The Bottom Line
Pros
- Easy to set up and use.
- Set geofences with notification to website or smartphone.
- Waterproof, lightweight, self-contained.
- No-hassle cellular plan, first year free.
Cons
- Battery life could be better.
Description
- Price: $199.99, including one year of standard tracking.
- Unit dimensions, WxHxD: 1.34" x 3.07" x 0.79" (3.4 x 7.8 x 2.0 cm).
- Weight: 1.71 oz (48.5 g).
- Battery: rechargeable lithium ion. Battery life: 1 day to 1 month (depending on operation mode chosen).
- Waterproof.
- Geofences per device: 10 maximum.
- Notifications: email and/or text.
- No early termination fees, activation fees, or contracts.
- Trackable on dedicated website.
Guide Review - Review: Garmin Makes GPS Tracking Easy and Affordable With the GTU 10
GPS tracking has evolved from being a rare, difficult-to-implement, and costly technology to becoming more affordable, accessible and easy to use. Apps are available to turn most smartphones into GPS location trackers and transmitters, for sports and social use, for example.
But smartphone tracking has many limitations. What if you want to track a pet, or a boat, or an off-road vehicle, or a car? Garmin has taken on this challenge with the creation of the GTU 10, which is self-contained, waterproof, 1.3 x 3.0 x 0.8 inches in size, and weighs only 1.7 ounces.
The GTU 10 provides a complete, easy-to-use, consumer solution to GPS tracking needs. The GTU 10 unit (see photo) comes with a double-stick mounting pad, as well as a super-sturdy nylon fabric zip pouch and aluminum carabiner suitable for a dog collar. But the GTU 10 doesn't need to be mounted at all to function. It can be stowed just about anywhere that a GPS satellite signal may be accessed.
The Garmin GTU 10 GPS tracker has a lithium battery that is rechargeable via a computer USB cable. To begin using the device, you connect it your computer, visit the my Garmin website, and follow the instructions to register. From there, you may locate the GTU 10 on a map, create geofences, and manage notifications. A geofence is simply a boundary that you create on the website that will trigger a transmitted (via the cellular phone network) a notification that the device has entered or exited a zone. Common geofence zones would be school, work, etc. Another example would be a harbor "fence" around a boat for security reasons. You may set up a geofence as large as you wish, or as small as a back yard for a dog, for example.
There are of course ethical and legal issues around tracking people (tracking a car without the driver's knowledge or permission, for example), and you should be aware of those and consider them before tracking.
In my tests, I found the Garmin GTU 10 easy to set up and to use. Registration and geofence setup was a breeze. I placed the device in my pocket for bike rides, and it reliably notified me when exiting or entering a geofence, and recorded my movements on the website map. You may track via the website or by a free iPhone or Android app.
Battery life could be better. Garmin specifies a wide range for battery life, from four weeks to one day, depending on notification frequency, etc. Given the unit's GTU 10 designation, it wouldn't surprise me if Garmin created a bigger-battery GTU 20 in the future. Also, you may power the GTU 10 in a vehicle indefinitely by using an accessory power port to USB charger (Garmin offers one for $28).
Cellular network coverage for notifications is for the U.S. only. After your first free year, standard tracking costs $49 per year.
