So, my Gen 1 SPOT service is $295 per year. It has been great, never failed but the inreach technology is a massive improvement.
As a start, I opted for the Inreach Freedom Recreation Plan over the basic safety plan. Gives me 40 text messages and has unlimited tracking points and location pings. When I use my spot and am hiking into or out of an area, I like the track feature as it gives my loved ones a location if something happens and I just stop sending a daily "OK" message. I nearly fell to my death several years ago on a solo goat hunt when a massive rock let go and nearly took me down the mountain with it. The track mode would of given them my location to find what's left. And my wife is well aware of that missing Spatsizi hunter and I wouldn't want her to have to endure what that poor family has and is still going through.
But I like the flexibility to be able to start and pause the service and change plans types which may happen after I get some actual field use.
Anyhow, took all of about an hour to create my account, activate, create my preferences/contacts/custom messages, pair my in reach with my cell phone and test everything.
I really like that you get visual and audible indication when a message is successfully sent. Like allot of hunters, my parents are getting up in age and my young grandson has changed my perspective on some things.
So knowing that my wife can now contact me and let me know of something like a family emergency is huge because some things are more important than finishing a hunt.