best gps under 300$ ???

[robertsjd]

hey guys/gals was wondering what GPS choices i have for a descent price . seems like the garmin rino 650 is pretty popular but a bit exspensive and im a firm believer in ya get what ya pay for but im thinking in the gps i could go a littler cheaper more so than other gear ? or am i wrong plan on doing some backcountry hunting this year including pasayten etc . so was reaching out for some quick reccomendations for a descent GPS  thats decently priced thanks guys best of luck this season

[Bob33]

This:

http://www.rei.com/product/805907/garmin-gpsmap-62s-gps

[robertsjd]

perfect man thanks never hurts to  reach out for a hunters advice on gear . appreciate it man thank you

[MtnMuley]

I'd definitely recommend the Oregon 450T or 550T over the 62s. I've owned all 3. All within your budget as well.

[CAMPMEAT]

Garmin etrex 30. No frills...

[ghosthunter]

I would buy the best rhino you can afford. 120 and up.

Here is why.

If you are hunting alone in areas where there may be zero cell service the radio feature is priceless. Even with cell service rescue could be tough to find you.
But with a Rhino you have the ability for rescuers equipped with a rhino to see exactly where you are once they are in range.

Sure you could get a spot but sounds like money is a issue so get a Rhino and have a little extra security. The gps is plenty good enough for the average guy.

And down the road if you get a buddy he can buy one too.

For me I do not know why anyone would buy just a gps. When you can have a radio,gps,and peer to peer positioning in one unit.

 

[briancorneal]

Get a used garmin gpsmap 60csx and save some bucks!

[scoyoc5]

cabelas had the garmin rino 650 on sale until the 20th for 349.00. I picked one up last week 

[Bob33]

I would buy the best rhino you can afford. 120 and up.

Here is why.

If you are hunting alone in areas where there may be zero cell service the radio feature is priceless. Even with cell service rescue could be tough to find you.
But with a Rhino you have the ability for rescuers equipped with a rhino to see exactly where you are once they are in range.

Sure you could get a spot but sounds like money is a issue so get a Rhino and have a little extra security. The gps is plenty good enough for the average guy.

And down the road if you get a buddy he can buy one too.

For me I do not know why anyone would buy just a gps. When you can have a radio,gps,and peer to peer positioning in one unit.

 

If you don't need a radio. you're giving up a lot. The Rino 120 does not have a high sensitivity receiver, which means it will work poorly if at all in tree canopy. It does not accept SD cards and does not have much internal memory, which means the ability to add maps like the Hunting GPS versions is not possible.

[scottcrb]

This:

http://www.rei.com/product/805907/garmin-gpsmap-62s-gps

agreed

[ghosthunter]

I have been running Rhinos since they came out. I own a 110, 120, and a 650.

I also own. Garmin 38 very old. A Etrex and some others.
I have hunted the entire state and have never been any where a Rhino would not get  a lock, you might have to move a little once in awhile but always got a lock.

True no sd card. But OP didn't indicate he wanted a sd card unit.
The average hunter doesn't need all the fancy mapping stuff.

In My opinion you give up a lot of safety by not having a radio option.

But to each his own.

[turkeyfeather]

I recently purchased the Oregon 450t. Not impressed to this point.

[Bmcox86]

Garmin 62s.

[grizzlyadams]

Ok so I have a serious question. Why buy a GPS at all? If you have a smart phone, save the money and just get an app. I use 2 different apps. Both can be used outside cell coverage. You can download any map you want for offline use and as many map tiles as you want for free. It will do everything a Garmin or any other will do plus more. Check Into the Gaia app it's awesome! More detail, options ect than your store bought GPS units. I also back that app up with the Onix Hunt gps app. Not as good as the Gaia app but it does show private, public, BLM, federal and recreational land, along with the owners of the land should you want to contact them for entry.  The really cool thing is you can also take pictures of all of your waypoints to be stored as part of your waypoint and so many other useful features you won't get out of a handheld gps.

Some may ask what if your smart phone runs low on battery. Well I have 2 answers. I have a solar charger if the sun is out and a back up battery bank that will recharge my phone up to 6 times if it's not. All for way less than 1/2 the price and you don't get the added weight of another piece of gear to carry.

[Bob33]

Perhaps a phone could suffice.

ls it waterproof?

Can it survive being dropped and abused?

Can the batteries be easily field replaced?

Will the maps work without an Internet connection?

Does it provide basic GPS functions like projecting waypoints, track management, waypoint management, interface with common programs that can upload and download .gpx files, etc.?

If so it sounds like a good alternative. Anything less and I want a dedicated GPS.

[jrebel]

I personally have never found a cell phone app that worked well when out of the cell network.  What apps are you using?  I run the 62sc and love it.  They are always on sale for 299.  So that meets your budget.

[turkeyfeather]

Cell phones only work as long as you have service.

[Bob33]

Cell phones only work as long as you have service.

Almost all modern smartphones have built in GPS chips that do not require cellular service to operate. However, apps usually do.

[jrebel]

Cell phones only work as long as you have service.

Almost all modern smartphones have built in GPS chips that do not require cellular service to operate. However, apps usually do.

That's what I thought.  I tried a few smart phone apps and they all worked well when in 3G / 4G network.  When not in the network the maps would not load. 

[robertsjd]

I have a iPhone 5 and I tried all sorts of apps last year and worked great until I went into backcountry I couldn't load anything at all .

Anyways was at cabelas yesterday and only seen the 64 might have to order the 62 online . Played with a few at cabelas yesterday few lot nicer than others . Guess like all other products it's gonna take time to figure out everything and how to quickly navigate through and drop pins and etc . Would he cool to see boundrys of state dnr private etc . Does that kind of stuff come on the gps ? Or is that kinda stuff need to be downloaded post purchase ?

[BULLBLASTER]

I got a garmin gpsmap 62st when they were on sale. I like it well. I have a couple hunt map chips.

[Tbob]

I bought a very slightly used garmin 60csx for 225.00 and a hunt wa chip for 100.00. So total I'm in barely 3 bills. I love this thing. Even in thick trees I always get a lock and actually pretty easy to use.

[turkeyfeather]

Cell phones only work as long as you have service.

Almost all modern smartphones have built in GPS chips that do not require cellular service to operate. However, apps usually do.

I'll have to check on that then Bob. I was not aware they would still work without service.

[RockChuck]

I have yet to find a gps app that will load a map without service, I have an IPhone 4 the map function on the phone doesn't seem to load without service either.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

 


My I phone 4 needs service to load the map.  But the maps an app...   

I can however use the compass on my phone with no service.

[RockChuck]

I didn't know the compass would work without service, I think I will still carry my compass and gps I don't trust the phone enough, to many things can go wrong with it.

[lamrith]

I have yet to find a gps app that will load a map without service, I have an IPhone 4 the map function on the phone doesn't seem to load without service either.

Www.huntinggpsmaps.com

That app allows you to dl and cache the maps so that you can use it without cell svc.

[Nape.257]

62s love mine.

[rover758]

I really like my Garmin eTrex30 ($300) but had to spend an additional $100 to get the topo maps (SD card) for North America I wanted.  The topo map comes in handy when bending the leather scouting and planning a route.  I also like the WAAS feature of Garmin (I suppose others have it too.)  My buddy's isn't WAAS enabled (pre-WAAS Garmin) and mine is more accurate in a side-by-side comparison. 

[Bordercop]

Garmin  62s 

[RockChuck]

Www.huntinggpsmaps.com

That app allows you to dl and cache the maps so that you can use it without cell svc.
[/quote]

I had that app but didn't get to try it without cell service before my trial period ran out so I haven't purchased it yet, can you use to gps function on it without service?

[lamrith]

Www.huntinggpsmaps.com

That app allows you to dl and cache the maps so that you can use it without cell svc.

I had that app but didn't get to try it without cell service before my trial period ran out so I haven't purchased it yet, can you use to gps function on it without service?

I do not have the app, I think if GPS works without cell service is probably more of a function of the individual phone?  But they make the app so it works without signal if you cache, would find it odd to make effort program that and for gps to not work offline?

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I goggle earthed my area then snapped screen shots w the iPhone 4 I the areas I wanted.  Then in the field I can zoom in on the pics.

[jackelope]

Www.huntinggpsmaps.com

That app allows you to dl and cache the maps so that you can use it without cell svc.

I had that app but didn't get to try it without cell service before my trial period ran out so I haven't purchased it yet, can you use to gps function on it without service?

I do not have the app, I think if GPS works without cell service is probably more of a function of the individual phone?  But they make the app so it works without signal if you cache, would find it odd to make effort program that and for gps to not work offline?

You have to cache maps before you leave your service area. If I know where I'm going, I will cache all the map tiles ahead of time. As long as you do that, they work without service. They are slow to load, they take up a lot of space on your phone and they suck the living crap out of your battery. They work "good enough" but they are absolutely, beyond any shadow of a doubt, not a GPS. If you hunt private land, the land ownership data is priceless. No way would I buy a gps without the ability to insert an sd card. 

[jackelope]

I goggle earthed my area then snapped screen shots w the iPhone 4 I the areas I wanted.  Then in the field I can zoom in on the pics.

With an app like onXmaps you can mostly do exactly the same thing and have the phone show you where you are on the screen.

[RockChuck]

This is what I do also works fine for me




quote author=DIYARCHERYJUNKIE link=topic=157272.msg2087592#msg2087592 date=1406582674]
I goggle earthed my area then snapped screen shots w the iPhone 4 I the areas I wanted.  Then in the field I can zoom in on the pics.
[/quote]

[Carl]

Tag

[robertsjd]

I found a garmin 62st In a pawn shop today for 180$ so I grabbed it . Thanks everyone for the input

[pope]

Perhaps a phone could suffice.

ls it waterproof?

Can it survive being dropped and abused?

Can the batteries be easily field replaced?

Will the maps work without an Internet connection?

Does it provide basic GPS functions like projecting waypoints, track management, waypoint management, interface with common programs that can upload and download .gpx files, etc.?

If so it sounds like a good alternative. Anything less and I want a dedicated GPS.

I'm new to GPS and do not have a dedicated unit. I purchased the Gaia GPS application for my android for $20. Here's how it works. BEFORE you go in the mountains, while you DO have an internet connection, you simply zoom in on the area you will later visit. For example, on our recent mountain bike tour on logging roads between Greenwater and Easton, I used the app just like I would Google Maps and viewed satellite images of a very wide area which included our 40 mile ride plus the peripheral area. I downloaded that satellite image (170 megabytes), then downloaded the USFS topo for the same area. That's one big topo map! Also available are other layers such as USGS topos and open street maps.

Then, I plotted my route on Google Earth, including critical way points and an actual path. I found a website which converted that data to the GPX format, then loaded it into the Gaia folder on my phone. On the route, without internet connection, my maps were there and integrated perfectly with the GPS on my phone. You can trace a path, get elevation profiles, whatever you want.

A friend of mine from Buckley spends more time in the hills than anybody I know. His first Rainier climb was Liberty Ridge and he uses a snow machine to ski places NOBODY goes. He has tried many types of GPS devices and leaves all of them at home, in favor of his android.

On our recent Cascade crossing bike tour, we navigated a spider web of logging roads and there was never any question about our location. In 9 hours, with my phone on "airplane mode", I snapped lots of photos and constantly consulted my GPS. At the end of the trip, my battery life was still at 85%.

No, you cannot drop your phone in a creek. Can you do that with a Garmin? I don't know the answer. Also, if you don't load the maps in advanced, Gaia GPS won't work w/o an internet connection.