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PSA: I wasted $400 on a GPS device for the Appalachian Trail
I bought a Garmin inReach Mini 2 for a 10-day hike on the AT last spring, thinking I needed the satellite texting and SOS. Turns out I barely used it - my phone with offline maps worked fine for navigation, and I only sent two check-in messages the whole trip. The subscription fees added up too, costing me $15 a month for a service I didn't need. Has anyone else regretted spending big on gear that just sat in their pack?
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the_ben9d ago
I bought a Spot Gen 4 for a Pacific Crest section and had the exact same experience. The thing was basically a paperweight in my pack for 12 days. The battery was always dying faster than they claimed too. Those monthly subscriptions really sneak up on you when you're not using the service. Feels like we both learned the same expensive lesson the hard way.
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fionanguyen9d ago
Man, I used to think Spot was the gold standard for backcountry safety. I'd recommend them to anyone without a second thought. But after watching a buddy deal with the same battery drain and subscription nonsense on the JMT last summer, I totally flipped on it. His Gen 4 died halfway through an 8 day stretch, and he had to rely on a stranger's InReach for check-ins. It's wild how bad they are for the price. Definitely makes you wonder what you're actually paying for.
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