Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Anyone think companies making handheld GPS units need to up their game?

I like the reliability, so far, of handheld GPS units and was looking at buying another one during the recent sales. However, they are starting to seem archaic, often hard to use, poor support, eat up batteries and now seem quite expensive for what you get. Haven't tried using the cellphone Apps yet, but they look pretty slick. What are your thoughts?

User interface has sucked for decades. At least in the Garmins I've had and used. Pretty much use OnX on my phone.

Does the cellphone app seem just as reliable in terms acquiring signal in deep woods?

I started using OnX this year. You save the map where you're going to hunt while at home with good signal and then use it "offline" when you get to where you're going. Worked perfectly for me.

Comparing Onx on my phone vs an Onx chip in my Garmin, the Garmin is considerably more accurate. However, for the most part coming within 3' vs 20' is usually a non issue for recreational use.

I use both OnX and a Garmin 600-somehting but find I use OnX more and more - probably 95% or more at this point. It is now pretty much a backup for OnX.

I have a Garmin Oregon something or another. I wonder if it can be upgraded with the chip?

I think all of the Garmins have an mini-SD slot for a chip. In my Montana, it fits under the battery.

Excellent!

The chip in a Garmin will look a lot different than Onx on a phone and it wont have satellite view unless you pay extra for the Birdseye view.

I have the Onx chip in a Garmin Dakota. Works great!

Simplicity and battery life are likely related to ones expectations and or desired features. I still use the simplest of Garmin Etrexes and they do all that I require and do it well. All I want are my position, waypoints, a breadcrumb trail, routes, and the ability to download/upload same. No need for topo or ownership maps, aerial photos, barometers, altimeters, touch or color screens, stationary compass, or keeping track of others in my party. Batteries on my units will go for 24 continuous hours, but I've never had continuous needs. Lock in camp, the rig, downed game, crab traps, turn it off, and go about ones business.

Through work, I also use survey grade Trimbles. Many more features than most handhelds, but nothing additional that I'd want for my recreational needs.

I like the KISS principle. Have a couple buddies that have not yet mastered their units, and they're owned them for over a decade.

A cell phone and its accompanying batteries are the last thing I'd count one.

Too bad todays new phones can be piggybacked somehow to an GPS unit as an option.

I use a Garman 430 Astro and I pretty much like it

They have. Bluetooth.

When you say simple Etrexes, do you have yellow ones with black and white screens? Do you think the ones with external antennas help much in deep cover?

Who can keep up with all this crap?

I have a onx chip in a garmin whatever. It works, but I finally got the app on my phone and it’s way better. I was very reluctant and it finally took me seeing my friend use his but it’s the real deal.

That's my case. The Garmin is superior in only 1 area - it's more accurate for pin point locations. However, I rarely need to be that close. If I'm within 10 or 20', that's plenty good enough. The extreme accuracy is needed by surveyors and other's doing a job but for recreational use, it isn't. Having the chip does save the effort of having to download maps when we'll be out of cell service but that's minor. Before we go out I usually look at the map on my computer anyway so it's just a matter of saving it while I'm looking. It automatically syncs with the phone so I click 1 button on the phone and it's saved.