InReach or Zoleo?

[JustinsDad]

I just told Santa I wanted an InReach but I asked for the Explorer not the mini. Double the battery is a big deal for me. I don’t want to mess w my phone. My cell phone is really on me only as a camera on hunting trips. Good thread.

 

[madtom]

Bumping this to see if @Big Fin or @MHMT reached a consensus on which of these devices they like better.

I've used the inreach mini intermittently for two years for work, and found it to be simple enough. Now I need to buy something for personal use and I'm trying to decide if I'd like the zoleo better without having any experience with it.

I've watched several youtube comparisons of the two and understand how the features differ. Which one will you guys be carrying in your packs this year and why?

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I paid the activation fee once years ago and subsequently pay a monthly fee of $13 (basic plan). The InReach as a stand-alone device has awesome battery life, 3 free preset text messages which is really all that I typically use, and the cost per month is $13 compared to Zoleo monthly basic fee is $20.

 

[Nambaster]

I have a Zoleo device and my friend texts me with an Garmin Inreach. I noticed that I was getting machine gun texts from the Garmin at 3:00 in the morning and they were the exact same text message. “I can hear a bear in the trees below me but I can’t see it” I had a friend from out of town come and make an attempt at a bears life. He would send me pings of where his location was and it was a better mapping interface, but his texts were severely delayed and would often send me multiples of the same text.

Comparatively, the Zoleo device sends a text and sends confirmation that the texts have been received similar to imessaging on an iPhone. I shot a bear and told my wife that I was coming home. Texts were sent back and forth discussing the rest of the weeks details while dismantling the bear. Conversation was seamless. The Zoleo device looks like a Fisher Price toy and it makes a lot of funny noises but I just keep it clipped to my pack and use my cellphone as if I was within a cell towers signal. I have a lot more confidence in the Zoleo.

 

[madtom]

I have a Zoleo device and my friend texts me with an Garmin Inreach. I noticed that I was getting machine gun texts from the Garmin at 3:00 in the morning and they were the exact same text message. “I can hear a bear in the trees below me but I can’t see it” I had a friend from out of town come and make an attempt at a bears life. He would send me pings of where his location was and it was a better mapping interface, but his texts were severely delayed and would often send me multiples of the same text.

Comparatively, the Zoleo device sends a text and sends confirmation that the texts have been received similar to imessaging on an iPhone. I shot a bear and told my wife that I was coming home. Texts were sent back and forth discussing the rest of the weeks details while dismantling the bear. Conversation was seamless. The Zoleo device looks like a Fisher Price toy and it makes a lot of funny noises but I just keep it clipped to my pack and use my cellphone as if I was within a cell towers signal. I have a lot more confidence in the Zoleo.

That’s the experience i was looking for. I’ve had occasional delays with inreach messages, but not as bad as yours

Everyone seems to agree that the zoleo messages better, even if it lacks tracking, etc and looks like something my baby son would drool on.

 

[JustinsDad]

Santa got me the InReach. I played with it last month hunting in Oregon and then again this month when I was offshore fishing way out of cell phone range for several days. I love the preset text/email messages with the tracking. Great to check in with the wife. It’s paired with my iphone but I need better maps for my iphone. I need to see private property lines versus national forest versus BLM land, etc and it looks like Hunt View maps is exactly what I need. But I like the InReach. Battery life hasn’t been an issue. I don’t need a snail trail to find my way back anywhere so I just leave the InReach off most of the time. I only turn it on to check something or to send a message. Then I shit it back off.

 

[GoGriz]

I have used the inreach for four years now and love it. I use the freedom plan and only fire it up in the fall, but it has worked flawlessly so far for me at least.

 

[ZombieDog]

How heavy is the zoleo? I use inreach for backpacking but also interested in something lighter when doing multi-day trail running.

 

[homers]

zoleo

According to their website (who would have thought to look at the companies site for information),

• Weight: 150 g (5.3 oz)

 

[longtail55]

Question for Zoleo users.... Or bluetooth/tech guru's. Can I have the Zoleo bluetoothed to my phone and also have my wireless ear buds bluetoothed at the same time?

 

[shannerdrake]

It's all been said, but I'm fan of the Inreach Explorer. I realize with OnX, few are using stand alone GPS units anymore. However, stuff happens, phones die/break, and the unit is nearly bullet proof. I got turned around in Montana a few years back packing out on a dark night with a lot of snow. In short, I really had to utilize my GPS/OnX to get out. I found side by side that the Garmin was more accurate and more quickly adjusted to my changes in direction.

I also love the battery life for the Explorer. It works for days. I believe I got through 8 days with only one recharge and still had plenty of charge on the drive home.

The Zoleo may be great, I just don't have any experience with it. However, I still prefer the features of the Explorer. If needed it could serve as your only piece of gear for navigation, messaging, etc. I like multitaskers over unitaskers.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Zoleo is the cheapest device on the market,
but the monthly subscription is more expensive ($20 versus $12 for InReach).

Another potential problem with Zoleo is it is dependent on your phone.
Break you phone, loose your phone, or run out of battery life and Zoleo is restricted to 2 buttons (SOS, "I'M OK buttons)
InReach can be paired with a phone,
but it also works as a stand alone device where you can send custom messages.

ZOLEO has preset the check in message to say “I’m ok” with no way to change it.
InReach allows you 3 different customizable preset messages for different situations.
"Got a bull moose" "Safe Back At Camp" "At the Boat Ramp, Headed Home" for example.
Plus you can send longer detailed text with the InReach as a stand alone device.

ZOLEO has no tracking feature, and no map feature.
With InReach, my family can see exactly where I am on a map thru facebook or email every half hour,
every 8 hours, depending on the user's preference.

Everyone in our moose camp has an InReach and we each hunt solo.
With the InReach it is easy to communicate to each other if one of us needs help.

InReach has amazing battery life...I send a preset message home everynight "Safe Back At Camp",
and after 15 nights of use, still have over 85% battery life.

 

[homers]

Zoleo has location share and breadcrumb trail displayed on a map, for an additional $6/month (also comes with unlimited check in messages)

 

[Dan O]

Has anyone had experience with the new Garmin 700 Montana GPS/communicator. It has a bigger screen with a key pad option on the screen. Price is bigger to LOL. I like the idea of the bigger screen for my old eyes. It sucks carrying readers everywhere.

 

[Kitecop]

Inreach, Garmin will still be around for years to come guaranteed.

 

[Bigforky]

Been hearing a lot of good things on the ZOLEO, price point is appealing as well

 

[Eastkybowhunter]

I am looking to buy a satellite communicator, trying to decide if the in-reach explorer is worth the money over the mini, In case my phone has issues or battery dies. Is the gps good enough to get back to camp or to the truck? I’ve heard that the gps maps are not that great.

 

[JustinsDad]

Now I have more time with my InReach Explorer + and I like it even more. Was hunting in remote part of Kodiak and was great to aid us getting back to camp in bad weather. Great tracking. The weather reports we get on it were great. Also easy communication texting with our pilot who eventually was able to fly his float plane in and pick us up. Really a great tool. I carried a power pack to recharge the battery but didn’t need it. The battery lasts a really long time.

 

[devildog090106]

Planning for SE Alaska 2021. Mrs45 wants me to have SMS and SOS.

Looking to hear from someone who has used both products.

Cost of unit, cost of plan, etc.

I have used the zoleo in some pretty deep Northern ID holes, and it works well.

 

[Sharp stick]

I have a Zoleo device and my friend texts me with an Garmin Inreach. I noticed that I was getting machine gun texts from the Garmin at 3:00 in the morning and they were the exact same text message. “I can hear a bear in the trees below me but I can’t see it” I had a friend from out of town come and make an attempt at a bears life. He would send me pings of where his location was and it was a better mapping interface, but his texts were severely delayed and would often send me multiples of the same text.

Comparatively, the Zoleo device sends a text and sends confirmation that the texts have been received similar to imessaging on an iPhone. I shot a bear and told my wife that I was coming home. Texts were sent back and forth discussing the rest of the weeks details while dismantling the bear. Conversation was seamless. The Zoleo device looks like a Fisher Price toy and it makes a lot of funny noises but I just keep it clipped to my pack and use my cellphone as if I was within a cell towers signal. I have a lot more confidence in the Zoleo.

This answers the question I had. My buddy has the Garmin mini, I was thinking of getting a Zoleo for comparison and price reasons but was concerned about being able to communicate with each other while hunting. Do both parties have to have both apps to be able to communicate using these two different devices?