Marco Polo VS Garmin Astro 430
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This detailed Garmin Astro 430 vs. Marco Polo comparison lets you quickly discover whether you should entrust Garmin Astro 430 or Marco Polo with keeping your furry friend safe. Scroll down for a complete overview of their crucial features and find out which of these two pet trackers constitutes a better choice overall.
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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: $
Marco Polo is a radio frequency pet tracking system that updates your pet’s location information every few seconds and boasts a 2-mile communication range. The device is accurate within inches.
- Easy indoor and outdoor tracking in any corner of the world
- Quick alerts and a minimum safe zone radius of just 50 feet
- Battery life of up to 45 days, up to 3 days with live tracking
- Price: $234.95
- Shipping: $0 *
*free shipping throughout the US
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
Marco Polo advanced pet tracking system is accurate within inches and it can track your pet both indoors and outdoors. It provides location updates every few seconds, works in every corner of the world, and has a communication range of 2 miles.
Type
Radio Frequency Pet Tracker
Design
Marco Polo pet tracking system consists of a handheld locator and a tracking tag. The locator measures 6’’ x 3.5’’ x 1.75’’ while the tracking tag measures 1’’ x 5’’ x 0.5’’. The locator weights 7.8 oz. while the tracking tag weighs 0.8 oz., which makes it suitable for both large and small dogs and cats. The tracking tag is attached to the collar with a ballistic nylon holder with Class 4 Military Spec Velcro straps.
Available Sizes
Marco Polo pet tracking system does not come in different sizes and fits collars up to 2 inches wide, up to 0.25 inches thick, and 7+ inches long.
Suitable For Cats
Durability
The Marco Polo tracking tag is resistant to impact and water and designed to endure rough play. It has a durable battery and is protected with a military-grade cover. Overall, it is more durable than a number of its competitors and sure to last for years if properly used.
Key Tracking Features
Marco Polo advanced tracking system offers all the most important tools for efficient tracking, including:
- True real-time tracking, with location information updated in a few seconds;
- Single-button tracking, which allows even absolute beginners to easily track their pets with live tracking activated with a single push of the button;
- Safe zones, with 4 preset boundary levels available, including 50-feet, 100-feet, 300-feet, and maximum-range radius;
- Alerts, sent when your pet leaves the safe zone, arriving within a maximum of 80 seconds;
- Phone notifications, enabled via the external alarm output, with prerecorded voice messages sent to 1 or multiple phone contacts;
- Search mode, used when your pet is out of range, which allows you to receive a beep alert when communication between the tracking tag and the locator is reestablished.
Pet Activity Monitoring
Marco Polo does not monitor pet activity.
Training Assistance
Marco Polo does not provide tracking assistance.
Additional Features
Marco Polo does not come with any additional features.
Communication Range
2 miles
Weight
0.8 oz. (tag only)
Shockproof
Waterproof
Night Mode
Battery Life
45 days, 3 days in tracking mode
Smartphone App
Marco Polo does not come with a smartphone app.
Connectivity
Marco Polo exclusively relies on radio frequency signals.
Coverage
Marco Polo does not rely on any external services, which allows it to work anywhere on the planet, including the most remote areas.
Pricing
1-Pet Tracking System: $234.95; 2-Pet Tracking System: $284.95; 3-Pet Tracking System: $334.95
Shipping and Delivery
Marco Polo comes with free shipping throughout the US via USPS Priority Mail. Shipments to Canada come with a flat shipping fee of $25.
Refund Policy
Marco Polo comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In order to receive a full refund, you need to return the device in good condition, with all elements of the system included.
Warranty
Marco Polo comes with a 90-day limited warranty. During the warranty period, the device may be repaired or replaced at no charge. The warranty does not cover defects and damage that may arise due to improper use, unauthorized modifications or normal wear and tear
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 Tim Kelly on 09/20/2019I bought this tracker specifically for the reason it is not limited to just USA. I travel a lot and take Bambie with me everywhere I go and I feel much safer knowing I can keep track on her when we are not together. She’s so used to us being together all the time that acts out when I leave her with the dog sitter and there were a few times she got away. Luckily I was notified right away since tracking doesn’t rely on cell networks. The first thing I did when I bought the tracker is set up her safe zone so I can keep an eye on her if she decides to look for me when I’m not there.
- Submitted By Martha Day on 05/20/2019The button tracking feature is just great because it shows you the arrow that moves in the direction of your pet. If you plan on roaming in the wild you should definitely turn it on in case your dog wonders somewhere. One other thing you can do is to build a safe zone around your dog and receive a notification if the dog leaves its safe space. The message will be sent quickly, maybe a minute. Both my boyfriend and I get alerts in case Simon runs away somewhere which happens a lot so we can tell you that this tracker really works.
- Submitted By Fergus Kim on 02/01/2019This device is just a tracker and it does nothing for your dog’s activity. I don’t have a problem with any of its features tracking wise but I hoped that at least it will work as some kid fit beat machine. I can however monitor the distance my dog covers since it is reported avery few seconds. That way I could at least know how much miles Rita has covered that day. I one other thing they should do is make an app for your phone so you can track your dog more easily.
- Submitted By Damian Mccormack on 12/08/2018Marco Polo dog tracker is what I would recommend to anyone who has an active pet or one that is not very well trained. In case your dog somehow gets away from you the tracker reports under a minute. Once you set a safe zone in which your dog usually resides the tracker will alert you if he or she gets out. You can react right away and not allow for anything bad to happen to your dog because its movement will update every few seconds.
Winner
Garmin Astro 430 is a professional dog tracking system that provides fresh location updates every 2.5 seconds, boasts great accuracy and durability, and has more useful features than you can count. If you do not want to settle for just any pet tracking device, read this Garmin Astro 430 review to learn all about this highly advanced tracker.