Meridian Platinum And Xc Skiing

[+LFlood]

I have been obsessively trail-running and geocaching with my MeriPlat in a MaxExpedition walkie-talkie holster in my hand, but now the snow is flying here on the west slope of the Sierra, and I will have ski poles in my hand as I cross-country ski and snowshoe. I need a system in which I don't have to keep stopping to look at the GPS, so I was thinking of configuring a forearm/wrist mount over my gloves. So far, my best thought was to use an oversized watch band with the MaxExpedition holster, but I was wondering what others may be using or could suggest.

 

Thanks!

[+embra]

I don't have a particular suggestion for what you're seeking, but an observation: my plat's LCD display doesn't work so well when it starts to get cold. All other things being equal, a forearm-based display could offer great convenience. But I'm wondering if you might not be forced to travel with your Meridian in an inner pocket or something that can garner some body heat when you're not looking at it.

[+TotemLake]

That's a good point Embra.

 

I too have been looking at how to do a forearm attachment, and the only thing I can think of is some wrap around with draw strings to hold it in tight. I would hate to have it pop out at a rough moment. To get past the heat problem, you could probably use a pocket warmer on the backside trapped between the unit and the arm. If the windchill gets to be too much though, that can be easily defeated.

 

The thing that keeps me from doing that is now, not only does the body act as a shadow, but so does the forearm, and your antenna will not be in the optimum position. Unless you have a passive antenna to help pass the signal to your unit, Your track data becomes useless.

Edited November 5, 2004 by TotemLake

[robertlipe]

Wow. Someone missed an opportunity to promote Garmin products in the forum...

 

Garmin has a product line that's actually made to be wrist-mounted. The Foretracker and Forerunner are made for this purpose. They have some compromises, but they're meant for sportsters that value size and wrist-wearability over features like mapping.

[+Gonzo-YT]

One cheap and easy solution: use an elastic/velcro strap on your arm, and just clip the belt clip on to it. You could wrap another strap around the unit to secure it to your arm, and/or use your lanyard as a safety mechanism in case it slips off.

 

That being said, I wouldn't want that thing on my arm when I was double-poling hard. I'd probably go for a shoulder mount, myself.

[+TotemLake]

Velcro straps across the bottom will press at least 2 buttons (the power and GOTO)and the joystick. Not a good solution. To get past the buttons, you'd have to go across the screen. Not a good solution again.

 

The reason why the Garmin (or even the Suunto) wasn't mentioned was he specifically mentioned the MeriPlat. Not a good solution... again.

[+Jamie Z]

I have the neoprene case for the Meridian which has a swivel belt clip on the back. I use it to clip to my shoulder straps on my backpack, but you could attach it other parts of your gear.

 

Probably not so good for forearm, but in or on your torso would probably work.

 

 

Jamie

[+TotemLake]

Cool! It could probably be modified to be on the arm. Do you have the link to it?

[+Jamie Z]

Here's the GPS Store, but I'm pretty sure I paid less than $10 somewhere. A Froogle search might find a better price.

 

Keep in mind, it's not very stable. It's hanging on a swivel, so the GPS moves around freely. It works well on my shoulder strap.

 

Jamie

[+LFlood]

Wow! Thanks everyone.

 

For this weekend, I am trying a MP3 Tune Belt from www. tunebelt.com (I found it at a Big 5 store). The neoprene on the unit covers all of the bottom, but leaves the screen free to view. I practiced at home josling my arm in the same poling motion, and the MeriPlat stays securely in the cover. I have so far not had problems viewing the LCD screen in the cold, but I haven't used the GPS yet below the upper 20's, so I have the full neoprene cover with clear window for the front that was suggested on order. I also bought a wrist support at Big 5 that I could attach the full neoprene cover to. It's by a company called McDavid. I will wrap something aroung the belt clip and the web strap to keep the GPS permanently on the strap.

 

In regards to losing signal with the body casting a shadow and keeping the tracking function from working, this just isn't a problem. I ran anywhere from 6 to 11 miles each day during the summer with the GPS in my left hand and never had any problems having the unit track my progress, so forearm mount will not lessen your reception.

 

Thanks again for all of the great ideas!

[+Searching_ut]

Let us know how it works out. I've personally had to keep my GPS units inside my coat while snowshoeing, but it depends on how long I'm outside. (Generally 6 to 12 hours) I can't imagine trying to keep a Plat on my forearm. For hiking, I found even the forerunner I picked up for the trail tends to get in the way and bug me. Besides the sweating problems, if you try and keep it high on your forearm, it slides around, and if you keep in on your wrist it gets in the way when you're using your hands for climbing, or working through the trees.

 

One other thing to keep in mind is that having the GPS horizontal rather than vertical increases the track error by double or more. With my sportrak, hiking through the mountains with the unit held vertical, I expect a track split in the neighborhood of 200 feet or so. If I swing the unit around, or allow it to go horizontal, 500 foot plus splits aren’t uncommon in rugged terrain.

 

Good luck

[mtnsteve]

I have mine in a chest pouch, attached to the shoulder straps of my backpack, by mini biners. They clip into the D-rings on my straps and it sits in the center of my chest. The top of my Platinum sticks out about an inch.

 

I use mine to map backcountry, x-c ski routes and it works well for me. I have a smaller pouch that fits on one shoulder strap of my day pack for day trips, that works the same way.

 

You can see the big backpack version here

 

Sorry no pict's of the small one on the shoulder strap. I believe the small pouch is made by Jansport.

Edited November 8, 2004 by mtnsteve

[+TotemLake]

You can see the big backpack version here

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[mtnsteve]

Lets try that again....

 

Photo

 

And I just did this, sorry it's not very sharp, but the wife wants to go out for dinner and I dont have much time

 

Small pouch

 

 

If those dont work, I'll fix'em after dinner

Edited November 8, 2004 by mtnsteve

[+Quintheeskimo66]

Thanks for all the info. I've been wondering how I will carry my meriplat when Xc skiing as well.

 

I have discovered something that might be useful as well. It might be unnatural to some, but the carabiner clip from Garmin works great on the Meridian's and the Sportrak models. You simply screw included button into the hole on the back of the unit and it clips nicely to the carabiner clip. (the belt clip works the same way) It works the same way as the neoprene case above.

 

Here is the link to the Garmin site

Garmin Carabiner

 

And here is a link to a store that you can get it at cheaper.

 

GPSNY store

 

Hope this helps

John

[+Searching_ut]

I didn't spend much time on the pouch being as how I generally use an etrex, but I loved your photo album MtnSteve. It looked like quite the camping trip. How far did you drag the wood burning stove? I've winter camped with a canvas tent and stove where I didn't have to carry the equipment, but would imagine it to be quite the workout to drag it very far. As I get older though, I have much less ambition about getting out of my sleeping bag when it's cold, so a nice tent heater sounds like a winner all the way to me.

[mtnsteve]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the album.

 

The tent weights less than 30 lb, even with the stove and it sleeps 8. Its made by Kifaru , which is run by Partick Smith, of Mountainsmith fame. They now make much lighter tents, check em out. The sleds we used are made by Kifaru as well. I don't work for the company (he uses some of my pictures on his site), I just like his stuff.

 

It was a tad over 2 miles to camp, the worst part was getting around all the downed trees on the trail. Took us about 4 hours to go the distance. We do the New Years thing every year, up to 32 people have shown up for it. It's open to all....I'll give the coordinates to it later if anyone is interested.

 

Its a party!

Edited November 8, 2004 by mtnsteve

[+Gonzo-YT]

I had my GPS out skiing this weekend (Garmin Vista C). I just clipped it onto my waist. Everything worked great, it was around -10 C which is getting close to the Garmin's maximum range of -20. I do have it in a neoprene holster though, which might help a little bit. Just checked the tracklogs and they are bang on.

 

When I'm out in the bush I usually wear a military tactical harness, which holds all kinds of gear and lets me wear the GPS high on my shoulder.

 

For skiing, I am thinking that I would like to get a shoulder mount as well. I am thinking of using nylon straps and plastic clips to custom-rig some kind of a light shoulder harness.

 

Regards,

Anthony

 

Regards,

Anthony

[+LFlood]

The trial with the tune belt was less than successful on Saturday, so I tried the McDavid wrist brace on my forearm to hold MeriPlat in its MaxExpedition holster on Sunday. This worked pretty well, but it did have a tendency to turn on my arm at times, but it allowed me to rarely have to stop to look and check my position.

 

I expect the neo and clear case to arrive on Wedneday and have a 4 day holiday weekend to try to attach this to my forearm. I may to kill two birds with one stone and use a tennis elbow brace I have to hold the case and MeriPlat on my arm. I tend to XC ski so much in winter, that I get tendonitus pretty bad.

 

In regards to the orientation of the unit and accurate tracking, it is not a problem with the MeriPlat. I can't remember off-hand what the special technology is that allows this, but I don't need to much concern myself with how I hold the unit. It is designed to get an accurate reading regardless of orientation.

 

I saw another interesting system where an Ipod was mounted upside down on someone's arm so that they could lift their arm slightly to see it right-side up.

 

More experimentation to come...

 

I also loved the pictures! Looked like a fun trip!

[+Searching_ut]

Thanks for the link MtnSteve. That's the first time I've seen a stove like that. I've got several friends that will like the site as well. One of them says he'll never use his camp trailer for fall camping and hunting trips again, that assuming of course it survives the winter up in the area he had to leave it in this year.

 

As for the orientation of the Meriplat, the comments were based on experience with the sportrak, which uses the same receiver. In mountainous terrain, the error rate for tracks will more than double when the unit isn't oriented correctly.

[+LFlood]

It's a side issue, but I trailran daily the west slope of the Sierra 6 or more miles per day all summer and was getting dead-on tracks on hiking and jeep trails handholding my MeriPlat. The GPS was in a natural position in my hand for a runner. I did not hold the antenna either straight up and down or flat and out from my body, but in a very natural hand position and swinging arm motion. Dead-on tracks. Maybe lower end units don't have this feature. I don't know, but this is a side issue.

[+LFlood]

Now that I have the neoprene and clear vinyl case that Jamie Z. suggested, I realized a simple solution for me that meets my requirement to be able to view MeriPlat without stopping as I ski (or snowshoe). This case is a part of that solution. I can easily clip the case (It has a really big clip on it!) on the top of the straps of my ski pole as they come out of the top of the pole handle. I put the lanyard around my hand in such a way to stabilize the top-heaviness of the GPS. This allows the GPS to be clipped upright near my hand on the pole. A slight turn of my hand allows me to view the screen.

 

I have to add that I love this new case. You can push the buttons through the clear vinyl! There is no need to take the GPS out of the case in the field in order to use it.

 

Since the unit sits upright, it will even work for units that are fussy about orientation to get accurate readings.

 

Thanks for all of the food for thought that lead me to a great solution for my purposes. I hope this helps others also.