Posted 2012-12-09 3:15 PM (#148818 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Elite Veteran
Posts: 656 Location: Rayne, LA
I had a Mallegan 315 that I thought was good but it finally broke. I was disappointed at first but began shopping for another and bought a Garmin Etrex 30. I was very dissappointed with the instructions that it comes with. It is four or five pages. I contacted them and was told I could buy the instructions. Instead I just started using it in order to get familiar with it and know think it is great. It does so much more than just tracking not only distance and time but when looking at a side view of elevation you can click on any point and it will show where on the trail it is. Your tracks can be transfered to a computer as well as wireless share with another etrex. The screen is fairly easy to see, but one of the greatest things is that two AA batteries last about 18-20 hours. I now would reccommend it but would not have at first.
Posted 2012-12-10 11:47 AM (#148825 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I think it really depends on what people want a GPS to do. I have not used my garmin in several years, finding that I can get what I need from a GPS with the various apps available on my smart phone.
But then, What I want is to know how far I traveled and to maybe upload a trail map of where I traveled. It is extremely rare that I actually use the GPS to find directions. Although I have done that in the past.
If I happen to be riding in strange of new area that is difficult to locate a trail in, I have pull my GPS out and read off the Lat and Long numbers., Then comparing them on a topo map to identify just where I reallyw as and which way I needed to go to reach my goal.
The down side to the smart phones is the battery consumption that using the gps features consumes. The up side is that I carry one device instead of two. The smart phones also take photos and most of the trail tracking programs will insert those phots in exactly the GPS coordinates from where you took the photo. Allowing you to upload trails onto the internet with your stories and photos embedded. They just seem to be more functional if you are documenting where hiked/biked/rode. But they are definitely not as helpful if you are trying to figure out where you are.
Posted 2012-12-10 12:11 PM (#148826 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Veteran
Posts: 187 Location: KS
Some of the people I ride with thought they were going to do that with their smart phones, they ran into a problem tho, because a lot of places we ride the service is too spotty. Would work good if you were on a mountain and loose service when you started going back down.
Posted 2013-02-04 12:58 PM (#149705 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
New User
Posts: 2
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
I have been exploring using a lot of different trail recording apps with my iPhone, and the battery consumption has always been the problem. For short rides, no problem, and I can take geo-tagged photos as I go and afterwards load them all up into KMLs and then to a blog that will encourage people to go out and explore those same trails. You can see it at << http://www.muletrail.com >> But recently I have purchased a Garmin device, purely because I have been told you have 20 hours of battery life.
Posted 2013-02-08 7:35 PM (#149776 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
Garmin, Oregon 550T for my explorations, has a camera that will geotag pics, a Garmin Rino 530 for our mounted search and rescue (enables you to send your location to another member with a Rino and it shows up on their GPS screen and vice/versa)
Posted 2013-02-09 5:28 PM (#149797 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Veteran
Posts: 178 Location: Richmond, Ky
Garmin csx 60, very rarely it loses signal, due to it's external antenna, just wish it had more track storage capability. Wouldn't leave home without it....
Posted 2013-02-11 8:50 AM (#149839 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 391 Location: Columbia, KY
Rose originally asked this question for me - Thanks
what I'm looking for is something EASY to use, durable, long battery life, dont' want to have to rely on my phone, something that will track speed, distance traveled, show me where I've been and how to get back
Posted 2013-03-28 10:29 AM (#150916 - in reply to #149705) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
Originally written by PATOFISH on 2013-02-04 12:58 PM
I have been exploring using a lot of different trail recording apps with my iPhone, and the battery consumption has always been the problem. For short rides, no problem, and I can take geo-tagged photos as I go and afterwards load them all up into KMLs and then to a blog that will encourage people to go out and explore those same trails. You can see it at << http://www.muletrail.com >> But recently I have purchased a Garmin device, purely because I have been told you have 20 hours of battery life.
Patofish, What app for you Iphone do you use to geo-tag and post to google maps? I tried reading reviews but am confused what to get. Tks
Posted 2013-05-29 3:13 PM (#152316 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Member
Posts: 9
For tracking mileage/time/speed I have a Garmin Forerunner 305 with a heart rate adapter for my horse. For mapping I use a Garmin gpsmap 60csx. I should have added my 305 is a wrist unit and it does a "breadcrumb" trail map the 60csx does an actual map showing the area not just dots.
Posted 2013-05-29 6:39 PM (#152321 - in reply to #148813) Subject: RE: trail GPS
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
I have a Garmin Montana 650t. I use it almost every ride. I like that it is easy to use with gloves on, has a screen that is easy to see/read and it has lots of great functions depending on the type of outdoor activity that I am doing that day (mostly riding :) ). It does take photos and adds them to your track and/or waypoint. The battery usage isn't bad considering what it does. I use it on the battery saver mode and it will run for a good 7 hour or so ride. It will run off of a rechargeable battery or 3 AA batteries.
trail GPS
