TechSmartwatchesGarmin inReach Mini 2 hiking GPS review: stay connected when off-gridThe Garmin inReach Mini 2 uses satellites to keep you in touch and out of troubleWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)T3 VerdictFor the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very toughReasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller batteryWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechSmartwatchesGarmin inReach Mini 2 hiking GPS review: stay connected when off-gridThe Garmin inReach Mini 2 uses satellites to keep you in touch and out of troubleWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)T3 VerdictFor the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very toughReasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller batteryWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 uses satellites to keep you in touch and out of trouble
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)T3 VerdictFor the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very toughReasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller battery
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
T3 VerdictFor the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very toughReasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller battery
T3 VerdictFor the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.
T3 Verdict
For the Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin has taken the already impressive inReach Mini and made it faster, more accurate and more useful. There’s a new digital compass, multiple satellite service support and faster location fixes, and while the communications features are best suited to simple progress updates or emergencies they work well. It’s a tough device for tough treks.
Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very toughReasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller battery
Reasons to buy+Very portable+Very capable+Very tough
Very portable
Very capable
Very tough
Reasons to avoid-Some features cost extra-Texting is fiddly-Small size means smaller battery
Some features cost extra
Texting is fiddly
Small size means smaller battery
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 deals
799 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
799 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
Low Stock$319.99$279.99View$399.99$299.99ViewDeal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025$399.99View
Low Stock$319.99$279.99View
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
$319.99$279.99View
$319.99$279.99View
$319.99$279.99
$279.99
$399.99$299.99ViewDeal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
$399.99$299.99View
$399.99$299.99View
$399.99$299.99
$299.99
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99
$399.99
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
In thisGarmininReach Mini 2 review we’re looking at the latest version of the firms' portable GPS and satellite communicator. It can go where your phone can’t, using multiple GPS services together with the Iridium satellite network to provide location tracking, weather reports and messaging no matter where in the world you are, and it has an SOS feature that will automatically connect to Garmin’s 24/7 emergency response coordination centre.
On specs alone, this should be one of thebest hiking GPSunits around, which is not surprising given that this brand is a market-leader when it comes to GPS products (it’s one of two big brands that dominate ourbest sat navguide, and today’sbest Garmin watchesare common runner favourites). The Mini 2 is extremely small and extremely tough, and it delivers up to 30 days of battery life (14 days in the default tracking mode) so you can rely on it for even the toughest trek. Its battery can remain fully charged for up to a year, and if you opt for a Freedom subscription plan you can pause your subscription during periods when you don’t need it. So how did it hold up in our tests? Read on for our full Garmin inReach Mini 2 review.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: price and release date
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 launched in February 2022, and at full price will set you back US$399.99 / £349.99 / AU$579.
Satellite communications aren’t cheap but there’s a good range of plans here, starting at $11.95 / £14.99 / AU$25 for consumers. Garmin’s Freedom Plans don’t tie you to an ongoing contract and you can suspend service without closing your account, which is useful if you only need the features at certain times of the year.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: features and what’s new
There are two sets of features: the core navigation and location features of the inReach device itself, and there are the additional communication features that you get with an inReach subscription. Let’s start with the core ones first.
The inReach Mini 2 needs to have an unobstructed view of the sky so it can see the satellites(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The inReach Mini 2 needs to have an unobstructed view of the sky so it can see the satellites
The inReach Mini 2 needs to have an unobstructed view of the sky so it can see the satellites
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
It’s important to note that in some countries there are severe penalties for even owning a satellite communicator or having one without a permit. Garmin very helpfully provides anup-to-date listof those countries on its website.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: design and display
The Garmin inReach Mini 2 comes in two colours, the Flame Red in our images and a more sober black. We prefer the red, as it’s easier to see when it’s sat among a pile of stuff. It comes with a very rugged shell that’s more than tough enough to survive drops, and there’s a strong loop on the back for attaching the included karabiner clip. The device is rated to IPX7 for water resistance and it has an impact test rating of MIL-STD-810. It looks bigger in photos than it is in real life: including the built-in antenna it’s just 5.17cm tall and it weighs a pack-friendly 100g.
The design is deliberately simple, with just six glove-friendly buttons including that covered SOS one. On the left are the up and down navigation buttons; the power button is on top and the OK, Back and SOS buttons are on the right.
The monochrome display is extremely readable in bright sunlight thanks to its highly reflective backing. There’s a backlight for night-time treks(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The monochrome display is extremely readable in bright sunlight thanks to its highly reflective backing. There’s a backlight for night-time treks
The monochrome display is extremely readable in bright sunlight thanks to its highly reflective backing. There’s a backlight for night-time treks
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The display here is a 23x23mm mono transflective memory-in-pixel display, a very low power display that’s very bright in sunlight thanks to its very reflective backing. It’s not particularly high resolution – it only has 176 x 176 pixels – but it’s better than the previous model and the interface is clear and uncluttered, with switchable full-screen widgets rather than trying to cram everything onto the screen at once. As you’d expect from a small, non-touchscreen device, texting is very fiddly: you can use the companion phone app for much faster text entry.
Rather than try to cram the screen with information, the Garmin uses widgets for features such as the compass (pictured here)(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
Rather than try to cram the screen with information, the Garmin uses widgets for features such as the compass (pictured here)
Rather than try to cram the screen with information, the Garmin uses widgets for features such as the compass (pictured here)
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The screen isn’t very high resolution but the user interface is clear and easy to read(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The screen isn’t very high resolution but the user interface is clear and easy to read
The screen isn’t very high resolution but the user interface is clear and easy to read
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
There’s an inevitable trade-off here between portability and battery: the Mini’s small size makes it incredibly portable, but that means it can’t have a battery of the same size as a full-sized inReach device and you’ll need to ration your messaging and keep the backlight level low if you’re on a long trek.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: subscription-based features
Taking out an inReach subscription adds the extra communications features. The most modestly priced plan enables you to make unlimited SOS calls and send ten custom messages (160 characters maximum, plain text, no media) per month. You can also send unlimited preset messages. These are simple messages – for example, At camp! Love you! – that you create online in advance for a defined group of family and/or friends and can then send from your device to update them on your status.
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
You can access basic weather data daily but other features, such as getting premium or premium marine weather are charged on a per-use basis. More expensive plans increase the amount of custom messages and also include more frequent tracking and unlimited track point sharing, but the advanced and marine weather still cost extra.
The most important feature in the inReach subscription plans is the SOS. If you get into trouble, you can open the protective cover and press the SOS button; that gives you 20 seconds to change your mind before calling Garmin’s 24/7 emergency response centre. The centre can then communicate with you via your device and contact the appropriate search and rescue based on your location, giving you updates on their progress. When you first sign up you can also specify two emergency contacts that the emergency response centre can call on your behalf. The SOS feature is not limited on any of the plans, and it’s rather like insurance: you hope you’ll never need it, but if you do you’ll be glad it’s there.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: companion app
The Garmin Explore app is available for both iOS and Android. It is well designed and easy to use, enabling you to zoom in on topography to see how the land looks, to add waypoints or create courses (Garmin’s name for routes) and to import map data in GPX format. The app can also use your device’s location to show a fuller weather forecast than you can display on the Garmin device, to turn location tracking on or off or change the update frequency, and it can trigger the SOS feature. It also enables you to colour code and organise waypoints and other important locations into collections for easier access, and to play back your tracked travels at speeds from 1x to 128x.
The Garmin Explore app is well designed and easy to use. It pairs with your device and you can use it to adjust settings and even trigger the SOS(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
The Garmin Explore app is well designed and easy to use. It pairs with your device and you can use it to adjust settings and even trigger the SOS
The Garmin Explore app is well designed and easy to use. It pairs with your device and you can use it to adjust settings and even trigger the SOS
(Image credit: Carrie Marshall)
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review: alternatives to consider
Garmin’s other devices are well worth a look too. TheGarmin GPSMAP 65sis an excellent outdoor GPS and our current pick forbest hiking GPS, which also includes the very capable eTrex 30X. If budget is key here, Garmin’s eTrex 10 is great value. And of course, if you want something more do-it-all, there are plenty of options in ourbest outdoor watchguide that have GPS capabilities.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 hiking GPS review: verdict
The original Mini was a very impressive device, and the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is better still: it has an improved display, better performance, improved navigation features and an excellent app. Provided you don’t expect a phone-style experience from your messaging – satellite communications are simpler and slower and best kept to occasional updates – it’s an excellent way to stay in touch when you’re far from the madding crowd.
Garmin inReach Mini 2: Price Comparison
799 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
799 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆☆☆☆
Low Stock$319.99$279.99View$399.99$299.99ViewDeal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025$399.99View$399.99View$400View
Low Stock$319.99$279.99View
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
$319.99$279.99View
$319.99$279.99View
$319.99$279.99
$279.99
$399.99$299.99ViewDeal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
$399.99$299.99View
$399.99$299.99View
$399.99$299.99
$299.99
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
Deal endsSat, Jan 18, 2025
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99
$399.99
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99View
$399.99
$399.99
$400View
$400View
$400View
$400
$400
Show More Deals
Show More Deals
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Nintendo’s crazy smart alarm clock will soon be on general saleThe playful Alarmo clock is ending online exclusivity to land in a store near you
The playful Alarmo clock is ending online exclusivity to land in a store near you
Ring announces first ever smart smoke alarms in collaboration with KiddeRing partners with Kidde on smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Ring partners with Kidde on smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
This E Ink notebook can replace your Kindle and Chromebook in oneBOOX’s new E Ink tablet can turn into an Android-powered laptop too
BOOX’s new E Ink tablet can turn into an Android-powered laptop too
