Best Place for a Garmin

Where's the best place for a Garmin?

On my V10 I could strap it to the bungees on the bulkhead at the front of the cockpit, while in the SES I have to strap it onto the footstrap as there is no line of sight to the bulkhead.

The risk with the footstrap is the potential to dislodge the Garmin when removing or inserting your feet.

There don't seem to be too many other options.

I'd also love Garmin to come up with bigger text/screen sizes, as trying to read the small print on a unit positioned 3 feet in front of your eyes while paddling on moving water is never the easiest.

I mount mine on my bungys in front of the pedals in my SES, I can read it ok but your eyes might no be as good. Are you very short not to have line of sight?

Mid-height. You may be a bit taller, or perhaps your Garmin model may sit a touch higher.

Either way your eyes are definitely better.

I have to admit I do wear glasses, but not when paddling... except for the occasional times when I've got into the middle of the harbour only to discover I've forgotten to remove them. The threat of seeing $1,000 of frames and lenses sinking is one of the better techniques to achieve immaculate balance.

I just pop mine on my foot strap. Nice and simple.

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Also put it on the footstrap. I have a small section of rubber piping, cut through on one side that I slide over the footstrap that gives the Garmin strap something to tighten onto. I'll take a pic.

I've been paddling a Genius ski lately that has dual footstraps - my Garmin strapping technique doesn't work so well on this, because the Garmin impacts the top of my right foot. I could put the Garmin on the bungies on the front of the cockpit but that doesn't work well because I need to be able to press the lap button... Haven't come up with a good solution yet.

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Send it to me rob at surfski.info and I'll pop it up.

Mine goes on the footstrap as well. I have a piece of pipe insulation that I attached to the strap with duct tape on which I mount my Garmin. The Garmin can be tightened down on it so that I won't become dislodged. Works great.

With useful places for Garmins (and leashes and car keys) required by just about every paddler, and all of us using makeshift solutions, it sounds like there's some logical ski enhancements that can be made by manufacturers.

In line with the other forum topic running on Design, it would be good to see the manufacturers present functional solutions for this.

I'm not sure how many paddlers need to adjust their Garmin when on the water. I switch mine on as I hit the water and only switch off on return, so positioning on either the bulkhead or around the feet works for me so long as I can see it.

But if others need it within reach during paddling, positioning near the feet or closer would be necessary.

Don't know if mounting one on the side of the cockpit would work, or even strapping it to your leg near the knee is a possibility.

I have an XT310 Garmin which I put on a velcro watch strap (the type surfers used to wear before PU watch straps)and that holds very well when wrapped around the foot strap. I have tried keeping the GPS on my wrist but the movement of my arm during the paddle stroke definitely affects the accuracy of the GPS.

Foot strap is the usual method I think.
Reachable, visible and out of harms way.

What I want to know, is what do people that require glasses for normal vision distances do?
Sunglasses for me are good until the first drop of salt water hits them, it must suck big time to have to wear glasses when on the ocean.

What I want to know, is what do people that require glasses for normal vision distances do?

Live with the spray/salt. Wearing a cap helps to keep some of the spray off. I don't usually find it much of a problem.

Much worse is in winter when there's no wind, my glasses fog up. If I use anti-fogger liquid, any water drops that hit the lenses tend to smear.

On occasion I've actually taken my glasses off which is less than ideal.

People ask me why I don't wear contacts - I tried years ago, couldn't get used to them, but in any case I think I'd be worried about losing them if I came off - and there's nothing worse than having one in, one out.

It depends. If you have an hand model like forerunner series the best solution comes from Didier (dplouepic.skyrock.com/). He has just an Epic V10 (and an Epic V10 Sport and use the same solution for both boats).

I use my edge 800 within aquapac bag secured to elastic front lines.

Here is other ideas.

I put it around the foots trap also.
I wedge a bit of sponge in there to give it something to grab hold of and keep it facing me. Works a treat and stayed in place for the 14hr over the hawkesbury classic