OnXMaps Chip vs App

[BKHunter]

I was looking at OnXMaps and was curious what everyone's thoughts are for the Chip vs the App. I was leaning towards buying a GPS and just going the chip route only becasue if the issues I hear with people having trouble loading layers and also the fear of my cell phone running out of juice. The GPS you don't need to worry about that in my opinion. Just curious what everyone else's opinions are?

BK

 

[Nick87]

Not only do you have to worry about battery on the phone but I don't think it will work if you don't have service which would my biggest concern

 

[WapitiBob]

The app works without service once you download the maps.
I'm a GPS guy and the guys I hunt with have switched back from the phone to their gps. For lack of a better explanation, it's just "easier". The app is not much money so it's not like a major investment if you don't like it. I think it's free for a year if you join RMEF.

 

[WBouldin]

I have not been impressed with the app. i will be using it in conjuction with a non chip GPS next week so i will let you know how that goes...

 

[SteveE]

The app works without service once you download the maps.
I'm a GPS guy and the guys I hunt with have switched back from the phone to their gps. For lack of a better explanation, it's just "easier". The app is not much money so it's not like a major investment if you don't like it. I think it's free for a year if you join RMEF.

Do you know if you can access the downloaded maps without service? Like if a person were to close the app and then try to open again without service.

I have had great experiences with the app but get sporadic service when i get up high so maybe it wont work in areas of zero cell service?

I open my saved maps before I leave town and lose service and it has tracked me 95% of the places I have gone. The majority of those places have no cell service. For the price I'm very impressed in what you get.

Phone battery life is an issue after two days.

 

[SteveE]

I have not been impressed with the app. i will be using it in conjuction with a non chip GPS next week so i will let you know how that goes...

Just curious why? Phone battery life I understand the need for the gps but any other reason you are carrying both phone and gps?

 

[WBouldin]

Just curious why? Phone battery life I understand the need for the gps but any other reason you are carrying both phone and gps?

I think its due to me getting it during their server issues so basically the image quality glitches and is pixelated. This weekend im going to do all of the caching of my maps for the phone. The gpa is an old Garmin Etrex that I do not believe has the chip capability. Once i upgrade the GPS, I will go strictly with the chip

 

[Epfd217]

Load the maps at home and cell service not needed. The phone does everything I need and a battery backup and a mini solar panel from Goal zero keeps me in business for my cell phone, headlamp, mini lantern and extra batteries.

I just did 5 days in WY with the Onx app and my cell. My phone never got below 50% and the app works great. No need for a $300 GPS and a $100 chip that needs batteries too. In addition, my phone is my camera and my ebook and game machine when hunting is slow. Multipurpose and no need to purchase extra units cause you will still have your phone around for the foreseeable future.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I have used both and the Chip in the GPS is alot more reliable and user friendly in my experience. If you like the APP, great, but for for me, loading the maps the night before and trying to stretch out a cell phone battery is a PIA. I understand they make a solar charger, but it seems like one more thing to carry. If I load my GPS with Lithiums, I can get a full hunting trip out of my GPS. Other thing I didn't like about the phone, was I can change locations often when in search of game. If I am in the middle of a hunt and don't have access to a cell signal I might be SOL if I don't have the maps predownloaded.

 

[MThuntr]

I use both but have had some serious issues when trying to download maps with the app. It seems to crash half way through a download which makes me rethink my subscription. The GPS chip has work flawlessly

 

[mtmander]

I use both , I especially use the GPS in traveling to new locations. Both work you just have to plan ahead with the app, which I don't always do.

 

[RobG]

I use both but have had some serious issues when trying to download maps with the app. It seems to crash half way through a download which makes me rethink my subscription. The GPS chip has work flawlessly

I had that issue last year, but I haven't seen it after the upgrade. The App could still use some work to make it more intuitive.

 

[Wrong Burgundy]

So far so good with the app. The only issue I encountered was being unable to zoom in very closely on an area on a saved map (world image with topo overlay). Also, you cannot save the downloaded maps to an SD card on your phone, only the device memory. They can eat up memory quickly, so be sure to transfer anything you can to the SD card, or delete it free up space. It is doing what I need it to, and I really appreciate the landowner map info. Just get a good waterproof case for the phone, and you are good to go.