GPS on-the-wrist

[cebeu]

I want a combination of date/time/chrono/timer/alarm and full-capability GPS in a durable and water-resistant digital package on my wrist. Where should I be looking in your opinion, mfgr's and products?

Thanks in advance.

[Paladin]

Have you tried dropping Dick Tracy an e-mail? That's the only one I can think of.

Dave

[StagLefty]

Have you tried dropping Dick Tracy an e-mail? That's the only one I can think of.

Dave

I thought I'd be the only one who remembered Dick Tracy


To the OP I'd say try looking at the Casio G-Shocks.

[CoGunNut]

Well, there's good news and bad news. First, the good news: yes, they have watches that incorporate GPS.

The Bad news: That gps is mainly used to keep track of the distance you cover and possibly to point you to your next waypoint or down your backtrail. If you want one that points you in a direction. . .well, they're rather expensive. For example the Suunto X10 will do most of what you need

The primary problem comes from the size of the face of the watch. . .you won't have enough space to use any readable map.

But, even some of the watches have separate GPS units that you wear elsewhere on your body.

The Suunto runs about $650. For that, you can buy a watch with a compass that is solar-recharged, has all the other bells and whistles. . .and a whole bunch of maps.

Or, you can go with a larger Garmin Foretrex 401 Wearable GPS. It's quite a bit larger than a watch and has none of the watch functions.

Personally, I don't much care for the reduction in size and abilities of such a small GPS. Spend $150 on a good Casio Pathfinder and get a regular GPS. Yeah, you'll have to open your pocket up or get into the pouch, but you'll have a lot more options with such a combo.

Just my opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it.

'nut

[cebeu]

"...Spend $150 on a good Casio Pathfinder and get a regular GPS...Just my opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it.

'nut

Worth a lot Nut', very helpful. Thank you for taking the time.

[SA Friday]

My partner in Iraq used a Garmin 201 very effectively, but I carried a larger model garmin and a wrist watch. He snapped fast coords, and I did the precise stuff. It worked out well; he marked potential issues for mapping on routes, and I marked potential targets/friendlies when we could get into the locations. Unless load or efficiency is the primary concern, separate GPS from your watch is best. BTW, my watch was a Suunto Vector for as many ambient measurements I could get, along with a digital compass. It's amazing what the GPS will do just slightly larger than a pack of smokes.

After all that, I still carried an RFA map and compass. Never trust anything that requires batteries.

[cebeu]

My partner in Iraq used a Garmin 201 very effectively, but I carried a larger model garmin and a wrist watch. He snapped fast coords, and I did the precise stuff. It worked out well; he marked potential issues for mapping on routes, and I marked potential targets/friendlies when we could get into the locations. Unless load or efficiency is the primary concern, separate GPS from your watch is best. BTW, my watch was a Suunto Vector for as many ambient measurements I could get, along with a digital compass. It's amazing what the GPS will do just slightly larger than a pack of smokes.

After all that, I still carried an RFA map and compass. Never trust anything that requires batteries.

Tremendous input, thank you SA.

[BigBear]

Take an iphone, put a velcro strap on it... plus you get a phone....

[Zundfolge]

How "full function" do you need?

I'm thinking an Oregon with a karabiner clipped to your jacket would be more useful in the backwoods than a running GPS on the wrist (do those even display your coords? or just distance/calories/elevation change?).

[Chase723]

Like SA said, you can get a Garmin that you strap on your wrist and wear a watch on the other, and keep a compass/map as a backup. Pretty freaking handy if you ask me. Super fast, very reliable, very accurate, relatively durable.