Gps unit recommendations

[WItoTX]

I'd recommend using your smart phone and onxmaps app. Cheaper than a gps and as or more useful to me.

This is my system as well. Your phone and OnX, combined with a Dark Energy battery, is far better than any GPS. And with your phone on airplane mode, the battery lasts a lot longer. Unless you need to check it every 30 seconds.

One downfall of OnX is the lack of a compass.

[WItoTX]

i think the only reason ppl use onx maps is bc they dont know about back country navigator- its essentially the same thing (better in my opinion bc it has prolly 15 different overlays of satellite and topo you can choose from, plus it has private and public boundary.... best part is its free, or you can use the pro for like 10$ and it never expires unlike onx where u pay YEARLY ouch.
ive been deep in mountains of new mex, colorado, wyoming and montana and it has never failed me

Unless it has changed, Backcountry navigator doesn't have the ability to interface computer to phone to tablet. That is the #1 reason I have OnX. Scouting from a phone would be brutal compared to sitting at a desktop, plotting locations, and then having it automatically transferred to your phone without having to sync.

It's also less user friendly for myself.

[Jibby]

I bought a garmin gps, montana something, but found out about onxmaps later. If you have a nice smart phone with plenty of memory,,,you'll find that the oxmaps is a lot nicer to look at versus a gps display. Heck, I took both anyways.

[Pistol]

So the ONX Maps app will save maps to your phone, so if you don't have cell signal, you still have a GPS for making waypoints and finding your way around?

[critter69]

We all have phone maps of one kind or another. But I have three garmin hand held units also. And I don't remember a trip ( even if it's just a weekend) where someone's phone in camp doesn't die ( normally) gets miss placed, wet and ruined has happened a whole lot of times, and I have to lend them one of mine. So I prefer to have several, but use my phone the least.

[Patton]

So the ONX Maps app will save maps to your phone, so if you don't have cell signal, you still have a GPS for making waypoints and finding your way around?

Yes. Just make sure you turn on all the layers you want before saving your offline map; whatever layers you have turned on when you save will be available offline/offgrid.

[hopedale]

I got the Garmin GPSMAP 64s Handheld GPS and have been happy with it.

Was originally looking at the Garmin Montana 610t, but it was out of my price point. However the benefit of the 64s is the external antenna.

Now until Micheal put up his info on his Elk hunt, I didn't really look at the Garmin inReach. Again it would have been out of my price point, but I do like how you can send pre-written message to let the better half know you're ok on a DIY backcountry hunt.

If you check out the 64s, do watch BPS and Cabelas as they seem to go on sale through out the year.

[huntingfanatic]

Yes. Just make sure you turn on all the layers you want before saving your offline map; whatever layers you have turned on when you save will be available offline/offgrid.

Yep This. I have topo, satellite, USFS vehicle map, public, private, and fire layers downloaded on my Gaia for offline use. I'm sure ONx is the same

[hopedale]

I got the Garmin GPSMAP 64s Handheld GPS and have been happy with it.

Was originally looking at the Garmin Montana 610t, but it was out of my price point. However the benefit of the 64s is the external antenna.

Now until Micheal put up his info on his Elk hunt, I didn't really look at the Garmin inReach. Again it would have been out of my price point, but I do like how you can send pre-written message to let the better half know you're ok on a DIY backcountry hunt.

If you check out the 64s, do watch BPS and Cabelas as they seem to go on sale through out the year.

Apparently Garmin and ATT had issues. Check out this review

https://www.facebook.com/118570811505290/posts/2274346449261038/

[Texans42]

Apparently Garmin and ATT had issues. Check out this review

https://www.facebook.com/11857081150...4346449261038/

Yes second week in sept. Effected me also, while I was on the mountain. Simple fix just switched it to email. Or wife just logged into my Inreach account to see my messages.

First time in four years I’ve had an issue. But didn’t effect gps just texting to att numbers

[Ruttin&Struttin]

Another vote for ONX maps. Used it for a week in Idaho. Used the Garmin INReach to text my wife and back up gps.

^^^ I do this. I use my old smartphone with EVERYTHING uninstalled except for OnX. It is always in airplane mode so it is my GPS and camera. The INReach is off pretty much all day unless I am texting the wife. Oh, I also have OnX on my primary phone but it is off the entire trip. It's my second backup.

[CRM_95]

I use Gaia GPS maps and my phone. Just finished 11 day elk hunt in Idaho covering 56 miles. Much better than trying to read a standard GPS

Same here!! I used mine in Colorado a few weeks ago for 11 days. No cell service but with my phone in airplane mode the battery would last all day and still have some life left. Then I just charged it in the truck at night. Mainly I just used it to keep my bearings and mark waypoints so I could get back though, I didn't buy the upgrade with all the property boundaries, etc.

[PhotonSlinger]

Used my garmin 64s this year in Co. I would love to have the inreach but the only fault for me is internal battery only. I also used the onX maps and transferred areas of interest from my comp to the gps, very useful.

[NaClH2O_therapy]

On x installed on my phone and a backup phone that I use as a sd card reader to check game cam pics. I also have a garmin oregon 600 that I need to purchase a better base map for. I really like garmin gps units. My first gps was a garmin 72, when it died I got a garmin 76csx, it finally died now I have the Oregon that I just got last week for a crazy cheap price at a pawn shop.
$30/year for on x.

[JTeLarkin08]

OnX maps on your phone, and use a Garmin Inreach Mini for a sat phone.

This was gonna be my setup.. But I think I am going to get the Inreach with the screen since its only a few Oz more..