GPS Units

[Silver Belly62]

For the ones that use them, what are some of your favorite units and or ones that you didn't like for whatever reason. Pro's, con's, what features you would like to see them add, etc. With hunting season here I'm sure there are some that might be looking to get a new unit especially if they are traveling out of state, etc.  Some info might help them out especially for a young or new hunter just starting out.

 

I recently was looking for a new one, since my unit is a very old one and needed to upgrade. I  recently picked up the Garmin GPSMAP 64st. So far this unit has been ok as I have been trying to get use too all the different features compared to my old one. I did have a issue with the first unit with the birds eye imagery feature. Could not download areas on the first unit and had to return it. The second unit has been working good so far, downloading the maps and sizing them is a little tricky for someone who has not done that before. Hopefully no other issues or problems before using it out of state.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Silver Belly62

[mattg1500]

I have a Garmin Oregon and it works well for me. I have used it in NJ Pa and Ga. I would like huntmaps to be standard on them for the price you pay. Other than that it does what I need, has a good size screen,good signal and battery life

[Silver Belly62]

I have a Garmin Oregon and it works well for me. I have used it in NJ Pa and Ga. I would like huntmaps to be standard on them for the price you pay. Other than that it does what I need, has a good size screen,good signal and battery life

Does yours have the topo 100k or 24k ?

Edited October 25, 2016 by Silver Belly62

[mattg1500]

The book said somthing about topo24. Iuse it maily for waypoints, stands, hot spots, and when in Ga it helps me find the truck when imin the swamp at night

[Nomad]

Delorme PN40. Has all the Maine logging roads.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Nomad

[Rusty]

Today's phones are as good or better than many of the GPS units.  I take my Garmin on our hikes and the kids whip out their phones and make my GPS look silly. 

[Silver Belly62]

Delorme PN40. Has all the Maine logging roads.

I was originally going to look into one of the Delorme units, I believe it was the 60, but had the understanding that some units were going to be discontinued as Garmin owned them now

Edited October 25, 2016 by Silver Belly62

[Silver Belly62]

Today's phones are as good or better than many of the GPS units.  I take my Garmin on our hikes and the kids whip out their phones and make my GPS look silly. 

Yes I have one I've used for NJ areas and has been decent at times but if your having issues with your phone or cell service you are out of luck correct ?

[dlist777]

Phone with 'Back Country Navigator' app.  You can download the maps for your hunting area in advance so your phone isn't trying to download in the field.  

[Haskell_Hunter]

I started with a Garmin GPS12 back in the day.  This was their entry-level GPS and it didn't even have a map on the screen.  It was actually a good unit to start with, but GPSs have come a long way since.

 

I upgraded that to a Gamin GPSMAP 60CSx.  I had actually first gotten the black and white version of this unit and a buddy of mine laughed and said that once I see the difference between the two, I'll end up getting the color one.  He was right.  I put the black and white one on eBay and took a reasonable loss.  This unit was a night and day difference between the GPS12.  It has a color screen, base TOPO maps, and you could add a microSD card to it and upload additional maps.  I put the City Navigator and 24K TOPO maps on it, which worked out great.  You can turn map layers on and off, depending on what you're doing at the time, and it has some basic marine maps that came in handy.  One of the best things about this particular model was the accessories.  I could find cases, external antennae, chargers, you name it.  So this particular unit was not only feature-rich, it was accessory-rich.  I think you can find one on eBay for around $100.

 

I recently upgraded to a pair of Garmin Rino 650s.  These things are really neat and very precise (not 100%, but the best of the aforementioned GPSes).  They have pressure-sensitive touch screens, so you can use them while wearing gloves.  The TOPO maps that Garmin sells are downloaded directly to the unit, as opposed to the CD-maps that Garmin sold for the GPSMAP 60CSx.  But the really neat feature with these are the walkie-talkies built into them, and that you can pair the devices.  This way you can broadcast your location to the paired GPS and vice versa.  It says it has a 20-mile range, but I'm sure that's line-of-sight with no obstructions.  I haven't tested the range out, but I am skeptical.  These units also have an NOAA weather radio built-in, which comes in handy at times.  They also sport lithium rechargeable batteries.  I haven't fully drained the batteries yet, but I got them down to about 55% after 10 hours using just the GPS (no walkie-talkie or radio).  I bought AA battery adapters as a backup in the field.

 

In my applications, I view accuracy, battery life, available maps, and accessories as major purchasing points in that order.  You can't go wrong with a Garmin in any of those categories, but you have to find the model that fits for your price and needs.  They have a ton of models to select from, so it's easy to get lost.  I got the Rino 650s for my annual NH trip.  We go as a group but usually split up over a very large area and move around.  There is no electricity there, nor is there any cell signal.  I'll see how well they live up to their advertising this year, but it will make traversing around mountains and knowing safe shooting lanes a lot easier, especially if you're rifle hunting.

 

Phones are great, but they have their place.  The batteries on phones don't last, so you usually need to bring a backup battery or a charger into the field.  Touch screens are a pain when you're wearing gloves, and they work as long as you have a cell signal.  Even though I have my iPhone attached to the handlebars of my motorcycle, it's plugged into the bike's battery the whole time because the phone would die in about 5-6 hours with the GPS running.  At the same time, I have the Rino 650 in my backpack running the whole day, and it's only gotten down to about 55% battery.  Also, a phone doesn't always "breadcrumb" a trail for you.  The GPS will always breadcrumb your track for you.  This is great when you scout into and out of places.  I also use the breadcrumb feature to send tracks that I've navigated to other folks (like the Kayak trip I went on with Rusty).  I also save all of the rides I go on and can later load them into my phone and use that navigation GPS for the ride.

 

So each has its place, and I use both.  But, the GPS is a specific tool that will always outshine a phone in the field.  The phone is a more diverse tool, that can provide the features of a GPS but at a cost to battery life and in most cases is only as good as the cell signal.

[Nomad]

I was originally going to look into one of the Delorme units, I believe it was the 60, but had the understanding that some units were going to be discontinued as Garmin owned them now

Could be, but the Delorme maps on their Units are the only ones with all the Maine logging roads that I know of, if you would like those.

[Nomad]

Yes I have one I've used for NJ areas and has been decent at times but if your having issues with your phone or cell service you are out of luck correct ?

You are out of luck using the phone to show you where you are on a map.

[Jerseygti337]

Right now I'm still using an old etrex vista Hcx that I've had for a while. It's fine for marking the truck and stands but that's about it. After this season I might upgrade to something with good maps and topos.