Garmin  inReach Mini 3 Plus

I’ve upgraded from a Garmin InReach Mini gen 1 that I’ve had for many years. It was time to get a much needed upgrade. I’ve been out multiple days with the new Garmin InReach Mini and so far I love it. I love the touch screen features and it’s easy to use. Messaging is easy and it goes out much quicker. The battery life is great, it seems better than my older unit. I had to download the new Garmin Messenger (I had Garmin Earthmate) so I’m able to use my phone to send my messages but you can send it through the device. Be aware that if you’re upgrading and have an older subscription, you will need to change your subscription to a current one. I was on an older plan so I needed to update that as well. I’ve sent a picture message but I believe the recipient must have Garmin messenger as well. The unit is a little bigger but that’s ok, it’s one awesome upgrade and I’m glad I have it.

Purchased the Mini 3 Plus to go along with my Instinct Tactical 3. Battery on this lasts me at least 2 weeks even after hours of usage during multiple 4-5 hikes. Very impressive little device and also a great tool to use for safety if needed as I'm a solo hiker.

Used this for the first time in the national forest where we have never had cell reception (We've camped out here for 50 years with no cell reception). It worked beautifully! It took a few minutes at times for the communication to go through, but what a relief to know we could communicate with someone back in civilization. This could make a difference between getting help to us and being in a real serious position. I don't normally give reviews for ANY product, but have been so impressed with this little gizmo. We had tried Starlink and couldn't even get it to receive in the middle of our cul de sac at home. Five stars for Garmin!

Easy to setup service and getting app for messaging. Took a moment to get our first few ‘test’ messages out but it was easy to use after setup finished

It has performed perfectly on all testing I've done. I strongly recommend get one, peace of mind, lifeline, or a simple "miss you" This device was purchased under two circumstances. 1 My cell phone carrier is Verizon, some months back the service dropped out for over ten hours. I can't not be in touch with family in these troubled times. The In Reach Mini 3 guaranties I'll have the ability to do so. 2 I run Urban and Outdoor Survival a survival group I established in 2019 - teaching survival skills, many of training sessions are off grid deep into the back country. The In Reach Mini 3 is our lifeline in the event of emergency.

It's amazing how much trouble I had with this inReach Mini 3. Trouble connecting with my phone (which lead to many uninstall/installs), random charges, trouble with my contacts following me via liveview. You can't get anyone at Garmin to help out with support. What a terrible waste of money. If I had knew then what I know now, I would have bought a used inReach Mini 2 for $300 less.

I returned item soon after purchasing. I found it to be very complicated to use but my main reason for return is the complexity to allow my family members to use the item if I am not with them and the expense of the monthly Garmin account . I think for multiple family members to use the device each will need to pay for a monthly Garmin acct . Iplan to look at simpler SOS devices .

What an amazing product. I have to admit that I have not had to call SOS but it provides such peace of mind that it mentally assists you during your expedition. I purchased it to hike Havasupai Falls to the Confluence in March 2026. Quite remote! The map and color display were clear and easy to read; it worked very well throughout the entire trip. Of note, the device is light and waterproof. If I had shattered a leg and fallen into a raging rapid, leaving me cold, soaked, mangled and near-death on the shores of Mooney Falls, it would have been relatively simple to hold the SOS button and request a helicopter for assistance. Thank you, Garmin! Next stop: Son Doong Cave.

Very disappointing. I really wanted to like this product. I have owned three other generations of InReach (original, SE, and 66i) and I was attracted to the Mini 3 Plus for the tiny size, light weight, and seemingly full features. When I powered up my subscription to it, here’s what I found: The map is a joke. No details that would assist navigation. And although Garmin got me to purchase a map subscription when I added it to my account, then I discovered the Mini 3+ does not support any add-on maps. I was able to pair it to my new iPhone 17 at home, but when I took it out in the field I couldn’t get it to pair again. MAJOR STRIKE against it. This is an emergency device, and it has to be reliable ALL THE TIME. Then, when I tried to type a custom message on its touch screen, I immediately discovered the characters are so tiny it was impossible to hit them accurately with a fingertip. Imagine how it would work with cold wet hands in an emergency. So I sent 3 prerecorded “check in” messages to my wife. Two of them never arrived. Finally, I found navigation through the menus to be very clumsy and not at all intuitive. Maybe I’m just particular because I’m a retired forest ranger and I demand my gear to be foolproof and professional quality. Bottom line— I returned it to REI, and will continue to use my trusty 66i, which functions very reliably as a stand alone unit.

I probably should have gone with the messenger plus, the onscreen navigation is poor, and I’m using apps on my phone instead anyway…but I guess piece of mind if I drop/break my phone. From 5:30am Thursday to Noon Sunday, battery went from 100% to 83% in Yosemite. I did turn it off at night, kept it on my pack at 45 degrees F. Sent 1 check in message a day. Started activities but didn’t send tracking updates as I have the cheap monthly subscription