Bought a cheap GPS unit and learned why you dont skimp on navigation

I used to rely on my phone for trail mapping on my ATV up near Bancroft. Last fall I hit a spot with no cell service for about 2 hours and got turned around pretty bad. That pushed me to buy a $60 handheld GPS off a discount site. It kept losing signal under tree cover and the maps were just basic lines. Now I save up for a proper Garmin unit with topo maps built in. Has anyone else found that cheap GPS units are worse than just using a paper map in dense bush?

2 comments

2 Comments

parker_bailey6d ago

Man, I feel this one hard. Maybe it's just me but I think the cheap GPS units are actually worse than nothing because they give you a false sense of security. You head out thinking you've got navigation covered and then it craps out in the worst spot. I've seen guys at the local club rely on those discount units and end up miles off trail because the thing got confused under heavy canopy. At least with a paper map you know what you're working with. Save the cash and get something that actually works or just take the time to learn map reading.

beth_baker696d ago

You say cheap units are "worse than nothing" but I gotta disagree. I picked up a $50 no-name GPS off a liquidation site two years ago and it's been solid for 90% of my trips around Algonquin Park. Yeah it glitches sometimes under thick pine canopy but the battery lasts forever and I'm not scared to drop it in a creek. A paper map is great until you're soaked and trying to refold it with numb fingers in a rainstorm. Plus those discount units taught me to always carry backup navigation instead of trusting one expensive gadget. For weekend warriors like me who stick to marked trails a cheap unit with fresh batteries beats sitting home saving up for a Garmin.