lightest gps with longest battery life

[Eric Thompson]

hi all,
when i'm on day hikes i use my iphone to track my progress and sometimes orient myself on its or a paper map. (gaia gps application)

if i'm out for days, this obviously won't work (without a solar charger or external battery).
another option is to leave the phone off all the time unless i need to find my coordinates and then turn it back off.

is there an ultralight gps that has really long battery life that solely gives current coordinates and some other basic features (no color lcd, tracking, kitchen sink required)?

i've found the "Bushnell GPS BackTrack Personal Locator" which weighs a purported 1.6 oz.

but it seems to only tell you how far you are from one of your stored waypoints and in what direction it lies.

what are some good options? spot II gps messenger?

[Bob Gross]

Garmin has some tiny GPS receivers. One will fit on your wrist. However, I don't know that its battery life is that great. You might want to look for one that will run on Lithium AA batteries. Not all will.

–B.G.–

[Mike M]

I have the Garmin Foretrex- very basic functions (no mapping, etc) runs on two AAA- I use lithium batteries and I've found it has very good battery life (I tend to not leave mine on for very long), weight is 2.8 oz w/ batteries

[obx hiker]

Is there a lighter alternative with better battery life than the Garmin Forerunner 301? Here's a link to an article from BPL. Of course I wouldn't be surprised and indeed hope I'm just helplessly out of date on this subject.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/ultralight_gps_guide_04.html

There is another by Alan Dixon.

My experience is using mapping software to map the route and set waypoints. I try to think it through and get the critical points I will need; for example trail junctions or prominent physical features. The printed map will give way more detail than you'll get from a gps screen in the larger context and the gps receiver will show where you are in relation to a set waypoint. (forgot to add that I also mark my waypoints on the printed map) I might boot it up and check my location a couple times a day. Batteries will last a long time that way.

[Tohru Ohnuki]

I like the foretrex series from Garmin, the gecko series is similar. Unlike the bushnells, it is a real gps which will read out in UTM or lat-long in a variety of datums. I use it in conjunction with a map and compass and usually only turn it on to confirm a location and store important waypoints.

[drowning in spam]

The problem with every tracking device like the BackTrack that I've seen, is that they lack the ability to display UTM coordinates.

[peter vacco]

that's the weights. lithium batts. got 'em both right here.
they both work fine. i KNOW the geko is reliable, given that the test is only a single units worth.
software is similar. the geko seems to own the better view of the sky map.
they 401 BADLY needs orange tape wrapped around it, but has a sometime-it-might-be-useful wrist strap.

used with any discretion at all, either/both will run longer than you can carry food for.

[Mark Fowler]

I like my Etrex 401 but agree that it is remarkably well camouflaged. I removed the wrist band and added a loop of bright yellow guy line long enough to wear around my neck and store the GPS in my shirt pocket. As modded, weight without batteries is 50g (1.75oz). A pair of NiMH batteries last about a week and I use a small solar charger on longer trips which also caters for my headlamp.

[Alex H]

I assume all of your weights must be with lithium batteries. Geko is discontinued. the EtrexH is listed at 5.3 oz w/ 2 AA batteries, $100. The Foretrex's (301-$150 & 401-$200) are listed at 3.1 oz. w/ 2 AAA batteries.

I have been testing out the Holux 241 which is 1.9 oz. with 1 AA lithium battery. I have gotten 17+ hours on one battery. Cost me $65 I think. Only gives location in Lon. and Lat. if that is an issue. Does distances, elevation, etc. 130,000 data points. Seems pretty accurate.

http://www.holux.com/JCore/en/products/products_content.jsp?pno=341

[Tohru Ohnuki]

Looks like a nice compact unit and the 1 AA batt requirement is good but the lack of ability to read out in UTM is a showstopper unfortunately…

[Alex H]

" the lack of ability to read out in UTM is a showstopper unfortunately"

Yeah, I just have my maps made with Lat. Lon lines and it has been just fine for me.

[John S.]

Foretrex uses 2 AAA, not 3.

[drowning in spam]

Yeah, I just have my maps made with Lat. Lon lines and it has been just fine for me.

That may work fine for you, but not for those of use in the West. I believe every PCT map that has coordinates has them done in UTM. That's Halfmile, Postholer, Tom Harrison and Erik the Black. Most of these guys make maps for other trails out here too.

That shouldn't really matter though. It's a digital device. It should be able to output different coordinate systems. It sure isn't like I can push a couple buttons to change the coordinates on any the maps I mentioned.

[Alex H]

"Yeah, I just have my maps made with Lat. Lon lines and it has been just fine for me.

That may work fine for you, but not for those of use in the West. I believe every PCT map that has coordinates has them done in UTM. That's Halfmile, Postholer, Tom Harrison and Erik the Black. Most of these guys make maps for other trails out here too.

That shouldn't really matter though. It's a digital device. It should be able to output different coordinate systems. It sure isn't like I can push a couple buttons to change the coordinates on any the maps I mentioned."

I only use it on off trail trips where I usually have maps printed or use USGS topos, even in the West. It would be easier if it did UTM at times but I have figured it out. I am like Cola, I do planning early and then mark what ever critical coordinates I need before I go. If I am on an established trail I don't need a GPS anyway.

[Eric Thompson]

of course i forgot to subscribe to my own thread. annoying.

thanks all! looks like it'll be the foretrex 401 for now.
i am also using a sony prs-350 ereader for mapping and it's been working fantastically well, and i get books to read while on the trail!

those two will be about 12 oz total. not light, but the gps will provide a good sense of security. the ereader is lighter than a paperback.

[Dutch Anderson]

I've found that using the iphone is good for several days.

Track manually on paper map, trail guide, whatever and then turn on iphone to get location coordinates a couple times a day. Download the maps you will be using into Gaia and they will be there even without cell signal. You also need to go to settings … general… network… and turn off 3G and cellular data. Then you are only running the gps. you will burn very little battery life doing it this way. If you want to constantly have it track it will eat the battery in a day or less…course my Garmin will do the same thing if running a track.

[Jason G]

for iphone.. you can also just take out the sim card. that will stop it from searching for signal but the gps will still work. if you don't want to do that without turning it on and off you can just put it in airplane mode when not in use. turn brightness down.. and of coarse turn it off at night and keep in tent somewhere warm.

if you do these thing carefully your battery should last 3-6 days. (mine is a 2-3 year old 3gs so the battery isn't very fresh and i just had it out on a 4 day trip with about 22% to spare.. in the snow too so i was using it a bunch..)

[Eric Thompson]

interesting, in my 3GS the GPS doesn't work in airplane mode.
it also takes upwards of two minutes to boot up, and even if i have 3g and edge turned off the thing eats the battery in about 10 hours.

[Dutch Anderson]

Nobody's GPS works in Airplane mode. See my post above for turning off the Cell service. The way to use it is to spend those two minutes four or five times a day to get a "position fix" then turn the phone back off. Those ten hours will last a long time spaced out that way.

[Steven McAllister]

I have a triple size battery replacement for my Droid phone.

There are applications that can turn off wireless, but still let the GPS work.

I don't stare at a gps when I backpack, only use it occasionally.
I can go a week or more on one charge if I only use it for occasional phone, camera, video, email and GPS use.

The multi use aspect make it the lightest option.

[Jason G]

you're right that gps doesn't work in airplane mode.. i meant put it in airplane mode when not in use..

taking out the sim is the best and you just have to do it once at the beginning of trip

[Steven McAllister]

I just got back from an 8 day backpacking trip.
I have a triple extended battery in my droid phone.
I only used it for occasional phone calls, text messages, email, GPS, map search and watch/alarm clock use.
I finished with 20% battery charge left.
I never turned it off, but instead left it in airplane mode the whole time until needed.

[Michael B]

I saw a print ad for the "celestron retrace" GPS. I can't find a spec for the weight, but it takes AAAs. Says it has the high senstivity receiver. cheap at $59. I don't see any discussion or meaningful info about it either. Cant tell if it does UTM, but I doubt it. REI lists it but no info there. Seems like a contender for a cheap, lite, hi sensitivity option for GPS.

http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=128&ProdID=790

For battery life, I think it is hard to beat the Garmin Vista HCX. I recently did a bike tour and it ran for 24 hours total of riding over 5 days, with enloops that have been used 100s of times. With lithiums, I would expect 40+ hours of actual use in the field.

[Mike Clelland]

The lightest GPS unit weighs ZERO ounces. Simply don't take one. Easy, and the lightest!

[Steven McAllister]

I normally wouldn't consider taking a GPS, but since it is incorporated in my cell phone, I found that I used it. Not to replace map and compass, but as a backup and once using the GPS function with google maps to search for resupply and restaurant options beyond the edge of my map.

By the way, the GPS in my Android works far better than other GPS units I've used in the past. It is quite accurate even in dense forest cover.

Since the phone is also used for journal writing, photography, video, cell phone, mp3 player, text, email ,… I can justify carrying it. I do not rely on it though. It is more of a convenience.

[Author]

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