There are many things here that can be useful for the folks at home who need to know where you are. Once you are under the “SOCIAL” tab of your InReach account you can configure what people see on your mapshare page and can connect it to your Twitter or Facebook account, etc.
This is an important step- MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MAPS!
Instructions here (this video also shows how to navigate, enter waypoints, update mapshare page, etc- which is all worth knowing so watch it!). Download the maps for the area you will be in to your phone (if you have the Explorer, this isn’t available on the SE).
Download the Earthmate App on your Iphone or Android and connect it to your device via Bluetooth.Grab your InReach and your phone and let’s get started. SPOT is better than nothing, but in my mind there is no decision here. If you haven’t decided between a SPOT or an InReach, read this then come back here. If you take a few minutes to get familiar with your device it could literally save your life. Knowing just a few things makes retrieves, communications and rescues when needed a LOT simpler. So here’s a quick best-practices post on how to get familiar with your InReach. What isn’t great is that many people are not really familiar with their device and not utilizing them properly for messaging, maps, and hardly know how powerful they are, and this can become a serious problem when things go wrong, which is when an InReach immediately becomes the most valuable thing you own. And I’m seeing them more and more in the backcountry with skiers, mountain bikers, climbers and people playing in remote areas.
In the past couple years it’s been really heartening to see pretty much every pilot on launch use an InReach or a SPOT satellite tracking device. Note: this article has been updated as of Nov 26, 2021. Step 1- GET FAMILIAR with your INREACH! Photo Jody MacDonald in the Alaska Range