If you go hiking with friends who aren't total nerds, the proprietary options offer a more consumer-grade experience. (ie, usable by them)

If you go hiking with a bunch of people into the backcountry, you don't want to rely on the cellular network.

Handheld radios, meshtatic (not meshcore), and in 5 minutes you're set up and good to depart. Or ideally inreach indeed.

Yeah just get inreach. It works even when you're out of range of anything.