low budget gps recommendations
- Thread starter visbuurt
- Start date
BrotherRockeye
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Saskatchewan
Garmin Legend, Vista...there's another one...green,blue and silver. Simple to use, cheap because they're older and can be updated online.
I've bought them all for buddies for moose hunting. I bought mine for $100 when it wasn't very old. Bought the last one for a buddy for $20 on kijiji.
I've bought them all for buddies for moose hunting. I bought mine for $100 when it wasn't very old. Bought the last one for a buddy for $20 on kijiji.
TheNatural21
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort Nelson, BC
I've used some apps on my cell phone that are pretty decent. I used to use GAIA, which I think was $20, but I'm not sure how it has been developed over the last couple years since I started using a dedicated GPS unit.
The Garmin 64ST (or the 64S if you don't want the topo maps) can be had on sale for ~$300. Personally, I'd go for the phone app if the Garmin is out of your budget. A free or $20 app works about as well as a $100 GPS in my experience.
The Garmin 64ST (or the 64S if you don't want the topo maps) can be had on sale for ~$300. Personally, I'd go for the phone app if the Garmin is out of your budget. A free or $20 app works about as well as a $100 GPS in my experience.
BrotherRockeye
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Saskatchewan
Do you need cell service for those phone apps to work?
TheNatural21
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort Nelson, BC
Nah. You can download the map to your phone's storage when you have WiFi at home. Then it uses the phone's GPS chip. No service required.
The drawback is that you do have to save the maps for offline use. Otherwise when you wander out of cell phone coverage you'll see your position on a blank background (unable to load maps). Save your hunting/bugout/whatever area of operations once and you're all set though. Just remember if you're going on a trip somewhere new, save the map before you head out in case no cell signal.
manicmechanic
CGN Regular
For under $100 I picked up a Garmin Etrex 10 (on sale) last fall for moose hunting. Regular price is about $120.
The instructions that come with it are not very clear but it is pretty user friendly.
The instructions that come with it are not very clear but it is pretty user friendly.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Phone GPS is every bit as accurate as a handheld unit, uses the same satellite network. The phone can be on airplane mode and it still works, as GPS is passive and receive only. Usually a phone on airplane mode lasts as long as a unit on AAs, and if you’re carrying a phone too forget doubling up with a GPS.
interesting: so you put your phone on airplane mode and still have a gps.
need to try that with some maps to see differences with a different gps unit.
thanks a lot.
I've had very inconsistent performance from my phone as a backcountry navigation device. Perhaps because I'm still using the 'old' 6S, perhaps because the maps app I use is buggy. (iHunter) I'm not really sure.
I rarely feel the need for more nav than a compass anyways, but when I do, I take my even older Garmin.
Is Walmart still selling the etrex with the topo Canada map pack bundled together?
Pretty sure mine is at least ten years old. Works well enough for the folks I hang out with. Have not lost the truck yet!
Yeah, crappy resolution on a monochrome screen. Whatever. Not using it to watch movies, just mark points I want to be able to find again.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I use ForeFlight (aviation GPS / mapping) as work pays for it, but there are a slew of apps on the app stores for GPS I’d just give one a go. It’s evolved enough that it’s approved for aviation navigation purposes, as a replacement for your charts. Gaia or however it’s said is supposed to be decent.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Get a lithium charge pack, way better than AAs for energy density. We go up to a month with no plugging in using phone GPS and charge packs outfitting. You already own an excellent GPS, there really is no sense doubling up.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
This is the way to go if you’re not using your phone and a gps app.
Yup I just carry the phone and MotionX gps app. That and an extra usb power pack and I’m good for days. And I’m just using an older apple 6plus
Edit to add that most times I’ve been out with someone else with a dedicated gps map we end up using my phone as the satellite maps are much better downloaded to the phone.
Edit to add that most times I’ve been out with someone else with a dedicated gps map we end up using my phone as the satellite maps are much better downloaded to the phone.
