of the device and you will get an arrow pointing you to the point where you were 10 minutes ago. It's not nearly as helpful as a high-fidelity track recorded on a device like the inReach Mini 2.

And I know this can be confusing, but this internal tracking is not the same as location tracking, which shares your location via satellite to your MapShare page.

Who is the inReach Messenger For?

One of the things I appreciate with my Garmin inReach is the fact that it also has backup navigation functions. While non-emergency messaging is a great aspect of an inReach, overall I consider my inReach an emergency device. It's got the SOS where I can ask for help, but I also appreciate the fact that there's backup navigation. For example, if I'm using AllTrails on my phone and my phone dies, I can trackback on my inReach Mini 2.

That said, the inReach Messenger lacks that type of emergency backup. If you're hiking or backpacking, I think this aspect is important. So for me, I don't think the Messenger makes a lot of sense.

But if your use case scenario doesn't need backup navigation, the affordable Messenger might be the best move. I also think if you want the inReach device with the best battery life, and are okay with the fact that it's heavily dependent on the phone, then this could be a good options as well.

Messenger vs ZOELO vs Mini 2