GPS for survival use?

I'm not much of an advocate for technology, because I think technology weakens us by making us dependent on it instead of our natural abilities. Yeah I know, I use a puter, lol.

That said, if anything happens to the system as a whole, your unit is useless and besides, they're only as good as the life of their batteries.
 
It is a good idea!

When I go out in the bush, I allways carry a "Garmin GPS 12 XL".
When I leave the car, I just add a new waypoint and I always find it again :)
No more thinking; "Is the car on the other side of this hill, or next..."
Extra batteries are also good to carry, even a solar powered charger can be nice if You are on a longer trip.

It is also fun to download the tracks/waypoints to a computer, and plot them on a map; Sometims I get surprised of where I have been :)
 
they are ok I guess I still like my compass....if you carry one make sure to carry a compass
 
I allways carry a Garmin GPS12, though I don't count on it solely. I allways carry a map and compass( you need a compass to use a GPS anyway)and as I walk along I regularly plot my position on a topo map. If the gizmo quits, I still have the map and compass, as well as a pretty good idea of were I am (make it easier to pick landmarks to sight on)
 
A GPS has shortcomings. Batteries for a big one. The mapping ones are often reviewed poorly as the mapping feature is currently weak.

If you haven't stored waypoints, they're just weight.

They don't reveal terrain information. So you still need a map. They are certainly useful in conjunction with a map, but you won't be replacing your map soon.

And you must consider the terrain you'll be using it in. In many of the sandstone slots on the Colorado Plateau, you won't get any coverage period, as an example.

Phil
 
I train the people in my office how to use GPS units. They are great for navigation and finding/recording pinpoint locations. I use one but mostly just for fun. I actually find GPS more useful in a big city than in the woods. In the woods I can almost always keep my bearings, but in the city I get so confused (might be because of where I spend most of my time).

As for a "survival situation"? There are about a million other things I would take in place of a GPS unit.
 
good points from you all! For me it's clear that a GPS must be backed up by a compass, it's just I recently had a GPS as present, it's as big as a pack of cigarets (almost) and hold 24 hours on 2 AA batteries... So I tough it might be usefull in a emergency situtation to enter the "base camp" point in it so you can allways go back to it. :D
 
I could never find where to put the batteries in my compass, so I use a GPS a good bit.
I really do use one, but to be honest, I always have a compass with me. Most of the time, two. The bad part about a GPS unit is that it depends on those batteries. I carry an extra set, but even with that you have a limited life span before you are sitting there with a high priced little box that does nothing.
 
i'd NEVER rely on a GPS for my survival...batteries die, electronics go funny and the government can disable your ability to access the satellites in the event of an emergency...if you don't know how to use a map & compass, stay out of the woods until you learn...

that having been said, i always carry a garmin etrex for backup...i'll mark the location of my car and then turn it off and toss it into my backpack...if i get into trouble i have it as a backup but i won't use it unless it's an emergency...i'd rather practice my navigation skills...
 
I've got the Garmin Vista. Only use it for backup. Or just when I'm goofing around. In an emergency situation?? Could be used, but for a 'real' survival situation? I wouldn't count on it.

My wife and I were snowshoing over Christmas this year. It was around 0 - 5 degrees. Pulled the Vista out to check things, it acquired the satelites well enough, but after a couple minutes the LCD display went out. Had to put it back under the parka. Wouldn't have helped me one bit!
 
I am rather surprised that no fishermen have replied I wouldnt go out on an unfamiliar lake with out my eagle gps I put a waypoint at the boat launch and mark any good holes. I got into trouble on a good sized lake from extremely heavy fog and it took me 3 hours to find my bearings that was the last trip with out a GPS, I use the duracell ultras as back ups and keep it plugged in to the 12 VDC outlet.
 
Mooseman pretty well covered it. Use the GPS in conjunction with a map and compass. I also have a Garmin 12XL and its great but when hiking or camping I generally turn it on about twice a day for just a couple of minutes to verify that I am where I think I am. By all means take extra batteries.
 
I love my etrex legend and use it more on the road than the woods. You can't beat a compass.

Besides the stars, anyone know how to tell where the cardinal directions are without a compass or GPS?

I know of one way using three sticks if the sun is shining.
 
Originally posted by Quiet Bear
Besides the stars, anyone know how to tell where the cardinal directions are without a compass or GPS?
Click to expand...

Sure, this time of year (here at 65 degrees north) the sun is due south, if you can see it.
 
Anomad,

Your in Alaska, that's cheating!:D

A neat trick I learned not to long ago is take three straight sticks. On flat ground in open sun, put stick one in the ground. Put stick two in the ground at the end of stick one's shadow. Fifteen minutes or so later, place stick three at the end of stick one's shadow which has now moved. Pull up stick one and lay it along stick two and three. That is due east-west.
 
The eTrex family is a good way to go and there should be one there depending on your price range. IIRC the military has settled on the eTrex Vista which has 24 megs of memory for mapping functions.

I have two GPS units; one is the GPS V which is great for driving; the other is a Geko 301 because it's so light and small. The 301 has no mapping functions, it's real basic, but it has an electronic compass (eats batteries so I leave that function OFF) and a baro altimeter. Works good for what I use it for.

If you think you may need the mapping function, go for the Vista, otherwise the 301 is a nice unit.
 
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