Is the stand alone GPS a thing of the past?

[Blockcaver]

Haven’t used a gps in 7 yrs after 5 Garmin unit’s broke. The last straw was the expensive Oregon unit with BC backroads map chip that only lasted a Yr.

Been using and loving GAIA on the iPhone ever since. Did add an InReach 5 yrs ago. Great combo. Still carry a tiny Marbles brass compass I have owned for 50 yrs as well.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I have two GPS units in my bin of stuff I don’t use anymore. However, I’ll take my old etrex when hunting unfamiliar terrain. Mother Nature can throw a nasty storm at any time. I have yet to use it though.

Common sense also goes a long ways. Knowing what is around your hunting area in every direction is one of the first places I start.

 

[Stalker69]

I still use my Montana gps, they are somewhat water proof, much more so then the phones I’ve lost. But agree they need to up date there mapping, even google is so much quicker, much more accurate, and more detailed.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Yup.

Knowing what is around your hunting area in every direction is one of the first places I start.

Yup, and carry a compass like Blockcaver. I prefer the smallest lensatic I can find as it allows adjustment for declination, can take an actual bearing to triangulate position or follow an azimuth vs just going a general direction. Bonus feature is the built in signal mirror. For the past several years I’ve been carrying the Suunto MCB (1.3 ounces). It seems like old school land nav/orienteering isn’t very widely known or practiced. I find that kind of odd.

 

[TL44]

Phone with a waterproof case, inreach, and battery pack for me. Everything electronic I bring including headlamp is rechargeable now so it's not just for the phone. I use OnX for most navigation and marking waypoints, but have the best of both worlds with really good mapping layers from Garmin if you dig into them and download prior to your trip. Haven't used a regular GPS in years and never liked the small screens when I did.

 

[TL44]

And always a compass and map for backup.

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm in the same boat. Haven't used my GPS since I installed OnX on my phone. GPS is heavy for what it does IMO. I do carry a phone charger for overnight trips though, but it's still lighter than my GPS is.

 

[ToolMann]

Like a few of you, I still carry a GPS for backup if in new and remote terrain. Especially when solo. Mark my truck, then my camp, then turn it off and put it in my pack just in case.

 

[5MilesBack]

My only knock on OnX is my phone dies quick in very cold temps

Yep. My phone would be 100% charged in the evening and by morning it would show 6% or less. And that was with it turned off. Worthless to me. I can go an entire month long season with two AA alkaline batteries in my GPS, but I don't leave it on all the time, because I don't need it on all the time. I also carry a compass and maps, but in reality......I know my areas pretty darn well.

 

[Wyobohunter]

How old is your battery? I can get two days on one phone charge. It is on the whole time. I always make sure to put it in airplane mode and set the battery management to low power mode. It stays in my breast pocket except for pulling it out every couple of hours or so to look at it. Then listening to an audio book for an hour or so in the tent. This is in temps down to about 20°. I have an iPhone 7 and had the battery replaced with an upgraded one that has a little more mAh.

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

This year I used my iPhone with Gaia gps for navigating and marking waypoints and really liked it. I could have gotten 2 days most likely but was able to charge at the tent each night. I also carried my garmin 200i for my inreach and it lasted 5 days on one battery charge. The 9 oz weight penalty isn’t bad when I wanted an inreach anyways and already owned this for hunting with hounds. I will continue to use both as I am concerned about cracking the screen on a phone and having nothing.

 

[11boo]

I’m getting to the point where

How old is your battery? I can get two days on one phone charge. It is on the whole time. I always make sure to put it in airplane mode and set the battery management to low power mode. It stays in my breast pocket except for pulling it out every couple of hours or so to look at it. Then listening to an audio book for an hour or so in the tent. This is in temps down to about 20°. I have an iPhone 7 and had the battery replaced with an upgraded one that has a little more mAh.

i had just had a new battery put in my I8. It does fine if I leave it buried next to my body. It does poorly when I dig it out and it stays out for long. Fortunatly I rarely hunt in -10 to +20. I use the OnX all fall in archery without issue.

 

[Brooks]

I don’t use my gps very often but I do leave it in my pack along with a couple batteries.

 

[mtnbiker208]

no the stand alone gps is not dead and never will be. yes phone stuff is nice, but you can't do remote for days on end with the phone.

My wife and i did a 100 mile float over 9 days in the bush of alaska. the phone stuff would not have cut it. Phones are good for frontcountry and gps for the bush.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Are you aware that phones now have gps? Maybe a stand alone GPS is not and never will be dead… for you.

I get a little curious to know what information a person does or doesn’t have when he makes a “never” or “always” statement about the future. Especially when the statement is about something as fickle as the technology market.

I use my phone in the backcountry for days on end, where there is no cell service. I’d be willing to bet plenty of Alaskans do too.

 

[elkyinzer]

Until they sell a $300 phone that doesn't have issues with touchscreens not working in moist conditions, no, I'll take my eTrex. And its more accurate. I'm also comforted by replaceable batteries. And better waypoint management options on the PC. And a gentler backlight for navigating in the dark which is when I usually use my GPS. And better ergonomics in hand. And I don't trust OnX with my data. So no, I use my phone too but not even close.
Personal preference though.

 

[5MilesBack]

How old is your battery? I can get two days on one phone charge. It is on the whole time.

At home I charge it about every three or four days, and it's on 24/7. But with temps in the 20's at night......that killed the battery every night even leaving it in the truck overnight. The phone and battery are a little over a year old.

 

[rayporter]

this fall i tried keeping my phone in my bag with me at night and it helped some. not enough to trust but it helped enough that when i turned it on in the morning it had some battery left.

 

[Maverick1]

Seems like there used to be annual threads about issues with OnX.

 

[Coveyleader]

My only concern with ONX is you know they're data mining all of our spots. At some point, they will be low on revenue, need to "Expand their brand" and offer a "Premier Service" full of "Suspected" elk spots based off of years and years of kill locations and georeferenced hunting locations.