PACSGUY

You can go back and find those and get rid of your DNF's. You'll get the hang of it!!!

Sounds like you should look at an eTrex 20. The Garmin is a bit less clicky than the Magellan. In the woods however, the Garmin 62xx are expensive but very capable in heavy cover. All GPS units, unless your Bill Gates are going to have issues if they can't "see" the satellites. As to accuracy, it is very difficult if not impossible to gauge a GPS's accuracy finding a new cache due to not knowing if the hider purposely stood back to make it more difficult or had a unit that he/she didn't let settle before taking the way-point Etc. The good reviewers track a given know track, with 50-100 way-points over a mile or more then gauge how a device tracks this line. All of the GPS do very well. The less expensive GPS's are going to bounce quite a bit when maneuvering around a cache area. The better ones can compensate a bit better for this. If stability, hence accuracy is your big thing I would look into the 62 series Garmin if you want to spend that much. I used one for a couple caches in Fl under oaks and was impressed with how it responded. I can't recall all the clicking that one had to do but the owners manual should give you a hint. If you don't care to spend the money on the 62 then the truth is I didn't see that much difference in the eTrex and the Oregon. The tracking tests bear this out. Best of luck..have fun. Your story is similar to mine, I'm just a month ahead of you.... PACSGUY

You have a wise friend. It's not unlike a smartphone, if all you do is use it as a phone then you don't need the latest most expensive one. That said... Since you said money is no object, I'd get the base Montana over the Oregon...better screen. If you go that way.

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Thanks for the input, all. PacsGuy, You're spot on about the amount of marketing 'info' out there. It's mind-boggling! Here's another question - how to decide b/w models? You suggest these: 310/510 and the Garmin eTrex 10/20/30. I see that there are differences between the models - some appear significant, but I can't figure out what's a 'must have' vs a 'nice to have' Thank you! Nancy & Kiyo, Deaf Dog Extraordinaire The Magellan has better maps out of the box. Garmin is notorious for charging big money for maps. There are free maps out there such as open street maps. The base maps are totally fine for GC. The Garmin has more customization features. GPS Tracklog (http://gpstracklog.com/category/geocaching) is a good place to look at GC specific issues. What features you need is a tough one. I personally would not get a Magellan Explorist GC because it is not good for hiking, mapping, planning Etc. Even though I don't intend to do these things anymore today, tomorrow is another day so I might. I just don't like being stuck! If you know you won't want to use it for other than GC, the Magellan GC should be on your list, because of cost. Read GPS Tracklog, they do a good job. Then go to Best Buy and Radio Shack. Best Buy will/should have the Magellan 310 and GC and RS may have an eTrex (mine locally do). Better deals online to purchase but you can hold then and see what they are up close. Luck, PACSGUY

There is a lot of noise and marketing garbage out there for about anything you try to research. On GPS units, the Magellan GC is the lowest cost one I would consider if you want a GPS for caching only. It has limited functionality for non geocaching uses. The next level of GPS that are not specifically designed for caching, but are geocaching friendly in all aspects, are the Magellan 310/510 and the Garmin eTrex 10/20/30. These will do anything you will ever need to do and are fairly easy to start up and use. I have had several, broke or lost them so this time around I got out of the high end GPS market and got a Garmin eTrex 20. I chose it over the Magellan due to the buttons being on the side rather than in the front,,,big hands. Congrats Kiyo!!! Have fun!

Get GArmin Basecamp (free). It will import the PQ and then send to the GPS. I have had issues with the drag into the folder method with my eTrex 20. I use GSAK mostly but for my car GPS and sometimes the eTRex I'll use Basecamp.

Geocaching.com has their own app so it works well, I use cachesense when I don't have my GPS. Both are 9 dollars US or so. The only issue with using a phone with GPS assist is the interference you will get when under/around trees or buildings Etc. This is called GPS bounce by folks in blogs, forums Etc. It is when the distance changes or track changes back and forth. All GPS units or phones will do this to some extent but a true GPS can lessen this effect and track better. That said, a lot of people only use phones. The Megellan GC or the Garmin eTrex 10 or 20 are lower cost and will do all you will ever need to do and are fairly simple to setup and use. Best of luck!! I just took my metal detector back to the store...after 50 or so can tops I had had enough...LOL. I'll stick to geocaching.

A wise Geocacher...were all in trouble.. Much fun and success Goldstalker!! Name sounds like your a metal detector guy

I took my mother-in-law out with my kids to get a cache. Lovely woman, but a germophobe extrodinaire. There was small bottle of water in there, still fresh and (from the logs) left within the previous week or two. I grabbed the bottle and drank it down. She was completely mortified and blamed all my illnesses over the next year on this act. A PA cacher, Waterboy, has left a bottle of water at every cache he's found since he started in 2001. He does a lot of his caching in northern NJ. Some years ago he hit about a dozen caches in a state forest and left his trademark water bottles at each one. A few months later another cacher unwisely headed out on a steaming hot summer day without any water. He eagerly drank every bottle of water he found at each cache in the park. Being that it was a 10+ mile hike it might have saved him from getting in serious trouble. Stupid is as stupid does...

You can add caches to it just like any GPS. (Geocaching.com> Hide and Seek a cache)You will be in manual mode meaning you have to keep up with what you find on paper so you can log it all later on the website. Read the Learn tab. I use a 50LM sometimes. It is OK for easy to find urban caches or along roads and such where the cache location is pretty obvious. There should be a pedestrian mode on it, this helps, after you get close switch to this mode. The big issue is the handhelds have greater sensitivity so you get some "bouncing" (distance to go changes, direction might change back and forth) but many here in FL use car GPS units just fine. You'll get used to it quick enough. Good luck and have fun!!

I took my mother-in-law out with my kids to get a cache. Lovely woman, but a germophobe extrodinaire. There was small bottle of water in there, still fresh and (from the logs) left within the previous week or two. I grabbed the bottle and drank it down. She was completely mortified and blamed all my illnesses over the next year on this act. Your killing me...ROFL

Sardines?? LMAO..Don't think I'd eat out of a cache..just saying

That's why CG's (and Ninja) hate crunchy leaves....

LMAO

That sounds pretty cool. We have one near us that a Vet sees cachers on his outside security cams....good luck!

That's why I think power trails should be moved to their own website. Power trail "caching" has very little to do with geocaching. With the latter the point is to actually find geocaches. If not another site a different icon and map ...brilliant!!

I didn't see the event till a couple days before, in hindsight I wished I had gone. Saw several folks out CG during the day going or coming from the event. I did do a small string that was very neat. Had very different hides, containers and such. There is another PT called scientific method, sounds like it is pretty good. I am going today to downtown Lakeland to and around the places you mentioned. Glad you enjoyed the area.........

I see different references to in topics about finding caches with problems and what the finder should do. Examples.. PT where they are widening the road and it will remove 20 to 30 out of 80 Logs are mush Logs are very wet but may dry and be usable Container sun rotted or cracked Log full, otherwise fine. Cache is tossed on the ground several feet away from post or tree where it probably was set and in a area where the county mows the grass I started 3 yrs ago doing only hiking stuff, quit for a couple years and back doing whatever I see on the map. I was told when I started to try to help keep the stuff you find in good condition so they are there for the next GC'r. Replace bad logs, containers if you have the right one Etc. See post saying you shouldn't touch anything, just put a need maintenance. What's the best thing?

I'm in Lakeland...there are lots of PT for sure

I am a Leave No Trace trainer, well was, for Boy Scout Leaders. Cacher's are not the only issue with damage to parks and property but there are bad eggs for sure. I have seen several hedges and other landscapes severely damaged from searching for caches. I just saw one today in fact in a grocery store lot. There are so many places to do this it just isn't necessary to use bushes and such around stores.

Not to mention you look like an idiot searching for them. Yea I don't like it either even if no damage.

And if you have a 20, the compass needs to be calibrated per the quick start guide.

That's a good idea...would be a neat cache...

Of course the eTrex 20 isn't touchscreen but I got it cause it is a lot better visibility in the sunlight. I'm in Fla. The Dakota I couldn't see the screen in the store. Im old. The eTrex has been a pleasant surprise. Easy to get used to and does all you can possibly want to do in GC. Alandb is absolutely correct. If I didn't have a planned trip and didn't need a GPS quickly last week, I would have ordered an Oregon. The prices are excellent for the non topo units. eTrex was the only thing around. HAd to drive 60 miles for it.