GPS or Smartphone

muleymaddness · Mar 27, 2016

Which do you guys prefer? I've always had the maps download to my phone. I don't remember which I have, but seems like it cost $100 or so and they send you the download file and you download the units you want. It's not fresh on my mind because I didn't use it last year. Pros and cons?

My iphone seemed to work good, easy to operate. Using it for a gps and using it with a phoneskope is a drain on the battery, you need to come with battery backup options there. I just wondered if I should consider gps.

BIGJOHNT · Mar 27, 2016

GPS,in most of the area I hunt . My cell phone doesn't work.

mntman · Mar 27, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Mar-27-16 AT 08:23PM (MST)[p]+1,
also how do you hunt for 3-10 days without access to recharging your phone? If you do bring that battery charger you mentioned, that is just more weight you need to carry. My GPS can last for a long time if you put on minimal updates and only use it when needed. No extra batteries to carry, also there are many more functions a GPS offers a phone doesn't.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Vanilla · Mar 28, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Mar-28-16 AT 06:37AM (MST)[p]I've used both, but more often use GPS as phone service can be spotty. Google maps in satellite view has sure changed the game though when available and need a little more clear picture of what is around you.

Service availability and battery are the two biggest downfalls to phone. Even with battery chargers, when the temps drop phone performance goes into the toilet.

WVHUNTER · Mar 28, 2016

You don't need cell service for the GPS on phones to work. You just need to download the maps to your phone ahead of time.

Battery life could be a problem depending on the phone. I have an older Samsung S4, the GPS on it will work on airplane mode, it has a removable battery and a micro SD card. By removable I mean you can just pop the back off and change batteries, you don't need a tool kit to do it. On airplane mode if I only used it during the day the battery would last five days, I could change batteries and get another five days. I can have as many micro SD cards as I want and store as many maps as I want. Backcountry Navigator costs $12 so as long as I have this phone I don't need a Garmin.

New Samsung and Iphones are different. GPS doesn't work on airplane mode, you can't change the battery and they don't have micro SD cards. The micro SD card isn't an issue because the new phones start with 32 GB of storage and you can get them with more.

What really drains battery life is a phone searching for service and not finding any. So if you are going to use a new phone you are just going to need to turn it off when you aren't looking at. But I'm not familiar every new phone out there so I'm not sure what all they will do.

When I get a new phone I will still use my phone for GPS

257Tony · Mar 28, 2016

+1 for back country navigator on Android. Cost about $20 to buy the app, and all the boundaries for your state. Carry a 10,000 mah backup battery and your good for 3-4 complete recharges on your phone. I stopped carrying my GPS about 4 years ago and haven't missed it at all.

deadibob · Mar 28, 2016

sounds like I don't need a gps. I just need to keep my Samsung s4

WapitiBob · Mar 28, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Mar-28-16 AT 10:19AM (MST)[p]An Iphone battery is about $12 and 10 minutes to replace. Pretty easy to do if you get the whole kit.

fly4fish · Mar 29, 2016

Lost my GPS a few years ago. I purchased Onyx Hunt Maps for 2 states at $30 each, and don't even consider replacing the GPS. I used the GPS religiously, but it is just not needed any more. My phone and Hunt Maps have brought me off the mountain in the dark with no problems and no service on Airplane Mode.

nockdown · Mar 29, 2016

i like to have the GPS. The smartphone for pics. I have the garmin and that is where i do all my trip planning hunt planning. With all the features that the gps have know there is so much to do. Birdeye view. base camp and much more.

COLOelkman · Mar 30, 2016

As noted, cell service is not needed to use your phone as a GPS but you need to download maps via wifi ahead of time. I think both have pros and cons. I only use my phone now and use BC Navigator and love it. Took a while to get used to it and I'm not a techie. Changing settings like turning off Wi-Fi, Sync (trying to update email) and bluetooth also help battery life. My phone serves as a GPS, camera, video recorder, apps that I don't use much,....oh and also a phone when there is service. I can often get texts out with minimal signal. I think the phone is way more versatile for me as I try to minimize weight. I can easily go a week to 10 days with my backup batteries and in airplane mode. I didn't realize new phones don't work in airplane mode??? I bought a Note 2 (bigger screen) mainly for my GPS hunting needs and I'll never go back. I do keep a GPS in the truck as an emergency backup just in case!

Denverhunter · Apr 29, 2016

Has anyone used a Galaxy Note 5? I would need to get 5 days GPS-only use out of it before recharging (turning off at night) Seems unlikely, but I don't know.

Gator · Apr 29, 2016

Going one step farther anyone use the Nikon spot on wind meter app for your smart phone with the wind meter that plugs into your phone,

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COLOelkman · Apr 29, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Apr-29-16 AT 07:11PM (MST)[p]Denverhunter - I think this would be somewhat subjective as it will depend on how much you are using it. If you mean leaving it on all day, even with all the energy saving options, I would doubt it would be very close to 5 days. From what I could find, the Note 5 also does not have a replaceable battery like my Note 2 so you would have to recharge it directly (vs just switching the battery). I recently bought a Dark Energy Poseidon which can charge my phone about 3 times (3100 mAh battery) which should be similar to yours. It is about the same size as the phone but quite a bit heavier. So you can buy these type of battery chargers which should easily do what you'd want. Still, I think you'd not want to leave it on and operating all day in the GPS mode.

Denverhunter · Apr 29, 2016

COLOelkman,

I totally forgot about portable chargers. That's a perfect solution. Thanks!

COLOelkman · Jul 8, 2016

I checked the weight of my Dark Energy charger and it weighs the same as my phone. I compared my 3 spare batteries and they weigh 163g vs the 252g of the Dark Energy so practically the 3 batteries would give me the same capability for a little less weight. It's nice to have the spare charging power so I'll likely bring both to have extra juice for other guys phones and LED camp lights, etc.