Price: $300 for collar, $400+ for handheld depending on model
Subscription plan: N/A
Tracking speeds: Dynamic tracking, 30-second location refresh when the dog is not moving, and a 2.5-second location refresh when the dog is in motion
Battery life: Up to 68 hours with standard battery pack
Water resistant: Yes, 1ATM (1 atmosphere of pressure at sea level, or roughly up to 10m of water)
Weight: 8.4 ounces with transmitter, antenna, and collar
Cellular networks used: None, satellite and radio connections

The Garmin Alpha T 20 is a satellite GPS collar that works really well for hikes and camping trips in the mountains, in the middle of the desert, or in other remote places where cell service is unlikely. It’s also one of the only GPS dog collar options on the market that doesn’t require a monthly subscription fee, but it comes with a few caveats. 

This collar requires a separate Garmin handheld device to function, and we tested it with the Alpha 10 handheld, which is the cheapest option at $400. This is the main caveat to the cost: even though it doesn’t require a monthly subscription like the Alpha LTE, it does require the large upfront purchase of both the collar and the handheld. 

This collar was designed for hunting dogs, similar to some of the features in the Alpha LTE. It has tracking alerts for pointing and treeing if you’re actually using it to hunt, and it works well at further distances, telling you how many yards away your dog is and in what direction. This makes it handy for keeping an eye on wide-ranging breeds, like Pointers and Spaniels, who want to run big. 

This collar can also be paired with the Garmin LTE for additional reliability and coverage. If thinking about them as single devices, the T 20 is bigger, bulkier, and more expensive upfront than the Garmin LTE, but it’s better suited for remote areas out of cell range. It’s the winner of best for rural areas in our Bet GPS Dog Collars guide.