Forum Index > Gear Talk > DO NOT GET A GARMIN INREACH. Mine does not work and there is NO Support!
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
DadFly
Member
Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2012
Posts: 402 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond
DadFly
Member
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 8:58 am 
DO NOT GET A GARMIN INREACH. Mine does not work and there is NO Support! If anyone can find a way to contact Garmin through the account page or otherwise, let me know.I paid a lot of money for this worthless piece of junk. It no longer connects to a satellite at all from anywhere and to cancel my subscription costs $107. I would never have bought this Spot knockoff if I had known there is no support and a $107 penalty for unsubscribing to NOTHING. Can you tell I feel RIPPED OFF? Garmin InReach Mini, just don't buy it.

"May you live in interesting times"
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 2456 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Dakota
moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 10:45 am 
DadFly wrote:
Can you tell I feel RIPPED OFF? Garmin InReach Mini, just don't buy it.
Thank you for the experience related opinion. I was considering one. Now I'll wait to see how this turns out. The "not working" part isn't nearly as off-putting as the "no support" part. That is an absolute deal breaker. Thanks for the heads-up!

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
InFlight
coated in DEET



Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 847 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle area
InFlight
coated in DEET
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 10:54 am 
If you have a defective unit, simply return it to the seller. Garmin's Product Support Number is 1-800-800-1020 There is a one time activation sequence that needs to be completed before normal use.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...” ― Henry David Thoreau
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
DadFly
Member
Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2012
Posts: 402 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond
DadFly
Member
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 12:35 pm 
Thank you! InFlight! How did you find that number?

"May you live in interesting times"
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
canadug
Member
Member


Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 110 | TRs | Pics
Location: Canada
canadug
Member
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 1:58 pm 
Strange. I have had my inreach for 10 years and never a problem. Contacted customer support a couple of times to help me figure out how certain features work and they were great. Customer support numbers are on the internet.....Google "Garmin InReach customer support USA" and you will get a number of results.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Tom
Admin



Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
Admin
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 2:07 pm 
They do make it pretty hard to find on their site. Just for grins I went to support > contact us and could not find a phone number easily. It seems they want you to go thru online ticket rather than call so I see where the OP might have gotten frustrated quickly.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Damian
Member
Member


Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 3260 | TRs | Pics
Damian
Member
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 7:42 pm 
I’ve had excellent support from them. Try (800) 511-2459

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Hiker Mama
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Jun 2006
Posts: 3448 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lynnwood
Hiker Mama
Member
PostMon Feb 17, 2020 11:38 pm 
My INReach has worked really well over the years. I'm really sorry you're having issues! If you do find a number, I have found them to be very helpful. Sometimes getting it set up and activated can take a bit of work, as well as connecting it to your phone if that's one of your options with that particular device. I'm already in the system, so when I log in to my account, I get numbers to call. Best of luck to you, I think you'll be happy with it once you get it working!

My hiking w/ kids site: www.thehikermama.com
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Cyclopath
Faster than light



Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 7697 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostTue Feb 18, 2020 6:09 pm 
Tom wrote:
They do make it pretty hard to find on their site. Just for grins I went to support > contact us and could not find a phone number easily. It seems they want you to go thru online ticket rather than call so I see where the OP might have gotten frustrated quickly.
If you call them on the phone, they're generally pretty good, and they seem to be able/allowed to do more to help you. If you email or file a ticket, it seems to go into a black hole. I've never had an InReach, but I've had a Garmin bike computer for a decade, watches for five years, and their power meter for five years. Naturally in that time I've had to contact their support. When one of the communication pods for their pedals stopped working, they were able to send me a replacement that day without a receipt, and then wait for my broken one to arrive. Just posting as an FYI. Also, they have a bricked unit policy, if you bought something at retail and it breaks after the warranty expires, they'll sell you a refurbished one very cheap.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
RatherBOutdoors
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Jun 2017
Posts: 50 | TRs | Pics
RatherBOutdoors
Member
PostTue Feb 18, 2020 7:48 pm 
I have generally had good and fairly timely response when requesting support via the Explore web page. I'm not overly impressed by the product (for navigation) or the web page, but support has been decent.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
DigitalJanitor
Dirt hippie



Joined: 20 May 2012
Posts: 792 | TRs | Pics
DigitalJanitor
Dirt hippie
PostWed Feb 19, 2020 2:19 pm 
I've used my InReach lightly for a few years now, have had no negative issues, and the use I've gotten from it more than justified the cost. Being able to get updated weather reports while on multi day backpacking trips has helped us rejigger plans, and then there's the time I was able to tell my husband I was late but OK when a 4 hour ski trip turned into a 6+ hour ordeal due to unforeseen snow conditions.... rolleyes.gif The interface seems like it could be designed a little better, but then again I had a Delorme PN-40 before that. Someone on line once described that unit's interface as 'Soviet' and I have to say that was accurate. lol.gif

~Mom jeans on wheels
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Damian
Member
Member


Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 3260 | TRs | Pics
Damian
Member
PostWed Feb 19, 2020 9:26 pm 
The crappy interface protocol is actually a benefit. It's so painful to send a text you tend to keep them short and infrequent. Course you can always defeat that by connecting to Earthmate on your phone. Gonna get worse.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Malachai Constant
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16088 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny
Malachai Constant
Member
PostWed Feb 19, 2020 10:57 pm 
We just have preset messages to people we want to tell we are still alive and ok or if a minor emergency, flat tire, late, etc. great way to assure the family. Do not wish to write “war and peace” for a trip to Toleak point.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
vibramhead
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 175 | TRs | Pics
Location: Olympic Peninsula
vibramhead
Member
PostTue Mar 24, 2020 6:46 pm 
I have one of the older Delorme versions, and it's worked fine for many years. Sometimes it take a while to transmit a message after I've sent it, and sometimes messages I've received don't end up on the Earthmate app on my phone. But I can always read them on the device itself. Overall, it's a very useful tool. I don't use it for navigation.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
b00
Member
Member


Joined: 29 Sep 2003
Posts: 1144 | TRs | Pics
b00
Member
PostWed Mar 25, 2020 8:23 pm 
i have contacted their customer service a handful of times over the last decade. the results have been mixed. on a few of the occaissions, i had to contact them multiple times to solve, or in one case, not solve the problem. my take-away is customer service is not their focus, although compared to other outdoor businesses, they are far below average. yet they are definitely not the worst i have encountered. :<(

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Gear Talk > DO NOT GET A GARMIN INREACH. Mine does not work and there is NO Support!
  Happy Birthday noahk!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum