View Full Version : Hand held GPS....worth bringing?
I have a Garmin hand held GPS that I use when I go hunting in unfamiliar places. This will be my first long distance hike. Would it be worth buying the AT map pack and using on the trail? I already have the AWOL guide but do not want to spend the money or carry a bunch of state maps if I can avoid it. What do you experienced hikers think...
MuddyWaters
05-04-2014, 09:30
A gps is not needed in any way for hiking on the AT.
However, a gps with total US background map, detailed town maps, etc can come in handy when not on trail. A phone works for this for many.
It is always prudent to have real maps, and know where you are. The chances of taking a side trail inadvertently are very low in most of the trail. In areas like the white mountains, you will want maps for sure. Dozens of trails
Not for me. Never learned how to use one. Let alone the fact that my eyes are too old to see the little hand held ones I've checked out. Guess I'll forever be a map & compass person which my Daddy taught me how to work right about the same time I learned how to read.
ScareBear
05-04-2014, 10:14
Not for the AT
Agreed. However, most smart phones have a GPS feature that doesn't require cell phone coverage. With the right maps, this is a useful feature for getting around towns and pinpointing what mile you are at on the at. The AT Hiker Guide app is under 10 bucks and has worked pretty well on the trail, so far.
All that being said, having the correct map(s) and KNOWING HOW TO READ AND USE THEM are key components to a safe and successful hike, even on the AT. On the AT, you don't need more than a 2 buck compass and a vague idea of where you last were. If you wish to be more precise, you can invest in a altimeter. This should give you a fairly precise position on a topo map with your 2 buck compass. My Nikon AW100 has GPS, altimeter and electronic compass, so, except for communications, the cellphone is redundant. Although I have a cool cellphone GPS app that will let you take a photo with the phone and then imprint all the GPS datum around the photo, HUD style...very cool....
Now if only I could afford the extended-life extra battery for the cellphone, it could be a really useful tool. As it is, it burns through battery power way too quickly using the GPS and apps.
No, you don't need a GPS for the trail. But, chances are you already have one...just sayin...
Can GPS ever work through leaf cover? I have a 2007-vintage Garmin, and it can't. I hardly ever use it. I bought it for a trek on the JMT with my sister's kid.
I really appreciate the feed back. This is what I found from Garmin. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/digital/maps/on-the-trail-maps/trailhead-series/trailhead-series-appalachian-trail/prod91298.html I like that it has the towns, shelters and water sources on it and maps 10 miles out of either side of the trail. The device I have has worked well out in the bush on my hunting trips. Sometimes it takes a little longer to locate the satellites in highly covered areas but it will usually locate given more time. I'm not too concerned about getting lost as I was thinking I could avoid the need to carry the maps to reduce the load. And then there is the cost of the maps.
Old Hiker
05-04-2014, 11:48
Depends on when you start, in my opinion. I was planning to carry my Garmin E-Trex, but decided not to, based on the tree coverage during the summer months. That's when my Scout Troop normally did their AT section hikes. I was going to look for geo-caches along the way, but found out it was WAY too time consuming, even with several Scouts looking at the same time.
In March of 2012 through May of 2012, it MAY have worked, but I didn't need it, as I bought the maps. I was over-planning, as I bought the maps and guide books for each state, PLUS the AT Guide (AWOL's) PLUS the ALDHA Guide. The AWOL guide and state maps were what I ended up with.
I carried two states at a time, plus about 120 miles of Trail guide. My wife mailed the extra pages and maps as needed.
Old Hiker
05-04-2014, 11:53
OK - update - I should have looked at your link before spouting off.
If YOUR Garmin can punch through the trees, what they show as examples looks kinda nifty. I'd have to see and try it in person first, though. The extra batteries needed if you keep the GPS on all the time may negate any "niftiness" from the maps. I could drag my maps out at any time and look at them. My E-Trex drains faster if I keep turning it on and off.
It WOULD be nice to know EXACTLY where I was, in relation to the next water source, side trail, town, etc.
Also - how to carry it to keep it facing up towards the sky seems be a problem as well for me. It won't balance on the top of my pack too well and I am always afraid of dropping it.
Weather-man
05-04-2014, 12:24
My daughter and I did Springer to Woody gap over a weekend last Fall. There was a pair of hikers that we met at Gooch Shelter that left earlier than we did...we ran into them about 2 miles from the shelter. We were headed to Woody and they were headed back to Springer.
I asked if they left something at the shelter and they said "no, the gps is saying that were supposed to go this way". I explained that I had walked this portion of the trail a couple times and that they were headed back to the shelter. They were adamant and off they went. I suppose they realized their mistake once they got back to Gooch.
Personally I've been looking at this http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/inreach-smartphone.php (http://www.delorme.com) though it would just be another gadget to carry and I'm really trying to avoid carrying more "stuff".
Spirit Walker
05-04-2014, 13:04
The AT is extremely well blazed. If you go five minutes without seeing a blaze, turn back. Chances are, you will never get off track. As to knowing where you are, after a couple of weeks, you learn your paces, and it becomes automatic to note how far you've come. i.e. I'm very consistent at 2 mph on the AT. At best, you'll be 1/4 mile off where you think you are. That really is close enough for navigation. You'll waste more time looking for signal than you would spend walking that 1/4 mile to the water, shelter, road, etc.
SunnyWalker
05-05-2014, 15:23
No need for gps on AT. Data bk is 'bout all you need.
No need for gps on AT. Data bk is 'bout all you need.
+1
However, if you are carrying a smartphone anyway (I do), a GPS app with the AT track on it is a nice addition to your kit that adds no weight. You can even have your AWOL book on your phone as well as other resources (I do). Just sayin . . .
if you carry a phone you might as well load something like guthook. With a phone you have a great camera, compass, phone, messageing, gps, DB and anything else you want. And yes it will bust through most areas of leaves
+1
However, if you are carrying a smartphone anyway (I do), a GPS app with the AT track on it is a nice addition to your kit that adds no weight. You can even have your AWOL book on your phone as well as other resources (I do). Just sayin . . . Sorry Wiz. didnt read your post...but I think we agree.
Sarcasm the elf
05-05-2014, 21:37
I really appreciate the feed back. This is what I found from Garmin. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/digital/maps/on-the-trail-maps/trailhead-series/trailhead-series-appalachian-trail/prod91298.html I like that it has the towns, shelters and water sources on it and maps 10 miles out of either side of the trail. The device I have has worked well out in the bush on my hunting trips. Sometimes it takes a little longer to locate the satellites in highly covered areas but it will usually locate given more time. I'm not too concerned about getting lost as I was thinking I could avoid the need to carry the maps to reduce the load. And then there is the cost of the maps.
Necessary? No. But think of it this way, is it useful enough to you personally to make it worth carrying the extra weight? There's nothing wrong with bringing your Garmin. If you're used to having it on your hunting trips and find it useful, then why not bring it?
Speaking from experience, It wont be practical to leave it on all day unless you plan on carrying a lot of batteries, but it's a fun toy to have and if you don't mind carrying it then go for it.
One of my regular hiking buddies brings his Garmin Colorado? GPS on most of our section hikes and while we've never got in a spot where we truly "needed" it, there have been lots of times where it was convenient and helpful.
SunnyWalker
05-05-2014, 21:59
Good thought QiWiz. How'se the Fire Flys doing? Ready to offer them at REI yet?
CarlZ993
05-05-2014, 22:49
I'd say that a GPS isn't needed on the AT. I carried one to document the waypoints for each night's camp & enter that info into my blog. I also used a SPOT to send out 'OK' messages each evening. A little redundancy on my part. If I were to hike the AT again, I'd probably ditch the GPS.
Last time I did the White the AT was cofusing blazed.Ma came in handy more than once when I as suddenly seeing blue. Not being a purist I was ok with it and did not bother backtracking. But the whites are confusing too much other cool stuff to look than just white marks.
Rain Man
05-07-2014, 10:04
I've carried a Gamin 62s on the AT a time or two. Even if it was worth it (debatable), carrying all the batteries needed was not. IMHO.
Along with ATC paper maps and AWOL's guide books pages, I also copy-and-paste from the ALDHA guide (pdf version) to my smart phone the pages for my section hike. Overkill, I know.
Rain Man
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Odd Man Out
05-07-2014, 12:33
I have a flip phone (not smart) and no GPS. I will take Topo maps of the trail corridor printed from web pages, re-sized and folded to fit in a quart sized Zip-Loc freezer bag.
http://tnlandforms.us/at/googleatm.php?lat=38.7&lon=-78.3&scale=10
Unfortunately my compass has an air bubble in it which is kind of annoying. Not sure if I will that that or if I can fix it.
Great info all!! This newbie appreciates it!!! I checked out the guthook app...looks cool! I'm bringing my smart phone anyway so I think I will just spent the $50 buck burning a hole in my pocket on a few of those maps and have a little fun with that! More or less the GPS idea was out of entertainment more than anything but sounds like a hassle, that app should fit that bill just fine. Plus I have a nifty light weight solar charger for my phone so that should work out well. Awesome guys...love this site and thanks!!!
The batteries on a gps last so much longer than a phone using the phones gps... They are also generally more rugged right out of the box (no need to buy an otter box) and waterproof. They'll do the same waypoint storage and depending on the brand, maps may be included or free, or quite costly. My delorme pn-60 came with topo maps of the whole US at 1:24K. Plus, it lets me save my phone battery...
As a Geocacher I wouldn't leave without my gps, but that's just me. Carrying enough batteries would be the major issue...as they don't recharge like a phone.
hayshaker170
05-10-2014, 09:10
I brought my Etrex the 1st year on the AT. It was rare when I had satellite reception. I have not brought it the last few years and have never missed it. But if I was bringing a smartphone anyway, then I would get the GPS app. It may be useful in the event you are off trail in a clearing.
Granted I do my hiking up here in the Whites of NH, but a backup nav device like a GPS is nice to have once in a while. I don't leave it on all the time and obsess over the map, but it is handy when the fog rolls in above timberline and everything starts looking the same. Our mountains have only one summit, but many trains cross - and in the fog/rain/snow/dark they all look the same.
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