The Garmin inReach Mini has become one of the most popular sat-com devices since its release in 2018. Not only does it allow you to communicate with Garmin devices and smartphone apps even when you’re far off any kind of grid, it also comes in a compact size that makes it extremely convenient to carry. Of course, even good things can get better and that’s what we’re getting with the Garmin inReach Mini 2.
The second-generation of the outfit’s smallest satellite communicator, it retains the same general size and styling as its predecessor, all while gaining a significant amount of battery life. That way, you can keep your communicator active for far longer when you’re out in the wild, allowing you to use it far longer between charges on your dwindling USB power bank.
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 has improved battery performance that allows it to run up to 14 days if you set it to track every 10 minutes and up to 30 days if you set the tracking to every 30 minutes. That’s up to a full month of operation, allowing you to really stretch your battery juice during those extended adventures. It holds charge pretty well, too, with the device able to keep its battery charged even if you put it away for an entire year (you might want to plug it in if you want a full charge, though).
It looks just like its predecessor, by the way, with a body that fits snugly in your palm and a chunky antenna sticking out of the upper right corner. It retains the same burly rugged enclosure that should shrug off bumps and drops (MIL-STD-810 rating), all while being sealed for IPX7 water resistance, so you can drop it in lakes and rivers without taking damage. Suffice to say, it’s built to handle the outdoors. It gets a 1.3-inch monochrome display that you can use for all its messaging, SOS, and navigation functions.
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 supports two-way text messaging with both inReach devices and smartphone users running Garmin’s smartphone app, making it easy to keep in touch with your group, as well as giving you a way to communicate with friends and loved ones far away through the use of the global Iridium satellite network. You can also share your location using the device’s GPS, so your contacts can know your exact coordinates at any time. In the event of emergencies, you can also trigger an SOS message to Garmin’s 24/7 emergency response center.
More than a communication device, it also supports various navigation functions, so you can use it to help you on your way around the trail. Navigation capabilities include trackback routing (to make sure you can find your way back using the same route), a digital GPS compass, point-to-point navigation, and waypoint marking, complete with the ability to save 100 courses, 200 activities, and 1,000 points of interest. Other features include weather forecasts, cloud storage, trip planning, and satellite plans that only require a 30-day commitment.
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 is available now, priced at $399.99.