Garmin’s mini satellite communicators are on sale for up to 40 percent off

REI’s annual Anniversary Sale doesn’t start until March 15th , but that hasn’t stopped Garmin from rolling out discounts on a range of devices — including its InReach Mini satellite communicators. Right now, for instance, you can grab the Mini 2 at Amazon , REI , and Garmin for $249.99 ($150 off) or the Mini 3 for $399.99 ($50 off) through the same retailers ( Amazon , REI , and Garmin ). That’s the lowest price we’ve seen on the newer InReach model, which launched in late December. As someone who has used both the Mini 2 and Mini 3 in the backcountry, I’m a big fan of dedicated satellite communicators over smartphones, even those with support for satellite SOS and messaging. Both the Mini 2 and Mini 3 are far more rugged than your average phone, for one thing, and each device offers multi-day battery life, which certainly isn’t the case with iPhone 17-series phones and Google’s newer Pixel phones . They also operate in higher temperatures and allow you to pull the weather report, which is a massive plus when you’re off the grid and exposed to ever-changing weather patterns. The core functionality of the Mini 2 and Mini 3 is largely the same, however. The two palm-sized satellite communicators leverage the Iridium satellite network for coverage, allowing you to send text messages, share your location, and even trigger SOS alerts in the event of an emergency. …