One could be forgiven for going on a backcountry hike or hunt using nothing but a cell phone for navigation ... the first time. After that, the savvy hiker, hunter and shooter realizes that smartphones are terrific for navigating downtown during rush hour, but seriously inadequate for the wilderness. Smart phones are battery hogs, and the weaker the cell signal where you are, the faster that battery drains. Lack of cell towers and terrain features mean that your best bet is satellite global positioning. The good news is that Bushnell has been perfecting performance navigation systems for decades. Its latest innovation, the BackTrack Mini GPS, is a budget-friendly way to keep the word "lost" out of your vocabulary.
The BackTrack Mini GPS was purpose-built for hunters and long-range shooters. It's much more than a lightweight, portable navigation tool. Of course, it uses satellite technology to tell you where you are and where you're going without downloading a map. It also has a 34+ hour run time, which is critical.
The BackTrack Mini's features just for hunters and shooters include a built-in compass with temperature, time, barometric pressure and elevation. This can be critical information for backcountry hunters navigating the mountains as well as for long-range precision rifle shooters dialing in their rifles. The unit also uses this environmental data to calculate a forecast of best times of the day to hunt and fish.
With a 2.25" display and easy, four-button operation, the BackTrack Mini GPS is intuitive and simple to use (even with gloves on). Plus, it includes features which allow a user to backtrack to their basecamp as well as set up, save and share waypoints via Bluetooth with Bushnell Connect. Built to stand up to heavy outdoor use, the waterproof and drop-proof BackTrack Mini GPS is designed with a durable exoskeleton to withstand the bumps and bruises of whatever adventure you throw at it. MSRP $99.99; Bushnell.com.
