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Best Smartphone for Geocaching


Foxyflame

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My phone has died. Now I need to replace it. I am asking recommendations for a quality outdoor phone. One with the best GPS, one that will withstand the elements and occasional tumble, one that isn't the size of a tablet, long battery life for finding multiple caches on long treks/weekends etc, one that has good signal so I can call for help when I get in trouble, Oh and one that doesn't cost more that £200, that might sound tight, but hell I remember when the flashiest top of the range phones cost this much, I'm not flush with cash. I can't really afford to replace my phone but as I spend time on my own, miles from anywhere, it's necessary.

I was looking at the Blackview BV7000pro, does anyone have any experience. Or can people recommend something else. My last phone was a Samsung S5 mini, but the motherboard is not repairable due to the way it's made. I loved that, phone, it was the only phone that one could hold in one hand reasonably. 
 

Please help!

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I have a Blackview BV6000s that I'm really happy with.  Built like a tank, and even survived a short roll down a mountain before a tree stopped it.  For a low-spec screen, it looks pretty darn good with with good maps; for that I use Locus Map Pro (which is also a caching app) which can do topo contours and even slope shading, very nice.  Specs-wise, beats the pants off any current Garmin unit.

 

The only minor downer is, the USB port on mine seems to only charge well (fast) if I give it a little flex in this direction, not that direction.  Something must be loose inside the phone there.  I see some of the newer Blackview models now have Qi wireless charging (about time!), so that would be an obvious choice, to avoid wear-and-tear on the critical USB port, not to mention the convenience.  (My previous phone and current tablet both take wireless charging, and I have two charging pucks around the house.  Why doesn't every phone have this?)

 

I wish they'd update the Android inside the BV6000(/s).  If they did, I'd buy another.  I like the feel, heft (you could kill someone with it), the rugged good looks, and of course the titanic battery life.  Otherwise, I guess it's a newer model with Qi; I'm certainly happy with the brand, and with buying it sight-unseen from AliExpress.

 

Though it comes from a Hong Kong-headquartered company, I couldn't find it in Hong Kong in person anywhere, and had to order it when I got home.  The irony!

 

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Edited by Viajero Perdido
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I had a Samsung S4 mini and it lasted through 3 battery changes.  Never had any issues with it caching except that it got slow.  I bought an LG G7 a month ago and have had no issues with it so far.  It is bigger but I can still hold it in one hand.  Most of the newer phones are made of glass and that concerns me.  I wouldn't use this phone without a protective case.  Unfortunately, there are not many very durable cases on the market for it.

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