Gretel Would've Been Fine With a Garmin InreaCh Mini

Safety on the trail is a hot topic currently and apparently it's mostly in regards to women.  This is my surprised face.  I belong to a bunch of hiking groups for Ohio on FB, and in the last few weeks several women have asked a) if as a woman, they will be safe if they hike alone and b) what folks use to stay safe while on the trail. 

I was shocked at the majority of responses (over 80) that said gun & a CCW...and not one person, besides me, said a GPS satellite communicator amidst the spackling of other suggestions (pepper spray, don't hike alone, tell someone...basically another blog post at some point). 

Fuck that noise, noting that I have nothing against guns (I'm too clumsy to carry, not to mention I'm guessing someone would wait till they were right next to me to attack me and getting the gun pulled at that point would be quite difficult).  However, this isn't to debate guns on the trails, but one particular way that can help you stay safe - GPS Communicators.  Because, in reality, you're much more likely to fall, become seriously ill, etc. on the trail than you are to be attacked by a person. 

In fact, one of my biggest sources of anxiety was getting in to an area, having an issue like a seriously fall or coming across someone in need of help, and not being able to contact anyone.  It freaked my family out, too.  With the Garmin InReach, that's not an issue anymore - and I can see it's practicality, not just in hiking, but all sorts of situations - like a car accident in a rural area without service (check out my previous article on all the benefits of a GPS Communicator here).

So what's awesome about it? Well, it's small - 3.9 x 2 x 1 inches and weights only 3.5 ounces.  Weight reallllly matters to me with my back injury, and was one of the main reasons I hadn't picked one up previously.

What I Love - pls bear in mind I have the cheapest subscription option...:

• Being able to send three preset text messages to my family/friends as many times as I want, and having the free option to include GPS coordinates.  Hell. Yes.
• I can connect it to my cell via blue tooth to send additional text messages, which family/friends can respond to.  The plan I have I can only do 10 free ones a month, but it's only a small fee over that.
• SOS Buttom - heavily protected by a hard case, if I hit it, they're coordinating and sending in an entire rescue team.  Note: this shit is expensive.  Get the $20.00 insurance option when you get your subscription, otherwise you'll find yourself in a such a crazy amount of debt, you'll wish you'd dragged yourself, bleeding and broken, out of the forest.  You can even get the "aboard" insurance, where they'll coordinate rescues on foreign soil AND arrange to get you back to the U.S. 
• Check out all the other benefits here.

Downsides:

• The price tag of $350.00 - if you wait for a holiday, though, it drops by almost $75.00!  It's still pricey for many that save every penny for every piece of gear, which is me most of the time.  
• Subscription - it's also a bit of a bummer that you have to pay a monthly fee on top of it, but at $11.00/month for the cheap-o plan I have, it's totally worth the peace of mind.  And you can upgrade/downgrade the plan/features available (for a price) when you need to. 
• Charging and Updating It - I'm terribly forgetful about stuff like this.  It doesn't have batteries, which is great for the environment, but it does mean having to remember to plug that sucker in - my charges last for about 30 hours.  You also have to plug it in to a computer to update its software/preset messages. 

I've used the Garmin InReach Mini on quite a few trips now, and EVERY. SINGLE. MESSAGE I've sent has made it through, even when in valleys, in the snow, and it's overcast with tree cover.

At some point, I'll go over one that I tried before the Garmin that wasn't quite as...successful, as well as how to stay safe against predators - both human and animal. 

Do you use a GPS Satellite Communicator? Why or why not?  Do you like it? Leave a comment below or contact me here!

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