Does something like this exist? All I want is an OS grid reference. I'm not interested in tracking or anything clever. I just want the back up to prove I'm where I think I am from map and compass work. I have an app on my phone which is great, but when the weather is really inclement I'm loathed to get my phone out. It is also nice to be in the hills and not be near a phone.
You can almost get this with a Garmin Edge 500. It isn’t strictly for navigation, but when you create an elevation point to calibrate the altimeter it will display the OS coordinates.
It’s been a while since I had one though so unsure where it is in the menu - and other more elegant solutions probably exist.
The Garmin Etrex 10 is basic and not too expensive (approx. £75). Gives you OS Grid Reference, compass and odometer so useful as a backup to paper maps, plus good battery life.
EDIT: and not overly complicated! May be bigger than you're hoping for though; watch based units are generally much more expensive - and more complicated 😉
and other more elegant solutions probably exist
Or in Garmins case over-complicated solutions.
If you're handy with electronics and fancy a winter project you could bodge something for ~£10 in parts (Arduino + NEO 6M + mini OLED display) although the waterproofing and cosmetics part might turn out to be a faff.
Cheapest, easiest and most convenient solution is to use your phone.
I bought a Chinese one off eBay for about £20 in the days before smartphone ubiquity to record rides for strava.
Displayed your position, and an arrow pointing towards the destination (not a way marked trail, there was only 1 point).
It was surprisingly usefull, just save the position of the mid ride cafe and home then follow your nose round the country lanes.
Old first-generation Garmin Fenix watch if you can find one cheaply enough, maybe on eBay. But OSGrid app on a smartphone or similar is the obvious solution. You might think it's faffy, but you're going to have a map out anyway and, presumably, a compass. You could always stick it on flight mode?
It wouldn't make much sense to produce a UK market only mini-GPS that shows OS Grid, it'd be useless anywhere else in the world.
I'm not saying it wouldn't be a useful thing, but the natural tendency of the tech industry seems to be making stuff that's more, not less, complex. Just about the only exception I can think of is Beeline, but even that's getting more evolved and doesn't do what you want anyway.
Try the app on your phone recently downloaded although not tried it looks really good and straight forward.
Second hand vivoactive and an app?
Cheapest, easiest and most convenient solution is to use your phone.
This.
Iirc, some Timex and Casio watches had built in positioning....? eBay trawl time.
I have an ancient eTrex in fetching yellow that runs off AA so is not small. But it lives in the bottom of my emergency bag in the winter, just in case. It cost £5 off outdoorgearexchange
Do you have a Garmin watch like the forerunner 235? looks like there is an app on their Connect IQ store that would do this. I'd like to know if anyone's tried it and found it works.
https://apps.garmin.com/en-GB/apps/2f30fe76-c14a-46e9-a606-76ced27dd776
! Why is that image so massive?
Garmin Foretrex is a bit smaller than the Etrex, uses AAA batteries. It is a bit big to wear as a watch, but you can strap it onto your rucksack etc. Simple enough if you just want to get a grid reference.
