Are garmins worth it ???

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tuff4x4
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby tuff4x4 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 2:44 pm

I have had my 64st for about 4 years now (I think)...I love it. Recommend downloading free maps from gpsfiledepot.com ...


Also when you get to download the free birdseye maps make sure to look at the size of files you need for you area and take your time before you download them, make sure you have the areas you REALLY need and no filler ones..I wish I would have not downloaded some of the bigger areas in some and some more of the areas in others....What I mean is the birdseye is helpful when you plot your tracks or waypoints but also helpful when you are trying to figure out a bucks movements and sometimes you need to see more then the area you can hunt. Birdseye maps are a little hard to see on the 64 but if you zoom in and use a topo overlay it works for me. I do think this is better then the onx topo overlay on the 64 (I also have the onx chip for my state)

Very accurate and be sure to change some of the setting so you can get longer battery life out of it.

Using the garmin to plot trails, rubs, food, water, scrapes, and BEDS...Then looking at the computer to study movements or just the waypoints it is amazing how some of the things can come together....(I know you can do the same thing with onx)


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Bonecrusher101
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby Bonecrusher101 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:02 pm

Bud TN wrote:I’ll go ahead and apologize for the length....

I have a 62st model. I never leave home without it. I also use onX, but it is aggravating in “offline” mode. My garmin works wherever whenever. I live and hunt in an area with zero cell service. OnX topomaps are fantastic when compared to my standard garmin 100k topo. Garmin works anywhere in the 50 states. You have to buy an annual package for onX (get it from camofire if you do). On x has way more features. But to work correctly In Offline mode you have to download the map then zoom into the areas you want to walk/scout. This ensure it is loaded correctly and the maps are not blurry. Then it works fine. If you don’t get the ENTIRE area resolved before going into offline mode you can run into blurry map regions even if you “downloaded” the area (no matter what size of map you download this happens to me). So offline mode REALLY doesn’t quite work offline all the time. And Do not restart your phone and expect your map to come back. This is why I always carry my garmin in the background. I find it to be acurate enough to get me to my destination in the dark with 5yrds. The garmin 62st uses 2 AAs. If you use it for 10-12hrs straight, you will go through a set. I usually only need to replace batteries after 6-8 scouting trips depending on how long I walk. Garmin tracks your steps as soon as you turn it on. The onx feature must be activated every time you want it to track your trail.
I hunt way back in the Appalachian mountains and pass through some VERY DENSE laurel and ivy thickets getting to my stands and don’t have any issues with reception getting where I need to go (on either onX or garmin).

my garmin 62st was DEFINITELY worth the money I paid 8-10years ago. It’s built like a tank!! I have put it through the ringer and it still works like a champ!!!

OnX is also well worth the $$$. They both have there place and both are very accurate. Both have pluses and minuses.

If I were to upgrade today I would get a garmin with in-reach capabilities. With a young family at home, being able to get in touch with them or Vise versa is a must have.
As you get older the “what if’s” start to weigh on you when you are hanging 15-30 ft up in a tree, miles from your truck and several more miles Driving Just to get back into cell service.

I would Also still keep onX just for the maps and other features.
Carrying 2 extra AAs is a lot easier and less cumbersome than a power cord and battery cell for a smart phone IMO.

My garmin has never let me down. My “smartphone” has...
Get the garmin. You won’t regret it.


X2!!! I’m right here with bud. I have a 62st and beat mine up through the years but it has never let me down, ever! I don’t leave home without it. I keep it in a backpack With the batteries removed with a few other emergency items so I can get home if needed. While hunting I have a loop on my harness that my garmin clips too so I can easy access it and it stays secure. My buddy had the Oregon or Montana version and the touch screen would start acting up and took on a mind of its own in the rain.

Actually just last week I pulled mine out and backed it up to a file on my wife’s computer. I’d be sick if it got lost or stolen but now I have everything backed up. IMO it’s the Nokia of cell phones.

Yes I’d buy one, yes I’d buy another one just like it if I lost the one I have. No I wouldn’t be interested in an upgrade. No, I wouldn’t want an internal battery that I only have to charge.

3 things I’d make sure of if you go with a garmin 62st.

1 make sure you buy one that has the 100k topo map already preloaded, 6-7 years ago when I got mine I had trouble loading the aftermarket 100k topo Map and took it back after a headache and bought one preloaded. I think I didn’t have enough memory on my computer at the time so that may not be an issue anymore.

2 make sure you invest in rechargeable AA batteries. They will save you a small fortune. The garmin 62st is somewhat power hungry and bud was right on with his time line. Thing will chew through cheap batteries and become a pain.

3 calibrate your compass everytime you change your batteries out this will keep your arrow pointing the same direction you are facing.
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
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john1984
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby john1984 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:29 pm

I have a Garmin Oregon 500 that I bring with. I like having options
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ThePreBanMan
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:50 pm

I've made the argument for a handheld GPS on these forms many a time. It's vastly superior to using a smartphone app in my opinion.
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ThePreBanMan
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:22 am

The one thing that I would like to add to the conversation...... The resolution on the GPS is not as good as what you get on your phone. That’s unfortunate. But it is what it is. That’s not to say that the GPS is on usable. Absolutely not. It’s just something to be aware of. The screens are a little smaller and the resolution is not as high. That said the GPS is a vastly superior navigational device to your smart phone. And by vast I mean very very substantial. It would be like comparing a Ferrari to a Ford Pinto. Your smart phone is a pretty nice handheld computer and it does that job well. The Garman has a purpose built device that does one thing and one thing only and does it exceedingly well. It’s extremely accurate. Much more accurate than a cell phone. It will get you to your tree in the dark no questions asked. As others have said underneath the canopy it might be plus or -10 yards. Wide open field the accuracy to be measured in feet. It also has something smart phones don’t have, an actual compass. And by an actual compass I mean a magnetic compass not a GPS compass. There’s a very big big difference. And if you don’t know what the differences and you set yourself up to get lost in the woods. You don’t want to rely on a GPS compass when you,re Navigating rough terrain. The GPS compass requires you to walk in a straight line for hey substantial distance so that I can determine your direction of travel. Well if you’re navigating rough terrain that is something that can be tough to do. That means that GPS compass is never going to get a bearing on your actual direction of travel. That’s a huge problem. Where is magnetic compass with a Garman units that have the letter S as part of their model number, these contain an actual magnetic compass. It can determine your direction simply by which way you’re facing. Don’t have to travel any distance. That is vastly superior to what your phone can do.
Can you bring a magnetic compass in addition to your smart phone? Sure of course you can. But I still think the GPS is better than the smart phone for other reasons as well. I personally find it for my area that On-X maps are not very helpful. The resolution is poor, you can’t see the foliage at different times of year, the topo maps have a very low resolution. With the Garman I can put whatever I want for maps on the unit. I can export from Caltopo and even Google Earth. This means I’m able to get the exact overlay that I want from the exact time I want. The maps I export from Google earth come over with all my mark ups. Lines I might try indicating transitions, waypoints, etc.

Just this last season I helped two poor lost souls get out of the woods who are relying on their smart phones for navigation. The GPS compass had I’m going in circles.
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Ghost Hunter
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:37 am

I like smart phone apps for detail. But, GPS is what I use 90% of time.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
Rich M
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby Rich M » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:16 am

I have a 164Map and use it for whitetail deer, antelope, mule deer, duck hunting and fishing.

If you are gonna buy a GPS, get a Garmin. I just don't trust my phone as much cause it isn't near as fast but it is cool opening an aerial on the phone and seeing where you are at on it.

A handheld compass is cheap...
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby jrain904 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:03 am

I carry one in my pack just in case, however when I first started hunting I found the gps to actually be a hinderance in my backwoods navigation. I found that my focus on the gps had me not observing the environment I was in and I would get turned around. In the end just using landmarks and a general sense of direction works a lot better for me.
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Re: Are garmins worth it ???

Unread postby deer365 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:32 pm

Anyone on here have an etrex10? I bought one at the end of last season and still can't figure out how to use it. I will pay one of you if you tell me what I'm doing wrong. I've watched video after video on YouTube and still can't find out what I need to know. I'm desperately hoping someone on here can tell me.
My issue is, when I select go to waypoint all it shows me is where I am and where the waypoint is, it doesn't navigate. As I get closer to the waypoint it doesn't start counting off my distance.
Do I have to create a trip? For example if I'm going in to a spot I have saved as a waypoint would I have to mark where my truck is parked as a waypoint and enter both my parking spot and my other waypoint in order for it to track my location and show me how much closer I'm getting?


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