GPS Weight???

[SunnyWalker]

If yo u have used a gps unit for extensive hiking or on a thru hike of cdt please post here: 1)brand name, 2)model, 3)its weight with the batts. :-?

[stumpknocker]

I have used a Garmin Vista HCX which weighs 5.1 ounces with lithium batteries inside it. There were a few times in certain areas when I would leave the GPS on all day just to be able to use the tracks for more help. Those lithium batteries lasted five days if left on all day.

There are a few times when the GPS didn't show the improved gravel road you might be on, but would show a faint two track crossing it. There were a few times when the GPS showed the trail half a mile from the actual trail, or showed no trail at all. All in all, it came in VERY handy.

A word of caution....I loaded an extra route for another trail and I lost all my CDT maps. I got lucky that a friend helped me out in a town and I was able to get my CDT maps reloaded.

The GPS worked great as one of four tools that kept me found on the CDT. The other three were Ley's maps, Wolf's guide book and common sense. There were times when none of the other three made any sense, the fourth tool came in handy. :)

[fiddlehead]

I have a couple.
I really like my Garmin 60CSX but it is not the lightest by far.
I think if i was hiking the CDT again, i would take a newer VISTA (which i don't have the newer model but they are much smaller)

[Wise Old Owl]

Garmin 400t =5.5 oz with Batteries

[handlebar]

DeLorme PN-40 6-3/8oz with batteries and 16mb SD card--big enough to hold maps for entire CDT. I converted OOO's tracks of Ley's routes via GPSBabel and loaded into the unit. You need to break down the tracks into smaller segments as the PN-40 can only handle a subset of the entire trail (and alternates) that OOO coded. I was glad to have the maps on the GPS when I twice lost a couple sheets of Ley's maps.

I didn't find the Wolf guides as useful as I was hiking nobo and on the "official" Crazy Cook route not included in them. It was difficult for me to translate the sobo trail descriptions to nobo. I did have the Wolf guides in my bounce bucket and read through the sections when I zero'd/nero'd in towns.

Do have extra batteries and don't rely soley on the GPS. Definitely hone your map and compass skills before undertaking this trek.

[QiWiz]

DeLorme PN-40 6-3/8oz with batteries and 16mb SD card--big enough to hold maps for entire CDT. I converted OOO's tracks of Ley's routes via GPSBabel and loaded into the unit. You need to break down the tracks into smaller segments as the PN-40 can only handle a subset of the entire trail (and alternates) that OOO coded. I was glad to have the maps on the GPS when I twice lost a couple sheets of Ley's maps.

Hey Handlebar! Happy New Year . . .

The newer PN-60 would probably hold the whole thing without needing to break it up into smaller tracks, but I'd confirm this with Delorme before spending the extra money on the PN-60 unless you want the PN-60/SPOT2 combo, which would be my personal choice if I were hiking the CDT

[handlebar]

I sold my PN-40 in favor of the PN-60/SPOT combo for the continuation of my CDT hike this year.

[BrianLe]

Hey, Handlebar, I bought that same unit too. I think these can communicate wirelessly with each other somehow (?), so maybe I can put mine on "detect Handlebar" mode ... :-)

Now that the yet newer "Spot Connect (http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116)" device has been announced, I've been second-guessing my purchase, but I think I'm still glad to have a standalone GPS for this trip.

[handlebar]

Yep, I was second guessing my PN40 purchase last year around this time when DeLorme announced the PN60/SPOT combo, but, as it turns out, the PN60/SPOT would not have been delivered in time for my late April start. I guess these things are like PCs on a slower roll out schedule---planned obsolescence of about a year, hoping to make another sale for the "bigger, faster, better, (only rarely) cheaper" version.

[WI_Mike]

I have a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. Finally just got maps which I think cover WI, MI, IL and maybe OH or something. Anyway, very cool. I love it though I haven't used it to its full potential, more just to avoid getting lost and mark good spots for birds, trailheads, etc... Now that I have the maps I think it'll be much more valuable. I think someone (REI?) had this model on sale recently. Maps cost me $65 for a mini SD card which I got off eBay but usually they cost more.

[XCskiNYC]

Watch out for battery consumption on the DeLormes. The PN20 will go through a set of two alkaline AA's in about four hours of continuous use. Not sure about the PN30/40/60 so maybe you can get feedback from somebody else here on those.

If Garmin's battery life claims, in the neighborhood of 15 hours on two AA's, are anywhere near true, then that would give them a big edge (unless you don't mind buying and packing plenty of AA's).

FWIW, I went to paper maps for the AT. OTOH, the fewer blazes a trail has, the less clear the treadway, the higher the likelihood of snow, then the more a GPS makes sense. But at least for the AT I've been finding maps and compass to work out lighter and give better situational awareness (the newer Garmins like the Dakota and Oregon lines have somewhat larger screens so they'd get a little closer to giving you that kind of detailed "big picture" view you get with a map; also, as compared to a unit like the PN20, they have faster processors which will let you scroll around quicker and this will go some way towards mitigating the smallness of their viewing screens as compared to a map).

[BrianLe]

"The PN20 will go through a set of two alkaline AA's in about four hours of continuous use."

I've kept my GPS turned on continuously once in a while to map out local routes, but I've never understood why someone might do so when walking a trail like the CDT. Seems to me that a person turns on the GPS to get a fix in the case where current location data is desired, then turns it off again.

I don't mean to be argumentative here, I'm just saying this in case there's some mode of thought, some benefit of "continuously on" that hadn't occurred to me.

[Buzz Saw]

I have a Garmin and had two mini sd cards one I would load topo maps on and the other was the street map for that unit. I foolishly decided to load a few topos for a hike and forgot to switch cards. Well the thing loaded the topos on my street map and now I no longer have the streets. Not to smart of me, the street card was not cheap so be ware you can loose stuff you really want.

[leaftye]

You can download some nice routable street maps from here for free:

http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php

[The Old Fhart]

Buzz Saw-"I have a Garmin and had two mini sd cards one I would load topo maps on and the other was the street map for that unit. I foolishly decided to load a few topos for a hike and forgot to switch cards. Well the thing loaded the topos on my street map and now I no longer have the streets. Not to smart of me, the street card was not cheap so be ware you can loose stuff you really want."I have the new Garmin 62s with 1.7Gb of built in memory and have added an 8Gb micro SD card. This unit allows multiple map files (.img extension) to be loaded on the same media as long as you give them different names. I have City Navigator for ALL of North America (1.4Gb) along with 3 different topo maps segments (including the high-detail ones from www.gpsfiledepot.com) loaded on the 8Gb card and have most of the built-in card for storing tracks or whatever.

[XCskiNYC]

I've kept my GPS turned on continuously once in a while to map out local routes, but I've never understood why someone might do so when walking a trail like the CDT. Seems to me that a person turns on the GPS to get a fix in the case where current location data is desired, then turns it off again.

I don't mean to be argumentative here, I'm just saying this in case there's some mode of thought, some benefit of "continuously on" that hadn't occurred to me.

When using my PN20 on the trail I've mainly kept it on because it does not have the high-sensitivity receiver as in pretty much all the new Garmin trail models (Etrex, Dakota, and Oregon lines) and the Delorme PN30/40/60 AFAIK. Under any kind of canopy, it takes some time for the PN20 to lock onto enough satellite signals to get a fix. In thick forest it will often not get a fix at all, no matter how long you wait. But once it gets a fix it's much easier for the unit to hold onto the fix as you are walking than if you were to begin walking and then, at a midpoint, power up the unit and attempt to initially get a fix. For example, you might manage to get enough satellites in a clearing or on a high point on the trail and then leave the unit on, locked onto the fix as you walk into thicker woods.

That lack of the high-sensitivity receiver is probably why PN20's, packaged with 1:100,000 topo maps for the entire USA with major hiking trails like the AT marked out as dotted red lines and minor ones dotted gray sold for $120 a couple of years ago and is now no longer sold as a new model.

The other general reason for keeping a GPS turned on would be if you were, let's say, closing in on a shelter towards the end of the day and you just wanted to see your mileage tally as you closed the gap and your mouth was watering at the thought of a Lipton (Knorr) Sides:rolleyes: or you wanted to see on the map how close you were. Or you might want to just track your daily mileage total. On the AT, with the mileage already so well tallied between landmarks, you can accomplish the same with a map. That's why I feel a GPS would come in handy more on a less well-defined trail like the NCT. I'm not familiar with how easy the PCT is to follow, how easy the treadway is to see, how clearly and often it's blazed. It would be factors like that which would decide if a GPS was worth the weight on that trail. From the very little I've read on the CDT it seems like a trail where a GPS would be handy.

One final thing to look at with a GPS is the maps you are using (if you are using maps; you could go with just the GPS). Many of the specialized AT map sets have very scant lat/lon information or even none at all.

[Sly]

I used the Legend C and it worked fine, the few times I used it. The only draw back was the 24MB of internal memory only held about 2100 miles of maps (the ones from Yogis book) so in order to have maps for the entire trail, you have to hook up to a computer with the software somewhere along the line.

[Colter]

I used a Garmin VISTA HCX until it failed, then bought a Garmin Legend HCX, which weighs 5.9 oz with lanyard and batteries. Both held all the maps for the whole trail.

In my opinion a GPS is a wonderful tool to have on the CDT and well worth the weight. My batteries lasted a long time because I'd only turn on the GPS occasionally.

[Yamagame]

I used the Garmin Dakota 20, which is 5.25 oz with batteries. I never had any problems getting reception, and I switched out lithium batteries probably every two weeks (and I liked to double and triple check intersections with the GPS). The color touchscreen was really easy to read and use. I chose the Dakota because it has has almost all the features of the Oregon series without the extra weight or cost. The nice thing about the Garmins is they can send each other info--I was missing the data for some states and was able to get it from another hiker without using a computer.

The GPS is only as good as how well you can use it/keep your head while navigating and the info you download for it--usually tracks developed by people who have already hiked the CDT. Email this guy to get a nice line: [email protected] He put a lot of work into it and it takes out a lot of the guesswork of doing the CDT (but if you're feeling less than panicky, you don't have to turn your GPS on). It, like the Garmin topo, isn't always right on, but they both help an absolute ton. The CDTA is also coming out with downloadable points by Jerry, who is using super surveying techniques to collect datapoints every 2 seconds.

[Chubbs4U]

I have looked into it but you would think someone would make a decent application for the iphone/droid/other smartphone...

[SunnyWalker]

For our gps units: lithium or alkaline batts? Which is lighter?

[shaggy2004]

I've never used them in a GPS but lithiums are far lighter. In my camera they tend to last many many times longer than alkalines as well. (I only used 4 pair on the entire PCT: roughly 4,500 photos and dozens of videos)

[SunnyWalker]

Wow, Shaggy. I am impressed. I am going to check them out.

[fredmugs]

The Everready lithium batteries I bought claim to last 7 hours longer in a GPS. I know that they do last significantly longer than any other type.

[SunnyWalker]

I've always walked past them in the store. Light and longer. Good deal. Man, I'm really ashamed. I started this thread and I have not weighed my gps yet!? I'll do it today and get back here.

[BrianLe]

I guess I never responded to the original question either. My fairly new DeLorme PN-60w with a pair of lithium AA batteries in it weighs 184g, or 6.5 oz.
The associated (DeLorme-specific) SPOT unit that came along with it weighs 135 grams or 4.8 oz, also with a pair of lithium AA batteries. I weigh a spare pair of AA lithiums at 29g, or 1.0 oz. And that's without any sort of case; I'll keep the SPOT inside my pack during the day, but I have a third-party case for the GPS itself (to hang on a pack strap) at 75g or 2.6 oz.

So the DeLorme GPS + SPOT is definitely not a lightweight combination (!), and if the Verizon connectivity on the trail (CDT) turns out to be better than I feared I might come to regret the SPOT. OTOH, I think it will be very nice to have my (postholer) trail journal populated with daily SPOT locations along the way, particularly given the sort of free-form nature of that trail, and for this trail I do want a standalone GPS if only to be able to separately power it with batteries I can buy along the way. For the PCT and AT, I thought that the GPS chipset on my cellphone was more than adequate.

I do suggest that if a person is going to be using a lot of lithium batteries (AA, AAA, or specialized types like my headlamp uses), look online to see about buying them in quantity. Buying a couple at a time in a retail store can be a lot more expensive (though they're not cheap in any case), and they have excellent shelf life.

[SunnyWalker]

Magellan Triton 400=6.6 oz (187g). Only two AAs take it 12 hrs. Fantastic little booger.

[SunnyWalker]

For Sale: Magellan Triton 400 used for one 5 day hike. Comes as the Triton 400 Adventure Pack (Triton 400, TOPO! Explorer Deluxe Map Software, Carrying case, SD card). The Unit is brand new without a scratch. Yours for $100.00 plus $10 for shipping (USA only). Send a PM to me RE this. Check or money order will do for the sale.

[SunnyWalker]

Ha, ha I think my last two entries are funny. One, I am listing the weight of my gps (at the time a Triton Magellan). The next I am saying its for sale! Hilarious! OK, latest gps is Garmin Oregon 450. Weight is 5.1 oz.

[Wise Old Owl]

SunnyWalker wow what a difference a year makes... I like Garmin... but I am so moving on to smart phone at lithium, premium antenna and 4 oz combined package,,, a extra battery? no problem...

[leaftye]

Premium external or internal antenna?

[Busker]

I tried to use GPS for many years and found that maps were more then adaquate and never ran out of batteries - also trying to get a fix was never that easy. To be honest AT I dont even think you need a map on the AT as its so well blazed -a book with the distances and supply stops is more then adaquate. But would like to hear comments from others about their experience.

[fredmugs]

GPS attenas have improved significantly over the years as far as acquiring statellites and maintaining that connection is concerned. I carry a GPS and a Kindle. I also hike the PCT and I agree the GPS is not needed on the AT (nothing is needed really). With the Kindle I can take maps and documents, save them as PDF files, and have them on the Kindle - much better than carrying books.

[SunnyWalker]

The context here is the CDT.

Woo, you are a wise old one. We are jealous.
But . . . whatsitweigh???!?

[SunnyWalker]

I'll have to say the Garmin Oregon 450 loaded up the detailed topo maps I bought from Garmin real nicely. Then I added the waypoints that Bearcreek gave and wala! Fabuloso! Good combo and I recommend it to anyone wondering. I'm headed out this April 2013 for CDT.

[Timinator]

I use a garmin montana which weighs in at a depressing 9-10 oz. But the plus side is it's ultra rugged and uses a lithium rechargeable battery and can take aa batteries as backup with a run time of 16-20+ hours.
I have all bear creek waypoints, ley tracks, cdt bike routes/waypoints and up to date full 24k topo for the whole trail as well as data for every road and establishment in the northern continent loaded into it. I had to spread it out across 4 sd cards for each state but it's going to be hard to get lost. I can even run a search for geographical locations and resupplies and get routed to it.
As long as I keep the backlight off I basically never run out of power and recharging is easy via solar panel or just recharging in a town.

I'm just curious if anyone has actually done the CDT on gps alone. Other than the obvious fact that if it breaks your screwed it seems these days it could be done if your careful.