[pct-l] GPS Woes and benefits

[martin hatton]

Fellow Hikers and would be's.

I bought a top of the range GARMIN OREGON 550i for this years thru hike.

Its outragously heavy bulky and lasts wait for it 4hrs on batts!!! gets better:-  you cant charge batts inside phone you need to lug a mains charger for batts to be inserted into big AA's...and having a zillion maps and apps  it takes ages to boot up.  Putting Maps on it or downloading photos requires an hours tutition at kick off from HalfMile who is the greatest.  The CD it comes with is best used as a frisbee.

So in short Garmin have lost the plot.  The old models dont have the same issues.

Now the good bits its still a GPS and I had the entire herd of FF's (footprint followers) follow me over teh snowy bits.  So take a GPS that can upload teh PCT maps from HAlfMile and you are in marshmellow land when it come sto staying on track.  (dont forget teh maps and compass as back up).

A GPS watch is not a hiking tool beware even the Shunito one is hopeless as is casio.

Good luck be happy

Mad Hatter back at work sad.