Years ago, back when people still wore pagers on their hips and cells phones still charged per text message, I was invited on a fly-fishing trip of a lifetime. My friend Danny had about 30 years of both life and fly fishing experience on me, and he said he had a spot for me in his planned expedition to canoe and fish the Great White North’s boundary waters near Ely, Minnesota.
One of the world’s great wilderness areas is formed by the combination of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Ontario, Canada’s Quetico Park. It is the largest international area set aside for wilderness recreational purposes in the world. The area has served as a travel corridor for native peoples for thousands of years and, more recently, as one of the main routes to the west for European explorers and fur traders. Today the quiet waters and the required non-mechanized mode of travel serve as a haven from the pressures of modern-day living.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is true wilderness. Canoeing and fishing opportunities are nearly endless on the more than 2,000 lakes and streams found within the forest. It has1,500 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites, and more than 1,000 lakes and streams. The BWCA boasts some of the country’s finest fishing for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass.
For some reason or another, I ended up having to miss out on that trip. Danny and his friends made the journey, paddled those waters, caught a lot of fish, and took lots of pictures to show folks when they got back home. But Danny almost didn’t make it back.
Danny was only a few days into his dream trip when he had a heart attack in the middle of nowhere. His friends had to paddle him quite a few miles back out of the BWCA to a hospital.
Danny survived the trip. But I wonder how it could have been different if they had been able to radio for help in that situation.
Please don’t get me wrong; the last thing I want to hear in an absolute pristine wilderness is a rousing chorus of “Nokia Tune” or a piercing “Bits & Bytes” from a vintage Motorola Razr. And some places just should not be tainted with the back-and-forth alert tones of a text conversation. But true emergency communication is a nice tool to have in a pack.
Enter the Garmin inReach Messenger
Garmin recently announced the new inReach® Messenger ($299.99 MSRP), a communication-focused device with global two-way texting, location sharing, and SOS capabilities. It’s built for those who want a quick and easy way to reach loved ones when they’re without cellular coverage. The inReach Messenger provides seamless satellite communication either as a standalone device or when paired to the new Garmin Messenger companion app for smartphones. This new app leverages Wi-Fi, cellular and satellite connectivity for two-way texting and group messaging. The Messenger companion app automatically chooses between Wi-Fi, cellular or satellite connectivity to ensure every message is sent and received. In the event of an emergency, the inReach Messenger and Messenger App can send an SOS message to the 24/7 staffed Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC).
“Garmin inReach devices are trusted by hundreds of thousands of users globally for communication and peace of mind,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “The new inReach Messenger is no exception. With its multiple communication networks, ease-of-use, and smartphone compatibility, it is a perfect device for those who want to easily keep in touch when outside of cell coverage.”
inReach Messenger’s Streamlined Communication
When paired with the inReach Messenger, users can sync their smartphone’s contacts list with the companion app to make staying in touch even easier. For the most efficient messaging, the companion app will send messages, post to social media or communicate with fellow adventurers through a cellular or Wi-Fi connection when available. It then automatically switches to the 100 percent global Iridium satellite network when no longer in cellular or Wi-Fi range.
To keep all friends and family up to date on a trip, the new Messenger companion app supports group text chats with friends and family, even those without inReach devices. Users can continue in-app conversations at home using their Wi-Fi or cellular connection without having to change settings.
inReach Messenger operates as a fully functional, standalone device and does not require a cell phone. Users can check in to easily notify contacts of their trip progress, send location updates, start or stop tracking. They can also declare an SOS directly from the device.
There When You Need It Most
Thanks to a dedicated SOS button on inReach Messenger, users can quickly declare an SOS should an emergency occur. Once an SOS is declared, inReach Messenger will send a distress message to the IERCC. The IERCC can communicate with the inReach Messenger user in addition to notifying the applicable search and rescue organization or other resources. The IERCC will deliver a confirmation that help is on the way and provide updates on the status of the response effort. Also, the IERCC may also reach out to the user’s designated emergency contacts and will continue to monitor the incident until it is resolved.
Using Garmin’s new “Safety Charging” feature, if a user’s smartphone runs out of battery, the user can simply connect inReach Messenger to their smartphone for enough charge to send custom text messages from the Garmin Messenger app.
inReach Messenger is Built For Adventure
Garmin’s inReach Messenger provides up to 28 days of battery life in default settings. The impact-resistant inReach Messenger fits in the palm of your hand, measuring just 3.1x 2.5 inches and weighing four ounces. Water rated to IPX7, inReach Messenger can withstand incidental exposure to water up to one meter for up to 30 minutes.
To enhance any adventure, inReach Messenger can be paired with more than 80 compatible Garmin devices including smartwatches, handhelds, navigators and more. The inReach Messenger allows users to send and receive messages, share their location, receive smart notifications, and declare an SOS from the paired device.
