Water Proof GPS

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Comiso I would recommend you looking at marine GPSes not only they are water proof but they also support marine maps so you can upload depth map which can be very useful when diving.

I am not aware of any totally waterproof GPS. Most are "water resistant" or perhaps waterproof to 3 meters. In product specification terms, "water resistant" means having water splashed on it won't hurt it, but it shouldn't be submerged. Since GPS satelitte signals can't be received underwater, there is not reason for the manufactures to make a depth rated GPS.

 

[H2Andy]

Wow good price too. I did not know you could do all that with a GPS.. I mean it makes sense as the raw data is there but I did not know about all the Aps. I might have to get one of these...

yeah, i have a group of friends who are very much into kayaking and they love the thing

 

[DebbyDiver]

I have a really old "water resistant" handheld GPS (I think a Garmin but don't feel like going in the garage to look) and I've used it in a Drypak dozens of times without incident. Somehow, on the last time out, the Drypak got a cut in it (I'm sure it was "operator error", lol) and while there was no harm done to the GPS, based on that one experience I wouldn't put a NON-"water resistant" GPS in one.

To me, putting the wet GPS in a Drypak was like a little insurance. I've done a repair on the Drypak and I'm eager to see how watertight it is now.

 

[GeekDiver]

I have a Garmin GPS 76CS. I used it with a float bag to mark spots while doing my divemaster map.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=251#featureTab

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Just one final point to ponder on this topic, why would you take a $100 - $200 handheld GPS, with all your waypoint that you've saved and put into an inexpensive drypak and risk total loss from leakage? Pelican, otterbox, ikelite and H2O all make depth rated hard boxes that a gps will fit into. If your really handy, one of them could be modified with buttons from an old camera case to make them more useable underwater (I'm currently expirementing with this idea). Just remember you'll still loose signal below about 10 ft.

 

[Mmm Scuba]

This is my setup.

It's a Garmin Etrex Legend. It's the older one that's now discontinued.
I think I've seen them on ebay for less than $100

It's somewhat waterproof. I think they claim it will survive a shallow dunk for a few minutes.

The dry bag is a Dry Pak 4"x6" cell phone bag. (that's one of my wifes hair thingys holding the the bottom to the dive flag)

All parts of the flag are tied together in some way in case it decides to fall apart while I'm under.

I've only used it a few times, but it's going with me on every dive from now on.

When I want to mark a spot, instead of surfacing to create a waypoint, I just remember the time (I need to get a small slate). When I get home I upload the track log into OziExplorer. Then I can just scroll down the list of track points to the time I noted. That will tell me the coordinates. Then I can create a waypoint at those coordinates. That way I don't have to keep going up and down.

 

[H2Andy]

When I want to mark a spot, instead of surfacing to create a waypoint, I just remember the time (I need to get a small slate). When I get home I upload the track log into OziExplorer. Then I can just scroll down the list of track points to the time I noted. That will tell me the coordinates. Then I can create a waypoint at those coordinates.

oh, nice

 

[Black Red]

I'm using the Garmin 60CSX for surface tracking when I'm in the boat.
Have not brought it underwater yet. Its rated IPX7 waterproof. Which means the case can withstand an accidental dunk in the water and still perform. (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=310)

Read somewhere that IPX7 is rated to 1m submerging for no more than 30mins. So I think it will be risky bringing it to 60ft. Thou it will be fun looking at the pressure plot...

 

[Gen San Chris]

I have a Garmin 72 and it lives in a dry pac! I have never taken it under water as there is no point! If I have a profile to follow I tow a float on the desired course and the boat along with the GPS follows along and does the ploting without risk of drowning the GPS!

 

[elan]

I am not aware of any totally waterproof GPS. Most are "water resistant" or perhaps waterproof to 3 meters. In product specification terms, "water resistant" means having water splashed on it won't hurt it, but it shouldn't be submerged. Since GPS satelitte signals can't be received underwater, there is not reason for the manufactures to make a depth rated GPS.

terminology wise yes you are correct.