Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Best GPS for dummies?

Looking for an easy to use hand held GPS unit. Not really interested in storing a map and all the beels and whistles, but just something simple to find my way back the the Jeep. I hunt in thick timber, so signal power is a must. Suggestions?

The plain yellow Garmin Etrex would be hard to beat. You might have to find a small hole in the tree canopy for it to acquire enough satellite readings to get a fix, but it is simple as pie to learn.

You can find them used on Ebay for $20 or less, where previous owners (like me) have uprgraded to more bells and whistles. If you don't like one, you can just toss it and you're not out any serious money.

Go with a Garmin. I have two and they're both fairly easy to use. I've breifly used a few others my friends had and found the menus much more complicated. Garmin has great customer service too. I used a buddies basic Garmin E-Trex that was very simple and easy to use. As far as power they all work well as long as you have at least a partial open view to the sky. Very heavy cover will interfere with satellite reception, but both of mine work reasonably well in the woods and it hasn't been a problem. I have the Garmin GPS12 and a ETrex Legend cx.

I'm a big fan of Garmin products so my opinion is slightly biased. I've been happy enough with their products that I haven't looked into the others.

fish head

The bushnell back track would also work for you. I think they are about as simple as it gets.

The new Etrex H version is about $80, and works very well. Simple and easy to use. It locks on faster than previous versions.

Even if you go used, get one with the newer chip. There is a big difference in sensitivity/satellite acquisition between old and new. I had NO idea how much difference there could be until I picked up a 60cx. It picked up a few satellites from inside my house in short order. My Geko (which I really liked) generally couldn't get enough to get a position in the same conditions. The Etrex isn't the same as the 60 series but I believe the newer ones are a big improvement over the last version and I believe the lowest model is still using that old chip. I'd look for some reviews at some of the gps sites to be sure what you're getting. The Garmin site is not the most elucidating. Your thick timber requirement makes this a big deal.

What CCH is saying is true. I was incorrect in saying "As far as power they all work well as long as you have at least a partial open view to the sky." There is a difference with different technologies. Some of the older GPS's that my friends had did not lock onto satellites as well as the one's I had. What's the absolute best one avalable now, I don't know. One good test though is putting a GPS on the dash in you truck while your driving and see how fast it will lock with only a partial view of the sky. This seperates the good from the bad, at least that's what I've found. The Garmin's would do this with no problem and even out of an little airplane window. It worked at 18,000 feet while doing 346 mph in a turboprop.

fish head

Oh, and what I was trying to get at is that you might need to get some features that you don't want to get the sensitivity you need. Ironically my 60cx is considered "old" technology for a GPS. Amazon has those on sale for $250 right now though which is relatively cheap ( normally $350 at most places). You can get a pretty high end Etrex for about $200 as best I recall when I was researching them for my son. Also you'll see discussion of processor speed that relates to mapping functions which is entirely different than the speed and accuracy of satellite acquisition. I'm not saying that you need to spend that much, I'd just be sure that you can pick up satellites easily and quickly. Not sure at what price point you get excellent sensitivity and speed in that regard but somebody's ten year old Etrex isn't it.

A possibility:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PDUZIE/ref=pe_17090_14801870_as_img_1/?me=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.kifaru.net/GPSing.htm

Probably the best essay on the topic for hillbillies like us. I'm interested in this thread, my GPS is an ancient Magellan Pioneer, pre-12 channel model from back when Selective Availibility was still fed in with the signals.

However, from what I gather, what a guy needs is a 12-14 channel model that is WAAS capable (especially in timber...)

I have NO use for mapping software on a GPS, I've yet to see a high-end model that has maps that are worth a schitt. I always pack USGS quads that I 'Grid' before I spend time in the country and take along a Brunton Quad Tool.




There's also quite a few good articles on Kifs site about land navigation. The Cliff Notes version is learn how to use UTM/ITM and pay attention to the Datum on the quad...

If additional provisos are added, does the consensus recommendation change?

1. Not made in Red China - or assembled elsewhere,having parts made in Red China.

2. Maintains reliability after being dropped several times.

3. High satellite senstivity in northwest Rocky Mountain valleys.

1. My latest 2 year old Garmin is made in Taiwan.

2. My first Garmin went belly up after repeatedly being dropped to the deck on my boat. It was severely abused and took years of abuse before going bad. Garmin replaced it with a new one for about $60.00 which was very fair. I was impressed with how well it held up. It was also the same model issued to the military at that time.

3. As said before, sensitivity will depend on the technology. Valleys aren't a problem just so long as you have a partial view of the sky.

fish head

Anyone wanting one of the basic Garmin eTrex's let me know. I came into a second one and would let it go cheap. The first one I have has worked quite well from AZ to AK and a few places in between.

If you are hunting/hiking with a friend I would suggest both of you get Garmin Rino120's. combines both a handheld radio and GPS. You can lock on and track any Rino within 2 miles of you. Makes it easy to find your buddies. You find them used on craigslist for $75-$100. Basic, easy to use.

If you are in thick timber, I suggest a Garmin Etrex Vista or any GPS with an electronic compass. Problem with a basic GPS is if you find a clear spot to lock on to at least 4-6 satellites you need to walk some distance so the GPS can triangulate your location and tell you what direction your truck is, and what direction you are heading. By that time you may walk back into the thick stuff and lose your signal, or worse give you a false signal and direction. With an electronic compass it will give you true north and all your waypoints as well as the direction your gps is pointing while standing still. You can then get your old fashion magnetic pocket compass and confirm your direction and use it until you come to another clearing or your truck. More bells & whistles.

As for a mapping GPS I can't say enough about my DeLorme PN-40. You can layer 7 maps including satellite and aerials, both in color/Blk&white/3D as well as topos. Good thing about the aerial maps are they were made about 30-40 years ago and show old logging roads that have 40ft trees growing in them today but you still can find & follow the remnants of the road(not on any topo) even in the dark. You can also look for a location of the nearest clearing/rock outcropping/etc. It's calibrated on 3 axis so it does not matter what angle you hold it, it knows where you are and what direction the gps is pointing. Fast lockup, in fact it has a signal lock here next to my computer just using the window, 3ft away, for sat lockup.
Lots of bells/whistles/$ but worth it on a dark cold night finding your way out. Just my 2 bits.

Ummmm....

You've not done much land navigation, have you?

When you select a Landmark on your GPS (and your GPS has a position fix), and it gives you a Bearing to that waypoint... Dial that number up on your compass, and then make the little red needle line up with that little red arrow... The sights are now pointing you at that waypoint/landmark.

Seriously, read the Kifaru articles on land navigation http://www.kifaru.net/essays.html

Moving compasses on GPS units is more for finding your favorite fishing hole on the lake. Electric compasses on GPS units are just another feature that drives up the price. Anyone who does much navigation would tell you that the electric compass should be the backup, not the pocket compass. Never under any circumstances should you leave your old school magnetic compass behind. GPS units are just another electrical device that can and do fail.

I use my gps a ton. I've used several different kinds.

Nothing is worse than being in a heavily wooded ravine and not having signal.. BT/DT, and it got my credit card out quickly to remedy the problem.

Garmin Rinos suck ass in the timber.

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-...ting-goods&qid=1271140774&sr=1-1

Pretty sure I'll be ordering one of these payday. All the GPS sites I was on loved them. Gripes abound about the software it comes with, and the lack of memory (not expandable or SD card compatible.) For what I want to do with it, it looks perfect, and it is WAAS capable.

I was never impressed with my buddies Etrex, but form the sounds of things the new ones are much more accurate and sensitive.

My 6 and 8 year old Grandchildren are going to be taught on the Bushnell Backtrack GPS. I can't imagine any thing any simpler. They are also going to do some map and compass work to go with it. I almost always have a map of an area and I wear a compass around my neck when I am out in the woods.

My 6 and 8 year old Grandchildren are going to be taught on the Bushnell Backtrack GPS. I can't imagine any thing any simpler. They are also going to do some map and compass work to go with it. I almost always have a map of an area and I wear a compass around my neck when I am out in the woods.

After looking at the backtrack, I see that it would not work for me. Keep in mind, I don't hunt the same type of country that most do.

#1, it stores only 3 waypoints. I store hundreds of waypoints on my gps. Every time I take a dump, I mark it. (In case I leave something other than crap) Every kill site I mark. (My knives are expensive) If I'm hiking along in Aug, and I find an area that is all rubbed up from the previous Nov, I mark it. I just marked an area of a river I was hiking/steelheading because it was all rubbed up. I can't tell you how many times I've cussed myself for not having good waypoints in an area I've been to before.

#2, no map. An arrow pointing "home" will get you in more trouble than it's worth when you hunt mountains. I'd rather use ribbon, but hate that that does to the landscape. Can't tell you how many times i've followed the arrow before i got sick of hitting cliffs, steep ravines, endless blueberry patches, ect.. With a map, it's easy to follow your trail home, or intersect with your trail.