I also have a Springer. I put the transmitter for her e-collar in the same pocket I put my phone in when running the Pathfinder. My vest has a pocket designed for an e-collar transmitter. I put both the transmitter and my phone in there when I’m hunting. I prefer it to a lanyard.
As you’ve pointed out a lot of this is personal preference. If you have concerns with seeing your phone screen but your Alpha screen works for you then the Pathfinder may not be for you. If you like carrying your transmitter around your neck the Pathfinder may not be for you.
I chose the Pathfinder because I find the price tag on the Garmin and now even the Sportdog way too much to stomach. I am a basic trainer and really only use the e-collar for emergencies (roads, private property boundaries, etc.). Most of my training is with a check cord and repition in the backyard. All I was looking for was a device that would track my dog accurately. So far the Pathfinder has worked for me. It tracks my dog accurately, has good battery life, is waterproof, and has a very serviceable e-collar.
I will say this. I hunted grouse in the woods last fall and I did not like it there. If I was primarily a ruffed grouse hunter I would go with something else. I hunt mostly pheasants and quail. My dog usually works between 100 and 250 yards and I can usually see her. In the woods I was constantly on my phone tracking the dog. That may have been because I was a rookie pointing dog guy. When hunting pheasant and quail I did not rely on the device nearly as much.
I think a guy would have to figure out what they wanted and go from there. Certainly the Pathfinder has limitations. But the device has been a reliable performer for me.
