maps for navigation

the inReach MINI does not use maps, you would be limited to the maps loaded to the Earthmate app. 

Honestly, if you want a stand alone device that has a long battery life and is reliable, the Explorer+ is your huckleberry. Hands down.

Too many reported issues still persist with the Mini (I have had two minis over the last two years, still have unresolved connection issues with them.) Also, the Mini is very sensitive to carry location. Essentially, it must be velcroed to the top of your head or it will loose Iridium connection regularly.

BTW, many users probably do not know they can add more maps to the Explorer+ via inReach web page.

I'm not sure, but it sounds like you think the maps included with the Explorer+ are plenty fine.  I agree that if I want a stand alone device the Explorer+ is the way to go.  What I am having difficulty figuring out is whether it is better for navigation to use the Explorer+ as a stand alone device, or to use either it or a mini in connection with my iPhone.  It seems to me that using the phone would probably require a subscription to get good offline maps, and an advantage of using the Explorer+ as a stand alone device is that I wouldn't need to pay for that.  Thanks for the comments about the mini problems--those are relevant and I hadn't heard them. Thanks.

3817795 said:

What I am having difficulty figuring out is whether it is better for navigation to use the Explorer+ as a stand alone device, or to use either it or a mini in connection with my iPhone.

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You are going to have your iPhone with you either way, correct?

So, really you are just trying to decide if you want the Mini or the inReach Explorer+, and one of those is far superior to the other.

With the Explorer+ you can have your cake and eat it too! Use stand alone, or use with your iPhone.

Choosing the Mini does not allow you this flexibility.

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3817795 said:

 Thanks for the comments about the mini problems--those are relevant and I hadn't heard them.

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The inReach Mini forum is full of good info 8^)

atlas_cached said:

You are going to have your iPhone with you either way, correct?

Actually, if possible I'd like to leave the phone at home.  Maybe I need a new battery, but my iPhone battery doesn't last very long.  One of the attractions of the Explorer+ is that I could leave the phone at home and still navigate, or I could navigate if my phone battery is dead.  I should say that I'm getting back into backpacking after decades away, and my thoughts on phones may be outdated; maybe now everyone takes a phone with them.

I personally prefer using GPSr to my phone for hiking for many reasons... 

There are more rugged phones available now, however I still prefer the GPSr when hiking outside of cell tower service.

And, we are not just discussing phone vs GPSr for hiking maps here, we are also considering emergency rescue services, which the phone can not provide outside of cell tower range.

If you are going to go backpacking into areas with no cell tower service, the phone can come along, just turn it off when not using it.

If you are doing the type of backpacking where every gram of weight is carefully considered, the Mini is lighter. But it is also much lighter on capability, and would require the phone for map viewing, so, again, here, the Explorer+ is likely the better solution.

Will be interesting to hear what you finally decide, and why.

Could you educate me as to what GPSr means?  I tried through Google, but nothing made sense to me.

Thanks.  I just ordered the Explorer+.  I went with it over the mini because at this point weight isn't my primary consideration, and since it doesn't seem that the Explorer+ is worse than the mini in other ways, I went with it.

Good choice, I concur.

Ii think you will be happy with the Explorer +.

There are many websites with more information about that device, use google to find them!