GPS recommendations

[Kit Carson]

Bob33, I appreciate you taking the time to explain that. Thanks man!

It is looking like my best option is to find a Garmin device that supports OnXmaps. (Hopefully some of the previously suggested models)

Or, can I get some type of alternative software on the Garmin that provides all of the same tools as OnXmaps...?

I'm primarily interested in being able to differentiate private and public lands (with land ownership names).


Thanks to all!

[jjness11]

Bob33, I appreciate you taking the time to explain that. Thanks man!

It is looking like my best option is to find a Garmin device that supports OnXmaps. (Hopefully some of the previously suggested models)

Or, can I get some type of alternative software on the Garmin that provides all of the same tools as OnXmaps...?

I'm primarily interested in being able to differentiate private and public lands (with land ownership names).


Thanks to all!

I have a Garmin Oregon 650T with On X installed on a micro sd card (download version so there is tons of more memory available). I have been looking to upgrade to the Rino, so I would make you a heck of a deal on mine if your interested. I live in Arlington, and work in Edmonds. Shoot me a PM if you want to meet up and take a look at it.

[Dan-o]

Definitely going to check out some of the Garmin models you guys are suggesting.

What are the advantages to having a traditional GPS such as a Garmin compared to using the OnXmap app on a smartphone?

Thanks again for all the help! I'm entirely new to hunting, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.

I believe the primary advantages are threefold: (1) durability, (2) battery life and easy replacement, and (3) more functionality. Durability: I've dropped my GPS on rocks, dunked it in rivers, put mud and blood all over it, and it shrugs it off and keeps working. Can an iPhone do that?  Battery life: I can get 16 to 20 hours out of two lithium AAs. Can a phone do that? Can you easily replace the batteries at a buck a pop? Functionality: how easy is it to project a waypoint, to change datum or coordinate systems, to load multiple maps, to manage tracklogs, to upload and download data to and from a computer on a phone?

Also, the cost to replace a broken iPhone is $600. A replacement GPS is much cheaper.

For me the decision to use a dedicated GPS is easy.

 

We all have Garmin 64 series.  No disappointments.

[follow maggie]

I have Onxmaps on my iPhone and love it. I primarily use it in the pick up. When I'm out & about on foot, I much prefer a garmin gps for the reasons Bob said.

[pope]

Definitely going to check out some of the Garmin models you guys are suggesting.

What are the advantages to having a traditional GPS such as a Garmin compared to using the OnXmap app on a smartphone?

Thanks again for all the help! I'm entirely new to hunting, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.

I believe the primary advantages are threefold: (1) durability, (2) battery life and easy replacement, and (3) more functionality. Durability: I've dropped my GPS on rocks, dunked it in rivers, put mud and blood all over it, and it shrugs it off and keeps working. Can an iPhone do that?  Battery life: I can get 16 to 20 hours out of two lithium AAs. Can a phone do that? Can you easily replace the batteries at a buck a pop? Functionality: how easy is it to project a waypoint, to change datum or coordinate systems, to load multiple maps, to manage tracklogs, to upload and download data to and from a computer on a phone?

Also, the cost to replace a broken iPhone is $600. A replacement GPS is much cheaper.

For me the decision to use a dedicated GPS is easy.

From that list, durability may be a plus, but multiple maps? Can your Garmin dedicated device display multiple maps and satellite images? My phone does, and I can tab between maps quickly to get a more intuitive feel of my surroundings. My Gaia app ran for 9 hours in airplane mode and I still had 85% charge. I carry a portable charger which is equivalent to two full charges and the charges are free. Check out the link I provided above and you'll see Gaia manages tracks, way points, trails, everything a dedicated device does.

Here's something else to consider. Almost everybody carries a smart phone. I've found it's the only device I need. It's my navigation, my camera, and with Verizon, I can call for help most of the places I hunt. This actually cost me a nice buck last year, as I broke my own rule and sent a text from a tree stand. If you do carry a phone, a superb gps/mapping system is just $20 away. I'd spend that just to have a backup to a dedicated device.

I'm not some kid who is fascinated with smart phone technology, nor do I have any financial interest in Gaia. But I could name a handful of Garmin users who looked at the Gaia app and switched.

[GBoyd]

Definitely going to check out some of the Garmin models you guys are suggesting.

What are the advantages to having a traditional GPS such as a Garmin compared to using the OnXmap app on a smartphone?

Thanks again for all the help! I'm entirely new to hunting, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.

I believe the primary advantages are threefold: (1) durability, (2) battery life and easy replacement, and (3) more functionality. Durability: I've dropped my GPS on rocks, dunked it in rivers, put mud and blood all over it, and it shrugs it off and keeps working. Can an iPhone do that?  Battery life: I can get 16 to 20 hours out of two lithium AAs. Can a phone do that? Can you easily replace the batteries at a buck a pop? Functionality: how easy is it to project a waypoint, to change datum or coordinate systems, to load multiple maps, to manage tracklogs, to upload and download data to and from a computer on a phone?

Also, the cost to replace a broken iPhone is $600. A replacement GPS is much cheaper.

For me the decision to use a dedicated GPS is easy.

From that list, durability may be a plus, but multiple maps? Can your Garmin dedicated device display multiple maps and satellite images? My phone does, and I can tab between maps quickly to get a more intuitive feel of my surroundings. My Gaia app ran for 9 hours in airplane mode and I still had 85% charge. I carry a portable charger which is equivalent to two full charges and the charges are free. Check out the link I provided above and you'll see Gaia manages tracks, way points, trails, everything a dedicated device does.

Here's something else to consider. Almost everybody carries a smart phone. I've found it's the only device I need. It's my navigation, my camera, and with Verizon, I can call for help most of the places I hunt. This actually cost me a nice buck last year, as I broke my own rule and sent a text from a tree stand. If you do carry a phone, a superb gps/mapping system is just $20 away. I'd spend that just to have a backup to a dedicated device.

I'm not some kid who is fascinated with smart phone technology, nor do I have any financial interest in Gaia. But I could name a handful of Garmin users who looked at the Gaia app and switched.

I'd second that Pope. I don't actually carry a smartphone though, I purchased one just for use in the backcountry. An Iphone 5 goes for about $200 on ebay right now. I find it easier to load maps, navigate, and store data. Also, I never end up carrying my camera, so an Iphone means I have a camera with me.

Bob33:
Batteries though, you have a point. It would be an advantage to use AA's.

[Bob33]

Definitely going to check out some of the Garmin models you guys are suggesting.

What are the advantages to having a traditional GPS such as a Garmin compared to using the OnXmap app on a smartphone?

Thanks again for all the help! I'm entirely new to hunting, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.

I believe the primary advantages are threefold: (1) durability, (2) battery life and easy replacement, and (3) more functionality. Durability: I've dropped my GPS on rocks, dunked it in rivers, put mud and blood all over it, and it shrugs it off and keeps working. Can an iPhone do that?  Battery life: I can get 16 to 20 hours out of two lithium AAs. Can a phone do that? Can you easily replace the batteries at a buck a pop? Functionality: how easy is it to project a waypoint, to change datum or coordinate systems, to load multiple maps, to manage tracklogs, to upload and download data to and from a computer on a phone?

Also, the cost to replace a broken iPhone is $600. A replacement GPS is much cheaper.

For me the decision to use a dedicated GPS is easy.

From that list, durability may be a plus, but multiple maps? Can your Garmin dedicated device display multiple maps and satellite images? My phone does, and I can tab between maps quickly to get a more intuitive feel of my surroundings. My Gaia app ran for 9 hours in airplane mode and I still had 85% charge. I carry a portable charger which is equivalent to two full charges and the charges are free. Check out the link I provided above and you'll see Gaia manages tracks, way points, trails, everything a dedicated device does.

Here's something else to consider. Almost everybody carries a smart phone. I've found it's the only device I need. It's my navigation, my camera, and with Verizon, I can call for help most of the places I hunt. This actually cost me a nice buck last year, as I broke my own rule and sent a text from a tree stand. If you do carry a phone, a superb gps/mapping system is just $20 away. I'd spend that just to have a backup to a dedicated device.

I'm not some kid who is fascinated with smart phone technology, nor do I have any financial interest in Gaia. But I could name a handful of Garmin users who looked at the Gaia app and switched.

I usually run about 10 different map products concurrently on my Garmins: some from Garmin, some downloaded, several custom ones I made, and the HuntingGPSMaps maps from five different states.

[pope]

Definitely going to check out some of the Garmin models you guys are suggesting.

What are the advantages to having a traditional GPS such as a Garmin compared to using the OnXmap app on a smartphone?

Thanks again for all the help! I'm entirely new to hunting, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.

I believe the primary advantages are threefold: (1) durability, (2) battery life and easy replacement, and (3) more functionality. Durability: I've dropped my GPS on rocks, dunked it in rivers, put mud and blood all over it, and it shrugs it off and keeps working. Can an iPhone do that?  Battery life: I can get 16 to 20 hours out of two lithium AAs. Can a phone do that? Can you easily replace the batteries at a buck a pop? Functionality: how easy is it to project a waypoint, to change datum or coordinate systems, to load multiple maps, to manage tracklogs, to upload and download data to and from a computer on a phone?

Also, the cost to replace a broken iPhone is $600. A replacement GPS is much cheaper.

For me the decision to use a dedicated GPS is easy.

From that list, durability may be a plus, but multiple maps? Can your Garmin dedicated device display multiple maps and satellite images? My phone does, and I can tab between maps quickly to get a more intuitive feel of my surroundings. My Gaia app ran for 9 hours in airplane mode and I still had 85% charge. I carry a portable charger which is equivalent to two full charges and the charges are free. Check out the link I provided above and you'll see Gaia manages tracks, way points, trails, everything a dedicated device does.

Here's something else to consider. Almost everybody carries a smart phone. I've found it's the only device I need. It's my navigation, my camera, and with Verizon, I can call for help most of the places I hunt. This actually cost me a nice buck last year, as I broke my own rule and sent a text from a tree stand. If you do carry a phone, a superb gps/mapping system is just $20 away. I'd spend that just to have a backup to a dedicated device.

I'm not some kid who is fascinated with smart phone technology, nor do I have any financial interest in Gaia. But I could name a handful of Garmin users who looked at the Gaia app and switched.

I usually run about 10 different map products concurrently on my Garmins: some from Garmin, some downloaded, several custom ones I made, and the HuntingGPSMaps maps from five different states.

Your point about Garmin devices being durable is well noted. I treat my phone like I would my scope, rifle, bow, and binoculars. They're expensive and so I don't abuse them. My only complaint about using my phone and the Gaia app for navigation is that I can't determine property ownership. Also, some of the satellite images are a little out of date. Nevertheless, being able to tab between topographic maps and satellite images seems invaluable, since topo maps do not give any sense of vegetative density and recent logging.

[huntnfmly]

I have a garmin oregon with onx maps and and download sat. Pics from garmins birdsview works great the onxmap overlays on the sat pic if you want very easy to use and the gps is alot more rugged

[KFhunter]

I just purchased an Iphone 5 to use as a GPS. After some experimentation and using my friends' setups, I've found that I prefer phones equipped with GPS to any other device.

They acquire satellites quickly, and also have a vastly superior interface to any GPS I've used. It's so much easier to navigate around the maps and to save locations while scouting. They also have a good availability and cost for battery packs. I still haven't decided between Onxymaps, Huntterra, or another ap.

I'd highly recommend trying a phone in the backcountry before purchasing a GPS.

I'm using tremble outdoors, also has landowners on it.  Galaxy S5 android smartphone.

One of these days I'd like to stick onxmaps on my garmin rino and see if the landowners are more accurate but I bet they're compiling from the same sources.

[Reidus]

I got a Garmin Oregon 600 for $200? $220? From cabelas on sale. They're great. Much better screen than my older Oregon model.

The onx for your phone takes a TON of memory to cache the maps for use when you don't have service.