So I see that I have an $80 dividend at REI and of course they'll be having their 20% off sale soon so I plan to get an Explorer+. I know its GPS functionality isn't as good as the dedicated models, but frankly I'm mostly looking for its PLB/communicator functionality and have always relied on paper maps, so the GPS functionality is just a bonus. I understand it's a flawed product, but it ticks all the boxes for me so I want to give it a try.

BUT, I'd hate to buy the Explorer+ only to have Garmin introduce the unicorn we've all hoped for, the fully-integrated Garmin GPS / DeLorme PLB unit that surely is eventually coming, just weeks after I shell out for the Explorer+. Any thoughts?

You would be best served by talking to Garmin personnel about upcoming products. I've discussed the GPS units and Reach with development and support personell at EAA, but that was 8 months ago.

Inreach is an established sta com unit with a reliable constellation, Irridium,
The GPS functions are good but it relies on mapping apps instead of internal memory/programs. The app is very good (in the device I was using at EAA).

I do not see a "unicorn" release soon, but who knows marketing?

butthead

All of the REI sales I've ever seen have a line in the terms and conditions that exclude electronics with GPS. That being said, I've got the Inreach Explorer+ and its an awesome unit, I actually really like the Delorme maps that it includes. Its nice to not get nickel and dimed by Garmin for 24k topo maps.

TominMpls, I had the exact same plan.

You can still upload .gpx tracks for campsites/portages to this device, right?

jmedlin: "All of the REI sales I've ever seen have a line in the terms and conditions that exclude electronics with GPS."

Yeah, that may be true. I was just trying to look whether last year they had that restriction but the "restrictions apply" link was dead. Regardless, it's a good thing to put the dividend toward. I guess I'll just wait and see what they say about the 20% off coupon.

Well, I finally got around to buying one today. They're $75 off from Garmin, and everybody seems to be matching that price. It's supposedly a Father's Day sale but I think it probably means an upgrade is right around the corner. Still, this way I have the device for this year.

I've been playing with it a bit today and it seems pretty good; I was able to upload my planned route from another site that's about planning one's paddle by exporting it as a GPX and importing it to the Explorer+ as a route; I also imported it as a track but the route seemed better, we'll see what I think in using it.

I have the BWCA map with all the campsites and portages loaded into Base Camp on my computer, but I haven't tried to get it onto the Explorer+ (or into Earthmate, for that matter). Anybody have luck doing that?

TominMpls: "I have the BWCA map with all the campsites and portages loaded into Base Camp on my computer, but I haven't tried to get it onto the Explorer+ (or into Earthmate, for that matter). Anybody have luck doing that?"

Is it the BWCACamps&Portages.img file? Connect the Explorer+ to the computer and copy that file to the device's Garmin folder. (I'm assuming that its file structure is the same as my 64st.) You might also need to go into the Settings and Enable the map.

I'm interested in the results and methods of putting a Basecamp map image on the Inreach. In my discussion with a Garmin product engineer (ex-Delorme) last year, imported maps are not supported. But .gpx files are. The application maps are USGS Topo Quads and you can import camps/portages/routes/trails.

butthead

PS: Here are some .gpx files to try. I've posted these before but no problem repeating. bh

I just returned from my first trip up there while using it. I was very happy with it, but as some some have said, it's not great as just a gps. I was able to get the camp/port gpx file to upload on the InReach site, but I don't think it can use Basecamp. The weather and messages and weather worked flawlessly, and the GPS saved me a few times on La Croix.

So I just got back from our first trip with it and I found it pretty great for everything it can do. Note that I'm a map-and-compass type and have never used a GPS of any sort up there, but I found it very useful. Before I went I uploaded a GPX of our planned route from a certain site that's into planning a paddle in the BWCA, and that GPX file included the locations of campsites along our route. The basemap on the Explorer+ actually had all our portages marked anyway, and the route I'd uploaded was of sufficient granularity to show our intended route pretty well. I only used the GPS maybe five times to help out in some confusing places, but it worked great for my needs with that bit of prep work. Without the prep work it would have been less useful, for sure, and I can't imagine trying to use it in place of a map, but with prep work and as a supplement, it was awesome.

The other primary functions - tracking, messaging, and weather forecasts - were flawless.