Track and Train with the New Garmin Alpha 10

Sporting dog owners who need to keep a virtual eye on their dog in the field, and have the ability to instantly apply a correction should take a close look at the Alpha 10, Garmin’s newest, compact track-and-train e-collar. The lightweight transmitter is smaller than a deck of cards, and gives complete control and one-look tracking at the hunter’s fingertips. It can also pair up with many personal electronics for enhanced dog tracking, or link to a compatible Garmin unit as a buddy-tracking system.

MSRP $400 | garmin.com

“When outdoors with your dogs, your activity may change, but one thing remains constant — the need to quickly determine their location and help keep them safe,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “The Alpha 10 provides outdoor enthusiasts with a unique dog tracking and training solution for various situations. Additionally, its compact design allows users to go light, go far, and engage with Alpha 10 only when wanted or needed.”

The heart of the Alpha 10 is the compact transmitter, which weighs just 5.6 ounces and measures an amazing 2.6 inches tall. It fits easily in the pocket of game vest, or clips conveniently out of the way. Its controls are intuitive and easy to use with both tone and vibration functions, as well as 18 levels of momentary and continuous stimulation. If there’s one suggestion we have for the engineers, it’s creating a larger or more tactile stimulation button, which does take a second to find when transitioning from shotgun to transmitter in high-pressure hunting situations. That said, we understand this is less a hardcore training collar and more of a serious tracking device, and that’s where the Alpha 10 shines. 

The face of the transmitter features an easy-to-view display that provides both a directional arrow and distance to dogs using a 2.5-second update rate. The high-contrast screen is visible even in low-light conditions. Hound hunters will appreciate the Alpha 10’s ability to track and train packs as large as 20 dogs at distance up to nine miles in ideal terrain. Designed for easy operation, the Alpha 10 can quickly switch between dogs using the unit’s on-device toggle key. Maximum battery life of up to 40 hours of use and a water-rating of IPX7 means the Alpha 10 will stand up to the demands of serious hunting and training conditions.

Garmin packed the Alpha 10 with the most modern mapping and comm features, giving hunters the ability to use any Garmin Explore-equipped device to map their location. Pair it with a compatible smartphone, tablet or Garmin device – whether it’s the users or a hunting partners – to view their locations. Optional devices include compatible Garmin smartwatchs, such as Instinct, fēnix or tactix; Garmin DriveTrack system; Montana 700 or Tread series units.