Survey: Which Gps Fits Best In/on Belt/pocket?

[+SunnyWalker]

Which GPS Unit fits in a nice little canvas/leather/you-get-my-drift pouch on your belt? I have been thinking I would buy the Merigold but I might get impaled on it if I try to carry it on a belt pouch.

-SunnyWalker

[+Miragee]

Some GPSr units get better reception when held face-up, like my Garmin Vista C. It is nice and small and is easy to carry that way.

 

If I need my hands free for rock scrambling, it fits nicely, face-up, in the handle of a Case Logic camera case I have on the belt of my fanny pack.

Edited March 11, 2006 by Miragee

[+SunnyWalker]

Yeah, I find I really like that about the Garmins-they are so easy to carry in the pocket. Must be handy on the belt to. I guess I did not realize about how they must be carried. Is there a Garmin model where it does not matter if you carry it vertically or horizontally?

 

-SunnyWalker

[+briansnat]

Any unit with a patch antenna (i.e. Lowrance, eTrex, Magellan eXplorist). will work better face up to the sky. That said, the eTrex C units seem to be less sensitive to position and work much better when held vertically than the older eTrex units.

[GeoidPS]

I use the belt clip provided with my 60cs. I attach it to my waist strap on my backpack. It sits in front of me to the side which makes it very easy to clip and unclip as needed. I used it this way in Shenandoah NP last month and it always kept locks on satellites.

Now I wonder, do the higher end units (besides the x series) have better sensitivity?

[Grasscatcher]

Another thought.....consider a model that is compatible with an external antenna......then you can carry it , clip it. stick it in a inside pocket, whatever .....and the sensitivity is always the same, and both hands can be free.

[+GOT GPS?]

I'm guessing you just want to carry a GPS on the belt, not being turned ON.

 

I found the Map60C, and Map60Cx, easy to carry in it's canvas case on the belt, and still be able to get in the car, and buckle up, but I ripped open a canvas carry case, trying to carry the Map76S, on the belt, that GPS is just to big, to even try to keep on the belt, because the canvas case had shredden, when getting in and out of the car.

 

The small eXplorists units are easy to carry on the belt, but not the eXplorist XL, or the Meridians.

 

So I vote the 60 series GPS units.

[+SunnyWalker]

Thanks for the feedback friends. I have written else where on this forum that I was thinking only about Magellans. But I have started to look at Garmins now.

 

Factors for me have been: Weight, battery type, size to fit in pocket or on belt.

Givens are: Unit must be able to plug into a PC for obvious reasons.

 

Magellan choice: Exp 210

Garmin: I'm looking.

 

I was very interested in the merigolds for a while but their size and weight finally made me discard purchasing one of them.

 

I am so intrigued by the idea of using a GPS in hiking. I am a member of Outward Bound, have done Mtn climing with younger, hiked a lot and consider myself very adept at map and compass. I am always prepared in that regard.

 

The GPS would enhance my outdoor experience in many ways as well as being a neat toy to utilize. Any feedback on the above would be appreciated. SunnyWalker

[+SunnyWalker]

I ended up purchasing an XL I find that if I carry it in my pocket it is ok, but it fills up a pocket. In my fannypack it works great. I mean, it will still track and everything right through the fabric of the fanny pack. So I will probably carry it there. Neat.

 

SunnyWalker

[+Lasagna]

Thanks for the feedback friends. I have written else where on this forum that I was thinking only about Magellans. But I have started to look at Garmins now.

 

Factors for me have been: Weight, battery type, size to fit in pocket or on belt.

Givens are: Unit must be able to plug into a PC for obvious reasons.

 

Magellan choice: Exp 210

Garmin: I'm looking.

 

I was very interested in the merigolds for a while but their size and weight finally made me discard purchasing one of them.

 

I am so intrigued by the idea of using a GPS in hiking. I am a member of Outward Bound, have done Mtn climing with younger, hiked a lot and consider myself very adept at map and compass. I am always prepared in that regard.

 

The GPS would enhance my outdoor experience in many ways as well as being a neat toy to utilize. Any feedback on the above would be appreciated. SunnyWalker

 

If you're looking for small, compact, and good reception ... you can beat the Vista C/Cx. The older eTrex series suffered in their ability to obtain / maintain a quick lock on satellites, but the newer "C" family (Cx if you want the expandable memory) are great. The Garmin 60/76 families have better reception in dense foliage because of the change in antenna type and have a slightly richer feature set, but at more cost and a larger size. For it's size, the eTrex are great.

[+timk54]

I have found through experience that belt clip cases have a drawback. I have had my cell phone and my Vista Cx pulled from my belt as I crawled over rocks and through dense brush. I now clip a caribiner to the long wrist strap that is connected to the GPSr case. Then wear the GPSr on my belt with the caribiner clipped to a belt loop. The strap is long enough to allow me to hold the GPSr in my hand and navigate. Should the unit slip off my belt the strap/caribiner keeps me from losing it. It also keeps me from being stupid and leaving the GPSr behind after I sign the log and rehide the cache.

[+Team Cotati]

My Meridian Gold of course!

[+SunnyWalker]

I just discovered that Magellan now is offering a clip case for the eXplorist that "fits" on the belt. I (mistake) ordered one and will let you know how it works. I have since discovered the same item for almost half of what Mag is asking at Amazon.com

 

SunnyWalker

[SandyGarrity]

Mine is clipped on the shoulder strap of my rucsack. Easy to get hold of but do add a small chord incase you drop it.

[+SunnyWalker]

Will do, thanks Sandy.

 

SunnyWalker

[+Ben Nevis]

I use a Garmin Foretrex 201. I wear it on my wrist. It seems to do the trick. Does anyone else use one

[+SunnyWalker]

That must be nice to have it on your wrist, easy to refer to. Does the face get scratched up or anything like that?

 

-SunnyWalker

[+Miragee]

Not if you get one of these for it.

[Backroad43]

I have a relatively new (6 mos) Legend Cx that works just fine vertically.

 

al

[+drbugs]

I have a 60cx, and I typically use the belt clip that it comes with if I'm doing a lot of hiking/walking. When I get close, I just hold the gps in my hand.

[+ncfiddler]

The 60csx is very non-obtrusive on a belt clip. Also thanks for the suggestion about clipping the wrist cord with a caribiner. I've noticed that the belt clip sometimes has a tendency to slide a little.

[+sbell111]

My trail unit is a Geko 301. It fits easily in my pocket or I can clip it to my belt or pack strap using a Krusell multidapt belt clip or the one that Garmin offers.