How to choose a hiking GPS watch and my pick65 hours at 51g, plus camera and power

Choose a hiking GPS watch by weight and by which positioning mode the battery number is for. My pick is the COROS APEX 4 in 46mm, 51g and up to 65 hours. For a camera to shoot in the mountains I picked the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and for power the Anker Power Bank (10000mAh, 22.5W).

Choose a hiking GPS watch by weight and "battery in which mode"

Garmin's Instinct 3 Dual Power 45mm lists seven run times on its official page. GPS mode is about 40 hours, and the mode using two frequencies is about 24. It's the same watch, but one setting makes a 16-hour difference.

So read the battery number together with the mode's name. Compared this way, my pick is the COROS APEX 4 (46mm), 51g and up to 65 hours.

How I chose

The first thing I looked at was weight. Next I divided the official battery life by weight to get how long it runs per gram. Price came after that, to split those with close numbers. There are three key points in choosing.

• Look at the battery time "with GPS on." Don't compare by the days of watch-only use.
• Check whether the screen shows a map. For a watch that doesn't, you get a course line and back-to-start guidance, and that's it.
• Choose the camera and power too by the same yardstick: what runs long for its lightness.

Comparing 3 hiking GPS watches by official numbers

My pick: COROS APEX 4 (46mm) | up to 65 hours at 51g

I'll say this with some heat. 1.27 hours per gram is 1.6 times Garmin's (1.27 ÷ 0.77). It also has the lowest price of the three. You can keep a topographic map with trail names inside the watch.

Here's the weak spot. The official page says a charging cable isn't included. It suits people on trips of one night or more who want one less charge along the way.

Garmin Instinct 3 Dual Power 45mm | 52g with solar charging

It's only 1g different from the COROS, and has solar charging. What to watch is that the official page lists no map display. What it lists is guidance that follows a course, and TracBack, which takes you back along the way you came.

It suits people on day hikes and one-night hut stays who don't need a map on screen.

Suunto Vertical 2 All Black | up to 250 hours in power-saving mode

In its heaviest mode using 2 frequencies it's up to 65 hours, and in power-saving mode up to 250 hours. On length it stands out among the 3. Here's the weak spot. At 87g it's 36g heavier than the COROS, and ¥29,040 more.

A watch for people planning a traverse where they can't charge for days.

Why a GPS watch's battery changes with the positioning mode

Satellites send signals on two frequencies, L1 and L5. Garmin explains that "GNSS multiband," which receives both at once, gives accurate position data even in harsh environments, and adds in the same place that "depending on the selection, it affects run time."

More signals received means more battery used. Suunto is the same: the Vertical 2 is up to 65 hours on two frequencies and up to 75 hours on one. Garmin explains that it stretches battery with a mechanism called SatIQ, which switches modes automatically to suit the location.

There's also the Suunto Core 2, with a battery of 15 months without GPS.

A GPS watch is no substitute for a map

Suunto's user guide includes a warning, "Do not rely entirely on the product's GPS or battery life," and asks you to always use a backup such as a map. A watch is one tool for confirming where you are. Carry a paper map and compass, and a smartphone map app, separately.

Choose a hiking action camera by waterproofing and recording time

My pick: DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro | 20m deep without a case

It weighs 146g. Waterproofing decides it. You won't dive in the mountains, but as margin against rain and creek spray, a number twice the GoPro's counts. The official recording time is 240 minutes, 1.6 times the GoPro's 2.5 hours (150 minutes) (240 ÷ 150).

What to watch is that this 240 minutes is a figure for 1080p/24fps with the screen off. Shoot at a higher quality and it gets shorter. The operating temperature is written as −20°C to 45°C.

GoPro HERO13 Black | 1.5 hours or more in 4K

The maker lists a 1900mAh battery that can shoot 4K30 and 5.3K30 for 1.5 hours or more. This was the only one to give times for high quality. Here's the weak spot. Waterproofing without a case is 10m, half of DJI's.

Choose a hiking power bank at 10000mAh by weight

My pick: Anker Power Bank (10000mAh, 22.5W) | about 200g

50.0mAh per gram. It's about 16mm thick, so it takes little room even in the pack's top lid.

What to watch is the number of charges. It's labeled about 2 charges for an iPhone 15, which means you can't move the full 10000mAh into a smartphone. It suits people on one night, two days who add one charge each for a smartphone and a watch.

Anker Zolo Power Bank (10000mAh, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable) | with a built-in cable

A USB-C cable is built into the body. In exchange for being 12g heavier, you stop worrying about forgetting a cable. Here's the weak spot. It's about 25mm thick, 9mm thicker than my pick.

There's one more battery-powered tool: the headlamp. Whether it's rechargeable or runs on batteries changes how much you rely on this power. Read the headlamp rankings

Who is it for?

This suits people on overnight trips who want to choose their watch, camera and power to fit their own trip.

If a smartphone map app and a paper map are enough on day hikes, the watch can wait. If you only take photos with your smartphone, you can do without an action camera, and if you already have a battery around 10000mAh, there's no need to replace it for a 12g difference.

FAQ

Do I need a GPS watch for hiking?

It's no substitute for a map. In its user guide, Suunto warns not to rely entirely on GPS and battery, and to always use a backup such as a map. It's an addition to a paper map and compass, a tool to confirm where you are.

How many hours of battery does a hiking GPS watch need?

It's enough if the mode you use lasts longer than your walking time. The three here run about 40–65 hours with GPS, and even the same watch differs by 16 hours by mode, so read the mode's name along with the number.

How many mAh of power bank do I need for hiking?

The label says 10000mAh charges a smartphone about twice. Work backward from the number of nights and the number of devices to charge.

Gear in this article

Ad · Images: Rakuten Ichiba

COROS APEX 4 (46mm)Garmin Instinct 3 Dual Power 45mmSuunto Vertical 2DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Standard ComboGoPro HERO13 BlackAnker Power Bank (10000mAh, 22.5W)Anker Zolo Power Bank (10000mAh, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable)

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