Still Have Not Decided On A Unit?

[Team Toy Story]

I know this is probably the best place to learn about specific units but does any one know of any websites that review GPS units so i can see every thing side by side. Im so confused at what to get!!!!.....................THANKS

[+briansnat]

It all depends on your planned use and budget. Nearly any handheld unit from Garmin, Magellan or Lowrance will work for geocaching.

 

If all you want to do is geocache, a you can find a unit for under $100 that will do the job (yellow eTrex, Magellan eXplorist 100, Lowrance iFinder Go). All are basic units.

 

Spending more money doesn't provide more accuracy, just more features. At minimum you should purchase a GPS that will hook up to your PC so you can dowload waypoints. of the above mentioned units, only the yellow eTrex will do that).

 

Some other good, basic units that allow for PC connectivity are the Garmin Geko 201 and Garmin GPS 60.

 

Going up a level gives you mapping. A very handy feature. The Garmin eTrex Legend is probably the most popular budget maping GPS (it runs around $130). The Lowrance iFinder H20 is also a good budget unit as the price has come down a lot since the color version was released. The H20 Plus package includes the mapping software in the price. Other popular units in this category are the Magellan Sportrak Map and Sportrak Pro.

 

Spend some more and you get more map memory, color screens, USB connections, auto routing (turn by turn directions to a destination), electronic magnetic compasses and other nifty things. When you get into the more expensive units you'll find many uses for them beyond geocaching. Some popular units here are the Garmin Map 60, Map60C(s), Map 76C(s), Magellan Meridian series, Magellan eXplorist 500 and 600, Lowrance iFinder PHD and Hunt, and the Garmin Legend C and Vista C.

 

Garmin's website allows you to compare the specs of their units side by side. Google turned up this website that has GPS reviews and of course places like Amazon.com have customer reviews of their products.

 

Oh and I'm moving this to the appropriate forum.

Edited December 5, 2005 by briansnat

[+BlueDeuce]

Well, tell us how much you want to spend and how you want to use it. (auto-routing, topo mapping, ATV, boating, back woods hiking, day hikes, etc)

[+Jhwk]

GPSinfo is a good place to start - a bit dated, but has most of the current models reviewed.

 

Linky

[Team Toy Story]

I think i have it narrowed down to the Legend series im just not sure if i want to pop for the color screen, along with caching i would like to use it for fishing and hunting, but im not even sure what maps i would use nore do i know what 8MB will hold versus the Legend C, it seems to have a bigger memory. Any pros or cons you folks can think of???????

[Team Toy Story]

Heres something I forgot to add.....Im planning on buying my brother a unit also and im leaning toward the Legend if I bought the Legend C for myself and say he went out and bought some cool software for it ..........could I borrow it from him???????Or do they frown upon stuff like that............

[+briansnat]

Heres something I forgot to add.....Im planning on buying my brother a unit also and im leaning toward the Legend if I bought the Legend C for myself and say he went out and bought some cool software for it ..........could I borrow it from him???????Or do they frown upon stuff like that............

Depends on the software. If you were to get Mapsource City Select you get two unlock codes, meaning you can use it on two units. I don't think its written anywhere that both units have to be yours. (unrelated note: Personally, I wouldn't put City Select on a regularl Legend though, particularly if I lived in a major population center. It can eat up a lot of memory quickly).

 

Mapsource Topo doesn't have any unlock codes so you can put it on as many units as you like, but I think that putting it on someone else's unit could be a copyright infringement

[+briansnat]

I think i have it narrowed down to the Legend series im just not sure if i want to pop for the color screen, along with caching i would like to use it for fishing and hunting, but im not even sure what maps i would use nore do i know what 8MB will hold versus the Legend C, it seems to have a bigger memory. Any pros or cons you folks can think of???????

Legend C is a much better unit overall. It has 3 times the map memory of the Legend, it has improved reception, has a much faster USB connecton (the Legend uses serial) and does autorouting.

 

The only advantage the regular Legend has is that it holds 1,000 waypoints to the "C's" 500.

[+Sputnik 57]

Does any one know of any websites that review GPS units so i can see every thing side by side?

Something like this? Its a little dated but a pretty good overview.

[+vaetanone]

And tell me again why I should be overly concerned about copyright for a company that prevents putting third party maps on their product?

[+BlueDeuce]

I know it's worse than attempting to high-jack a thread.

Edited December 5, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+JohnnyVegas]

And tell me again why I should be overly concerned about copyright for a company that prevents putting third party maps on their product?

As far as the OP question, the Legend C would be a better choice, I also thing the C has USB suport were the std legen only has a std serial port suport.

 

 

And why should they allow you to place third party software in your GPS, They manufactured it, they put the money into R&D. Besides, when they price the GPS they are going to figure future sales of software into their bottom line. I guess they sould offer thied party software, but I am sure it could double the price of the GPS.