Howdy All,
Here is the long awaited info on the inReach units, but more importantly the discount code. All the information is at the bottom of the article. Links are also included to learn more about each unit and plans.
~Butch
Delorme inReach Explorer and SE
(20 posts) (10 voices)-
Wingkeel
MemberThank you for the post. I just ordered the Explorer with the larger recharger. I was on my 3rd SPOT and now they're telling me I have to buy the next one. They've all leaked in the same exact place, next to the battery compartment and each replacement takes almost a month, yet they count those two months against the warrantee period. Time to go with another manufacturer.
I almost always paddle alone and sometimes find myself six or seven miles offshore, trolling. Other times, I paddle before first light so I can be back at my desk by 8:00am. Other times I'll be surfing the breaks outside Hurricane Pass. I can't afford to screw around with broken SPOT's anymore. I paddle to often for that nonsense. Paddling is the only thing keeping me sane during my dissertation journey...LOL.
Posted 6 years ago # -
OERentals
MemberWe also rent InReach SE's and Explorers in addition to the PLBs that many members get through us.
Our data plans are byte based (as an Enterprise client of Delorme).
Info and details:
http://www.oerentals.com/search-and-rescue-communications-rental.html
Posted 6 years ago # -
Wingkeel, for a device to call the calvary, you would be better served with a PLB, in my opinion.
Has Chief agreed to allow use of the inReach? Is it compatible with the mapper, or is this "Watertribe proof-of-concept" testing just a dream/marketing move on the part of Delorme?
Personally, I would not use a SPOT or an inReach in place of a PLB. While it can be extremely convenient and useful to have messaging options for race management (and the two-way messaging of the inReach is a vast improvement over one-way SPOT), when the stuff hits the fan, and my life depends on pressing a button, I want a real PLB (not a SPOT, not an inReach). It's worth researching the differences.
From the article at http://www.backcountrychronicles.com/delorme-satellite-gps-messenger/:
Satellite Messengers in general are not good alternatives for PLBs. Satellite Messengers, especially the Delorme InReach may be good additions to PLBs, but not alternatives.
Greg
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
Member"Greg,
Thank you for joining in on this discussion. I believe that we have some of the brightest competitors here in Florida every March and I think you bring up a very valid point. No one is disagreeing that PLBs are important when "stuff" hits the fan. No one understands this more thanPainenDias and DonKeyHoTey, and yet they could have had a completely different outcome had they been carrying an inReach Explorer. They could have simply called for help to fix a few item and get they daggerboard secured. All of his comments are on the WaterTribe FB Page.
Many of you don't know, I was on the beach waiting for Kayakman7 to finish rigging his boat that morning when our plans got wrecked. The USCG had us spend all day trying to contact competitors letting them know the race was on a “Weather Hold” and when that didn’t work, we started calling Shore Contacts. Many of which did not know they were someones shore contact and even a few didn’t even speak English. Later that day the USCG went ahead and cancelled the event.
I want to be very clear here. I am not doing this for financial gain, and am not making a penny from any of this. Unlike others who have posted up the fact they Rent: these units. I can't imagine what that individuals motivation is.
My motivation to do this is to get the word out about the features and benefits of the gear and let others make their own conclusion. I believe PanenDiaz, DonKeyHoTey and Kayakman7 have the best examples to share the benefits of what this unit could have done for their situations and their outcomes would have been clearly different.
And as for the comment about this being a, "Watertribe proof-of-concept" testing just a dream/marketing move on the part of Delorme?" You could not be further from the truth. Delorme has already successfully tested this concept in two other very large events from bike races to climbing mountains. The proof of concept is a term used when companies want to ensure needs can be met and/or expectations exceeded. By adding these smaller water tribe events this year to get an idea on how this would run for the EC16.
This is the type of discussion that needs to happen. Times change and Technology gets better. Sometimes you have to take a jump and go with the new equipment. Their are plenty of WaterTribers with them, now just get them together and see what that site looks like. It is just simple XML code just like the tracking code produced by the SPOT and I was told it will be able to be incorporated if Cheif wants to. However, the end goal here is to have all of that done on the Map Share page. This would remove hassle and headache that Chief no longer wants to deal with.
My goal is to see these continue, in the safest manner possible. As you will continue to see.... Everyone but a few will come out and say, it CAN'T be done, but their are a few that have done their homework and seen the benefits to carrying the inReach Explorer and how it can save time and resources from the USCG interaction.
I'll mention it again, if anyone has questions don't hesitate to post them up here. I have spent the last 6 months looking at ways to make this affordable and how we can make a Map Page that would potentially house the route data for future competitors to see as well.
Thanks for all the comments and keep them coming!
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
MemberJust checked with Delorme and code will be good through Sept. 15th.
One thing I forgot to mention is that the discount does not apply to the inReach Extreme Communication Kit bundles. This is because the bundles are already discounted and the company isn't able to do further reductions on those.
Thanks again for all the PMs and emails regarding this deal.
~ButchPosted 6 years ago # -
Bermudaboy
MemberThis page, had pretty neat &comprehension review/comparison: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Personal-Locator-Beacon-Reviews. One more thing to put on the wish list and Christmas is coming up!
Wonder about marine chart detail on the display when out on the water, videos on the site seemed a little lame on that? I guess I am afraid of electronics that have too many critical functions, cuz I'm tempted to cut gear and weight to one, and then not if, but when the unit goes Grande Sur...? Seems like Garmin would have advantage in this field, wonder if they are coming out with something to compete.. Digression excursus exemplar fuchi-capesta my electronics are burning.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
MemberBermudaboy wrote:
This page, had pretty neat &comprehension review/comparison: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Personal-Locator-Beacon-Reviews. One more thing to put on the wish list and Christmas is coming up!
Wonder about marine chart detail on the display when out on the water, videos on the site seemed a little lame on that? I guess I am afraid of electronics that have too many critical functions, cuz I'm tempted to cut gear and weight to one, and then not if, but when the unit goes Grande Sur...? Seems like Garmin would have advantage in this field, wonder if they are coming out with something to compete.. Digression excursus exemplar fuchi-capesta my electronics are burning.
The map on the unit itself is very basic. However, when paired with a smartdevice you get so much more. You get unlimited Topographic Maps and US NOAA Charts. Maybe at some point in the future they will change their setup, but it currently works great for what I need it for.
I realized early on while I prepared to write this article, there was no way I could highlight each and every awesome feature of this unit. So, I went with the 2-way communication. However, since you mentioned the charts... One thing I like is that I can change route midway through an outing and send that new route to my shore contact so they know I "conciously" made the change and can adjust plans accordingly.
The unit can seem a bit overwhelming however, it is like anything else, just need to use it and get a feel for its ease of use and funtionality.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Its all pretty interesting.
Some time ago, I did some quick research on the inReach devices.
On quick glance they appear to be a lot better than then Spot Devices.
2 way communication is pretty nice.
Though I cannot think of very many times, I want to start texting when I am away.
They appear to have a few other nice features.<o:p></o:p>A friend of mine, did a trip in Greenland, and had me send some weather reports to her.
That was kind of handy. This prompted me to look at the inReach devices.<o:p></o:p>One of my quick conclusions after looking at them for 15 minutes was the hardware and service combined is expensive. I decided, I will not be buying one for a while.<o:p></o:p>
I doubt very much InReach devices will be useable for Watertribe events, but it would be very nice if you could have your choice. I would like to have an InReach device, but will stick with what I need to do the Watertribe events.<o:p></o:p>
If anybody knows of a serious conversation about making the InReach devices be useable for EC tracking please write a post about it.<o:p></o:p>
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
MemberIf anybody knows of a serious conversation about making the InReach devices be useable for EC tracking please write a post about it.
Great point! I think someone who knows and understands KML Feeds and how they are added to a map should chime in and start that conversation.
I think this link gives a pretty good description where they are found for the Delorme site, but I am not a programmer. KML Feeds
Posted 6 years ago # -
It is not a technical question. I am sure it can be done.
Finding the tools on how to do it is not really a big deal. Its just some coding for authorized programmer.I just want to know if the powers that be (Chief) is or has ever given this some consideration.
I guess this thread is just chatting about an idea when the powers that be, are not even thinking about it.This is Chief's business to decide.
I am sure he knows all about this possibility.
I am willing to bet he is not looking for another project like this.
Saying here are the coding tools is just the beginning of a long project, with some high pressure surprises when the events get going. Esp when you combine 2 sources of data and 2 data formats.
Maybe he will read some of this and it will spark something.
I guess not.If somebody wants to make some ap outside of water tribe that interested people can be tracked in both spot and inReach, that be pretty cool. If I where a decent coder, and had some time, I would play around with it. But I fail on both of those counts.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
MemberHey Pat,
What's so funny about all this is that Delorme has their own Map Share system and as I mentioned in the article, they are currently testing letting individuals opt in to an "Event Page." If successful, it would actually take a lot off of Steve's plate. However, I don't have a vote and could care less if this equipment becomes part of the "required equipment." For me, it's better than what SPOT offers.
I've been part of discussions on here where people were looking for an alternative or maybe additional equipment. In this case, I found something that would do everything the SPOT does, plus additional benefits AND the company is offering it at a discounted price.
That's all I can do and people can do what they want with it. Several have made it clear here and on FB that they were thankful and they see the value. ~Mission Accomplished!
(I'm the last one someone wants doing coding too. LOL!)Butch
Posted 6 years ago # -
Wingkeel
MemberHi Greg, I absolutely agree that a PLB is the best available device when you need to call the cavalry. Mostly, the SPOT was a backup device but used mostly so my wife didn't worry so much while I was paddling alone. She could see where I am and If I was stopped or not. I sent an OK when I started, a programmed message at each stop and a second OK when I arrive back at the truck, which meant, "on my way in fifteen minutes". I would not even consider a trip over say 50-miles or 10-miles offshore without a PLB. When the spot Worked it was OK. Not great, but OK. Messages sometimes took 30-minutes to arrive, which is ridiculous for the cost of the service!
Posted 6 years ago # -
As just another option, when I have done unsupported kayaking trips in remote areas, I have carried a PLB AND a satellite phone. The satellite phone allows you to send emails and of course just talk to someone, which can be a bit more practical than sending and receiving texts from the seat of a kayak. The drawback is bulk and cost, satellite phones are very expensive to own (I have rented for 1.5 months and it was still pricey). I consider the SPOT to be a fun gadget that allows people to follow your track and you can send OK messages that more often than not, get to their destination. The inReach looks like a better device than a SPOT, but has higher cost, although I assume it is much cheaper than a satellite phone.
I wouldn't want a sat phone to be a requirement but for anyone who is really worried about what might happen when outside of cell range, it's a viable option. It looks like the inReach is another useful option.
I agree with FalconSails that for this to be a serious discussion that the first step is to get Chief's input. Until Chief gives his blessing all of the "Watertribe proof of concepts" etc, are interesting but amount to wishful thinking. I also agree that it's not a technicial question of whether it CAN be done but whether dealing with multiple servers and feeds would be reliable, and the programming and testing required.
It would also be good to post the current inReach pricing structure and discuss so that people can compare and see what they would be getting into, financially.
Finally, we all need to be very careful what we wish for when it comes to an electronic leash, as your wishes might just come true. Just how available do you really want to be? How much risk are you comforable with? That's a personal decision. I would prefer not to be required to regularly monitor text messages from race officials on a messaging device while I'm kayaking in a race/expedition.
Greg
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hollywood
MemberKayakVagabond wrote:
It would also be good to post the current inReach pricing structure and discuss so that people can compare and see what they would be getting into, financially.
Greg
Thanks for the input Greg. You're spot on with your comments. Here is the link I had at the bottom of the article with the different pricing plans. What I like about the Delorme is you can have the flexability to go "Unlimited" one month and back it down to a basic plan the next.
Here is the link to the plans: Subscription Plans
Butch
Posted 6 years ago # -
TangledUpInBlue
MemberI've also rented a sat phone for an event one time and yeah what a hassle and expense. I mentioned on the facebook page inReach sent a poll out to existing users a few months ago to rank features they might want to see in future upgrades. My number one pick on the list was the ability to pair with your smart phone and make a sat voice call. Hope that happens and is by the minute. I keep mine in the minimum account and pay the per use fees now. That works out fine. Most of the time I'm out, I take the inReach, don't use it for anything and my monthly bill is the at the low end. Others I might run over a few bucks. In the 2015 EC and following days in the gulf, I used just about all the features but emergency rescue and paid the overages, tracking, two way texting, GPS mapping paired and not paired to my phone, and posting on social media.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Clewless
MemberI bought an Inreach and used it on the MVC. While my wife is very supportive of Watertribe and the challenges, she was tiring of me dropping off the grid for days at a time. During this event it worked flawlessly. I used it once or twice a day for a quick check in with home, and they sent back weather updates and info on progress of the other boats. It was also very handy coordinating the pickup arrangements at the finish. The downside of the unit is battery life. With minimal use and tracking mode off I had to charge every other day to keep it at a comfortable charge level. I used a AA battery powered USB charger which worked great. I see this as a great addition to the Spot, but not a likely replacement. It is just too easy to put 4 AAA batteries in the Spot and not have to worry about battery life for the entire event.
Posted 6 years ago # -
BustedRudder
MemberGood review Clewless, and congrats on your MVC!
I have a different view on being hyper connected.
I Just finished 2nd read of "Without A Paddle". Ten years ago the requirement was to check in with the shore contact every 24 hrs. by phone or whatever means available. Warren carried an EPIRB (an insanely useless device) but I do not know if that was even required. He used his GPS only when needed to if lost, bonkers or both. Imagine it! No one knew where you were unless you were spotted or you told someone.
Today I am tracked 24x7 by spot and required to carry a VHF/SPOT/PLB which gives me more than ample means to stop dying if it comes to that.
One of the simple joys of an EC/UF IS being off the grid. Just me, the boat, and the water in between.
The phone is in a waterproof box and taken out only once a day to say to ask my wife how her day was. She knows I'm alive because of the occasional OK and if she needs reassurance she can see my dot move along the coast. Everyone one else knows I am "OOO with no access". The thought of my GPS allowing an inbound communication is horrifying.
Being heads down to an electronic chart in constant contact with everyone, tweeting, texting, FBing, and GoProing 24x7 is not going to happen in my boat simply because I'm paddling and button pushing is as productive as dragging an anchor.
It is, for me, quite simply the joy of unplugging from the matrix.
Posted 6 years ago #
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