 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Can anyone recommend a good GPS watch/device for skiing?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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There are some more here: http://www.sailgb.com/c/gps_watches/1810/.
The Suunto watch looks very cool, more than I'd be willing to spend on one though. The chunkier GPS units can be had for about £70 upwards, so really it just depends how deep your pockets are 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Consider battery life - not all the 'small' gps units are designed to run 'all day'.
I ended up getting a Foretrex 100, which whilst small, and running on AAA nicads, will last about 8 hours on a battery set, so if you want an 'always on' small unit, it's ok.
I recall discussion that the Suunto is not very good at calculating speed or max speed (something to do with the limited number of data points it records) - although that discussion was more in the context of comparing speeds for competitive purposes (specifically, speed windsurfing, where GPS logs were downloaded).
Consider what you _actually_ want to do with it.... took mine skiing this year, and now have to find out how to d/l the data to overlay on maps..... and lost a bet with the SO as to who rode fastest (I thought my 48mph on a board was good, but she hit 68mph on ski's...)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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hamilton, thanks, measuring speed acurately will be quite important, as I also have horses and was going to use it to time their gallops (get average speed etc), so not just for skiing. Would the Foretrex be ok for this? How accurate is it distance wise etc? And where do you wear/carry it?
Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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davejsy, I use a Garmin Foretrex 101 approx £70.00, for Snowboarding, Sailing, (it has completed the Fastnet) mountain biking and even a bit of Randonee in the mountains. It measures speed, max speed, altitude etc etc etc. I would not be without it.
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davejsy,
The Foretrex should be fine - one of these day's I'll buy/build the d/l lead - speed seems pretty accurate (compared to car speedo and a 'speed cam' gps, the two gps units were within 1mph of each other, and proved the car speedo over-read by about 8%
the foretrex 'auto scales', picks up movement of a foot or two, has 3D (so measures altituded as well as location). I usually stick it in a pocket if skiing, mainly to stop it getting too cold.
It has a pretty robust wrist strap, and is 'immersion proof' so should cope with getting wet, although I try to avoid this.
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hamilton, thanks, sounds like that will do fine.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Fogliettaz, hamilton, I have just bought the Foretrex 201, I tried to figure out how to download the info onto my pc yesterday, but when plugged in the pc fails to recognise any new device, or even acknowledge it! Do I need to install a programme on my pc, before I can do this? The is basically no information in the instruction manual regards this!
Thanks,
Dave
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davejsy, I never connect mine to a pc, its is just used for distance travelled during the day, max speed, altitude, you can store each days track on the unit. Software is available for download from the Garmin website and if you do link with a pc you can overlay tracks onto Google Earth.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davejsy, I haven't used the Foretrex but most devices will need you to install the software before you plug them in, unless it's something common like a mouse or storage device.
Even if you get a DVD with the product it's usually worthwhile checking the vendor's web site to make sure you get the latest version.
HTH
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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hmmm device hasn't come with any software, although it has come with a lead to connect to pc, and the instruction manual doesn't mention much at all. I've been to look on the Garmin website, and can't see any information on this, i'm going to try and phone them tomorrow I think.
thanks guys
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davejsy, there may be something to download on the Garmin web site.
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You know it makes sense.
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I havent looked at the Foretrex but my old garmin I had to put in a USB mode to turn on the USB
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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hamilton, thanks will take a look.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What would be the recommendation in 2009?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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chrisb, I use a Suunto X9i. The X10 is out now, and is apparently even better. Battery life is the only downside I have experienced with the X9
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Patch, thanks for the tip, i will google a search
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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garmin forerunner's ae also a topnotch bit of kit
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have the Garmin Foretrex 201 which I like a lot. It does all the Etrex does. The screen is easy to read and has a simple, logical user interface. The only problems with it are A) it uses an internal battery instead of AAAs - awkward on a tour and B) it's quite wide on your wrist so that it's quite common to pop the watch pins if you fall over. In fact I did exactly that this weekend while trotting down off Moel Hebog.
I'd wait around a very little while. There are a couple of new Garmins on the way - the 301 and the 401. Both use AAAs and are narrower on the wrist.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144
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chrisb,
It would depend on whether you want a 'watch' or a 'gps device'. If the latter, there are a number of _very_ small gps recorders that will simply record co-ordinates, and then get plugged into a laptop to d/l and display.
Saw one on review just the other day which was the size of a (thick) SD card, and ran for a week on a charge.... may have been called 'smart devices', but google small GPS receivers and I'm sure you'll find one.
For a GPS _watch_ - battery life is still the main issue - if you need a 'working day' (~ 8 hours), then the Garmin 'runner' watches (e.g. Forerunner 305) would be sufficient, along with the 'trek' devices such as the foretrex 201 etc. There's a Forerunner310XT which has a claimed 24 hour battery life (aimed at Ironman competitors)....
I'd _certainly_ research _real-world_ battery life for any device, if it's important to you.
I'm sure the suunto stuff is fine, but I know there have been 'connection' issues with Garmins in the past, and this may well be also an issue with Suunto - the smaller the device, the less reliable it seems to be - best to look in some of the GPS fora...
h.
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Thanks for the extra advice. This all started with my wife saying she will buy it for my 40th, which is now past. Will use google some more...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I had a Suunto x9 last year and the battery life was pretty crap when using GPS, it also took a long time to get a satelite lock, even when you had one the previous day. The fact that you could only charge it from a usb was a pain although you could make your own cable up to use a 4 AA battery to charge in the field.
In the end it went on fleabay.
A few mates use the Garmin wrist type runner gps which seems to be a good option.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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That's a ForeTREX not a ForeRUNNER.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've just remebered, the other free software I tried that worked quite well with my old GPSIII+ was GPS Trackmaker from http://www.gpstm.com/
This downloads direct from Garmin and Magellan GPS, and you can edit points, etc, and then export to GoogleEarth or to EveryTrail.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just taken delivery of my running GPS, a Garmin 305 (great deal) - haven't a clue how to figure out the technology, will be calling on Daughter Dover to help.....Will bring it to ADH on the 16/1 to check if it's useful for skiing.....I'll be the Irish guy with remote control on my wrist......
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