Which Gps Do You Use On Trails?

I realise that in case of emergency that's much better to be able to find coordinates w/o any additional devices, but still. I decided to ask what everyone uses for their trails and hikes.
I'm looking to get a handheld GPS.
Been thinking, whether it's better to get a separate device with durable battery or transform a phone into a gps navigator using apps. Which one would work better in case of emergency?

 

I like Garmin products, but none will do well in heavily wooded areas where you can't get a good signal.

Most smart phones also have GPS apps.

 

Which ever one you choose, make sure you have a way to recharge them. Battery life is short on most of them. I mostly used mine when they could be plugged in to a vehicles power or a deep cycle battery.

 

Remember they regularly shut the GPS system down. And in a SHTF other countries can shut down our GPS system. China has another GPS system. and they can shut ours down.......if they want.

 

Good morning Josh,

As a Prepper, wouldn't you still need to be prepared to navigate the mentioned trails in case of an emergency ?

The instruments must be self-sustaining. Radio navigation is out with the rest of external source gadgets.

Consider the magnetic compass or at least reviewing that the center of the setting sun is two seven zero degrees true west. If we leave now, we can be in California in about 6 to 7 years.

In this area, in an emergency, there will be no private citizen GPS operating....nor sat or cell phones.

 

That varies depending on location and season.

 

Good afternoon Snyper,

Without instruments, 270 is as accurate as can be for the visual observation.

With instruments, yes, you're correct.

 

When I was in the woods, with or without a trail, I carried a compass. Crossing the Atlantic I used a Garmin. On the way back the Bermuda Triangle killed my primary GPS and my first backup. The compass still worked. Don't rely solely on electronics, if you can't navigate with a compass learn.

 

I have compass but i also have a few Garmin RINOs that I hand out to others that I hike with. I like that it shows where each other is on the map if we get split up. The radio range isn't the greatest especially in the mountains but they work.

 

I'm with lonewolf and still find my way with maps and compass. My only use for GPS is when running on the river or lake in my boat in the darkness.

 

Yes, I know that, thanks.
But unfortunately I have a family members who don't know (yet) how to navigate in the wild and prefer to know where I'm at the moment. So it's not just for me.
I'm not planning to navigate using only electronic device, but I've considered GPS to be a nice backup (at night, in case of bad weather, to let others - family - know where I am).

So thanks again, guys, for your replies. If I got this right, Garmin would be a good choice?

 

Garmin is definitely a good choice. I have an older model Garmin GPS and it still works. You can check out some good ones online and read some reviews.

 

Ask a high-schooler what a map is and maybe they'll tell you that it is a drawing of the Earth. Hand them a compass and maybe they will know the name of the thing, or they might just say, "Like, wow! Where do you put the batteries?"

The teenager will not understand that the map and compass go together to locate where they want to go or locate where they are now. There could be mountains around them that show up on the map as plain as daylight. Doesn't matter, they are lost if they've not traveled to the place before. "Well I came down that road, I guess I'll go back that way. Man, doesn't you car tell you where you are?! The car tells my dad where to go, when I'm not telling him where he can go."

"The needle points north."

"Yeah, so ... ?"

In this day and age, the backs of cereal boxes have graphics of bowls of cereal with milk being poured into it. So far, I've not seen instruction graphics on bags of toilet paper. If the big RESET button isn't pushed soon, I'm sure I'll witness toilet paper instructions ... in pictures. God help us.
.

 

Good morning Old Geezer,

Two years ago I worked an emergency evacuation shelter here for those who lost their homes on the tidal flood plain when a hurricane hit.

The situation was dangerous enough that the county asked Richmond for assistance. 3 big-wheel vehicles run by young guys from the Virginia Army National Guard arrived at the shelter and I signed them in.

They did not have nor know how to read maps.

I won't even discuss the magnetic compass.

If that RESET button isn't punched down ASAP or faster, .........

 

My phones. Here is a screenshot from one of them



The most important thing is you need to know how to read map / nav chart and have access to updated map / chart. Don't be one of those guys whose yapping about map & compass and yet they don't even have access to updated chart or have the slightest clue of reading coordinate grid, long range navigation, let alone doing celestial navigation.