Spent $300 on a GPS device that turned out useless on the Appalachian Trail

I dropped $300 on a Garmin InReach Mini 2 before my Shenandoah section hike last spring. Thought it would save my bacon if I got lost or hurt. Problem is the thing barely gets a signal under tree canopy, and the messaging is so slow my wife got three of the same text seven hours apart. I ended up using my phone with downloaded maps way more. Has anyone else found those satellite messengers aren't worth the hype for east coast routes?

2 comments

2 Comments

roseb621mo ago

Same problem with my son's fitness tracker. Paid extra for the model with GPS. Under trees, total junk. Seems like a pattern with this stuff. Everything promises the moon but skips over the fine print. The reality is much simpler. Just give me something that works when I need it without all these exceptions.

jade_hernandez1mo ago

My kid's tracker works fine with trees since I got a Garmin instead.