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Dumb question, I want WAAS turned on right? My new GPS had it turned off be default. What about Map Datum? It is defaulted to WGS 84 and Map Spheroid, it is defaulted to WGS 84, are those the settings I want for Geocaching? Thanks!

I just a got a new Garmin 450 and I have seen mention of "free maps" here before. I really don't want to pay for maps for my handheld but if there lesser quality existing free ones for a good source I wouldn't mind having them. Am I making things up or do free maps exist?

I recently bought a Garmin 450 and so far I love it. One small problem though, it claims to have a 3 axis compass that will point in the direction of the cords even while standing still. This doesn't seem to work though. While using the compass while driving it works great but when at a stop light the arrow seems to stop point in the right direction and just lazily wonders off pointing in a completely new direction. Sometimes directly behind me. Then when I start to drive again it slowy fixes itself and starts to point in the right direction again. Is this due to a setting I need to turn on or something?

Thanks for all of the information, I purchased a 450 and am waiting for it to arrive!

OK thank you very much for all of this information. I am leaning toward the 450, but I do have one concern and that is about durbility. I would assume that it is water proof but what about shock impacts, if I drop the thing on pavement would it break? It just looks a little more delicate as compared to the 60CSX.

I believe that poster meant 3 axis compass. Oregon 450t has a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you’re standing still, without having to hold the unit level. Oh cool, so to confirm the 450 will show an accurate heading even if I am not moving?

Not much, if any, differance in accuracy between the 60CSx and Oregon 450. Big differance is the Oregon 450 allows paperless caching, touch screen interface, 3-D compass, and larger screen. The 60CSx is a proven unit that tends to be the industry standard for consumer handheld units. Even though it's screen is smaller than the Oregon 450 it is brighter. With the Oregon 450 you really don't need your iPhone for caching, since the 450 will have all of the information you need about a cache. I have an Oregon 450 and think it's a super unit for geocaching. OldA'sFan Thanks for the reply, what is a 3D compass?

Hello all, my wife and I have been geocacheing off and on for about 2 years but this summer we want to really have at it. We currently use a Garmin GPSMap 60 (the green unit) and an iPhone with the app. From what I have read my older unit is not as accurate on an overcast day or in the woods as the newer units such as the ones I listed in the topic. From what I understand mine does not include a "high sensitivity antenna" that the newer ones use. That being the case my budget is around $300 and I found the 60CSX for $300 and the 450 for $320ish. We don't need street routing as I have a Nuvi 200 for that. We generally follow the direction of the arrow on the 60 and I match that up with the avaliable streets displayed on the Nuvi 200 to get to the cache, I know some of the newer units could allow me street routing to the POI but we consider working out how to get there part of the fun so that will save me some money. Also since we have the iPhone app we generally use that to fine caches around us and enter the cords on the GPS. With the new unit I plan to load a PQ for the generally area we are going to cache in, then use the iPhone to find a cache around us and find that cache in the new GPS from the loaded PQ and head for it. Does this seem like a good plan? That being said, I think my best options in that price range are the 60CSX or the 450. Of those which do you think would serve me best with the information above? Went enter field notes and read descriptions on the iPhone so I guess I am more interested in accuracy than user interface on the GPSr. Any advice is appreciated.