INFO NEEDED: Ipod Touch with Bad Elf GPS and GutHook PCT App . . . Yes or No ?

EDIT: Never mind. I didn't know what a bad elf GPS unit was before I posted. Sorry.

That is true — to solve that I've heard people have used the Bad Elf GPS dongle ($120) to attach to the Ipod Touch and then use the GutHook App just like they would on an Iphone…just talked to Ryan Linn from Guthook Hikes (created the app) and he remembered someone had used the Elf/Ipod Touch combo, but didn't really have much info on how it worked out.

Thanks for the heads up though !

Barring someone elses bad experiences, I would imagine to combo should work well. Just be sure to turn off all you push and checking notifications and you should get some pretty good battery life. On my iphone 4, I can get 5 to 7 days while the phone is in SIM lock and WiFi and Bluetooth disabled. That's with snapping a lot of pictures, occasional GPS use and about 15-20 minutes a night of book reading before bed. Throw in a cheap 2400mAh battery and you can more than double your battery time. I get about 110% charge out of my battery.

Thanks for the good insight !

Any good suggestions on small brick batteries for recharging electronics ?? A lot of them on Amazon, no idea who has used them

The battery I have is the Lenmar PowerPort Wave 2400 Mfg's Website: http://www.lenmar.com/web/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=PPW24

I bought it at Best Buy, but I don't know if they still carry it. I have nothing but good things to say about mine. It charges at about the same rate as my wall charger.

You will get the best weight for the best energy if you go with lithium primary batteries. Unfortunately, that also has the highest cost since it is a one-shot affair. Each AA lithium has about 1.5-1.7 volts open circuit, so you can construct your own power source with the voltage that you need to recharge your electronics. However, you really need to know the voltage, amperage, and time needed for recharging.

–B.G.–

Couple things:

Remember that the Bad Elf GPS won't work with the newest iPod touch, it only works with the Touches (and iPhones) with a 30-pin dock connector.

It's powered by your device, so it adds to the battery drain of your device

I tried it with an adapter on a new iPod Touch and couldn't get it to work reliably, so I'd recommend sticking with the 4th gen or earlier iPod Touches

I used it on a 4th gen iPod Touch and it worked great. Used it on my bike during a 35-mile ride and was very impressed with the results, so I think it's a great piece of kit. Never used it backpacking though.

Bad Elf now has a GPS Pro that looks pretty cool. It connects to your device via Bluetooth instead of through the dock connector port, so it will work with the newest, as well as older, Touches and iPhones. It also has a data logging feature so you can have it gather data without being connected to your phone/Touch (which can be off) and then transfer the data to your device when you turn it on. Haven't used one but it sure looks cool. Costs $180 though.

If you have an older iPod Touch and really want to use the dock-connector version, I'll sell you mine since I no longer have an older Apple device to use it on. I've only got the dongle (don't really remember what else might have come with the package, but nothing that's necessary for its use). Say $60?

Thanks for the offer Doug – but I've got a Bad Elf thanks entirely to the kindness of a fellow BPL member. I'll I'm looking for now is a 3rd or 4th generation Ipod Touch….anyone feel a sudden urge to downsize their electronics ?