Spot or InReach?

[Dallara]

~


Just as a note, and an observation...

From what I can see the Delorme InReach SE has a rechargeable lithium battery that's good for about 100 hours, or around 4 days, without recharging. But it also has available an on-vehicle charging cradle that allows it to be charged up all the time.

If I recall correctly the Spot products are all only powered by batteries, right?

Dallara


~

 

[EricV]

If I recall correctly the Spot products are all only powered by batteries, right?

Correct. Some have jury rigged Spots to a bike power source, but it's not commonplace.

The Spot units do require AA or AAA lithium batteries. The 9x AAA lithium batteries run about $10 for a package of 4, the Spot takes 3. I usually carry a spare set of batteries at all times so I can just swap them out when the get low. As said before, the 3 AAA batteries in the Spot II will last about 10 full days. Many people only riding 6-8 hours at a time or less go far longer between battery changes.

Note: The SpotConnect is not quite the same kind of tracking unit and requires a cellular device to pair with. If you want tracking, don't choose that option. For most people, the Spot II will do everything needed and the Spot III is overkill at a higher cost. Spot III is great for off trail/road people that want to see more details of their track. Some find the easier to push buttons worth the extra cost, but I don't have that issue with the Spot II.

 

[Dallara]

Correct. Some have jury rigged Spots to a bike power source, but it's not commonplace.

The Spot units do require AA or AAA lithium batteries. The 9x AAA lithium batteries run about $10 for a package of 4, the Spot takes 3. I usually carry a spare set of batteries at all times so I can just swap them out when the get low. As said before, the 3 AAA batteries in the Spot II will last about 10 full days. Many people only riding 6-8 hours at a time or less go far longer between battery changes.

Note: The SpotConnect is not quite the same kind of tracking unit and requires a cellular device to pair with. If you want tracking, don't choose that option. For most people, the Spot II will do everything needed and the Spot III is overkill at a higher cost. Spot III is great for off trail/road people that want to see more details of their track. Some find the easier to push buttons worth the extra cost, but I don't have that issue with the Spot II.

Hmmmm... Interesting.

That cost of lithium batteries over time could more than make up the price difference in the cost of the higher subscription for the DeLorme InReach SE, so over time the cost between the two becomes more or less equal. But the InReach has message confirmation (whereas the Spot does not), plus you can easily cancel the InReach subscription at any time... But even better is that you can move up or down subscription plans freely with the DeLorme, and even suspend your service when you don't need it.

More and more I'm leaning toward the DeLorme InReach SE. Just seems to *fit* better for how I think I'll use it, and I have already figured out about where and how I would mount it. The powered charging cradle is a big plus to me, since the only time I see it being off the bike during trips is at night when I'm bedded down. For brief stops it can easily be popped off and carried, or thrown in a side case if it needs to be locked up. And being mounted on the bike it's always charged up, with no need to carry batteries.

I can see where the Spot might work for some folks, and it'd probably be fine for me, too... But it's looking more and more like the Delorme InReach SE is a better fit for me.

Thanks!

Dallara



~

 

[offcamber]

That's certainly true, but don't be foolish and think that using a card that's not valid at the renewal will eliminate your need to actually call them and cancel the coverage. If you contact them a year later and want to start up Spot coverage again, you'll be in for a rude shock, they will charge you for that year that you didn't pay them for. Even if you never used the device during that time.

If they pulled that then they would be in for " you can keep your POS tracking device....."

Do you actually have evidence of that or are you just guessing?? I find it hard to believe they would turn business away.

If that is their business model its no wonder so many people are negative on their product..... Find it hard to believe they would leave the subscription active for even a day past the renewal date without payment.

 

[krussell]

Dallara,

Check out my thread on the InReach powered crade if you haven't all ready...

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=11186.msg184569

 

[EricV]

Do you actually have evidence of that or are you just guessing?? I find it hard to believe they would turn business away.

If that is their business model its no wonder so many people are negative on their product..... Find it hard to believe they would leave the subscription active for even a day past the renewal date without payment.

I do know of people that this has happened to. They tossed it in a drawer for a couple of years, then went to re-activate it and were told they owed for the previous two years of service. Outcome has varied, but they get pretty stinky about "back fees due". I'm not sure they can shut the device off once it's activated, but that's speculation only. I do know that they didn't care that the guy had obviously not used it during the time it sat in the drawer, they still wanted their money. I believe it came down to: read the contract, it does specify that you must notify Spot when you want to stop your subscription. And it specifies how to do so. I'm too lazy to pull my copy out and read it right now, but it is there.

 

[EricV]

Hmmmm... Interesting.

That cost of lithium batteries over time could more than make up the price difference in the cost of the higher subscription for the DeLorme InReach SE, so over time the cost between the two becomes more or less equal. But the InReach has message confirmation (whereas the Spot does not), plus you can easily cancel the InReach subscription at any time... But even better is that you can move up or down subscription plans freely with the DeLorme, and even suspend your service when you don't need it.

More and more I'm leaning toward the DeLorme InReach SE. Just seems to *fit* better for how I think I'll use it, and I have already figured out about where and how I would mount it. The powered charging cradle is a big plus to me, since the only time I see it being off the bike during trips is at night when I'm bedded down. For brief stops it can easily be popped off and carried, or thrown in a side case if it needs to be locked up. And being mounted on the bike it's always charged up, with no need to carry batteries.

I can see where the Spot might work for some folks, and it'd probably be fine for me, too... But it's looking more and more like the Delorme InReach SE is a better fit for me.

Thanks!

Dallara

It does come down to how you use it. You can rent Spot devices, for what that's worth, if you want to try it out w/o buying one. If I'm not traveling the batteries last for months of short day rides. And when they are done in the Spot, I toss them in the LED flashlight and get more use out of them. I rarely take the spot off the mount. But I do use a bike cover when traveling. OTOH, I have heard of a couple of Spots being stolen. Kind of dumb, but thieves are sometimes dumb.

Regardless of what you choose, I highly recommend Spotwalla for it's usefulness and that it keeps your tracks longer. Free too.

 

[offcamber]

I do know of people that this has happened to. They tossed it in a drawer for a couple of years, then went to re-activate it and were told they owed for the previous two years of service. Outcome has varied, but they get pretty stinky about "back fees due". I'm not sure they can shut the device off once it's activated, but that's speculation only. I do know that they didn't care that the guy had obviously not used it during the time it sat in the drawer, they still wanted their money. I believe it came down to: read the contract, it does specify that you must notify Spot when you want to stop your subscription. And it specifies how to do so. I'm too lazy to pull my copy out and read it right now, but it is there.

Well that just proves my point they are not a good company to deal with. I know when I cancelled my subscription it took several phone calls to get it cancelled. Buyer beware.

 

[Dallara]

It does come down to how you use it. You can rent Spot devices, for what that's worth, if you want to try it out w/o buying one. If I'm not traveling the batteries last for months of short day rides. And when they are done in the Spot, I toss them in the LED flashlight and get more use out of them. I rarely take the spot off the mount. But I do use a bike cover when traveling. OTOH, I have heard of a couple of Spots being stolen. Kind of dumb, but thieves are sometimes dumb.

Regardless of what you choose, I highly recommend Spotwalla for it's usefulness and that it keeps your tracks longer. Free too.

Just curious, Eric...

You seem to be defending Spot's policies pretty hard, and sales pitching them as "the choice" pretty enthusiastically, too. Do you really think they are *THAT* much better than the DeLorme? If so, why? I really am curious as to your thoughts as to why the Spot is a better solution... So much so that you feel it's worth putting up with apparently is some pretty onerous subscription, collection, and cancellation policies.

Do you *REALLY* think it's that much better?

Thanks!

Dallara



~

 

[EricV]

Just curious, Eric...

You seem to be defending Spot's policies pretty hard, and sales pitching them as "the choice" pretty enthusiastically, too. Do you really think they are *THAT* much better than the DeLorme? If so, why? I really am curious as to your thoughts as to why the Spot is a better solution... So much so that you feel it's worth putting up with apparently is some pretty onerous subscription, collection, and cancellation policies.

Do you *REALLY* think it's that much better?

Thanks!

Dallara

Actually, No, I don't think one is better than the other. They have different benefits/strengths while providing similar functions. I am trying to be clear on what Spot does and does not do. I have experience with that, but only second hand experience with the InReach. The people I know that use it, like it, but haven't used Spot, so are sort if in the same position I am. I'm not defending Spot's practices, but do want you to know that yes, that is something they do, (make it hard to cancel and will try and charge you if you just stop paying and then want to start up again).

My personal experience is from having a Spot II for the last 3 years w/o lapse. My next renewal is this month and is $168 or so. I have heard of people calling up and bitching about the price and getting a discount for the next year, but I have it so the wife is happy. Beyond that, I really don't care. It's nice that my sister enjoys seeing where I go, but that's not high on my list of must haves.

I probably go thru 5-6 sets of batteries in a year, riding around 35k the last couple of years. So 6x3=18/4=4.5. so I bought 5 packs of AAA 9x lithium batteries in the last year. (Probably 4), at ~$10 each. $40-50 dollars.

If you want bike power to the device, Spot doesn't really do that. I use the spot every time I ride. Used it today, even though the wife was with me on her bike. I never look at the tracks, and have a Spotwalla trip set up that lasts 10 years. I set up shorter trips for specific rides or reasons.

I also know of a person that used the Spot 911 and never did get reimbursed for the various expenses that Spot claimed to cover with their Geos service. On the other hand, I also have MedJet, which is very good on that score, but again, read the contract and understand what is covered and what is not, and under what circumstances.

 

[clint64]

I have used my original SPOT for 6 years. I got it so that my wife would feel more at ease with me riding alone. With tracking at least she has a general idea of where to send folks to look for the body. I did use it in WV for sending OK messages at the end of each day since cell phone coverage was not an option in much of the area. I'm due for renewal in another 90 days and plan to move over to the Inreach SE prior to that time. My primary reason for the change is the ability of having 2 way messaging. This will keep my wife happy and a happy wife means I get to enjoy life more. Since I ride year round, this move will double my annual cost but for me that is a price I am willing to pay.

 

[duggram]

Nice thread. My inReach Explorer arrived yesterday same time as my iPad Mimi waterproof mount. Don't have it fired up yet but plan to have time this weekend. I also plan to pair my Mini with it so I can use the earthmate app for GPS. There's so much to learn about this setup that I'm hoping to find others with similar devices. So if you are or you know someone that would be a good resource please let me know. Thank you, Doug

 

[adventurelounger]

After having just spent 2 days in the woods of Western Mass and Vermont (hardly radical adventuring, but at times I'd go an hour without seeing anyone, car or otherwise), I've decided it's probably a good idea to get one of these things.

But here's something that occurred to me. I already have a Garmin 390LM. It already works on a satellite network. Without adding another piece of hardware, is there no way (or service or hack) to use the Garmin the exact same way as a Spot? Or do they own Spot and use it as another revenue stream?

It would seem like a perfect subscription service for Garmin to offer...

Anyone know if this is possible, or can be done?

 

[Bushyar15]

While I'm not familiar with that unit. It would require that the unit be able to Transmit data back to the satellite… I don't think they have that ability/capability. Its just a receiver….

I was doing research into both of these units and was ready to pull the trigger on the Inreach until I read a bunch of reviews on amazon.com talking about some of the customer service issues people were encountering and in some cases the unit reporting people at lat/long 0 (indian Ocean)….

I'm probably going with the SPOT even though its not as versatile I hate hassles and something as important as this type of unit should function near flawlessly...

 

[Checkswrecks]

If nearly all of your riding is in New England, where cell coverage is generally good or great, and the purpose is peace of mind for the family members, you might see if your cell phone has the capability to be tracked by them? Most of your newer iPhones and Androids can.
Even if the cell coverage drops behind some mountain, they'd probably get enough hits to know which road to send a local fire department down.

After having just spent 2 days in the woods of Western Mass and Vermont (hardly radical adventuring, but at times I'd go an hour without seeing anyone, car or otherwise), I've decided it's probably a good idea to get one of these things.

But here's something that occurred to me. I already have a Garmin 390LM. It already works on a satellite network. Without adding another piece of hardware, is there no way (or service or hack) to use the Garmin the exact same way as a Spot? Or do they own Spot and use it as another revenue stream?

It would seem like a perfect subscription service for Garmin to offer...

Anyone know if this is possible, or can be done?

 

[Bushyar15]

In Colorado, I'm very surprised where I have cell coverage and also where I don't have coverage. I know sounds weird. Last weekend we were at the top of Corona Pass taking a break and my phone starts chiming with an incoming text. Really surprised me.

 

[iClint]

I have had my InReach SE now for a few months and in that time I have taken it with me anytime I am out on the bike and on 3 tours through some more remote regions.

I chose the InReach SE over the explorer because I already have multiple devices that can do navigation so I had no need for the map and nav features (however when paired with your smartphone can show you your location on the map along with free TOPO maps). I chose the InReach over the Spot for a few reasons.

1. Nearly everything I read about the spot rubbished it on many levels
2. The InReach has 2-way communication and a better Satellite network
3. the Ability to pay for the InReach when I need it rather than the whole year can potentially make it cheaper than the Spot.
4. Being able to request a non-lifethreatening need for help and then also take advantage of 2-way communication
5. I can share a password protected portal with privileges I decide for others to track or message me

From a Cold start the device fires up within a few seconds, and once on has a small delay from holding the power button and a couple of key presses to unlock and to prevent accidental power ups.

Upon first setting up the device i sent a test message and within about 10 seconds my phone chimed I had a new message. To say the least I was extremely surprised how fast it worked.

With the device set to send my Position every 20mins and doing so for about 10 hours by the end of the day the battery has dropped from 100% to 95% meaning the InReach could last potentially for up to 20 days before needing to be recharged.

On my rides I typically never have a clear view of the sky, it is typically always obscured by tree cover and more often than not by Rock and other geography on at least one side... This however does not seem to effect the units ability to send and receive messages.

The InReach has typically been a set and forget device with no need to send "i'm Okay messages" as my wife can check in on the portal and see that I have either reached where I told her I would be or that I am moving about.

When making my decision about what to invest my money in the idea of a PLB and the nature of the PLB being the serious come rescue me device and while a PLB is cheaper (long term) they don't have the same rescue features i.e. 2-way communication and the ability to send for non-emergency help.

My cynical nature ruled out the PLB for the following reasons:
1. If I am dead How will I trigger it and hence how will anyone every find me before I am devoured by the foxes and crows
2. If I am seriously injured or dying will I be found in time anyway?

while the Tenere might take me to some remote places along tracks only a serious 4x4 might venture I'm to lazy to walk much more than a few meters off the track so chances are I won't need to be air lifted out of anywhere so at best maybe a friend or relative to bail me out or at worst some SES volunteers in a Landcruiser should be about all the rescue I need

For these reasons my belief was that a device like the InReach is sufficient and a PLB probably overkill. IF I'm not dead or dying I'll ride to safety or organise my own rescue HOW DO I KNOW THIS!? well I have in the past ridden home past the hospital with broken ribs and 2 broken hands to get my wife to drive me back to the hospital to avoid the towing and ambo costs, and after an accident that left me with multiple complex fractures, a degloving and a spinal injury i was the most calm and coherent person at the scene giving first aid instructions until emergency response arrived, just to name a few examples. What does this have to do with anything? well besides blowing my own trumpet a PLB just seemed like I said before to be overkill and not of much help in most situations i.e. a mechanical breakdown or some bumps and bruises requiring someone to come and get me and in a real emergency should the device perform as promised I'll still get rescued and possibly quicker as I will be able to tell rescuers the exact nature of my emergency.

While I can't speak to how well the SOS function of the device works all other reports indicate that it does, and from my use in theory any non-lifethreatening event should prove no problem as texting back and forth with my wife has worked flawlessly as with the tracking.

Another positive for the InReach is that even if I have not enabled tracking provided the device is on my position can be requested remotely.

As for using mobile phone apps... well in Australia at least we have mobile phone coverage to 98% of the population... the down side is 98% of the population live in cities peppered along the coast. for the other 2% they have none or poor network coverage and for everywhere in-between there is no signal. Whats even more laughable is that on a popular riding road only 30mins from a substantial town and only an hour from the Sydney CBD there is no phone signal which has been attributed to many deaths due to failure to get emergency services to the scene in time... the solution stick a payphone every few Kilometres LOL. another reason why a Satellite communicator is a worthwhile investment even if you don't venture to far from home.

I hope this helps others with there buying decision and happy to answer any questions others might have about the InReach.