Just realized my GPS battery dies way faster in cold rain, wasted 2 hours off trail near Glacier

I mean I knew batteries hate cold but last October in Glacier NP my unit dropped from 80% to dead in like 3 hours of steady drizzle. I ended up backtracking by paper map to the junction. Has anyone else run into this and do you carry a spare battery bank in your chest pocket or what?

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emmasmith10d ago

and honestly that exact scenario is my nightmare, getting caught in cold rain with a dying unit is the worst feeling. I've had the same thing happen with my old GPS in the Adirondacks, went from half battery to nothing in under two hours once the temps dropped and that misty rain started. Now I always keep a small power bank inside my jacket, right against my chest, and I run a short cable up to the GPS on my shoulder strap so the battery stays warm while it charges. It's a bit of a hack but it saved me more than once, especially on those gray days when everything just feels damp and miserable. Also learned the hard way to keep the screen brightness low and turn off the backlight unless I really need it, that alone seems to double the battery life in cold weather.