Peter If you find a GPS you really like - you'll probably put up with whatever it uses for batteries. I was just lucky that I liked the size & capabilities of mine - and it used AAs. I guess it was midway between a requirement and a bonus ;-) I know I sound like a shill for Sanyo (I'm not), but I can't speak too highly of the Eneloop AAs. All my previous (good quality) NiMH AA cells would lose charge over a couple of weeks and I had to hustle round and charge them all up before a trip. It was a pain. The Eneloops trade off a little life-span but employ tricks to hold onto their charge tenaciously - a bit like Lithiums do (but at a much lower price). Otherwise they just act like any good rechargeable. I love them. A couple of AA tips that work well for me: (a) When I buy cells, I mark them in pairs with a number (1,1 2,2 etc) in heavy black felt-tip pen (bad-light readable). As everything I have uses them in 2's or 4's - they can stay together as pairs through their lifetime of discharge - recharge cycles. I believe that gives them a better life expectancy. As the numbers increase (with each new purchase), it also gives me an idea of how old they are - just by looking at the number. (b) I sew up simple rip-stop nylon pouches for sets of 4 AAs - just large enough to have them lie side-by-side (like spoons or wrenches in a fabric fold). The bags weigh nothing. With a tight velcro-ed down flap over the open end of the 4 battery 'tubes', the bag winds up being only a little bigger than the 4 batteries. It keeps them clean and stops them shorting out on anything (or each other). It also makes them easy to count and keep organised. An empty bag mean batteries missing - find them ! I also preserve a simple routine - nipples-out are 'ready for action', nipples-in need a recharge - you can tell that in the dark. Hope those ideas give some of you some help - or just a laugh ;-) Best Regards Paul Hayward, Auckland, New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Oct 20 2009 - 04:09:50 PDT
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