Getting tired of dedicated GPS units

[quicky]

I've owned GPS's for decades now. My first GPS was actually an underwater GPS, that allowed me to track back to the boat on solo night dives.

I now own a Garmin eTrex Vista Cx, which is a great little unit. I use it heaps, and have a mount on my kayak for when I kayak at night, or when land may be less visible. It's also nice to track paddle speed, set tracks to land on beaches etc.

Prom kayaking

I have also been an advocate for using my GPS on most of my hikes....until now. You see, I'm getting a little tired of leaving it on primarily for the purpose of logging a track/hike (that I create) on the Basecamp software (for Mac). I also appreciate marking and collecting waypoints including Trail Head, Track Junctions, Camp Sites, Beach Heads, Huts etc. for reference sake later on.

I still think that waypoints are important (for emergency and reference sake), but I'm a bit over logging tracks for the fun of it...at least on hikes anyway. I'll still be using it for kayaking (plus, it helps with my kayaking development...you know, speed etc.). The eTrex, whilst a compact and relatively light unit, is still rather heavy, and half the time (especially in Tassie or Vic forest), the tracking doesn't work too well under dense canopy.

Which leads me to think about an alternative, lighter weight option, primarily for logging waypoints. So I've been thinking about the Garmin fenix.

fenix.jpg (25.92 KiB) Viewed 8257 times

Has anybody had any experience with this to date?
If so, how does it perform for you? Do you use it for tracks, or for waypoints only, or a bit of both?
The battery life (in GPS mode) seems to be quite vague (up to 50hrs) which could really mean anything, so how has this been for you?

I've looked into its many features and accessories, which I do like, such as the carabiner strap (as I hate wearing a watch while hiking), and the unit looks promising. I'm not convinced about its battery charging process (instead of using disposable batteries).

Just curious...thanks.
Jase

[Nuts]

Have a look here quicky:

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11237&hilit=garmin+fenix

[quicky]

Cheers Nuts!

[MBP]

How much lighter is the watch then the eTrex? How much weight will the carabiner strap add?

Personally I would never even consider a watch GPS if I already had a proper handheld. Its a lot of money for something that most would consider a downgrade

[quicky]

How much lighter is the watch then the eTrex? How much weight will the carabiner strap add?

Personally I would never even consider a watch GPS if I already had a proper handheld. Its a lot of money for something that most would consider a downgrade

...precisely MBP...and they are the questions I am addressing.

The real weight of my eTrex is 169 grams. The carabiner strap would replace the wrist watch strap, so I assume that the weight difference would be negligible.

However, if waypoints and the occasional trackback function is all I am after, would it still be considered a downgrade if it still performs the functions required in a much smaller unit?

[photohiker]

However, if waypoints and the occasional trackback function is all I am after, would it still be considered a downgrade if it still performs the functions required in a much smaller unit?

Probably a toss-up. For short walks of a day or less, the advantage would lie with the Fenix. More than a day and the advantage probably lies with the vista.

Personally I'd take a replaceable battery GPS over a fixed internal rechargeable, but that's me. I think the Fenix is flat out running a whole day's hiking, my Vista runs for about 3 days hiking on a set of batteries. Don't get me wrong, the Fenix looks like a great gadget, but it is seriously compromised for multiday walks. When it dies, you have to recharge it, which means carrying recharging equipment along with you - advantage lost.

[quicky]

Probably a toss-up. For short walks of a day or less, the advantage would lie with the Fenix. More than a day and the advantage probably lies with the vista.

Personally I'd take a replaceable battery GPS over a fixed internal rechargeable, but that's me. I think the Fenix is flat out running a whole day's hiking, my Vista runs for about 3 days hiking on a set of batteries. Don't get me wrong, the Fenix looks like a great gadget, but it is seriously compromised for multiday walks. When it dies, you have to recharge it, which means carrying recharging equipment along with you - advantage lost.

Ditto, my Vista lasts a good three days (easily...I've had it out to 5 days...just) if I use it wisely with Duracell Ultra Li batteries. Shame that the Fenix wasn't equipped with 2032 batteries or similar to my Suunto Core... but I wouldn't know whether that generates enough punch for GPS capability.