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66i

1460216
over 4 years ago

I know it's been asked before but I'm looking for user comparisons between the 66i and the Explorer+, I'm a long time Inreach user having multiple devices over the years. I am in need of a new one and I'm trying to decide between the two, I hear great things about the 66i but I've never used a dedicated GPS unit so it's all kinda new, I usually use offline phone maps from other parties which has worked great. How is the visibility on the screen of the 66i? and how easy is it to manipulate? I'm used to pinch and zoom on my phone with Basemap and it works well. Thanks.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    The 66i has hard buttons - no touch. I personally prefer buttons, so I'm probably not the one to comment on the usability aspect.

    Relative to the legacy Explorer+: The 66i is the first inReach device that is a full member of the Garmin eco-system. The Explorer+ still uses maps in the old DeLorme format, which limits the available maps to those which appear on the Explore web site (generally, DeLorma topos and OSM maps, from what I can recall). The 66i can use any map that is available for Garmin handhelds, including those sold by Garmin and third-party maps. It also comes with a BirdsEye imagery subscription, so you can download BirdsEye aerial photos. Note that this is aerial photos only. The BirdsEye USGS topos are a separate subscription.The topos that come with the unit are approximately 1:100000. I personally prefer topos with more detail, so I use freely available third party topos. Garmin also sells 1:24000 topos, but they are pricey and are locked to a single unit.

    The 66i is also capable of road routing using City Navigator maps. This is a pricey add-on, and will be locked to the unit. Offhand, I don't remember if the "TopoActive" maps included with the unit do road routing or not. They are based on OSM maps, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Garmin allows them to route. You can download and use normal OSM maps.

    The unit also has the full handheld feature set. Whether or not that matters depends on your use cases. Only you can judge that.

    There is no such thing as a free lunch. All of those features result in higher power draw. In normal mode, the 66i has lower battery life than the legacy Explorer+/SE+. There is an expedition mode which does significantly extend the battery life. That's at the expense of coarser tracking, delays in inReach track send/message reception, and screen-off operation. Personally, I've been pleased with the battery life in expedition mode and find the tradeoffs acceptable. 

    The 66i pairs with Garmin Connect Mobile and the Explore mobile app. The Explore mobile app is the newer replacement for the old Earthmate app. It is considerably nicer and much easier to use.