Apple iPhone vs. Garmin InReach | Satellite Messaging Battle | Why iPhone IOS 18 DID NOT KILL Garmin

[@BackcountryRenegade]

What are you thoughts on garmin inreach and Apple's New update for IOS 18 for Satellite messaging. Will iphone replace your garmin or are you keeping it and why?

[@exploregeology4650]

Well I prefer Samsung, but even when they match the satellite feature...that will be a no on replacing In Reach. 2 is 1. 1 is none. Hopefully the competition will lower the Garmin subscription price.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@exploregeology4650 very much agree.

[@Henry_Churches]

Until Apple offers any sort of SAR insurance, I’m keeping my Garmin.

[@ryant1090]

For hardcore users, the iPhone will not replace the Garmin. However, for light users like me, who are in the market for their first personal beacon, iOS 18 has effectively negated any reason to fork out for the Garmin Messenger. All I really need is the SOS function for a true emergency. But now, the non-emergency messaging for check-in with family really sealed the deal. I'm just a day hiker/photographer in state parks and national parks seasonally, so it was not cost effective to go with Garmin. I can nav with Gaia and carry small powerbank for up to 72h of use in Airplane Mode. That will cover the rare time that I might overnight somewhere. I don't like the fact that I'll pay $50Cdn annually, even if I don't use it. Sure, Apple might charge for this service in the future, but I'll deal with it then. This market is changing so fast, so I'll reconsider a dedicated beacon in due time.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

i agree, the iphone is a nice thing for light user / casual hiking. I was up on a mountain last week and my garmin fell off a cliff since i bumped it on climb. I went down to get it and just a few scuffs on the rubber casing and screen was completely fine. I was supper thankful I had it because I knew if that was my iphone it would be toast. Sure ,not everyone is going to be what I do on mountains like that and for those who are light users / casual hikers, iphone makes sense

[@stichy420]

My iphone15p already saved our butts stuck on a mountain pass. Best feature ever added to a cell phone.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

nice, its better then nothing

[@tryharder3214]

How? CN you tell me more about your experience? I’m currently looking to buy garmin 66i, and wonder do I need to get 66i or 66?

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@tryharder3214 the difference between the two is the 66i has Inreach capabilities for satalite messaging, the 66 does not. Get the 66i, but I’d go with the 67i as it’s newer and far better battery then the 66i

[@captainklr6508]

Great brief. Important to read the fine print on Garmin's third-party rescue plan. Sickness is not a covered rescue. I believe it's $50,000 per event or two events per year for $100,000. Sickness happens to be one of the highest reasons for extraction. Not covered. Other policies appear to fill this gap such as Global Rescue company among others and may be money better spent.

[@fernandocanelas6300]

Best comparison I have seen by far! Thanks

[@eugenemcguire7847]

Having a second device for a critical one of the "ten essentials" is good. But, having to hold and point your cell phone to receive messages along with NOT having worldwide coverage are game stoppers. This week I had to cut my two-night backpack trip short a day because my cell battery got low because, despite being on Airplane Mode, some apps (like my favorite map app, and accidentally starting a video with the cell in my pocket) ate lots of juice. It sounds like cell phone antennas are being pushed to their design fringe, and either the satellite's or cell's antenna designs will have to change.

[@nixl3518]

You should think about carrying a couple of extra batteries to charge your phone rather than sweating through your wilderness experience on account of fear of running out of juice!

[@bryanb2613]

Great review, this answered many of the questions I had on my mind. I wonder what will be the verdict in a year or two, but for now I'll keep my inReach Mini.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

thanks, glad it was helpful

[@outdoorcinema7]

Good points! Rely only on your phone it's not a good idea, when you are in the backcountry.

[@nixl3518]

Except that if you’re not traveling alone, you already come with a back up device! And if you do this kind of thing often, you might as well keep your older iPhone as back up in addition to your partner’s backup!

[@daviddemand6856]

All good points to consider!

[@ArtiePenguin1]

Great information in this video! Thanks for explaining it to us and without any sponsored segments. Keep up the good work 😊

[@jaredwhite489]

No it didn’t. Iridium is far superior to the satellite system iOS uses.

[@tl56kmair]

At 68 I'm definitely not a power user, or a power hiker but i do fish in some of of the way places. I have a spot X and a garmin fortrex. I used the fortrex and it's mapping capability on my phone to get me back to my car. I used the Spot X to communicate with my wife. Even in airplane mode battery life isn't great on the phone when using maps and Bluetooth to both my fortrex and spot. No way would i trust my life to my phone. Thanks for the review.

[@semo7566]

For me, bad battery and touch screen are no go for the emergency device. On 7 day backpacking trip I didn't have to charge Inreach messenger once and used it to reverse charge my phone on the last day

[@nixl3518]

Your points are valid if you are a habitual, backcountry, hiker or similar, but another solution is to bring a few batteries with you. That prevents you from having to buy a whole other device and pay 15 bucks per month on the device that you probably use once or twice a year! Garmins are old tech philosophy and are not intuitive enough to figure out how to work them when you need them most. It’s not a clear cut solution to use one of them.

[@semo7566]

Sure, im just not sure how batteries will help me when im in emergency trying to use touchscreen in the pouring rain or if its cracked. Garmin hardwear is designed for backcountry​. For casual hiking, I agree though and Garmin should stop milking so much on the subscriptions

[@dartboardearth]

“For the true backpacker”… I guess I jsut got dissed. I’ve been packing only the iPhone since the satellite got added on the iPhone 14. And I think I’ve got a descent resume for being “true”.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@dartboardearth haha what is meant is more so, is for the not casual backpacker or weekend warrior, but those who go out into the wilderness for days away from roads and civilization into rugged and glaciated mountains. iPhone alone is not sufficient to depend on for one’s life in that situation

[@dartboardearth]

@@BackcountryRenegadeWeeks above 10,000 ft in rugged glaciated mountains ✅ Based on some of the problems your stating , it’s clear you haven’t used it extensively in the backcountry. The only thing I could say you have a really solid argument is the tracking. As for many of your objections, they have just not checked out for me. And based on a test a group of friends did this weekend, it was faster and more reliable.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@dartboardearth funny, i have very much used it extensively in the backcountry even broke a iPhone in the midst of it, which is further proof it is not a suitable replacement for those who actually do things like that. Get on Rainer, like i have, and use it then and tell me it’s a suitable replacement. It’s just not reasonable nor responsible to depend on that ALONE in those conditions. If one does, it’s is just a gamble if it will work when needed. It is just not made for that. Sorry ur offended at the facts

[@nixl3518]

It’s pretty obvious that you’re highlighting the weaknesses of Apples brand new satellite communication system! Don’t worry that’s how it always starts with Apple and within a year or two, maybe three it’s taken over the whole market, simply because it’s better at doing that task! Garmin‘s days are numbered. Why don’t you do another video in a couple of years and compare the two. After all, Garmin has been doing this for years so they come with a built-in advantage! My Swiss Army knife has saved my rear end so many times that I never think of it as inferior to individual knives or scissors or files or even saws, that I don’t have with me and cannot use if I tried! I used to have a Garmin device to track direction and distances without regard to geography, before the iPhone; those devices no longer exist. Perhaps Garmin should think about building a smart phone!

[@BackcountryRenegade]

Right that was the intention to point out. I’ll be waiting for that day, but for now, not a suitable replacement

[@DickWalz]

I have an inreach on my pack so that someone else can use it if I can’t. Kinda hard to give a password to someone when your unconscious

[@patrickcoady1766]

Yeah, and we still have Garmins suction-cupped to our windshields. You're dreaming.

[@bc_usa]

Lol i dont like iphone anyways. Im an android user.

[@nixl3518]

lol, in that case you’re even worse off! You have no choice! In a year or two the iPhone will have perfected it’s satellite communication technology superseding the Garmin devices, and your android will still be in its prehistoric satellite less condition!

[@frogss7725]

@@nixl3518Google pixels have the same satellite SOS iPhones do now.

[@CJB_B95L]

iPhone still requires active participation. I want a device that still works if I'm knocked out or even dead for recovery. I've been on the other end of a days long search to recover a body and the family was in agony.

[@BackcountryRenegade]

really good point, with garmin it will pinpoint your location even with out your participation.

[@sfosanjay]

Well, if you have Find My Phone and Share My location ON, and you tell your family to keep looking for you every 10 minutes, they will know if you stop moving at certain point. I know it's not exactly the same thing as sending your location actively like you would do on a garmin device. But it is a close enough workaround for most people.

[@CJB_B95L]

@@sfosanjay in the middle of nowhere? I don’t think it works that way. All the demos I’ve seen have you needing to actively find and point toward a satellite

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@sfosanjay yep, but would have to add them but thats assuming they have a iphone too, and that is assuming they are waving it and connected to a satellite . iphone will not automatically connect like garmin will for tracking

[@BackcountryRenegade]

​@@CJB_B95L right that is assuming they are waving it and connected to a satalite . i phone will not automatically connect like garmin will for tracking

[@hdtravel1]

Apple is going to kill Garmin - bye bye Garmin

[@BackcountryRenegade]

@@hdtravel1 😂