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Which type of GPS should I get?

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 09:12:21 No.1897240 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>1897314 >>1897834 >>1899869 >>1899914 >>1899924

Hey anons I need some advice, I'm waiting for the lockdown to end in my area but that looks to be happening soon, so I'm gonna head of innawoods.
I want to try this new trail that looks interesting but its way out so I was wondering what type of GPS I should get. I was looking at the Garmin eTrex 22x picrelated but I just wanted to see what you guys thought is good

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 09:53:50 No.1897254 Report

Quoted By:

Bump

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 13:23:10 No.1897314 Report

Quoted By: >>1897334 >>1899786

>>1897240
Your cell phone

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 13:53:45 No.1897325 Report

Quoted By: >>1897336 >>1897779

Isn’t a good ol compass better than anything else? I mean you don’t have get in panic mode when the batteries die

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 14:08:56 No.1897334 Report

Quoted By: >>1897779

Etrex is absolutely fine and will get the job done but the software is archaic and its annoying to not have a touch screen (they make a more expensive touch etrex).

I would recommend

>>1897314
this

using your phone and getting the Alltrails app and downloading the maps (alltrails and usgs topo) ahead of time.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 04 Oct 2020 14:10:20 No.1897336 Report

Quoted By:

>>1897325
You can buy lithium batteries for an Etrex that will last 40-50 hours of use and bring a backup. You can also buy bricks to charge your phone that can charge your phone 10x over.

A compass is much more work. Alltrails gives you a red line that the trail is and you are a blue dot. Blue dot stays on red line, you are not lost, simple as.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Oct 2020 00:43:53 No.1897779 Report

Quoted By:

>>1897325
You might be right anon, I usually bring one spare I just like having a GPS in case I do something wack and need a quick way out.
>>1897334
I'll look into the Etrex touch, thanks anon!

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Oct 2020 01:33:41 No.1897834 Report

Quoted By: >>1897840 >>1899739

>>1897240
Just get a GPSMAP 64s. It's built like a brick, basically every map product just werks with GPSMAP units and it's way cheaper (especially on sale) than the newer 66 series which didn't really add much besides a higher resolution screen and accepting microSD cards larger than 32GB.

The eTrex units are fine if all you're doing is making sure you're staying on the right trail but if you like to hunt or fish or forage or do geocaching the eTrex gets BTFO. Also worth noting is that having a larger antenna (and a jack for an external as well) can make the difference between something and nothing if you're in conditions where reception is difficult and those are generally the places where you need GPS more than ever; the only time I can ever recall my 64s dropping a signal is underground - cars, rainforests, buildings, blizzards and even being used underwater have all failed to make it so much as stutter.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 05 Oct 2020 01:38:04 No.1897840 Report

Quoted By:

>>1897834
>GPSMAP 64s

>basically every map product just werks with GPSMAP units

same with trex 20

Trex 20 used is literally half the price tho.

Literally all you need is your phone and downloaded topo maps. I mean its just way easier and your phone is way easier to use than any topo thingy. Just bring a charger brick and cord for your phone.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO 1592010227925.jpg, 88KiB, 587x618

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 02:56:44 No.1899739 Report

Quoted By:

>>1897834
Not OP but I am upgrading from a absolute dinosaur, the eTrex Legend. The Legend works but it is constantly losing satellites and isn't very useful for advanced exploring. I want USA, Russian and European satellite constellations, a good antenna, a reflective display, electronic compass and a decent build. So I was looking earlier this week at units and Garmin apparently came out with the GPSMAP 65 which looks very, very similar to the 64 series. I then noticed Cabelas has the GPSMAP 64sx on clearance and after using some coupons and discounts, I got it ordered for $210. I am hoping it is decent and that Garmin keeps updating it along with the 65. They are actually the same price on the Garmin site right now so I snagged one quick at that price. Fuck using a phone or getting hosed over a shit unit. I run a solar panel on my pack an recharge AAs anyway.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 03:49:42 No.1899786 Report

Quoted By: >>1899804 >>1899808

>>1897314
cell phone requires cellular data

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 03:59:57 No.1899794 Report

Quoted By:

Not to use gps signal. It works in airplane mode (the gps module) to place you on a pre-downloaded gps map.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:07:45 No.1899804 Report

Quoted By: >>1899816

>>1899786
Yep, cellphone GPS apps are for AllTrails users and nature Karens.
>Requires cell data
>Screen sucks in sunlight
>Shit battery life when navigating
>Not using multiple sat constellations
>Not as durable
>Less accurate
>No electronic compass, altimeter or advanced sensors
>Try using a touch screen with gloves
>Can't just pop in a couple batteries when it dies
>Internal antennas suck ass

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:09:56 No.1899808 Report

Quoted By: >>1899819

>>1899786
No it doesn’t.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:13:33 No.1899811 Report

Quoted By:

Not criticising GPS in any way, it’s awesome.
I wonder how many people can still use a map and compass accurately now though? I honestly feel like it’s a dying art.
Did an interesting surprise test a few years ago. Drove a couple of hours in a bus with curtains drawn. Walked off trail for 3 days. Got given a map and compass, and had to give our position to within 50 sq meters. Failure rate was incredibly low, 2-3 / 20 as I recall. Part of a 2yr guide course in NZ.
Use GPS entirely now though. Would have to put some decent practice into using compass again.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:17:39 No.1899816 Report

Quoted By:

>>1899804
You can literally use GPS in alltrails with airplane mode on and alltrails lets you download the topo maps ahead of time.

I always bring a charging brick for my phone.

It is perfectly accurate and there's a compass built into your phone.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:22:17 No.1899819 Report

Quoted By: >>1899830

>>1899808
u can only use downloaded maps if u have no service unlike an actual GPS device

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 04:30:53 No.1899830 Report

Quoted By:

>>1899819
what you can use downloaded maps on alltrails with or without service on your phone

its way easier than a gps

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO gpsmap66s_1.jpg, 56KiB, 800x800

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 05:59:07 No.1899869 Report

Quoted By: >>1900165

>>1897240
I have a GPSMAP 66st. This is one of the top models right now but it cost 2x as the eTrex.
I recommend GPS without a touch screen.

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO Compass.jpg, 382KiB, 1300x983

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 08:45:14 No.1899914 Report

Quoted By: >>1899954

>>1897240
Take the map and compass pill. I haven't looked back.

But like everyone says Alltrails and a phone is fine.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 09:05:54 No.1899924 Report

Quoted By: >>1899925

>>1897240
Like people say, take your phone with an offline GPS map app, at least for the first hike. You don't want to fall into the gear trap - "I can't go /out/ until I have the perfect gear!". Use the gear you have, adapt your outing if necessary (I.e. no 4-day trek on a single smartphone battery), evaluate and get new gear as needed.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 09:09:08 No.1899925 Report

Quoted By: >>1899953

>>1899924
>(I.e. no 4-day trek on a single smartphone battery

you can easily buy a large capacity charging brick for your phone and be fine for a week

phone + alltrails + charging brick + charging cord = aok

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 11:25:51 No.1899953 Report

Quoted By:

>>1899925
Yes you can. That's why I specified "single smartphone battery", which a powerbank does not qualify as.

t. Autist

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 11:26:33 No.1899954 Report

Quoted By: >>1900156

>>1899914
>I haven't looked back
Looked back at what? Map and compass should be your default, literally what the fuck?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO IMG_20201007_125132.jpg, 930KiB, 1746x2117

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 11:56:50 No.1899963 Report

Quoted By:

Love my etrex 30, compass feature is a real plus, even if it's just to compare results to my actual compass for reassurance.

Anyway fuck touch screens, a phone works great until it doesn't.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 17:40:25 No.1900156 Report

Quoted By:

>>1899954
At my GPS?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 07 Oct 2020 17:57:13 No.1900165 Report

Quoted By: >>1900670

>>1899869
>I recommend GPS without a touch screen.

The issue is that capacitive touch screens work poorly with rain/wet hands and not at all with cold weather gloves (you have touch screen compatible city gloves but for outdoor in Winter it's meh).

Anonymous

Anonymous Thu 08 Oct 2020 05:58:03 No.1900670 Report

Quoted By:

>>1900165
That's why I said I don't recommend them.
Using buttons to search on the map sometimes painful but I still prefer it over touch.
Other important thing is the visibility of the screen without backlight. That's a must if you want long battery life and see it when it's sunny.

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Which type of GPS should I get?