UKH

Im after suggestions for a gps watch. Im not after anything with all the bells and whistles i dont need heartrate monitor, lap counter, callories burned counter or all that kind of thing. All i really need is a alltertude readout, follow route, go to waypoint and the kind of stuff you would need and use while out walking in the hills. Any suggestions appreciated.

Looked at the OS maps app for your phone? I use it all the time. You can plot routes etc. Works in the middle of nowhere too. I think the subscription is about £25 a year (can’t remember)

you don’t mention budget but take a look at The Facewest website, they have all the Suunto stuff on sale at very good prices, I am a Garmin man myself for but plenty of Suunto users around these parts.

I've been looking at Suunto, but there seems to be an ongoing issue with the Movescount app for downloading run information.

It's working for me at the moment, butbut there is a problem with renaming way points unless that has been fixed.... 

Garmin 235 is a handy bit of kit. You can download all kinds of apps to it. There’s a waypoint/route follower app. 

For hillwalking he may want barometric altimeter, rather than GPS guesstimate ? In which case 235 not any use.

On the Garmin side of things for a baro reading would need a Vivoactive3, or FR645 ( I think ) or the Fenix range, or 920XT.

No idea which Suuntos have a baro altimeter

Edit : Also Garmin 935

Hi - I have a Garmin Fenix 3 in excellent condition for sale, though for what you mention you want a GPS for, you might (as Jamming Dodger says) be better to look at a phone app - something like Viewranger.

Fenix 3 on sportpursuit for £269

Just bought the Suunto traverse apher. All the things i wpuld use and none of the crap i wouldn't. Hope I've made the right choice. Could have gone with the garmin fenix 3 or 5, butt a lot of the things it can do wod never get used. Only realy wanted a back up for map and compass.

^^^^ My thoughts exactly. All I might want is a GPS grid refernce, but just looked at Fenix 3..............£430

I don't think so, lol. Would only be needed now and then. Hard to believe nobody does a cheap basic thing.

I wanted something with an altimeter that could give me a grid ref in an emergency. The mrs bought me an all singing and dancing Suunto ambit 3 (Birthday). Nice toy to play with for 6 months but far too complicated and a bit of a faff. The one time I could have done with a grid ref off it in your typical UK near emergency situation (freezing, blowing a gale, horizontal snow, white out and getting dark) I was tired, cold, a bit confused already and frankly I just couldn't face taking my gloves off and f*cking about with it.

I can only assume that the GPS element represents the major cost to the manufacturers and all the extra gubbins are cheap add ons that the marketing folk insist will sell the product.

Personally, I think a really simple watch/GPS/altimeter easily operated with gloves on, would have a lot of people interested.

Why not get a second hand one - they have less extra functionality. I bought a Suunto Ambit 2 for £55 which has barometric altimeter and can do all the things you need.

You don't have to use all the other functions on it, and could sell it on if you don't like it.

Garmin Forerunner 235 still less than £200 at Blacks. Had mine a few months now and really impressed. Not quite sure what spending over £400 would get you that this watch doesn't do and that you really need! 

Suunto Ambit 3 Peak on sport pursuit at £175!