Course and activity - do we need to switch on both?

Always good to go hiking again :) But I think it's good to clear up some of the Garmin terminology and functionality of the GPSMAP 66i.

- Tracking is where the device periodically shares your location via inReach the inReach satellite network so that others can view where you are. This requires an active inReach subscription.

- Activity Recording is where the GPSMAP will record the path you have taken and stores it on the device in an Activity. This is a much more detailed path than when using the inReach Tracking.

- A Course is a route you can follow. You (usually) plan the Course beforehand and synchronize it with your GPSMAP via the Garmin Explore App or website, via Garmin Connect or via 3rd party route planners.

So if you want to keep track of your activity, you can start a new one on the GPSMAP or have the unit auto start recording, depending on how you have configured the device. inReach Tracking can also be configured to start automatically or can be started manually, but make sure you understand the costs associated with your inReach subscription.

As for using the 66i and an Instinct 2 together, the advantage of the Instinct 2 is that it also records fitness data like heart rate. You could record the activity on the Instinct 2 and use the inReach Tracking feature on the 66i. You can even configure the Instinct 2 as a remote to manage the inReach functionality of the 66i.

Be sure to check the 66i manual as it has been updated with the features of the various device software updates.

Thanks mate. I only have the regular instinct so not sure about remote management but at least I got confirmation that what I thought of doing was right. Use Instinct watch to record activity since my HRM is connected to it, and use 66i for the course. 

Am I correct thinking that 66i won't give me notifications that in xxm turn left and so on?

The Instinct 2 should support inReach Remote, see this section in the manual.

As for turn-by-turn instructions on the 66i, it depends on how you have configured Course Navigation setting on the device. By default the 66i is configured to use Direct Path routing. This doesn't give turn-by-turn instruction and is like following a breadcrumb trail.

If you configure Course Navigation for Roads & Trails, the unit will calculate a route based on the active map and will give you turn-by-turn instructions. But please note that the 66i is not very fast in calculating a route so depending on the route and map it may take a couple of minutes.

For more info see the relevant section on Routing Settings in the 66i manual.

Ah yes I was looking at the course navigation. But if I select Roads & Trails but I'm also using an already created Course that I load?

If you load an already created Course and you have configured Course Navigation in the Setup > Routing menu to Roads & Trails, the GPSMAP 66i will recalculate a route based on the Course, taking into account the routing information of the currently active map. After route calculation has finished, the GPSMAP 66i will give you turn-by-turn instructions.