Introducing the NEW Garmin Alpha 10 Handheld

The newly released Garmin Alpha 10 Handheld (not to be confused with the Alpha 100) takes everything we’ve come to know and love about the Alpha 100 handheld, but shrinks it down into a more-compact design, while still maintaining all the features and range.

- Click here to watch Steven and Eric discuss their experience testing the Garmin Alpha 10 handheld -

New Features

Are you not a fan of the touchscreen on the Alpha 100 and Alpha 200i handhelds? The Alpha 10 is the solution, as it features a new thumb-stick control method to eliminate all the misclicking and accidental setting changes that were common with the Alpha 100 and Alpha 200i handhelds. Smaller device comes smaller battery life, right? Not with this unit! The Alpha 10 features a very impressive 40 hours of active usage battery life and up to a full week of battery life when on standby. This gives you the ability to go on multi-day hunting trips without the need to recharge between hunts.

Compact Design

The main purpose of the Garmin Alpha 10 handheld was to give trainers and hunters a smaller, more compact handheld device. The Alpha 10 handheld is 2.3 inches wide, 4.8 inches tall, and 1.1 inches thick. This, in comparison to the Alpha 100’s 2.5 inches wide, 6.5 inches tall, and 1.5 inches thick, will better fit into pockets and be more comfortable when wearing it around your neck with a Garmin Lanyard.

Compatibility and Connectivity

The Garmin Alpha 10 retains all the great compatibility and connectivity features of the Alpha 100 and Astro 430 handhelds. When it comes to dog device compatibility, the Alpha 10 handheld can be paired up with the TT15, TT15 Mini, T5, and T5 Mini collars. Furthermore, it is also able to connect up with the DriveTrack series in-car navigation systems and Garmin Instinct and Fenix watches. The Alpha 10 handheld also gains the ability to connect to the Garmin Explore smart-phone app.

Alpha 10 Handheld Buttons

1. Power Button – This button is located on the top left of the handheld. When pressed down and held, it powers the handheld on when off. Pressing and holding the button when the handheld is on brings up the power off/lock screen/cancel screen. Using the selector: selecting power off will power the handheld down, selecting lock screen will lock the handheld, and selecting cancel will exit the screen back to the home screen.
2. Training Button – This button is located on the bottom left of the handheld. When pressed, it actives the selected training setting on the currently selected dog. This training button can be customized in the settings to act as stimulation, vibration, or tone training function.
3. Thumb-Stick – The thumb-stick is located on the front face of the handheld. The thumb-stick is used as a selector and can move left and right, as well as up and down. The thumb-stick also works as a selector by pressing down on the stick.
4. Main Menu Button – This button is located on the top right of the handheld. Pressing this button brings up the main menu screen. Holding this button in takes you back to the tracking screen.

Possible Cons of the Alpha 10 Handheld

As with any new design or device on the market, we also like to ask ourselves, “What’s the catch?” With the Alpha 10 handheld, the only real downside to this device that anyone could possibly have is that the battery is now non-replaceable, which is a change from all previous Alpha and Astro series handhelds. However, with the 40 hours of active usage battery life, before needing recharged, this shouldn’t be an issue for most users.

Price

In my opinion, one of the best things about the Garmin Alpha 10 handheld is the price point. Priced at a reasonable $399.99, it comes in as the least expensive handheld out of the Alpha and Astro series of handhelds. This makes the Alpha 10 a great option for group hunters that are not the primary dog handler, but still need to see the location of the dogs or the location of the other hunters.

In The Box

The Garmin Alpha 10 comes with a spine mount and needed wrench kit for installation. This spine mount is different than those on the Alpha 100, Alpha 200i, and Astro series handhelds. It also comes with a Carabiner Clip and Belt Clip; as well as the micro-USB cable for charging, software updating, and connecting to the Garmin Explore desktop application. Lastly, it includes an owner’s manual that covers the basics like pairing, functionalities, and trouble shooting.

Accessories

With the Garmin Alpha 10 handheld just being released, there are only a few accessories available for it. One accessory that our general manager, Steven Stiner, used a lot when testing the Alpha 10 handheld was the new Alpha 10 suction cup car mount.

“When coyote hunting, I used the Alpha 10 with the suction cup car mount and mounted it to my windshield and left it plugged into the truck. With it mounted to the windshield, I’m able to consistently have it paired up with my DriveTrack 71 navigation system. This saves time when getting in and out of the vehicle to not have to repair my Alpha 200i handheld with the DriveTrack 71 each time I get out of range.” – Steven Stiner, LCS General Manager

We also like the Garmin Retractable Lanyard and the Garmin Quick Release Lanyard when wearing the handheld around our necks or to securely anchor the handheld to our hunting vest in the event that it manages to fall out of your vest pocket.

Conclusion

With the Alpha 10’s compact design, 40 hour battery life, and $399.99 price point, we think this handheld is going to be a great choice for many of our customers. It has all the great features of an Alpha 100 in a much smaller, compact design. We look forward to seeing what all of our customers think of this newest addition to the Garmin lineup of dog tracking and training products.

What are your thoughts on this handheld? Leave a comment below!

Thank you for reading, we hope this article did a good job introducing you to the Alpha 10 handheld. For further information and comparisons see: Garmin Alpha 100 vs Alpha 10 Handhelds and Garmin Handheld Comparison Guide (article coming soon).

• Michael Cassatt, LCS Director of Marketing

LCS Trade-In Program

Are you looking to get the new Garmin Alpha 10 handheld, but already have an older Garmin handheld or maybe even the latest Alpha 200i? Lion Country Supply accepts trade-ins on Tri-Tronics and Garmin E-Collar systems, extra collars, and handhelds. The trade-in value you receive can be used on your purchase of the Garmin Alpha 10 handheld or other Garmin systems through Lion Country Supply. We will be accepting both working AND non-working electronics. Please include chargers and accessories if available. More information on the trade in program see, LCS Trade-In Program.