Best GPS for saddle hunting and easiest to use.

[NWPA22]

I have a Garmin GPSMap 64ST, I agree with @elk yinzer, it is bulky and I have had issues with batteries going dead quick especially in cold temps. I still use my Garmin but find myself relying more on my phone with Gaia GPS. Their premium map subscription is only like $40 a year, most of the phone based gps apps have similar functionality but I think that Gaia has the best front end user interface. The other apps have too many bells and whistles, Gaia is easy to use and has all that you could possibly need for hunting IMO

One other thing that may be worth noting is that if you do not like the base map for garmin, which is just a beige base with creeks in blue and topo lines, and want to download satellite imagery they charge you a yearly fee to use their birdseye imagery and the app they use to transfer those maps from a pc to your garmin device is clunky and slow. It is workable and I use it but if you hunt new areas yearly you would have to pay again. I do still use it, I always have my Garmin, my phone with Gaia and a magnetic compass

 

[mattsteg]

Yeah I understand that. My father in law has a hard time with a touch screen too.


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Touch screens also suck in very cold or very wet weather.

I normally use my phone and gaia, but for an extended trip anticipating significant cold and/or rain I'd be very inclined to carry a small button operated, replaceable battery (with spares) backup with all necessary data loaded.

 

[bowhuntr09]

I have subs to OnX and Gaia. I just can't get a good feel for Gaia so I will probably not renew. OnX seems much more user friendly.

 

[g2outdoors]

I went through a few different GPS options. I ended up with OnX. It's worked like a charm for me. It's easily my favorite solution out of all. I use the computer version a lot (when I'm at work haha and that xfers seamlessly to my phone. It's glorious.

 

[Cajunshooter]

Touch screens also suck in very cold or very wet weather.

I normally use my phone and gaia, but for an extended trip anticipating significant cold and/or rain I'd be very inclined to carry a small button operated, replaceable battery (with spares) backup with all necessary data loaded.

I’ve never had a problem in cold or wet.


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[mattsteg]

I’ve never had a problem in cold or wet.


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I'm guessing you encounter wet on occasion, but not real cold.

Wet - water on the screen screws up touchscreens. Sometimes you can wipe it off, but if everythings wet and its raining, that has dininishing returns.

And cold - you cant run a phone wearing heavy gloves. And without heavy gloves in cold weather your fingers go numb and your core temp drains. That doesnt work well for running a smartphone. Plus battery life goes to crap and
1)having spares is handy
2)not draining what may be a key communication device is useful.
3) charging is not a full solution.

 

[parkersdad]

Me and touchscreen cell phones do not get along. So I use a garmin 64. Additionally that onyx maps do not have very good detail contours for florida. I asked about them and they said maybe in the future. I will will stick with the gps and making my own custom maps.

Try Gaia GPS. They have tons of different maps that you can download and get anything you want. I’m telling you it is 100% better than onyx maps. The only reason onyx is so popular is because they advertise on all the hunting shows but I found their maps to be lacking as well

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Count me as a Garmin eTrax user. I have the 30 and love it. Not too large, holds battery well, color screen and easy to use. I throw an onX chip in and I’m good. I like the idea of cached maps on my smartphone but I just don’t trust it yet. I’m a bad millennial!

 

[elk yinzer]

I'm guessing you encounter wet on occasion, but not real cold.

Wet - water on the screen screws up touchscreens. Sometimes you can wipe it off, but if everythings wet and its raining, that has dininishing returns.

And cold - you cant run a phone wearing heavy gloves. And without heavy gloves in cold weather your fingers go numb and your core temp drains. That doesnt work well for running a smartphone. Plus battery life goes to crap and
1)having spares is handy
2)not draining what may be a key communication device is useful.
3) charging is not a full solution.

Bingo. Nailed it.

 

[DaveT1963]

I still use Backcountry navigator (free) on my smartphone.

 

[Bourdeau]

Garmin Rhino 610 (old.. but reliable) and I can see other people I hunt with....My son and I like to still hunt 300-500 yards apart when scouting new terrain. Plus easy to download way points and tracks later at home in google earth pro.

 

[patriotoutlaw]

I'm not associated with 'Consumer Guide' but I do use a Garmin 64st. It is a battery eating moesheen! I recently acquired OnX. I will be using it with downloaded maps and phone set on Airplane Mode as my primary, with the 64st as back up.

 

[wmahunterfl]

One other thing that may be worth noting is that if you do not like the base map for garmin, which is just a beige base with creeks in blue and topo lines, and want to download satellite imagery they charge you a yearly fee to use their birdseye imagery and the app they use to transfer those maps from a pc to your garmin device is clunky and slow. It is workable and I use it but if you hunt new areas yearly you would have to pay again. I do still use it, I always have my Garmin, my phone with Gaia and a magnetic compass

Here is your solution for that. It is called maptiler (Free) desk top software unless you want to pay for more map layers I just use 1. There is a youtube video on how to do this but basically make a screen shot to a jpg or png then open map tiler. Match 3 points - I find if I match a point on the mid far left, then down bottom center, than mid right render the map. Open it in GE, It will automatically align, (If you do not do the points right than it looks distorted in GE) then send as kmz to garmin. done and simple. Much better than trying to do an overlay.

 

[wmahunterfl]

I'm not associated with 'Consumer Guide' but I do use a Garmin 64st. It is a battery eating moesheen! I recently acquired OnX. I will be using it with downloaded maps and phone set on Airplane Mode as my primary, with the 64st as back up.

Garmin 64st. It is a battery eating moesheen - lower the back light down to 25% that will save your battery.