Surface GPS to take diving

[Katch]

Is there a cheap GPS that I can take underwater while diving? NOT A GPS TO BE USED UNDERWATER. I only want to use it when I surface to get a bearing to my boat or shore entry point. I already have 2 Shearwaters, so I do not want to spend $$$ on a Descent. I did buy an underwater canister for a handheld Garmin GPS, but it is kinda bulky. So far, I only found the Descent and Atmos Mission One ($450). Is there anything cheaper out there?

Steve

 

[sea_ledford]

Are you actually going far enough away from your boat or entry point to need a GPS to tell you where it is? And if you are that far away do you really want to surface swim back to it?

Seems like route planning would be a better solution. And a cheap GPS will be the same as the handheld one you already have, and would need a canister.

 

[JohnN]

Is there a cheap GPS that I can take underwater while diving? NOT A GPS TO BE USED UNDERWATER. I only want to use it when I surface to get a bearing to my boat or shore entry point. I already have 2 Shearwaters, so I do not want to spend $$$ on a Descent. I did buy an underwater canister for a handheld Garmin GPS, but it is kinda bulky. So far, I only found the Descent and Atmos Mission One ($450). Is there anything cheaper out there?

Steve

Any reason you don't want to put your smartphone in a waterproof case (or a ziplock baggie)?

If you don't have one, it may be time to claw your way into the 2000's, there are very capable 'droid phones out there for ~$200

 

[The Chairman]

My Garmin Descent is not cheap, but it automagically does that chore for me. It's a nice PDC as well.

 

[Streydog]

The Garmin Instinct states that it is waterproof down to 10 ATM. I have had one for almost 2 years and am happy with it but have never dove with it. It's dropped in price quite a bit, I have seen it as low as $150 on sale.
This is a screen shot, transfered to my phone after leaving it on the dive boat, of where the dive boat went.

 

[Marie13]

Any reason you don't want to put your smartphone in a waterproof case (or a ziplock baggie)?

If you don't have one, it may be time to claw your way into the 2000's, there are very capable 'droid phones out there for ~$200

Can the phone handle the uw pressure without breaking?

 

[yle]

Is there a cheap GPS that I can take underwater while diving? NOT A GPS TO BE USED UNDERWATER. I only want to use it when I surface to get a bearing to my boat or shore entry point. I already have 2 Shearwaters, so I do not want to spend $$$ on a Descent. I did buy an underwater canister for a handheld Garmin GPS, but it is kinda bulky. So far, I only found the Descent and Atmos Mission One ($450). Is there anything cheaper out there?

Steve

I'll add my two cents to the discussion. I was looking for the same kind of thing about five years ago, something that was rated water resistant to diving depths and could do my GPS data on the surface. I bought a Suunto Ambit 3 and it did the trick nicely. It's rated water resistant to 100 meters. They're a little pricey new, but used ones can be found for under $150.

Some people recoil at the mention of "Suunto", but I've never had a problem with them (dive computers or my Ambit.)