InReach Subscription

Where The Paddle Takes Me

Where the paddle takes me
Established Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Messages
119
Location
Port Alberni, BC
Evening
Looking to activate my Delorme InReach device. I’ve owned it for years but never activated it. Going on some bigger solo trips this summer and looking for a little piece of mind for those back home. Wondering if anyone knows of any discount codes or promos for activating or for a monthly subscription. I know it’s an older device and Garmin should be supporting it for a few more years.
Yes…I know “can you really put a price on this lifesaving device”
Thanks
Shawn
 
Huh. I have frankly never heard of any sort of promo or discount for InReach subscription services, but I guess that does not prove that they don’t exist. For many years now I have simply used their most basic “Safety“ plan. I almost never send messages. I use it to obtain weather forecast via WX2InReach, and maybe talk to the air taxi operator about pick up/WX at the end of trips. It’s pretty easy to Google “compare InReach plans” and see a breakdown of what makes the most economical sense given whether you need a low-level, year-round SOS capability, or only have a narrow window when you might use the device (i.e., activate/deactivate).
 
Assuming you are just going to use this for letting people back home know where you are and to notify S&R if you truly need saving, then the basic inReach plan is the least expensive (from Garmin) - and is in line with the cost of similar services by The Spot and Zoleo devices.

That basic plan has two expenses, A yearly activation fee, and a monthly service fee. Your cost will include the first monthly service fee when you pay the yearly activation so to save money, don't activate until you are ready to use it.

Maybe. Because if you haven't used the device for a while, t'were it me, I'd activate a month ahead of use and use the device, hiking around the block and such, till I was very familiar with the menus and operation. If you really need to use it to signal help, you don't want to try to figure it out on the fly. You'll also get a sense of how long it takes to send an "I'm here" message and get a "feel" for the device.

So you could activate at the beginning of June, can pay the monthly service fee for July, August, Sept or however long your season lasts. Whether that is less expensive to go for the "whole year" plan depends on how long you'll be using it.

For me, it is less expensive to pay for the basic plan and use it for 3-4 months at a slightly higher monthly rate than it is to pay for a full year (at a slightly lower monthly rate) when I'd only be using it in the summer.

Note that I am only considering the feature, as with The Spot, of sending the folks back home an email showing my Lat/Long location and not using it for messaging. If you plan on using it for regular communication - texting - then a whole other economics and alternate devices enter the picture.
 
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