Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Garmin Handheld GPS, Buttons or Touchscreen?

About time to replace my 23 year old Garmin 45 with a unit that has topo maps preloaded. I see Garmin has two variants in this line, one operates by pushing buttons, the other is a touchscreen.

Pros and Cons of each?


thanks,

Rob

You can press buttons with wet fingers, or gloved fingers.

Exactly. I bought some "touch screen sensitive" gloves so I could use my iPhone without taking my gloves off.

Ain't worth a damn. I have to swipe with my nose and the app opens up maybe half the time.

Not exactly on subject but I bought a new one after my old one as stolen. It put after 2 months. Could not return to store and never or a address to send in for warranty. Never again. Ed k

I have an Oregon 550t which has a touchscreen and have never had an issue using it. I really like the light weight and compact size. It fits nicely in the side pocket of my bino bivvy, cargo pocket, or in my fishing vest.

655t for me. I have had no issues with it since I bought it 5 or 6 years ago. It has the touch screen.

If you can wait until around end of the month, Cabela's should be coming out with a holiday sales flyer for Christmas. I bought several items out of that flyer last year, but didn't buy the Garmin GPS, simply because I had run out of fun/gun money.

Buddons!

And fug Bass Pro(cabelas)!

Mama said GPS is the debils instrament.


Go with buttons.

I'd think they gotta be near a new upgraded wonder model? Touchscreen and buttons. Something like a 5" screen, Android or maybe OS X. Has onX Hunt. Makes calls. Has ballistic solver. Internet. Bluetooth. WiFi. A camera or two. Flashlight. Gotta think they're on the horizon....

I've used both quite a bit and prefer touchscreen. My Garmin Montana does have an issue in that after I use it, I have to lock the screen before I put it in my pocket or it can do all kinds of things as the pocket fabric rubs around on it.
To me, a bigger problem is the polarized screen. If I'm wearing polarized sun glasses, which is much of the time, I have to hold it horizontally or it blacks out. Polarized lenses do that.

I am sticking with the buttons. My GPSMAP 64st works great

Unless the screen in the size of a big cell phone, with cold hands, buttons are my preference.

I like dedicated GPS's.

MM

To each his own. I've gotten some screaming deals from Cabela's. Not so much from BassPro.

Was sorry to see BassPro take over Cabela's.

Except for extended (5 days or more) trips into deep backcountry smartphone apps are TOTALLY the way to go.

OnXMaps is just phenomenal in its clarity and versatility I can’t imagine going back to a little tiny grainy crumby handheld unit.

With sealed & non-replaceable batteries, unless you have access to charging capabilities, I surely can't agree with that.

If you can charge them, then they are fine, but full on, all day usage away from a charger is still very marginal.

MM

I have the Oregon and Montana. Both work well, but the Montana is pretty bulky and heavy, The Montana is easier to use because the screen is larger, but I usually use the Oregon due to size.
I wish there was a model that was lighter, and the batteries lasted longer.

Yeah the energy capacity is indeed the issue; that’s why I mentioned the 5 day limitation.

With OnXMaps you can run on airplane mode which with my phone lasts 2 days from a full charge. A back up charge is the same bulk as replacement batteries for my GPS, so for me 4 days is max.

The advantages in functionality more than make up for that issue for me. Obviously YMMV.

I use BackCountry Navigator & with a Samsung Note in airplane mode, I cannot get much more than a day of all on use w/o needing a re-charge so I turn it off when not needed for awhile.

I have several spare plug-in battery packs too, but IMO, the dedicated handhelds just are more convenient & do enough of what I need with no fuss, no muss.

Everyone's needs are different & so are expectations so I guess that's why there are so many options today.

MM

TROOF!!!!!

Amen man I love that free market!