The new Alpha 10 from Garmin allows you to stay connected when you go to get away from it all. (Kali Parmley photo)
If you thought Garmin couldn’t top the release of the Alpha 200i a year ago, you were wrong. The gurus behind Garmin’s dog tracking and training department just announced their newest unit, the Alpha 10 —the smallest tracking and training device the company has ever made. Don’t be fooled by its size—the 2.6-inch unit is packed full of features for upland hunting and hound enthusiasts.
What’s It Do? Carrying on the tradition of tracking, Garmin has included “Companion Tracking” on this device like it does on others. When paired with a compatible device, like a 200i, you can hand your buddy the Alpha 10 and go your separate ways. The two units will talk to each other, so you know when your buddy’s dog is on point and where—but more on that later.
The basics of the Alpha 10 are that it is like other Garmin units, just smaller but still mighty. The unit tracks your dog’s distance and that is shown on the high-contrast display with a directional arrow and numerical yardage display. The device can track and train up to 20 dogs as far as 9 miles away. For training, the Alpha 10 features tone and vibration, as well as 18 levels of momentary and continuous stimulation.
The Garmin Alpha 10 puts confidence and assurance right at your fingertips. Companion Tracking Hunting can be intimidating to newbies , including learning to handle your first gun dog or your first time in the uplands. Garmin was thinking about the R3 movement (recruit, retention, and reactivation) when they developed the Alpha 10.
The Alpha 10 provides a “companion unit” to your other compatible Garmin Alpha and Astro tracking devices (Alpha 100, 200i, 200, or Astro 430) . This means that you can share your dog’s tracking and/or training code wirelessly to the Alpha 10 and the unit will display all the information a novice hunter needs to understand what is happening afield. It helps new hunters see how the dog is moving and when and where the dog is on point. It also allows newbies to learn to train and initiate collar stimulation if you so allow them to.
The Garmin Alpha 10 is the complete package for both novice hunters and seasoned dog handlers alike. (Kali Parmley photo) For the experienced hunter, the Alpha 10 gives you a platform to keep in touch with your hunt buddy while afield if you’re only running their dog(s), or just yours. We all know that vast western terrain or thick alders can keep you from seeing a dog on point. The Alpha 10 lets you know when a dog is on point so you can make your way that direction without the handler yelling across the vast expanse.