Magellan Vs Garmin

[+iyq]

Hi Y'all,

I'm new at Geocaching but have owned a Magellan 330 for a couple of years. I notice that most of you use a Garmin GPS. Other than my Magellan being a little slow to Initialize is there any advantage in changing to a Garmin GPS? Patter

[+webscouter.]

Magellan tends to hold a signal longer but because of the algorithm used sometimes overshoots the target. Also when it does loose the signal some times it doesn't let you know because it tries to "predict" where you are by your past movements. It also has some nice features when looking at the waypoints such as showing the comments in addition to the waypoint name.

 

Garmin will loose lock quicker (except for the new X units that have a SIRF III chipset in them) But it tends to be more accurate when moving. Also it has a geocaching specific mode. Garmin service is also hands down better than Magellan service.

 

Other than that it is pretty much a "I like how this feels, looks, or the interface is more intuitive for me" choice.

[+budd-rdc]

It's Magellan vs. Garmin almost every time I'm out Geocaching, since I use both units simultaneously - Magellan GPS Companion attached to a Handspring Visor, and a Garmin eTrex Summit, both released in 2000. I've also had chances to observe many other models in hands of cachers:

 

Magellan: Meridian Platinum, Sportrak Pro, eXplorist 500

Garmin: Geko 201, GPSmap 60c/60cx, eTrex Yellow, Legend (Blue), Vista C, and III

 

My non-technical observation is that Magellans have better hardware (reception) and Garmins have better software (interface, quicker update of coordinates), but that line is blurring now. They are all accurate if you take the time to learn the units' behaviors, and know the environment you are in.

[+Renegade Knight]

Hi Y'all,

I'm new at Geocaching but have owned a Magellan 330 for a couple of years. I notice that most of you use a Garmin GPS. Other than my Magellan being a little slow to Initialize is there any advantage in changing to a Garmin GPS? Patter

 

If you are used to Magellan then there is no advantage to switching to a Garmin.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Use your Magellan 330 for now to see if you are going to stay with geocaching. The 330 will work just fine while you get started, You may find you will never need to buy another GPS. IF you decide you want a GPS with more bells and whistles later, You will find it very easy to stick with another Magellan GPS, You will already now how to use the new one, the Button layout on the magellan units does not really change all that much.

 

What people post in the forums may not be a very accurate indication of what is being used, those of use that spend to much time in forums do not represent a very large percentage of geocachers in the world.

[+briansnat]

Magellan and Garmin units are both good. Magellan does some things better than Garmin, while Garmin is stronger in other areas. There would be an advantage in switching to Garmin if the things that Garmin does better than Magellan are important to you.

 

 

I'm moving this to the GPS Units and Software forum

[rynd]

Use your Magellan 330 for now to see if you are going to stay with geocaching. The 330 will work just fine while you get started, You may find you will never need to buy another GPS. IF you decide you want a GPS with more bells and whistles later, You will find it very easy to stick with another Magellan GPS, You will already now how to use the new one, the Button layout on the magellan units does not really change all that much.

 

What people post in the forums may not be a very accurate indication of what is being used, those of use that spend to much time in forums do not represent a very large percentage of geocachers in the world.

 

I agree use what you have and if you decide you wan't/need more, worry about it then. Like someone said in another post, it's a lot like the Coke vs Pepsi debate: it comes down to personal tastes.

[+iyq]

Thanks Folks,

Your replies give me plenty of food for thought. To tell you the truth I was kind of hoping I could find an excuse to buy a new GPS. Patter

[-Oz-]

I urge you to read the Magellan handhelds, a dying breed thread

[+JohnnyVegas]

Well I would not put much into that thread. Magellan has never offered a large selection of Hand Held units.

How many cars does Porche make compared to Ford or Chevy, Look at all the problems people have had with Fors and Chevy's compared to Porche, sometimes having just a few procusts to concentrate on is a good thing.

 

Most people that post in these threads do not know what they are talking about when it comes to the GPS market place. It is not uncommon to see some yahoo recomend a $400 or $500 GPS for a first time buyer. Your use to the Magellan so stick with the magellan. It would make no sense to buy a new GPS without using the one you have now.

[Jeepers4340]

Well I would not put much into that thread. Magellan has never offered a large selection of Hand Held units.

How many cars does Porche make compared to Ford or Chevy, Look at all the problems people have had with Fords and Chevy's compared to Porche, sometimes having just a few products to concentrate on is a good thing.

 

That is not a fair comparison, Porsche does not directly compete with chevy and ford except in the exoticar class(vette and gt). However to use your comparison, I'll take my (chevy)garmin etrex that is designed to be a little consistant workhorse over a(porsche)magellan that like the porsche, is a little particular and finicky.

 

However, I have to agree with JohnnyVegas, go with what ya' know baby. Its all in what you are used to.

Edited March 26, 2006 by Team B & J

[+The Forester]

I've owned both Garmins and Magellans over the past 16 years.

 

The most notable difference is in the aftersales service. Garmin is superb. Magellan's customer service, in my experience on both sides of the Atlantic, is somewhere between lousy and non-existent.

[+vaetanone]

Agree 100% with the Forester. I owned a Magellan for a (very) short time because of serious problems and NO service. When I had a question on my Garmin I got a quick answer and a personal e-mail address to use if I had further problems. The gist to take from the thread mentioned is not the number of different units from each but the LOUSY service from Magellan.

[+Velleluvr]

Actually, on a side note I use a Lawrence, and my caching buddies use Garmin, I have noticed every single time, I had a better accuracy, I have never had my unit off by 4 meters on any cache so far (I have done about 60 of them).

 

food for thought.

[+TeamCNJC]

Actually, on a side note I use a Lawrence, and my caching buddies use Garmin, I have noticed every single time, I had a better accuracy, I have never had my unit off by 4 meters on any cache so far (I have done about 60 of them).

 

food for thought.

 

Interesting observation - I wonder how many caches were placed with a Lowrence? I'm guessing the vast majority were placed with a Garmin or Magellan, and I would doubt any signficant difference between placing and finding a cache, at least in terms of GPSr accuracy. Then again, there's averaging...

 

FWIW.

[coelacanth]

You can not compare Magellan & Garmin.

I had the misfortune to buy a 320 as my first GPS. Mistake 1.

Then as I was new to this all, I emailed Magellan headoffice asking if there was any software availible to use with it. To quote the lengthy reply "None". ( I should be grateful I go that!). The very next day I found Ozi-Explorer.

The battery holder with its springs on the same side was a design flaw as they broke within a couple of months. When I emailed Magellan to suggest a change, there was not even an acknowledgement this time.

18 months later the screen started to flicker then died!

When contacted the Magellan agents were quick to tell me it was out of guarantee! (even though I had not said a word about this) Then they told me the could not fix it as it was sealed. They offered me a reconditioned one at 66% of the purchase price plus my model. How can you recondition if you can not open the model?

I finally discovered that there was a head office. On contacting them, I got the same run around. Finally they agree to look at it. I was then contacted to tell me that I had dropped it! ( The most it could have fallen was 2m from my boat as it was used at sea.) That was by the by, as they touted this GPS as an outdoors model and shock resistant, so a small fall should not have caused harm. When I said it had not been dropped, I was told that the bottom left corner was marked. ( This was a chafe mark from the storage case I kept it in with my Lowrence fish finder). I was offered various obsolete models ( that were fixed position models requiring large power supplies). After another 18 months, the person I was dealing with disappeared from the scene, and no one knew where my GPS was. To this day I ain't got no satisfaction.

(apologies to old Rubberlips - Mick Jagger).

In the end I bought a Garmin Legend as I had heard of their good service. ( A friend's one started malfunctioning after 18 months and they replaced it even though it was out of garantee).

I have had no problems up to now. ( just the rubber surround that has torn from constant use of a power/data cable which the agents say is quite easily remedied)

There is an exellent website, plenty of complementary software, many of which seem to indicate that Garmin is the preferred make.

I am now thinking of upgrading and it will be another Garmin.

 

To sum up, if you knowingly buy Magellan, you deserve all you get.

[+Woodbutcher68]

I bought my Magellan GPS315 5 years ago to use while fishing, then I discovered Geocashing. Except for a couple of scratches on the screen, no problems. I bought a refurbished Meriplat in February, again, no problems. I use the 315 as a backup and have used it to place 3 caches.

I was working at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer when the Mercury Sables came out. A new Sable was being delivered and couldn't be backed off the truck, the transmission was broke, so we pushed it off and ordered a new transmission. There's good and bad in everything you buy.

If you look at the topics in this section, you'll see more threads about Garmins than Magellans, and they aren't all praise!

Maybe I'm just lucky!

Edited April 8, 2006 by Woodbutcher68

[coelacanth]

Woodbutcher,

You are perfectly correct. When my 320 worked (for about 16 months) all was fine. What I am bitching about is the after sales.(NB no service,does not exist)

It seems that Magellan can not give a continental after you have bought a product ( except to

try to flog you another). I am sure that Mercury did their best to rectify the problem, unlike Magellan. Unfortunately mine is not an isolated case. Many of the Outdoor outlets here in the deepest darkest bottom of Africa will not stock Mgellan due to the many comebacks and lack of service.

Incidently, I guess Garmin is going to be tested. I have just returned from looking for a cache where I had to wade through the sea. About 3m from the cache, it has stopped. I will report with out bias on what has happened in due course. Maybe the rubber surround being torn has allowed moisture in!

Edited April 8, 2006 by coelacanth

[ram1000]

That is not a fair comparison, Porsche does not directly compete with chevy and ford except in the exoticar class(vette and gt). However to use your comparison, I'll take my (chevy)garmin etrex that is designed to be a little consistant workhorse over a(porsche)magellan that like the porsche, is a little particular and finicky.

 

However, I have to agree with JohnnyVegas, go with what ya' know baby. Its all in what you are used to.

 

I agree I think a better comparison would be between a Yugo (Magellan) and any other non-third-world product.

[+Airmapper]

Consider Lowrance. Excellent satellite locks, good interface, and good prices. They are as much as a contender in the GPS market as Garmin and Magellan.

[+scott.hicks]

I bought a Magellan 400 Explorist because I used Magellan in the Army. That is the only reason I picked Magellan over Garmin. I will report back after my first geocache to let you know.

I guess the important thing is the sport of geocaching itself, not the equipment. I have seen both Magellan and Garmin making big strides to get us geocachers to buy their respective products. If we as geocachers find one product or company providing less then stellar service to us as a consumer base, then we should get together and complain as a whole with our letters and dollars to get the offending company to shape up.

 

Other then that, my advice as a Desert Storm veteran is this: Land navigation using a compass and a map is an art and skill that is definetely needed when these electronic devices fail in the field. My platoon sergeant demonstrated this fact in a way that I will never forget. He took a gps device, and a map, and placed them in front of the tires of his HUMVEE. After he ran over the both of them, he picked them up and told us the fancy electronic do-hickey was useless, and the paper map was still in good shape.

Just please be safe.

[+Woodbutcher68]

"He took a gps device, and a map, and placed them in front of the tires of his HUMVEE. "

 

Was that paid for with my tax dollars?

Did he run over the compass too?

Edited April 10, 2006 by Woodbutcher68

[+scott.hicks]

yep, since it was broken already, it didn't matter. (sorry, forgot to mention that) He was a sadist on computers. Used to take the shop computer (back then it was a steel box) and drop it to make it reboot. What a psycho!

But since you replied I hope you see my point.

[peter]

My platoon sergeant demonstrated this fact in a way that I will never forget. He took a gps device, and a map, and placed them in front of the tires of his HUMVEE. After he ran over the both of them, he picked them up and told us the fancy electronic do-hickey was useless, and the paper map was still in good shape.

OTOH I've had the wind blow away a paper map and I've had one fall apart after getting wet whereas a GPS receiver is less likely to succumb to that fate. And the paper map and compass are far less useful in white-out conditions where no landmarks are visible. (The fate of the party lost in the storm near their high-altitude camp in "Into Thin Air" might have been different if a GPS receiver had been available, although reduced judgement due to oxygen deprivation was probably the main culprit.)

 

Perhaps the lesson should be that single points of failure should be avoided and therefore it's good to have multiple means of navigation, preferably with very different failure modes.

[+scott.hicks]

My platoon sergeant demonstrated this fact in a way that I will never forget. He took a gps device, and a map, and placed them in front of the tires of his HUMVEE. After he ran over the both of them, he picked them up and told us the fancy electronic do-hickey was useless, and the paper map was still in good shape.

OTOH I've had the wind blow away a paper map and I've had one fall apart after getting wet whereas a GPS receiver is less likely to succumb to that fate. And the paper map and compass are far less useful in white-out conditions where no landmarks are visible. (The fate of the party lost in the storm near their high-altitude camp in "Into Thin Air" might have been different if a GPS receiver had been available, although reduced judgement due to oxygen deprivation was probably the main culprit.)

 

Perhaps the lesson should be that single points of failure should be avoided and therefore it's good to have multiple means of navigation, preferably with very different failure modes.

 

That was the point in the first place. Didn't mean to get you soo upset. Jesus you're a sarcastic son of a gun. If I met you in person, I wouldn't know to buy you a beer or hit you on the head with the stein.