what gps system are you using and how do rate them...

[boxelder]

Gazaddy - you're welcome to trial my etrex 20 at Gravel Rocks in October if that would help.

[Mike]

Outdoor type here too. The 62s never let me down AA bats last around 3/4 days if I use the route in track form. I can't complain the only thing is its old now would look at the oregon or the 64 s next!

[bonzo_bcn]

Have just recently bought a Twonav Anima. It's a small beast.... I was initially reluctant to move out of Garmin but I'm glad I did, still learning how to use all the options though.

It accepts almost any kind of map, it's great to build your own custom maps with Mobac, then put them in the Anima and have road map as an overlay to google earth for example. No lag when rendering maps whatsoever.

It comes with lithium battery but you can get a standard battery accessory if needed.

[thenorthwind]

Another smartphone GPS user here. Old smartphone as dedicated GPS unit. In a cheap roll-top clear case (touch screen still works fine through it). Battery is replaceable so I have a spare. Wifi to sync maps, routes, and tracks, airplane mode in use (GPS still works as it's passive - it only receives signals).

I use Viewranger and paid-for OS data usually (sometimes free cached OCM or similar). Would check out the new subscription-based OS Maps app, but rather locked into Viewranger now I've bought loads of (ironically OS) data. The app is very good though.

Bonus: it's a backup phone if you turn airplane mode off and put your SIM card into it, should your main phone die (SIM not necessary for emergency calls obviously).

Can't see any advantage of a "proper" GPS unit now.

[benp1]

Garmin Oregon 550t here

I bought it years ago (over 7 maybe?) for walking and geocaching. It was an upgrade from a Garmin eTrex Vista C. Pure luck that it works well for bikepacking! I bought the RAM mount kit for it so I could use sat nav on a motorbike trip recently, wasn't as good as a specialist motorbike sat nav but it worked great for what I needed

For the fact that it is so multipurpose, I'll definitely get another when this one bites the dust and would happily recommend it

[mtbmarkymark]

Viewranger here too on a CAT ruggedized android smartphone. It's waterproof and I use the Finn rubber band mount thingy to attach it to the bars. 1:50k OS mapping of the whole of the UK is £70. I use it in airplane mode and get about 1 day and a half out of a charge. I use either a usb battery pack to recharge it on weekend trips or SP8 dynamo and sinewave cycles USB charger on longer trips.
The big plus for me is the ability / flexibility to plan a route on the phone whilst away ( you don't need a computer ).
Viewranger isn't perfect but they are improving it steadily.

[ctznsmith]

Have just recently bought a Twonav Anima. It's a small beast.... I was initially reluctant to move out of Garmin but I'm glad I did, still learning how to use all the options though.

I quite like the look of that if I ever manage to fully kill my Garmin. I'd be interested to know how you get on with it long term.

This is a neat little option too.
http://www.twonav.com/en/accessories/aa-batteries-anima

[Mike]

I like the look of that twonav gps. Never heard of em r they a new company.

[padonbike]

Satflap is ugly; heavy; not waterproof (unless you add heavy, expensive rubber cover, which then totally impairs toggle function); screen virtually impossible to see in anything more bright than dull cloud overhead; horrible clunky bike attachment - which it is not unknown for it to bounce off from; poor support from parent company for the inevitable catalogue of failures that the device will suffer in its working life (remember it's not like we use these things every day!).
Worse than all of this though is the fact that is so obviously designed just as a toy for the Lakeland pub walker to impress his companions with as he walks down a country lane from one pub to the next, all of one half mile away.
However, in a kind of better-the-devil-you-know-than-the-one-you-don't scenario, you kind of get used to all its flaws and it is just about usable and in the grand scale of major race f===ing catastrophes waiting to happen, is probably better than self Harmin, as some of my HT compadres have already pointed out.
That's not to say that I'm not taking it upon myself to memorise every inch of the HT for next year and, hence not have to rely on these ungodly devices at all!

[bonzo_bcn]

Have just recently bought a Twonav Anima. It's a small beast.... I was initially reluctant to move out of Garmin but I'm glad I did, still learning how to use all the options though.

I quite like the look of that if I ever manage to fully kill my Garmin. I'd be interested to know how you get on with it long term.

This is a neat little option too.
http://www.twonav.com/en/accessories/aa-batteries-anima

Sure, feel free to drop me a PM whenever you need mor info.

[bonzo_bcn]

I like the look of that twonav gps. Never heard of em r they a new company.

No, they've been around for some time, but it's a small company based in Spain. AFAIK their previous models were'nt that good, but this one is getting excellent reviews in spanish forums.

[gazaddy]

Gazaddy - you're welcome to trial my etrex 20 at Gravel Rocks in October if that would help.

Thanks boxelder, that would be great. Never used one before just basic bike computer and good old paper maps.

[Mariner]

Just out of curiosity if you set up a phone as dedicated gps is it tracking you or just displaying a map?
Can you follow a .gpx route and get a track of where you have been and can you see where you are?

Interested in the functionality available if not using the usual suspects - Garmin OS etc.
Perhaps someone could write up a 'how to for dummies' on a new thread covering phone basics, memory, operating system, map options -
I suppose we can only relate to our setups but it may be possible to arrive at a set of basic guidelines.

[whitestone]

If by "tracking" you mean recording where you've been then you need a dedicated app for that. The basic GPS functionality on a phone is aimed at telling you where you are and optionally telling you where the nearest Spar is.

Generally with phones the fewer things you have running the better the battery life, so turn off Bluetooth, put into airplane mode, enable screensaver and somewhat bizarrely "stop" the app itself. The operating system on the phone doesn't actually turn the app off, just puts it into the background where it doesn't use unnecessary resources like the screen.

[Moder-dye]

Just out of curiosity if you set up a phone as dedicated gps is it tracking you or just displaying a map?
Can you follow a .gpx route and get a track of where you have been and can you see where you are?
.

Using maverick I can upload a gpx track that I'v previously created in strava using strava create a route and heatmaps in combination with referring to Bing maps OS layer (plus for bike stuff advice from those here who know the area). I'm sure there are better ways, but this is free and works for me.

Then when I'm out I can open the track in maverick so I can see the route to follow on what ever base map I use. Usually OS for rural areas and OSM cyclemap for built up areas in the UK. Maverick won't prompt you to take turns etc like a gps navigator, so you do have to stop to check occasionally, but the blue dot on the map show you where you are and direction of travel, and presumably you know where you've been!

Maverick can record your route as you travel and leave a line, plus times, speed etc but I don't use this on rides (use it for work to record new walking routes and works I'm checking out) as you can't have an uploaded route showing at the same time as you record.

To record my route while I'm following my planned route I use strava (free version), or you could use mapmy ride or something, but strava isn't very power hungry in my experience, where as others are.

I have my phone on airplane mode and screen off other than when checking the map.

I'll do a write up on my blog when I've done the one and video from this trip, but hope this gives you some idea for now on what I do.

[gazaddy]

Have just recently bought a Twonav Anima. It's a small beast.... I was initially reluctant to move out of Garmin but I'm glad I did, still learning how to use all the options though.

It accepts almost any kind of map, it's great to build your own custom maps with Mobac, then put them in the Anima and have road map as an overlay to google earth for example. No lag when rendering maps whatsoever.

It comes with lithium battery but you can get a standard battery accessory if needed.

Would the wife be able to track this from
home...so she knows where I am....

[bonzo_bcn]

Have just recently bought a Twonav Anima. It's a small beast.... I was initially reluctant to move out of Garmin but I'm glad I did, still learning how to use all the options though.

It accepts almost any kind of map, it's great to build your own custom maps with Mobac, then put them in the Anima and have road map as an overlay to google earth for example. No lag when rendering maps whatsoever.

It comes with lithium battery but you can get a standard battery accessory if needed.

Would the wife be able to track this from
home...so she knows where I am....

Don't think so, at least not out of the box. Maybe if you get the ANT+ version you can link it to a device that provides that functionality.

[thenorthwind]

With regards to following a route using a phone with GPS and a navigation app, Viewranger can be set to follow a GPX route which gives you an audible alert when you go more than a specified distance off course. I tend not to use this, but I know people who find it very useful.

It also has a feature called "Buddy Beacon" which allows someone else to track you, I think via the app and possible on a computer, but I think you would need a data signal for this, so not very useful in my eyes, hence I've never tried it.

I do keep meaning to look into a simple app which can, for example, automatically text back a location on receiving a text from a certain number, so that my girlfriend can find out where I am if I head off into the hills on my own and don't come back. I'm sure something like this exists. Obviously I would need enough signal to send a text but that's much more likely than data.

[jam bo]

garmin 235 on my wrist for pace/HR tracking etc.

viewranger on my phone loaded with 1:25k maps for reference.

[bonzo_bcn]

With regards to following a route using a phone with GPS and a navigation app, Viewranger can be set to follow a GPX route which gives you an audible alert when you go more than a specified distance off course. I tend not to use this, but I know people who find it very useful.

It also has a feature called "Buddy Beacon" which allows someone else to track you, I think via the app and possible on a computer, but I think you would need a data signal for this, so not very useful in my eyes, hence I've never tried it.

I do keep meaning to look into a simple app which can, for example, automatically text back a location on receiving a text from a certain number, so that my girlfriend can find out where I am if I head off into the hills on my own and don't come back. I'm sure something like this exists. Obviously I would need enough signal to send a text but that's much more likely than data.

Dont the apps that are used for anvigattion have this feature? I could build that app, seems a good idea.

[thenorthwind]

Viewranger only has it's Buddy Beacon thing. Others may have something similar to what I suggested, I just haven't got round to looking yet!

[Moder-dye]

A number of phones have a 'find my phone' function or app that a 'loved one' could sign into to see where you are. The issue is you'd need your phone not to be in airplane mode and probably with data on, so not so good if battery life is an issue.

[gazaddy]

A number of phones have a 'find my phone' function or app that a 'loved one' could sign into to see where you are. The issue is you'd need your phone not to be in airplane mode and probably with data on, so not so good if battery life is an issue.

That was my problem on Sunday...did the True Grit ride and I had no phone signal nearly all way round ,my wife back at start was worrying as took longer than planned she couldn't contact me...her idea to find something to track me for piece of mind...

[gazaddy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00C8S ... 82MB4VOI9O#
My wife thought of this as a safety item whilst I'm out in nowhere land...

[Moder-dye]

I have this PLB with me usually (supplied by work), but it's only any use as a real dire emergency device.
http://www.marinesuperstore.com/safety- ... Ar_M8P8HAQ

Spots are more useful for a peace of mind type thing, but I've heard mixed reviews about their signal/message reliability. Saying that my friend has used one kayaking in Greenland each summer for years for the 'I'm OK and at this location' facility.