A Satellite Messenger Probably Saved My Friend's Life Last Summer
Why a $399 device and $15/month subscription is the cheapest insurance in the backcountry.
We were 8 miles in on a loop in the Wind River Range when my friend slipped on wet talus and dislocated his shoulder. No cell service. No other parties on trail. Just the two of us, an injured arm, and a long walk out.
We pressed the SOS button on his Garmin inReach Mini 2. Within four minutes we had two-way text contact with Garmin Response. Within ninety minutes, a SAR team was on the ridge above us. We walked out under our own power — but we knew help was coming, and so did our families back home.
If you hike anywhere without reliable cell coverage — which is most places worth hiking — a satellite messenger is the single best safety purchase you can make. The hardware runs $300–400 and the basic plan is $15/month. It is, by a wide margin, the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy.