Gps watches anyone ?

Equipment and accessories for shooting. Safes, firearm storage, bipods, carry cases, slings etc.

Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 14 May 2020, 6:02 pm

Chick at the dog park was sporting a flash watch . Initially I was thinking it would be handy to have a smart watch and then I started to think more along the lines of a gps watch would be more useful to me Only on new terrain will I keep a gps in my back pack. Always I have I have a dog tracker GPS receiver in my mini back pack and I have a gps dog tracker collar fastened to my quad and it’s always on so I can never forget to mark a waypoint if I’m in a hurry or excited ... and I have google earth on my iPhone which I carry to take snaps of game. I Carry a compass too just in case all the tech stuff decides to pack it in .. now that I can’t hunt and have too much time on my hands I’m considering a gps watch for the ease of instant access rather than rummaging thru my mini back pack in the dark. I don’t want to fork out for a unit that has mapping as I can already do that on my phone if I want to. It’s merely to return to waypoints Track back is garbage , I don’t want to ever retrace my same old boring steps. I have to be able to turn off the screen so I don’t Gove away my presence ..... does anyone have any experience with these gadgets ? I’m not looking for cellular as ph coverage is random on my hunts. Strictly gps coverage
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Aliqua » 14 May 2020, 6:37 pm

I would do some research into Garmin. I don't know which models have standalone gps but they look the part, and have a number of good features.

Garmin were one of the original big names to incar gps.

Update: very quick search-- https://buy.garmin.com/en-AU/AU/p/62180 ... 0-02064-00
Aliqua
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 215
Victoria

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 14 May 2020, 7:14 pm

Yes I’m looking at Garmin. And they can b bought jus down the road. I bought my first Garmin gps for hunt navigation 25 yrs ago. All Garmin units I have had are never a problem. I bought a big bulky Magellan once on a trip to the cape because I forgot to pack my Garmin ....strictly a piece of rubbish
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by TassieTiger » 14 May 2020, 7:18 pm

Wife has a very ex Apple Watch With gps - if you have fingers bigger than a freakin nail, they will drive you insane.

She has set up voice activation but even so, I touch it with my so called “banana” fingers and it never does what I want...

The other thing is battery life - they are very power hungry and need daily charging.
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
TassieTiger
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3704
Tasmania

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by GQshayne » 14 May 2020, 7:40 pm

I liked the idea of getting one, but too many downsides, so I never did. Pretty limited function, and used lots of battery power quickly as I recall. No doubt they are getting better though.
GQshayne
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 839
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 14 May 2020, 8:06 pm

Tassie. I have big fingers and lousy eyesight .......shayne. The first thing I noticed with my internet research was how power hungry they were but I can charge during the day prior to my nights activities, just like I charge all the other stuff I need
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Aliqua » 14 May 2020, 8:41 pm

I did see garmin had a solar powered one... but I dont think it would be charging faster than the gps drains it.

I also like that some have altimeter and barometer.
Aliqua
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 215
Victoria

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 14 May 2020, 9:34 pm

Yes I’ll def need the altimeter when I’m backflip basejumping off the edge of a cliff after downing half bottle of rum on my 75 th birthday .......is a barometer for measurement of air pressure? I’m curious aliqua what do u use that for in relation to weather prediction?
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 14 May 2020, 9:36 pm

I stay in a 3 bedroom house at my main hunting location lights electricity m stove kitchen sink hot and cold running water. Showers and bath. It’s particularly fantastic comfortable esp on 7 night missions So charging stuff is no drama. And then I also charge from my quad and hilux
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by TassieTiger » 15 May 2020, 6:14 am

Why not get arm strap for your phone? Or consider one of the dedicated motorcycle units with battery back up - they all have battery back up just vary in capacity. They are designed for use with gloves - so banana fingers are ok?
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
TassieTiger
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3704
Tasmania

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 15 May 2020, 1:27 pm

I did not know arm straps for phones were avail I ended up just grabbing a Garmin instinct locally. I’m pretty sure it’s a smart watch too so I’ll hav a go setting it up shortly
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 16 May 2020, 9:36 am

All my life I have never understood synoptic charts or barometer readings. And I have always thought that a tv weather man telling me about the barometer readings was a waste of time. I thought what the hell is he telling me for I have absolutely no idea what he is saying I just want to know if it’s hot cold or if it will rain .... so when someone here mentioned the need for a barometer I googled it. So , very simply , if the bar is rising it’s usually going to be improved weather, if it’s falling it might be getting rainy...if it’s falling suddenly we may be in for a storm. So now we all know
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Aliqua » 16 May 2020, 9:56 am

Sorry I didnt reply because I thought you were being sarcastic. I apologise. And yes you are correct quick changed indicate near sudden changes in weather.
Aliqua
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 215
Victoria

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 16 May 2020, 12:05 pm

All good Aliqua. I reckon I’ll be payin a lot of attention to the bar readings in the next few months and noting the weather at the same time ... it certainly does no harm to b more aware of your souroundings
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: Gps watches anyone ?

Post by Blr243 » 29 Jun 2020, 1:06 pm

Couple of weeks ago I trialed my new Garmin instinct smart watch in the field. Before the trip unfortunately I gathered that I wasn’t smart enough to work out how to use it. I won’t be useing it as a smart watch because Bluetooth takes time to turn on and off and drains power .....a little practice learning how to mark waypoints and return to them did not necessarily give me a lot of confidence but I knew it was me rather than the watch. The compass is however easy to find and use with a button on the body of the watch. Several times during the night I took a bearing of where I intended to walk and then used a back bearing to find my way back. It’s heaps more convenient at the glance of your wrist than having to dig out a compass buried under clothing of haveing a compass dangling round your neck esp getting thru fences in the dark. Other than an arrow on the display indicating direction it also always displays the degrees eg ten degrees travel I need to follow 190 degrees home again. So just a little more practice from me with the gps / waypoint dept and I should be sorted ..... a wrist sweatband like what tennis players use I think in the dark will be ideal for concealing the glow of the watch face should it decide to light up randomly if I happen to be real close to a fox or whatever
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland


Back to top
 
Return to Shooting accessories and equipment