Elkins45

Thanks to all for their input. So I'm pretty confident the iPhone isn't a GPS solution for longer hikes just based on battery life alone. And I know I need to buy a newer Garmin that logs to the SD card, or possibly a a Delorme PN-60 because it comes with topos. Does Delorme actually have these units made to their spec or are they just a rebadged unit that's also sold under another name?

No need to apologize. I'm learning (I think). So what's the disadvantage if I use an app like Latidudie or some other app like Trail Guru to do an intermittent log? I'm going to have to carry the phone anyway so I would like to make it do double duty if I can. Is the accuracy of the phone GPS much worse than a discrete unit?

Hi: I joined this forum just to get some info on GPS options for a hike I'm planning in March. I plan to be in the woods for a full week and would like to be able to keep a track of my progress so I can later find my track on a map. It would also be nice to be able to determine speed, distance travelled and elevation change if possible. I have an iPhone app called EveryTrail that does continuous tracking, but I know how fast it will drain the battery on just a 3-4 hour hike and I know there's 0% chance of using it to continuously track a 7 day hike. So here's my root question: what app or handheld unit would you recommend for a hiker who wants to record intermittent points along a trail that can then be 'stitched' together to create a track of my progress, and that allows the unit to be powered down between points to conserve battery life? As mentioned earlier, I would like for all the points to be considered one trip and not just a collection of discrete points on a map treated as a new event and recorded separately every time I power up the unit. My idea is to turn it on every hour or so and update my position. That would probably give me sufficient accuracy to get a good 'feel' for the track of the trip when viewed on a map later. If I need a handheld unit I would prefer to buy a Garmin since I just discovered on Friday that the Kentucky Geological Survey has lots of map data available for free online that is compatible with Garmin brand units. I'm sorry to be such a total noob but I really want somebody who knows what they are doing to give me good advice. This hike may well be a once in a lifetime event and I would like to 'save' it somehow if I can. Specific answers to my questions would be GREAT, but even a couple of links to the best FAQ's, tutorials, or best threads for dummies would be greatly appreciated. TIA