The Explorist Brand (confused)

[cacherRus]

i my self have been using a merdian by megellan... which it has recently gone dead on me. i called megallan tech support and the guy said it would take 90bucks to fix it, or i could trade it in on a explorist 600 for my unit and 250bucks... i have heard from other cachers in my area about problems in the field with these units.... but they are die hard garmin users, any thoughts on this let me know...is this a pretty good deal or what?? i know in bass pro the unit goes for like 450$ or so.... thanks for all replys

cacherRus

[+Team ChipsNDip]

i my self have been using a merdian by megellan... which it has recently gone dead on me. i called megallan tech support and the guy said it would take 90bucks to fix it, or i could trade it in on a explorist 600 for my unit and 250bucks... i have heard from other cachers in my area about problems in the field with these units.... but they are die hard garmin users, any thoughts on this let me know...is this a pretty good deal or what?? i know in bass pro the unit goes for like 450$ or so.... thanks for all replys

cacherRus

 

I just bought an Explorist 600 from BuyDig.com for $290, and there is a $50 rebate on it right now. Not that they are trying to rip you off - most places sell it for more like $350-400, but you could get the same deal from buydig.com and keep/sell your meridian - there might be someone willing to pick it up for a few bucks to tinker with it.

[+Old Sailor]

I love my 600, and it works great since the firmware upgrade. I would say, go for it.

[+EScout]

Regarding the Merdian, the most common reason they go dead is the battery contacts. They are sprung against the PC board, and can be move off of it by not carefully placing and removing the batteries. Mine went dead, and I had to take it apart once and re-align the contacts on the PCB. It took about 10 minutes and is something you should try.

 

Regarding the eXplorists, I have seen the 500 for $175 after rebate. The only practical difference is the electronic compass on the 600. I carry a regular compass, which is much more accurate to use and site bearings in the field. As for the altimeter/barometer, my 500 gives very accurate elevation readings -- amazingly accurate, as tested with benchmarks and topo maps.

 

So, try to fix your Meridian, and then buy a 500 or 600 for the color screen, advanced file management system and most modern battery and charging system.