I have a VX-8DR that I use as my primary HT. I like APRS... my family can see wherever I am at any time, and it's far more reliable in rural Washington state. Of course, my Spot II supersedes APRS for tracking purposes. I have also used the text messaging capabilities... you can send a short text message to an email address and receive a short text message... very handy when out in the boonies far away from cell coverage. I've set up power cables for all of my HTs with an SAE connector so I can plug them into the battery tender adapter on my motorcycles or ATVs (and can plug in other things, e.g., cell phones or GPS through 12v/USB adapters, etc). I also have a modified solar panel that puts out 2A at 13.8v, with an SAE connector, so I can charge things from the sun.
What's nice about the VX-8DR versus, say, a VX-7 or another HT is that you don't have to dedicate it to APRS... you can have vox conversations on it also. My previous APRS HT was my Icom T90A with a TNC and the appropriate cables... it worked but was cumbersome.
I like the VX-8 because my mobile is an FTM-350R and it's nice to get a distance and bearing on the other radio. I have three different HTs now because I acquired them organically (unplanned), and am thinking about standardizing on the VX8-GR for my wife and son, and selling the VX-7R and T90A. That way, we can find each other if we're within simplex range, or utilize the APRS network if we're not. I do wish Yaesu had given the opportunity to use the TNC in the VX-8s for packet radio... I can see how packet radio and the HF digital modes like PSK31 would most likely be the common modes after SHTF... and of course there's also the option of CW sending and receiving/decoding via sound card.