LINK AKC VS Garmin Astro 430
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While both Garmin Astro 430 and LINK AKC can help prevent your pet from becoming lost, they are not equally well-suited for pets of all shapes, sizes, preferences, and habits. Explore our thorough Garmin Astro 430 vs. LINK AKC comparison to discover how well each of these two pet trackers fits the unique needs of your best pal and which one is just right for him or her.
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Highlights
Garmin Astro 430 is a premium dog tracking system that provides location updates within seconds, tracks up to 20 dogs at once, and has a massive set of both standard and special features.
- High precision with GPS/GLONASS, mean accuracy of 12 feet
- 2.5-second location update rate; 9-mile communication range
- Amazing durability; no monthly fees; 1-year limited warranty
- Price: $649.99
- Shipping: $
LINK AKC smart collar is an award-winning GPS pet tracker that allows you to track your pet’s activity, location, health, and wellness. It works anywhere in the US within AT&T cellular coverage.
- Easy and reliable map-aided location tracking via cellular GPS
- Automatically created and customizable Bluetooth safe zones
- Smart activity tracking, vet records, and many more handy tools
- Price: $99.00
- Shipping: $0
Compare Features
Highlights
Garmin Astro 430 is a professional dog tracking system that offers location updates every 2.5 seconds, has a communication range of up to 9 miles, boasts great precision due to the use of both GPS and GLONASS, offers a vast range of special features, tracks up to 20 dogs at once, and comes with no monthly fees.
Type
GPS Pet Tracker
Design
The Garmin Astro 430 tracking system includes one handheld locator and either the T5 or T5 mini tracking unit with a special collar. Both the locator and the tracking units feature a black-and-orange color scheme. They are made of durable materials like heavy-duty plastic and stainless steel. The handheld locator features a transreflective 65-K color TFT display measuring 2.6’’ in diagonal. It comes with standard and long-range stainless steel radio antennas and a top-mounted GPS antenna. The T5 tracking unit comes with a top-mounted GPS antenna and standard and long-range radio antennas while T5 mini comes with a top-mounted GPS antenna and a standard radio antenna. Both tracking units feature LED light beacons and the locator is equipped with a vibration motor.
Available Sizes
The Garmin Astro 430 handheld locator is compatible with the T5 and T5 mini tracking units that differ in size. T5 measures 1.74’’ x 3.5’’ x 1.85’’ (HWD), comes with a 1-inch collar strap, and weighs 9.3 oz. with the collar. T5 mini measures 1.8’’x 3.1’’ x 1.4’’ (HWD), comes with a 0.75-inch collar strap, and weighs 7 oz. with the collar. T5 is suitable for neck circumferences of 9.5+ inches while T5 mini fits smaller necks.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
Garmin Astro 430 is not shockproof, but both the locator and the tracking units are durable, waterproof, impervious to dust and dirt, and suitable for use in all kinds of harsh conditions. They are built to withstand frequent bumps and blows and they can easily last for years with no diminishments in functionality.
Key Tracking Features
Garmin Astro 430 is a feature-rich pet tracker that offers:
- Near-real-time tracking with a 2.5-second location refresh rate, accuracy within 12 feet, and 10,000 points of information per dog;
- Additional maps, such as BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, HuntView, TOPO U.S. 24K, and City Navigator NT for turn-by-turn routing;
- BaseCamp software for trip planning;
- BaseStation software for computer tracking;
- Multiple tracking profiles, such as hunting, automotive, marine, and recreational;
- Multiple dashboards within a single page;
- Customizable dog display providing dog name, direction, distance, and status data.
Pet Activity Monitoring
Garmin Astro 430 does not monitor pet activity.
Training Assistance
Garmin Astro 430 does not provide training assistance.
Additional Features
Garmin Astro 430 offers a multitude of bonus features, including but not limited to:
- Hunt metrics providing insight into dogs’ hunting patterns and behavior;
- Convey counter for creating up to 2,000 waypoints;
- Rescue mode for battery saving;
- Wireless sharing;
- Area calculation;
- Hunt and fish calendar;
- Sun and moon information.
Communication Range
4 miles with T5 mini, 9 miles with T5
Weight
T5 mini: 7 oz. with collar; T5: 9.3 oz. with collar
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
Handheld locator: up to 20 hours; T5: 20-40 hours; T5 mini: 16-30 hours
Smartphone App
Garmin Astro 420 does not come with a smartphone app.
Connectivity
Garmin Astro 430 uses GLONASS and GPS for location tracking and radio frequency signals for inter-device communication.
Coverage
Garmin Astro 430 does not rely on external services, so it can work anywhere in the world. However, due to varying international regulations, it is only approved for use within the US.
Pricing
$649.99
Shipping and Delivery
Garmin Astro 430 can be shipped throughout the US, including Alaska and Hawaii. Shipping is free of charge - unless you opt for next business day shipping, in which case you pay an $18 shipping fee.
Refund Policy
Garmin Astro 430 comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Warranty
Garmin Astro 430 comes with a 1-year limited warranty. Repairs come with a 90-day warranty.
Highlights
LINK AKC is an award-winning GPS pet tracker that allows you to keep track of your pet’s location, activity levels, health, and wellness. It works anywhere in the US within AT&T cellular coverage and comes with sound training assistance included.
Type
GPS Pet Tracker (Smart Collar)
Design
LINK AKC pet tracking system includes a stylish leather or reflective nylon collar, a collar carrier in the form of a sleeve, a curved tracking unit, and a base station. All elements come in different color schemes, including combinations of light gray and black, white, and leather. The tracking unit measures 1.5’’ in height by 3.9’’ in width by 0.5’’ in depth, it clips into the carrier, and it can be removed by pushing the spring-release button.
Available Sizes
LINK AKC smart collar comes in 3 sizes: XS/S, with neck fit of 8 to 11 inches, M, with neck fit of 11 to 17 inches, and L/XL, with neck fit of 17 to 29 inches.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
LINK AKC pet tracker can withstand immersion of up to 3 feet, it is impact resistant, and both the tracking unit and the collar are made of highly durable materials. The carrier may be more easily damaged than the other elements of the system, but it is not easy to break. The device comes with a rechargeable battery, which sets its overall lifespan at several years with proper use.
Key Tracking Features
LINK AKC makes it easy to track your pet’s location with:
- Accurate and constantly updated GPS location information when your dog is out of sight;
- Automatically established safe zones around the base station and your phone;
- Temporary safe zones around your phone that you can customize and expand up to a radius of 2,400 meters;
- Instant notifications when your pet leaves the defined safe zone.
Pet Activity Monitoring
LINK AKC comes with an impressive set of activity monitoring tools, including:
- 3-axis accelerometer that accurately measures your pet’s activity;
- Patent-pending algorithm that learns how to identify different levels of activity, letting you know when your pet engages in moderate or intense activity and whether he or she has had enough activity during the day;
- Personalized activity recommendations based on your pet’s age, breed or mixed breed, behavior, and size.
Training Assistance
LINK AKC provides training assistance with the use of a clicker-like sound feature embedded in the tracking unit. The sound feature can be remotely activated via LINK AKC smartphone app.
Additional Features
LINK AKC offers several useful extra features, including:
- Vet records, which allow you to store your pet’s vet records, vaccinations, and certificates in the LINK AKC app and set reminders for important events or vet appointments;
- Adventures, which allow you to revisit memorable walks and hikes by creating adventures, including maps showing distance, timestamp, and photos you took during your trips, with photos being readily editable;
- Temperature monitoring, which monitors ambient temperature and sends alerts when the environment is too hot or too cold;
- Sound feature, which functions like a clicker and can be remotely activated via LINK AKC app, allowing you to train your pet more easily.
Communication Range
LINK AKC works over any distance within AT&T cellular coverage
Weight
2.55 oz. with the carrier (collar weight not included)
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
Up to 3 days, significantly decreased with GPS on
Smartphone App
LINK AKC smartphone app is compatible with Bluetooth-enabled Android and iOS phones, including Android 5.0+ and iOS 9.0+. It can be used to track up to 10 pets. It allows you to access all location tracking information and daily and historical activity records, provides near-instant alerts when your pet leaves the safe zone, and lets you create adventures/virtual scrapbooks, define a custom range for the safe zone around your phone, and remotely activate the clicker-like sound on the tracking unit.
Connectivity
LINK AKC pet tracker employs cellular GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth to keep track of your pet’s location. Bluetooth connection is used when your pet is within the safe zone. If your pet leaves the safe zone, you can track his or her location via GPS.
Coverage
Throughout the US (within AT&T cell coverage)
Pricing
The device - regular price: $129; current price: $99; the service plan - $9.95/month with the monthly subscription, $7.95/month with the yearly subscription, $6.95 with the 2-year subscription
Shipping and Delivery
All LINK AKC orders come with free shipping within the US.
Refund Policy
LINK AKC comes with a 90-day risk-free guarantee. You can return the product within 90 days and receive a full product purchase price refund. Used service plan time is not refundable.
Warranty
LINK AKC comes with a 3-year warranty. The warranty covers malfunctions that are not caused by improper use. The device also comes with a 1-year size guarantee, which allows you to exchange your device for a different size in case it does not fit or your pet outgrows it.
Compare Ratings
Compare User Reviews
- Submitted By Leah Thomas on 11/27/2019Before I bought the Garmin 320 I read somewhere in the reviews that there is a rescue mode option that allows you to save the battery by switching to it and that feature enables you to save the battery life when it’s on its end and track you dog for a few hours more. It also has a highly advanced map tracking options that allows you to update maps depending on taking the road or going through water and stuff like that. It’s a really professional device because it offers so much more than a regular map which you get with a regular pet tracker and you can also store detailed information about each time you catch something like place, time and that sort of stuff.
- Submitted By Clayton Logan on 08/08/2019Apart from being expensive I can’t seem to find anything wrong with this tracker. My wife bought it for me as a birthday present, I think she likes to see me out of the house honestly, and it really did the trick. The only thing I think needs improving is the battery which could be a bit more long lasting but you can recharge it over night. The range is impressive, almost 10 miles with gps being wildly accurate at all times. There is no glitches or bugs, the tracker is fast and precise and what I like the most is that you can adjust the display to show you important information without having to stop and look for it yourself.
- Submitted By Austin Fowler on 05/02/2019This is a durable device built to withstand everything you can possibly thing off. My dog and I had some crazy adventures and let me tell you I didn’t think it would last. I’m sorry to see the company disconnected the line but I truly hope the new version is as good as this one. I can not tell you how many times the bright orange collar helped me spot Max and stopped me from making noise and ruining a perfectly good shot. I really do thing that is worth every penny and you can see that is is built to last. The performances are excellent including the gps which is crazy spot on.
- Submitted By Lyle Pearson on 03/07/2019I’m a passionate hunter so a friend recommended Garmin. It was a bit pricey but I did my research and read tons of reviews and finally decided to invest. The company has such a good reputation which has proven to be a deciding factor. It everything proofed, long range and I can transfer all the data via usb. The battery, however, needs some improvement considering it is a regular aa battery and the life span is not too long. The same goes for the rechargeable battery which only lasts for 40 hours max and my hunting trips sometimes last for 3, or 4 days straight in complete isolation. I suggest improving that otherwise everything else is great!
- Submitted By Ashlei Rivers on 11/26/2019I’ve decided to go on a healthy regime that includes more exercise and health food and what helped me with my consistency was the fact that could do the same for my pet using LINK AKC that recommended how active my dog should be depending on his race, age, etc. We coordinated our daily walks based on his recommendations and mine and started with a healthier lifestyle I wouldn’t be able to handle on my own. I get motivated my tracking Buck’s and mime progress and knowing that I’m not alone and that my dog can handle the pace.
- Submitted By Zena Maynard on 06/20/2019I’ve noticed that once Pan left the safe zone I was immediately notified and was able to see his location by using gps signal. It was really cool because the app showed me the map with little paw prints all over telling me where Pan left and if I wasn’t so worried it would have been much more fun. The only thing is the tracking is not live so it doesn’t provide information right that second, it takes a few minutes to find the original coordinates but after that it is spot on.
- Submitted By Zaharah Teller on 02/05/2019I like that its two in one and you can track your pet and use it as a health and activity app as well. I recommend it for all active dog parents since the gps works really well in case your dog gets lost on the unknown terrain and you can also view his activity and set goals, add maps, photos, videos from your walks. You can see everything you did on that day and compare it to other days.
- Submitted By Kelly Smith on 12/24/2018I didn’t know that the tracker can only work on AT&T network when I bought ii but so far I didn’t have any problems with the coverage. You get the base station that works together with the tracker so if your dog goes outside the zone that is covered by two devices you get a notification in under a minute. I tested it out and it really works. Gps also works but you need to download the app first so you can track your dogs movement. Between the two you are covered for sure.
Winner
LINK AKC is a GPS pet tracker in the form of a smart collar that allows you to easily track your pet’s location and activity. It works throughout the US, provides a multitude of useful additional features, and monitors your pal’s health as well. Read more about it in our honest LINK AKC review.