Who requires assist in the backcountry most frequently, and why? Here is what a 12 months of Garmin inReach knowledge say.
(Photograph: Courtesy Garmin)
Up to date February 25, 2026 07:00PM
The Garmin inReach may be probably the most ubiquitous single piece of drugs on the path. Whereas Apple’s built-in SOS function is proving to be stiff competitors, deal with any path in North America and also you’ll probably spy inReaches hanging off no less than a few backpack straps. And in response to knowledge Garmin launched as we speak, these satellite tv for pc communicators are seeing numerous use.
Yearly, Garmin compiles a abstract of the SOS calls customers triggered with their units. In its 2025 inReach SOS 12 months in Evaluation, Garmin reported that the corporate now sees greater than 3,000 inReach SOS incidents yearly. That quantity has grown considerably previously decade and a half: Garmin inReach satellite tv for pc expertise first hit the market in 2011, and the corporate introduced its 10,000th SOS incident in 2022.
Knowledge about who triggers an SOS name, what led to it, and what outcomes from it reveal so much about how hikers deal with backcountry security.
Who’s most probably to name for rescue on their inReach?
For no less than the fourth 12 months in a row, hikers and backpackers made up a bigger proportion of rescuees than another group. The 5 actions that prompted probably the most rescue calls stayed the identical from 2024 to 2025. (So as, these actions go: mountaineering/backpacking, driving, motorcycling, climbing/mountaineering, and tenting.) Final 12 months, nonetheless, noticed a rise in trail- and mountain-based incidents general, equivalent to these associated to mountaineering, climbing, and tenting. Based on the heatmap in Garmin’s report, massive clusters of SOS incidents occurred in mountainous areas all over the world, such because the Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas. The vast majority of these SOS calls have been for the one who pushed the SOS button. Nevertheless, in 2025, Garmin reported a rise within the portion of SOS calls that have been motivated by a distinct social gathering member or group’s emergency.
Why do individuals push the SOS button?
Unsurprisingly, harm is the highest purpose adventurers wanted emergency assist. Nevertheless, when taking a look at 12 months over 12 months knowledge, Garmin reported that there was a rise in calls prompted by medical points, equivalent to altitude illness, coronary heart issues, and gastrointestinal sickness. In addition to medical points and harm, different high the reason why customers triggered an emergency response embody strandings and misplaced events.
Do all inReach SOS calls result in rescue?
As a result of two-way messaging skills of inReaches, not everybody who referred to as for assist wanted the cavalry to save lots of them. Garmin experiences that customers self-rescued with out emergency assets over 12 p.c of the time. When customers did want rescue, nonetheless, a couple of third of responses required helicopter rescue.
Actual Examples Of Survival From an inReach SOS
Now on hiatus, our podcast “Out Alive” is a treasure trove of survival tales. All are completely different, however many started when a hiker needed to push the SOS button on an inReach. Hear to a couple right here.
