Gps use on the AT

[Jeepdad70]

Has anybody used a handheld gps like the garmin erred series on the AT?
Or would you recommend it do to the detail and typo maps in gives vs a phone and draining battery life?
I am considering buying one and getting the AT maps for it but wanted to get some more informed opinions first.

thanks,
Jeepdad70

[ScareBear]

If you have a smartphone with native GPS, then download Guthook's AT guide app. You only have to pay for the section you install, and the guide is divided into sections similar to the official AT guidebooks. It will overlay a variety of maps with your GPS and interface with its useful guide. I use the USGS Topo maps. All of it comes with the app. It really is a great tool and makes a dedicated hand-held trail GPS for the AT an inefficient use of space, money and weight. Plus, in about 3 to 5 years, handheld GPS only units will be scarce to non-existent....much like trying to find a new, high-end aftermarket car stereo with a CD player.....within just two more years, those will have gone the way of the cassette player. In another 5 years, DVD's and CD's will have gone the way of the VCR....

[soumodeler]

There is no real need for a gps on the trail. If you want something more than the guidebook, get the Guthook app. It has topo maps and gps plus a guidebook of its own. Very low battery use if only checking 3-4 times a day.

[MuddyWaters]

Trail reroutes make issues with general maps in gps. Not a big deal since you dont NEED one. But it can show upcoming shelters and points of interest

They will give you altitude, which lets you know how far to the top it is. This can be depressing.

Really, no need.

[Kaptainkriz]

I like my eTrex20, but it is certainly not needed. I find paper maps and smartphone more functional for most tasks. What I do like to do is collect the tracks from my hikes, because I'm nerdy. The small GPS runs for over 24 hours on a couple AA, collecting detailed data I can play with and plot later. Digital maps are another issue. OK topo maps and trail data can be found online for free, but configuring the unit to accept them and getting it to work well requires some techie skillz. I put all the shelters, parking, other points of interest, and base trail data in mine and find it useful when I want to know how far I am from from my next destination. https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ has a lot of garmin compatible data.

[Puddlefish]

Guthook also works in airplaine mode. I used my phone exclusively for Guthook, pictures and texting those pictures off to family. If you use your phone for more, you might have battery issues. I used the Anker power core mini, it's about the size of a tube of lipstick. Some weeks I used that charger on the trail, some weeks I didn't need it at all, and was able to recharge in towns and hostels.

A dedicated GPS gives you so much less information than a phone. Yeah, once upon a time a dedicated GPS was a great improvement over a Loran-C receiver. On a well marked trail like the AT, the dedicated GPS ends up being a major downgrade.

[Sarcasm the elf]

We used a Garmin 60csx and Garmin Colorado when we started hiking the A.T. and did not find them very useful. They absolutely burn through batteries if used continuously so they add quite a bit of weight if you want to keep them powered and we found them unnecessary for three season hiking on a trail that is as heavily used as the A.T.

I still bring mine as a safety item on deep winter trips where it is easier to lose the trail in bad weather and it might come with me if I solo hike the Maine section, but that's about it.

[colorado_rob]

Yeah, I'm a GPS freak, I love 'em, but that's one piece of gear I shipped home at first opportunity when I did the AT. Since then, I've fallen in love with the phone apps, and yeah, most of them work in airplane mode. One simply pre-loads maps of the next section into cache when in towns, then the maps are available in airplane mode. I use the TOPO-usa app, though I'm sure there are better ones. I keep hearing great things about backcountry navigator.

I haven't personally used guthook yet, I'm sure it's fantastic. We will be using "halfmile" on our upcoming PCT quest.

[Hikingjim]

No need for a handheld on the AT. I like backcountry navigator for my android on other hikes, but guthook is really the only app you'd want on the AT
I like to have the AWOL guide as well, and most people carry it. I have a PDF version and just take the relevant pages (double sided print).
I find the AWOl guide is better for a fast overview of the section and elevation profile and when I don't want to bother with my phone, and guthook is good at looking at the detail and also to browse around your geographic area. I want to know what the lakes, mountains, etc, around me are, and AWOL guide won't do that for me.

Battery has never been an issue in airplane mode.

[bigcranky]

+1 on the Guthook app if you absolutely need to know exactly where you are on the trail (and you have a smartphone, of course). Works in airplane mode, gives distance to shelters, campsites, springs, road crossings, etc.

[ldsailor]

I'm another advocate for Guthook. The app features pictures, user comments, distances to and from your position, water sources, Elevation profiles, and even hostels close to the AT.

I got off the trail a couple of times this year and used Guthook to guide me back to the white blaze trail. It's really indispensable and when i used it while my phone was in airplane mode, my battery would last for at least three days (shutdown the app when not using it).

[RockDoc]

Yes, paper maps _and_ Garmin GPS (use use the 60sx, which at this point is an older model).

You are heading out into unknown country. You need help in understanding it and navigating through it. These wonderful tools will enhance your travels and save your ass... practically every single day.

A phone is no substitute, IMO.

[Slo-go'en]

I have a Garmin Dakota 20 and it's pretty much useless since the screen is so small, hard to read in sunlight and doesn't pan very well. For my last trip I bought a cheap smart phone ($75!) with a big 5.5" HD screen, loaded the Guthook app and a free Android GPS app with free topo map downloads. That worked really well for the Colorado Trail where having GPS is a little more important (but still not needed for the sections I was on).

For navigating around town and finding services I might need, Google maps on the phone was nice to have too. So, if you have a smart phone, it will do all that a dedicated GSP unit will do and more.

[soumodeler]

You are heading out into unknown country. You need help in understanding it and navigating through it. These wonderful tools will enhance your travels and save your ass... practically every single day.

A phone is no substitute, IMO."Unknown country" is a bit of a stretch for the AT. 99.9% of people will not need a GPS to navigate the trail. Enhance your travels? Probably not. The Guthook app will do more to enhance your trip. Save your butt? Yes, if you get hopelessly lost, but again, the AT is very easy to follow. Extreme situations occur of course, but are rare.

A modern smartphone is a good enough substitute for a GPS for the AT. With the proper app and map files, you can tell where you are just as accurately as you can with a GPS. Battery life isnt as good, but with an external pack and using airplane mode, you can go for a couple of weeks with a phone.

[Theosus]

If you have a smartphone with native GPS, then download Guthook's AT guide app. You only have to pay for the section you install, and the guide is divided into sections similar to the official AT guidebooks. It will overlay a variety of maps with your GPS and interface with its useful guide.

Agreed! The AT is generally so well marked that you dont really need a separate GPS unit. I used to carry a delorme PN60. To put it in perspective - the delorme and its spare batteries (you get maybe two days from two AA lithiums) for a long weekend weighed MORE than my Anker 5.2AH backup battery charger. So by bringing the backup battery I save a few ounces, and have one less piece of gear to tote. With the phone and guthook, plus the backup battery, I could probably get 5 days before running low. I use my phone for geocaching, too, but usually not taking pictures, as I use an olympus tg4 for pictures because i get the RAW images.

BUT - when I'm hiking other trails, I will take the GPS, because they aren't often as well marked and there aren't apps for them. If you're ONLY hking the AT, skip the GPS. But if you're hiking other trails, they are nice to have.

[Fireplug]

My GPS is painted on trees, rocks, post, guard rails. They are white!!!!!!!

[Ddtrey]

Guthook AT maps on sale. Whole trail for $60. Just downloaded and it is even better than the good reviews everyone gives it. Great resource. Save the oz and just take your phone with this app. Like many others, I too bought the AWOL guide PDF as well. Good luck

[earlyriser26]

I got Guthook a couple of years ago and it works great (as long as you can get a signal). No need for another device, but I still bring a paper map as back up.

[soumodeler]

I got Guthook a couple of years ago and it works great (as long as you can get a signal). No need for another device, but I still bring a paper map as back up.Guthook does not need a cell signal to work. You download the maps and trail info per section while at home or in town, and after that, it works just fine in airplane mode. Just hit the GPS button in the bottom corner (iPhone anyways, not sure about Android) and you will get your location in less than a minute.