Personal GPS?

[Pine]

I'm thinking of replacing my old GPS and was hoping for some input from you as to one that is easy to use and will work in Canada.
I'm not very tech savvy so I would like one that is not very complicated.
Any suggestions?
Thanks; Graps

[Miikka]

I use Garmin Astro 320 and like it a lot. The physical buttons allow you to use gloves in the cold weather and I think are more reliable than touchscreens. I suggest you buy some good rechargeable batteries as well, eneloop pros have worked well for me and they retain their charge even in the cold. I'd expect that it works in Canada also but better check before buying.

[evworld]

I use a garmin etrex 20.  affordable and easy to use.

[McDave]

Depends on what you want it for.  If you need the map function, a full-blown GPS is the way to go.  For finding your way back to your camp or truck, or finding your way back to a dead animal, I prefer a GPS watch.  Mine is a Suunto Ascent, but Garmin also makes fine GPS watches.  All GPS’s will work fine in Canada, but if you want Canada maps, you have to ask if they come loaded on the GPS, or buy supplemental maps to load on yourself.

[stevem]

A $90 Garmin Etrex works anywhere and will find your truck/camp/etc.  If you want a map function, my Garmin 450t works pretty good, but I am not sure what Canada maps would be available for it.  Another option is GAIA which works on your cell phone.  I prefer it but you need to preload maps if you are not in cell coverage (the actual gps function does not need cell coverage).  Cost is either $20 forever or $20/year (not sure which as I have only paid once in two years).   

[Roy from Pa]

Lots of good gps units on the market.

Even some cell phones have a gps app built into them and "no cell phone service signal is needed for that app."

The GAIA app was a one time $20.00 fee for me.

Maybe contact someone in the area of Canada you intend to use it and see what they have to say.

[Pointer]

For basic things..finding your way back to a vehicle or to your stand then the Garmin eTrex 10 is fine. I've had mine for a number of years and it works well for those basic things.
I bought a newer one with map features and functions but find I just don't need it. I've got a good topo map of my favorite public hunting area and find that with my basic gps, a good compass and the map I'm in good shape. 

[ozy clint]

i'm the same as pointer. eTrex 10 and map and compass

[bucknut]

I'm on the other end of the spectrum I guess. After having a GPS with Topo maps I wouldn't own one without them. I have the chips with landowner info and boundaries on them. I live in an area where the public is interspersed with private land and you need to know where boundaries are.  I have a Garmin 64ST and love it. You can use it with gloves and it is pretty dumbed down for simple usage. I have found it very useful for marking stand locations for later hunts. I most likely travel a bit more than most and often get dropped off in an area and hunt for miles to be picked up at another location or meet someone in the middle. Sometimes on land I've never laid eyes on. This is where the map version comes in handy. I know I'm gonna hear use a map and a compass and that's all fine and dandy and I do have them and can use them, but this is what I've found works best for me.

[Possum Head]

I’ve got the Garmin 62S and it’s more than I need. My HuntStand app on my phone lets me know proximity to parcels and GPS is strictly for waypoints. Truthfully the Etrex would have been smarter as mine cost 4 times as much for stuff I don’t use. My buddy persuaded me to get it for it’s quick acquisition.

[KSdan]

Sort of surprised no one suggested:  More and more guys are using their cell phones.  You do not need phone service for GPS to work.  I just use Google maps for most things- downloading satellite maps while you have the phone service.  I used these exclusively while in NW Ontario in the Spring.  Due to this new reality, you can find used GPS' on sale everywhere.

Dan in KS

 

[Possum Head]

Dan, I’m tech stupid. Can it track you or mark and direct to waypoints?

[Roy from Pa]

Howard, when you open the google map app on the phone, it shows a picture of exactly where you are and a view of the surrounding area, just like a picture of your location was taken from a plane.. And you can expand the surrounding area as far as you want.

You can save places you have been also.

It's a GPS app in a phone is all it is, just like all gps units.

This is my phone below.

The picture on the phone can be zoomed in or zoomed out and the area contracts or expands.

You can type in any address and it will come like a picture from a plane.

If you were to give me your address, I could type in the address and zoom right in on your house right now.

But I don't expect you to do that.

[bucknut]

A little off topic but has anyone tried a phone app called what3words? It is it's own GPS system based on a 3 word designation for every 10' x 10' square block. It also has aerial photo and a street map. You can access google maps from the main home page and see topo maps. It does work in Canada. Just another option. Try it.

[evworld]

There are YouTube videos on adding maps to the Garmin etrex 20.  I loaded free topo maps on mine.   Very easy, However I really never had any use for them other than giving a better looking  background to the unit.

[Possum Head]

Thanks for explaining Roy but let me ask for a little more clarity then I’ll study the apps use. Let’s say you park your truck and venture a good distance into the woods and find a White oak that’s loaded and want to hunt it in a few weeks. You just explained you could mark it so how would you know which direction to walk next time you want to visit it? Do you get assistance from your compass and do you zoom up close upon arrival as to not pass up the tree? I’m very interested in what you’re conveying and welcome a new scouting tool.

[jsweka]

My Garmin etrex 20x worked fine last summer at Bear Quest.  I've still got all the way points for each stand saved on it.

[Roy from Pa]

While standing beside that oak tree you found, you save that location and call it oak tree.

Next time you park your truck, open the app and bring up that saved oak tree location.

A picture of the oak tree area will open and will be marked with a teardrop icon, "like Kevin's camp is marked in the picture below here", and your location where you are standing will have a blue circle.

You can see where the oak tree is and what direction you need to walk.

As you walk, that blue circle will be moving keeping your body position marked.

If I open the app in my house on one end and walk 40 feet to the other end of the house, that blue circle moves to the other end of the house where I am standing.

I would say it is accurate to within 15 feet at least.

There is also a compass on the top right side of the apps picture, pointing north, which I circled for ya.

[stevem]

Hint- If using GAIA, and are recording a track, you must Pause Recording if you want to mark and save a waypoint.  Otherwise the waypoint is associated with the track and is deleted when the track is deleted.  Had to learn this from the help desk.  Since using GAIA I seldom use my two GPS units since the screen is so much better on my cell phone.  I did have to learn to preload topo maps when planning to go to areas not likely to have cell coverage.  I don't know how to load these maps the "correct way" and just bring up the area I plan to visit and leave the topo on- once there the topo stays on the screen.

[Pine]

Thanks everybody, I just ordered  Garman 64s.
Gives me time to get used to it before next spring.