How many carry a GPS and or radio when riding?

[CoyoteGirl]

And know how to use it and actually use it? What kind? Where do you carry it?

We have the Garmin 530s, radio and GPS in one. I became real familiar with these a few years back, we'd download topos and go on adventures. I've been a bit more relaxed in it the past few years. Last year I tried to play with it (use) it alot more. They have some incredible features! Peer to peer rocks!!!

I tried carring it in by backpack, then got pinned under my sled. How do you get to your backpack when pinned? LOL

Tried carrying it in a pant pocket and it bruised the beeeejesus outa me.

Now, I have it mounted on my handle bars. Seems to be a great spot for me. And I have it tethered on for safety as I seem to roll. Having it right there in front of me seems to make me use it more.

 

[sled*dunk]

My husband, son and I carry the Garmin radio/GPS. I carry mine in my handlebar bag. I think my son has his in his backpack. My husband carries the SPOT.

I really really need to learn the GPS better (actually at all). Everytime they have a GPS class here we already have something scheduled that day. That is one of my goals for sure. We also carry the instruction booklet most of the time. I'll be lost sometime and just be able to say "I'm over here on the hill by the tree". Dumb. Need to learn and practice with it for sure.

 

[whitefish]

I have a 530 mounted on my sled with a Ram Mount. They make a cradle specific for the 530. I also have a 2 way on my shoulder strap of my ABS pack. I carry an extra 2 way in the pack for the dumbazzes that forget theirs.

 

[strokerz]

Yep

I have a Rino 120 with a mount on my bars.

 

[Wish]

We've both got the Rino's! Funny this came up because we were just looking at mounts last night! I typically carry it in my pocket or windshield bag...but what good does the gps do when it's in the bag and can't connect to the satellites!
Is the handlebar mount working out for you then? We're looking either the handlebar or the dash mount....

If you aren't saavy with the gps, you should try geocaching in the off season. My kids love it...and it's a great way to keep you using it, and getting familiar with it!

 

[girlpowder]

We have a couple different GPS's and Radios we carry. Does anybody have a pic of their Rino mounted to the bars? Do they shake like crazy? And lastly, how bout the Ram Part#s.


Found 2 mounts. Which is best?

 

[Pastor]

Carried radio gps on my back pack chest strap and broke the face helping get someone unstuck, riding buddy did the same thing.

It seems like a logical place to carry it but two out of four of us broke our radios that way sooo I would not reccomend it.

 

[Oregongirl]

We have 120s or 130s, I can't remember - they are very similar. We can put them in our dash mounts (see pics below), but once mine is in there it is freaky-hard to get it OUT!!! Plus, I'm always been worried about being separated from my sled...and in trouble (Daisy has a thing for the ghost rider, I think....) so, I generally wear it tethered to my backpack and in a pocket or something. But definitely on my person.

We have four of them, so about the middle of last season, I started putting one of our spares in the dash mount and found it was really great when trying to track to someone, or just see who was calling - especially if we stopped and couldn't hear our radios over running sleds. I could SEE mine and know that someone was calling.

I am not that great at navigating with it, but I generally take a moment to mark the snow park or any other landmarks along the way - shelters, critical jct, etc.

Dash mount

side view

I don't have room on my bars for a bar mount. Plus this way it's down and out of the weather (sort of).

 

[CatWoman]

The hubby has a GPS, we carry 2 way radio's, and I carry the SPOT. Would LOVE to get the the Rhino 530's. Saving up for that purchase of two of them.

Found one last winter, but with looking at user name on it, and doing some searching on here......we were able to return it successfully to it's owner. The hubby was a little bummed on that.

 

[catdany]

My boyfriend carries a GPS (not sure which kind) and the SPOT, since he goes out more than me. But when we are out together, we carry little Motorola hand radios. I got him the SPOT last year for some peace of mind when he is out without me, and I love it!

 

[christopher]

We have a pair of Garmin Rhino 530HCXs, and would like to add a new PLB to the pack as well.

 

[dragonblue]

We got one at the end of last season, but that's all we have. Another thing to add to my "need" list!

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

My husband, son and I carry the Garmin radio/GPS. I carry mine in my handlebar bag. I think my son has his in his backpack. My husband carries the SPOT.

I really really need to learn the GPS better (actually at all). Everytime they have a GPS class here we already have something scheduled that day. That is one of my goals for sure. We also carry the instruction booklet most of the time. I'll be lost sometime and just be able to say "I'm over here on the hill by the tree". Dumb. Need to learn and practice with it for sure.

for those who really want to learn to use their GPS..put it on the dash of your car and pay attention to it when your driving....even to and from work..use the different features such as max moving velosity, time to destination and such....I use my gps to get to and from my cabin in an area where we normally see no other riders all winter till very late spring(50 miles from the road in big mountains and above tree line..I cant count how many times I have used it in total whiteout conditions to get back to the cabin..or out to the road....I made my own mount and mine sits right on the top of my handlebar clamps where I can see it either sitting down or while standing..I have a teather on it incase it ever pops loose but I have done this for more then 12 yrs now and have never had it come out of its mount....

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

also ..on all my garmins..you can store accurate way points while your moving..you just push the mark button twice..first time it makes a waypoint the second time it returns to the previous screen..that way you dont have to constantly stop to put in marks...on dangerous trail areas(we have a few that go over the top of pretty good sized drops) you can put in repeated waypoints and then have the gps average all of them..works very good to get a very accurate pinpoint in case you have to ride thru the area in whiteout conditions...also on all my garmins..the screen will whiteout when temps get down below about -10..even though the screen isnt working..the gps does..you can still mark waypoints ...if you need to see the screen just stop for a few minutes and hold the palm of your hand on the screen until you can see it again....I have tried glueing thumb warmers, wiretying foot warmers..havent found anything that really keeps the screen working once you get under about -10...I just use my palm on it when I need it...

 

[Snojo]

I wear my Rhino 120 attached to my left shoulder front backpack strap. Hasn't broken yet, and I'll take that chance. I was separated from my sled, when I broke my femur last year, only by a few feet, but there's no way I could have gotten to a handle bar mount to call for help. I like it on the left so it never interferes with my throttle side , and I can reach the buttons to talk on the radio without ever taking it off. If you try this I recommend a tether in addition to the clip, I have bumped the clip off the strap, but I use a small carabiner with about a 7 inch piece of elastic type string, string tied through the radio hole in the top, and the carabiner attached to a different spot on my coat, and I purposely use my coat, so if I take the pack off for some reason I remember to take the radio with me.

 

[CoyoteGirl]

I usually have mine out on our way to and from the Snowparks playing with them. Kinda fun. But I'm still very far away from "expert" with these things....

I made my own mount and mine sits right on the top of my handlebar clamps where I can see it either sitting down or while standing..I have a teather on it incase it ever pops loose but I have done this for more then 12 yrs now and have never had it come out of its mount....

Got pics? Wanna make another? LOL The one I have suckkkkkkkkkkkass. Thus the tether.

Jodie, I'd definitely like to have mine on me as well. I just haven't found the right mount?? Do you have a close up of how your's attaches?

It's the stories like Jodies and the dude that went off a cliff a few years ago that say "ALL YOUR SURVIVAL GEAR GOES ON YOUR BODY". Scares the bejeeesus right outa me.

 

[graveler]

are you sure the bars are a good idea? you know how you are!!!!!!

find a spot in your jacket, if you lose the sled like i did last year, its all gone then......

 

[shwee]

Mag carries a GPS/2 way radio and I have a two way radio. I really should upgrade.

 

[Wish]

Brandy,
These are great little numbers..I just clip one end on my pack and the other end loops onto my rino:

I plan to keep mine on..so I can use both options, we're looking into running an outlet to mine so I don't eat through the batteries...nothing sucks worse than when you are trying to map a route and the batteries die mid way!

 

[Gator]

I have a Rhino and i keep it in my avey pack with my camera so if i lose my sled i still have everything i need.