So with the boots decided and in the closet, I went looking for a watch that gives Altitude, Temp, and Time. And basically that.

I would use a stand alone GPS when I need it - so I don't need the power eating GPS function on my wrist. When I looked the battery life of most of them was 12 hours or so. No good when you are out in the boonies with no electric power for a recharge.

I have previously had a couple of Suunto products. My experience was they work great for a little while and they all break. Any I had are long gone in the trash pile. Whether that is a year or two thats what happened to me with every Suunto that I bought. I think it was 2 Suuntos, but I exchanged one that was non functional in just a couple of weeks. It has been a few years but I am not sure they have improved much.

So while in REI I looked at the Garmin watches. My initial impression based on nothing in particular but the Garmin brand is that they would be better. But REI had the high end multi function watches with lots of gizmos built in. Do the guys really need music and bluetooth in a watch? I can see my hunt report now - there I was with the world record in my scope and my watch music came on and . . . well you know how that ends!

Have any of y'all had any better experience with either the Garmins, or the Suuntos, or others that work well, and mainly those with the time, altitude and temp in them?

If I get down to using it in GPS or compass mode I probably better turn on the music too.

I use handheld GPS and I have 2 basic Garmin Fenix watches. I personally think the Fenixes are fantastic and have on to back up the other if needed. I think I paid 100.00 for redone ones. You are right about the recharge aspect but if you use going to waypoints and tracks and then turn off they do well. I have an inverter that I keep in my truck and recharge every night. If you are going to be back in for awhile you could get a small solar
charger. Unfortunately, they have stopped making this model and I'm with you I don't need fancy or a lot of features that I would not use. The last time I looked there were some reconditioned ones out there for 134.00.

I'll look around for one of those reconditioned ones.

I saw in Saeeds post over in the Africa hunting that he has to recharge his at lunch at the truck and that the new Garmin has essentially GPS on all the time.

Im looking for one I can get a week or so out of without a charge. But also without using the GPS function, as like you Ill use a separate full size handheld GPS when I need it.

Thanks.

I think that in the name of fair chase, we should eschew electronic aids when hunting game as a recreation.

I don't think it matters in pest destruction and safety gear but if we are to claim hunting as a sport, we have to give the critters some, and electronics is an obvious place to draw that line in the sand.

Sambar- While we are all entitled to our own opinions - that above ^^ is way out in left field, or from out in the stratosphere somewhere. Would you prefer to ride a horse to the hunting fields in Africa too after rowing over from Australia ? I mean the airplane has electronic aids to assist in getting you there. Which include altimeter, temperature, and GPS in the cockpit. I assume you propose to use a handmade rock and spear too.

I am not locating these animals by GPS tracker or by radar.

I actually dont care much for electronics as they can and do go out. But in this case analog meters are not practical, and I may need or I may want to know the altitude and temp I am at. I'd prefer this while I might have 75 lbs strapped to me.

With foolish digressions out of the way, lets see if I can find what works for and from the other guys.

I guess it depends what you intend to do with the technology, Tex. If it doesn't help your hunting, why do you want it?

To explain my context, I'll lift a paragraph from my book's 'Epilogue':

On the issue of extreme-range shots, Brian Pearce (‘Long Range Variables’ Rifle Jan 2018) adds shot-to-shot velocity variations, temperature, humidity, air pressure, minuscule cant and even Earth’s rotation to the problems to contend with. Tools exist to calculate some of these vagaries but, needing batteries, don’t fit my needs or hunting code.

If you want this smart watch just for kicks or to somehow save your life, that's fine with me. If, on the other hand, you make extreme-range shots and adjust your aim depending on the altitude or temperature, then it comes within the hunting-aids definition.

While it is illegal in many places to hunt game from cars, I don't propose that the very means of getting to a hunting ground could or should be part of any hunter's code. To have to walk into wilderness areas has merit but does, around here at least, result in wasted meat and deer overpopulation. You might question taking helicopters into difficult areas but, unless you use them to shoot from or harass the game, I can live with that.

As I've written elsewhere in the book, game animals' wariness has evolved along with men's weapons, so use of rocks to hunt would not help us much now, even if they were legal means. Even rifle telescopes go back at least 300 years, so it is a little late to proscribe them from any modern hunting ethic. Electric aids apart from lights, though, are mostly only a few decades old - and new ones crop up yearly. Ruling them out would be a simple addition to sporting codes. Otherwise? The satellite's the limit!

I have a suunto traverse alpha if I can get 1-2 weeks out of it depending on what I'm doing. If you are running the gps constantly you are only going to get a day or two. If you are just using the gps feature to mark a spot, looking at the altitude, or barometer you should have no problem getting a week at minimum.

Sambarman338 I would much rather a person have all the gadgets like,wind meter ,ballistics calculator,altimeter than a bunch of wounded game

If having a Fenix or GPS gives me undo advantage I don't see it. I use it, for a couple reasons.
1. It lets me go back in dark timber, etc. with a quick frame of reference as to where I am at in relation to where I came in. If I have a spot that I need to mark, i.e. where I might drop my pack if on a stalk or mark an animal that I killed, going in or coming out in dark with the tracks feature.
2. If I want to go into a new area, it takes that little birdie sitting on my shoulder about where am I at and minimizes it.
3. I travel long distances to hunt and if it helps me hit the ground running quicker and with higher level of confidence so be it.
I guess being able to use OnXmaps and Google Earth to be able to see and eliminate some real estate in a unit as a non-resident is cheating also?
I find that comment archaic and unfounded.

Well, Johnnie, if all that stuff leads to those miraculous instant kills at extreme distances, you might have a point. On the other hand, perhaps you could employ stalking skills to get closer, to a point where you not only achieve the same, or more certain, humane kill (since your rifle would have more power at that distance) but could take pride in yourself as a hunter rather than technocratic assassin.

I don't see any problem, RAR60, in using a GPS for safety purposes or to find your pack or return to downed game. The latter helps to prevent waste but does not in itself affect fair chase. I would see marking wallows with one as fitting the category I think we should avoid, though, and using Google Earth as you mention could qualify.

Have you guys ever read Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There? Apart from jack lights, I don't suppose Aldo had to consider electric hunting aids - but I think he would see some of this stuff akin to that Poly-Choke set on infinity.

Thanks johnny and RAR for your inputs. I am looking at them and to see which will do what I want.

And ignore that other yak stuff.

I'm not advocating taking extremely long shots. There are times when you can not get any closer. I'm not going to tell someone they shouldn't take a 500 yard shot if they have put in the time and are capable. I also know people that aren't capable of making a 300 yard shot in field positions. I have my own set limit on game and it varies some on the conditions.

Exactly. And that isnt what is going on. The altitude and temp and time is for the human element in the equation and not for the shooting. Before all that other came up.

I use a GPS, so I can find my way home and a Spot X to let my family know where I am. What does that have to do with how I hunt ?

Grizz

On flattish country, Johnny, I can estimate ranges out to 200 yards by evaluating the perspective of stuff on the ground and, by zeroing at 200-250 yards and having some idea of how much a critter occupies between the scope centre and bar edge, think shots to 300 yards are not ridiculous. Beyond that a rangefinder is generally needed as not only do the landmarks foreshorten drastically but even the best trajectory really starts to loop. I've had a rangefinder (and did not even think about it when a bull tahr appeared) but, with my new outlook, would not buy another unless for shooting pests.

As I've written previously, Tex and Grizz, I have no problem with carrying electronic stuff if it is not used to get an advantage over game animals.

You guys don't have to embrace my philosophy - and it is not law in many places - it is just a matter I think conscientious sportsman should think about. Hunters are constantly accused of cowardly behaviour by the antis - and I believe only by adopting principles of fair chase do we have any moral justification in the long run if we consider our activities recreational (in the Aldo Leopold sense) or sporting.

I bought a Garmin Tactix and it lasted about a year before it went TU.

I have a Suunto Traverse that seems to doing ok but you are correct on battery life. I’d hate to have to depend on it.

Thanks Van. I am still checking them out.

I grew up with maps and compass.

I love my GPS now that I have land owner ship on it.

It is a god send for keeping out of trouble.

Then opening up new areas of public ground as you know where the boundaries are.

Three of us are heading to Montana and I made it a requirement of going with me.

A gps an a onxhunt chip.

Of course we well have compass and maps for back up.

I went to a hunters' meeting tonight where some dude was spruiking the best and safest electronic aids to survival.

Fortunately the man did not go into how they could get us more deer, just how we might go hungry from the expense of his products. Though I carry a humble radio and GPS, it seems my stuff is worse than useless and, short of shelling out for the latest Inmarsat phone, I might as well 'lay down and die'.

Vanderhoef there is no way I would go into an area for any length of time without a regular gps. I don't think most people expect to use the watches that way. I use my watch when out for a day either hiking or hunting. The watch can be used when trying to go on a final stalk and you're wanting to drop you're pack and be light and mobile. You can pick up a solar powered charging system for a reasonable price. With that you could depend on the watch more.

Sambarman338 I respect your opinion. I just fail to see how having electronics whether it's a gps,or rangefinder is not a fair chase practice. They do not help you locate an animal, they don't let you make animals just appear. The rangefinder lets you make more ethical shots in my opinion. Instead of guessing the distance it will tell you exactly how far the shot is. Especially in mountains where you may have extreme angles up or downhill. Which will result in more precise shot placement or the ability to pass a shot because it is actually futher than you're comfortable with.

As far as I know, Johnny, there are no established ethics against electrical assistance in game hunting, bar that against 'jack lighting', but I believe now is the time to evolve one, before use of such cheats becomes too universal to roll back.

And not all use of this stuff takes unfair advantage of our quarry, of course. Using GPS to keep yourself from getting lost or flashlights to find your way home are not issues in my book.

PM sent.

Who to, Skip? Nothing seen here.

Tex.

Sorry to have mislead you.


I have the Garmin 5x...love it.

I have the Garmin Fenix 5X and like it.

Thanks guys. I was gone a few days and didnt check in.

The Suunto Ambit 3 Peak will last all day in GPS mode.

I prefer it to any of Garmin offerings because I can pause it when I am at rest, and start it once we are on the go.

You cannot do this on the Garmin Fenix!!

You can pause them for up to half an hour, that is it.

They save it, but I really do not want to have small legs to sort through.

On the Suunto I had the whole safari logged as one trip.

You can do it daily if you wish, but you are in control, not the watch.

If you are hiking for several days, my suggestion is to carry a small USB power pack.

I did not need to do this this year, as putting the GPS on pause when we have lunch or load an animal seems to extend the battery time.

Thanks Saeed.

Yes I saw that about the Garmins in one of your other posts. Thanks for that too.

When I went to Suunto you could still order a "customized" Ambit 3 which I did for a early Christmas present and it should be here in a few days. I will sure look at taking the battery pack along too. I just hope for some better life out of this Suunto.

Thanks for all the help too guys.

I have been using a bog standard Suunto Ambit Peak ever since it came out.

Still works great.

I just got the Suunto 9, which I am hoping to try in the Swiss Alps next month.

I am looking at a similar watch and came across the Casio, but have not experience with any..Is there more info on the watches mentioned plus the Casio

I can't say about info . . . but Suuntos site has all the info and specs. Just depends on how many and how much functions you particularly require.

But I am really liking this new Suunto watch. And it ran over 2 weeks on a single charge without using the GPS function. Its staying for my use.

I got the Garmin Fenix 5X and I like it.

They have finally updated the software so that I can stop the GPS function and start it any time you like.

Used it all day on GPS, and it had 61 percent left.

I am back to my Suunto Ambit Peak!

The Garmin has far too many automatic functions - the light comes on each time you move, would be great in a leopard oe a lion blind!

Have been wearing a Fenix 3 for ~ 3-years. Absolutely no complaints. I charge mine every 19-20 days. I use the “Find My Car” app to get back to my truck when hunting. Not sure I used my hand held Garmin last fall but I would if doing a multi-day hunt in the back country I would rely on a hand-held. If you want to have access to temperature you will need the accessory fob that you hang on your backpack. Watch can not accurately determine temp while strapped to your wrist.

As for Suunto, wore one for several years. Functionality was poor, quality was mediocre. Difficult to program and navigate. Would not consider buying another one. No one does GPS better than Garmin.

The key with any of these units is practice. You don’t want to be in the middle of a heavily wooded area or a couple hours from your car/camp trying to remember how to use it.

I forgot charge my Suunto for a while - a long while and well over a month I am sure . I picked it up and it still had battery power. Good stuff as it was asleep that time. I didn't have to go back and set everything. Nice.