new inreach mini for back country hiking not working

I was out back in Strathcona provincial park and the mini was saying to be in a clear location. We were in a clear location next to a lake. I am concerned because being out back could be dangerous. I need a this to work for emergencies. Is this going to be a problem? sincerely Justine

0 twolpert over 5 years ago

In my experience, the Mini is reliable as long as you have a decent sky view and are careful how you carry it. You can’t bury it in your pack, etc. You don’t provide enough detail about the circumstances for readers here to comment in detail.

The Iridium communication function on any inReach is more sensitive to sky view conditions than the GPS functions. This is particularly true of slot canyons and bluffs. Anything that blocks a significant portion of the sky.

It the problem is reproducible or occurs frequently, a call to tech support is in order.