First Gps For Under $200

[Back400]

I am very new to GPS technology and am looking for a GPS that will allow me to mark apprx. 15-30 trails approximately 1/4 - 1/2 mile in mostly heavy forest. I will only need about 6 way points per trail. Am currently considering the Magellan 210 Explorist and the Garmin eTrex Legend. Your feedback is much appreciated.

[GreatCanadian]

I am very new to GPS technology and am looking for a GPS that will allow me to mark apprx. 15-30 trails approximately 1/4 - 1/2 mile in mostly heavy forest. I will only need about 6 way points per trail. Am currently considering the Magellan 210 Explorist and the Garmin eTrex Legend. Your feedback is much appreciated.

 

Hello there....first let me qualify my suggestion by stating that i have owned:

Magellan, 310, 315, 330, sportrak, sportrak map, sportrak color, sportrak pro, meridian, and meridian gold.

Lowrance globalmap 100

Garmin; etrex, etrex legend, etrex legend c, etrex vista, and etrex legend cx.

 

even though i currently own the legend cx, i believe that the Etrex Legend C is the clear winner out of all of these. You can pick one of these up NEW on ebay for less than $200. It is a fantastic GPS and will do a lot more than you request in your post. Good luck in your search, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. Oh, by the way, if you wonder why i have owned so many (there are some more that i can't think of at the moment), I buy them, use them for a few weeks or months, then sell them and get another. Either way, the Legend C is most definitely the clear winner in my opinion. Other's may have some equal or better suggestions as well, so pay heed to all of them. Good luck.

Edited July 26, 2006 by GreatCanadian

[+briansnat]

Between the Legend and the 210, the 210 is a better unit. Its newer technology and has more memory.

 

If you want a real good choice in the $200 price range consider the Lowrance iFinder H20 Plus. Its a tad over $200 but that price includes the mapping software, memory card and a card reader. If you were to buy a Legend or the 210 the mapping software would cost you an additonal $90 to $130. The H2O also has expandible memory while the Legend and 210 don't.

 

The iFinder H20 has excellent reception under trees and I'm pretty sure it has a jack for an external antenna too.

 

Another choice is a Garmin Venture CX. Its about $200 and a very good GPS. But that price does not include the mapping software or memory card.

[GreatCanadian]

Between the Legend and the 210, the 210 is a better unit. Its newer technology and has more memory.

 

If you want a real good choice in the $200 price range consider the Lowrance iFinder H20 Plus. Its a tad over $200 but that price includes the mapping software, memory card and a card reader. If you were to buy a Legend or the 210 the mapping software would cost you an additonal $90 to $130. The H2O also has expandible memory while the Legend and 210 don't.

 

The iFinder H20 has excellent reception under trees and I'm pretty sure it has a jack for an external antenna too.

 

Another choice is a Garmin Venture CX. Its about $200 and a very good GPS. But that price does not include the mapping software or memory card.

 

i was referring to the legend C, not the regular legend..the legend c is miles ahead of the regular legend...

[robertlipe]

Between the Legend and the 210, the 210 is a better unit. Its newer technology and has more memory.

 

i was referring to the legend C, not the regular legend..the legend c is miles ahead of the regular legend...

If you can find a Legend C in this price range (Remember, the subject is "under $200") go for it.

 

Units that can be upgraded to street routing (which would include explorist 210 and Legend C, but not Legend C-not) get a strong edge in my book over those that can't.

[+gpsblake]

Back400,

 

For the purposes you want it to do, both the 210 and the Legend B&W will be perfect.

 

Memory is only a factor if you are going to spluge another $100 into the mapping software.

 

Auto-routing is only really useful if you buy the mapping software.

 

The Legend-C will give you much longer battery life but will come close to the $200 range while the others are much cheaper.

 

For my purposes, I use the Legend because I bicycle a lot and enjoy the extra data fields that the Legend has that the 210 lacks.

 

but you won't go wrong with either the Legend or the 210

Edited July 26, 2006 by gpsblake

[+gpsblake]

I'm sorry, one more thing.

 

BEWARE OF REBATES, especially on the Magellans.

Many, many complaints on this forum about people receiving them or not receiving them....

[GreatCanadian]

I had recommened the Legend C because he wanted to purchase a GPS for under $200. Which means, he was willing to spend up to $200 on a GPS. Therefore I did not recommend the regular Legend, which can be purchased for around $100 NEW. And most definitely, the Legend will do what he requires. But given his willingness to spend $200, that prompts me to recommend the Legend C. If he wants to spend a hundred bucks less, then the Legend, Vista, and a bunch more would do the job. But the Legend C is, in my opinion, 100 dollars more expensive, with 200 dollars more value!!. Besides if he uses the GPS a LOT, he'll save the extra money on batteries!! The Legend C has incredible battery life.

[kerecsen]

even though i currently own the legend cx, i believe that the Etrex Legend C is the clear winner out of all of these.

 

I'm just wondering: why do you rate the Legend C higher than the Cx? What is the drawback of the latter? (if it's just price, the Venture Cx sounds like the best of both worlds)

Edited July 26, 2006 by kerecsen

[+hiikaash]

I prefer the Magellan 210

[+Miragee]

I also recommend the Legend C. I got a new one on eBay a couple of months ago for only $179.00.

 

If later you decide to purchase the maps, it has the capability of auto-routing you . . . which is very handy . . . and can be a real gas-saver.

[GreatCanadian]

even though i currently own the legend cx, i believe that the Etrex Legend C is the clear winner out of all of these.

 

I'm just wondering: why do you rate the Legend C higher than the Cx? What is the drawback of the latter? (if it's just price, the Venture Cx sounds like the best of both worlds)

 

Hello...first of all, I rated the Legend C above the CX because the the CX tends to send you on a wild goosechase when geocaching. Really good up to about 100 feet from the cache, and then watch out!! I thought it was perhaps a problem specific to MY GPS, but there are dozens of complaints on the forum about this.

I would expect that in the future Garmin will release a firmware update that will fix this problem, but perhaps not. Also he does not require the high memory capacity of a CX model.

 

As for the Venture CX, you could be correct. I am sure it is a great GPS, but I did not recommend it because I have never owned or used one. I have used a Venture, but not the Venture CX. Also, I believe, but am not certain, that the Venture CX does NOT come with USB cable and Trip and Waypoint manager software. And perhaps does not come with data card??? Not sure.

 

Again, the Venture CX may indeed be the best choice. But I indicated in my original post which GPS's I have used, and based my response on those ones. I also advised the original poster to pay heed to any other suggestions that may arise in this thread. Your suggestion may indeed be a better one!

 

One question. I am wondering if the Venture CX is the same gps as the Legend CX, but does not include the cable or software or data card in its original packaging. Are there other differences that I'm not aware of (besides the color!!)

Edited July 26, 2006 by GreatCanadian

[+budd-rdc]

Since the OP mentioned forest cover, I would lean toward the eXplorist series. I don't own one, but seen them in the hands of others, and they track very well in forest cover.

 

The Black and White eTrex Legend (the blue eTrex) is for a lower budget range, and from my experience, requires more user intervention to make it useful in forest cover - hold it away from the body and as parallel to the ground as possible, stay away from hillsides, get used to sporadic coordinate updates, etc. If you can get a color Legend (as many have suggested here) for under $200, then sure, go for it as it is a better unit overall.

[+geognerd]

even though i currently own the legend cx, i believe that the Etrex Legend C is the clear winner out of all of these.

 

I'm just wondering: why do you rate the Legend C higher than the Cx? What is the drawback of the latter? (if it's just price, the Venture Cx sounds like the best of both worlds)

Hello...first of all, I rated the Legend C above the CX because the the CX tends to send you on a wild goosechase when geocaching. Really good up to about 100 feet from the cache, and then watch out!! I thought it was perhaps a problem specific to MY GPS, but there are dozens of complaints on the forum about this.

 

I would expect that in the future Garmin will release a firmware update that will fix this problem, but perhaps not. Also he does not require the high memory capacity of a CX model.

 

As for the Venture CX, you could be correct. I am sure it is a great GPS, but I did not recommend it because I have never owned or used one. I have used a Venture, but not the Venture CX. Also, I believe, but am not certain, that the Venture CX does NOT come with USB cable and Trip and Waypoint manager software. And perhaps does not come with data card??? Not sure.

 

Again, the Venture CX may indeed be the best choice. But I indicated in my original post which GPS's I have used, and based my response on those ones. I also advised the original poster to pay heed to any other suggestions that may arise in this thread. Your suggestion may indeed be a better one!

 

One question. I am wondering if the Venture CX is the same gps as the Legend CX, but does not include the cable or software or data card in its original packaging. Are there other differences that I'm not aware of (besides the color!!)

I thought the Legend C and Legend Cx used the same receiver and antenna and the only difference was the microSD card in the Cx. So they should really perform the same.

 

The Venture Cx is the same as the Legend Cx, minus the microSD card, mini-B USB cable, and MapSource CD.

[+sushimimi]

Well, if you're considering a Magellan, go with the Explorist 400 (vs the 210.. if that's what people have been referring to).

This is my first GPS, and I just received it yesterday from Amazon.

Free shipping, and all for only $175!

 

(However, I'm already looking into alternative sw.. the stuff that comes with it has been buggy for me.)

 

And if you're looking for a SD memory card for it, you can pick up a 2GB on eBay for $30.00 including shipping (just beware of the sellers who have programs designed to bid against you.. they're not really going for $50 although it may appear so. They sell on Amazon too, for about $32+)

Edited July 27, 2006 by sushimimi

[GreatCanadian]

 

I thought the Legend C and Legend Cx used the same receiver and antenna and the only difference was the microSD card in the Cx. So they should really perform the same.

 

The Venture Cx is the same as the Legend Cx, minus the microSD card, mini-B USB cable, and MapSource CD.

 

Have you used both? I have used both the Legend C and Legend CX extensively, and trust me, they do NOT perform the same. I can't tell you whether they use the same receiver and antenna, but they sure don't act the same when zeroing in on a cache or other marked waypoint.

[+LetterDude]

I'll add another plug for the eXplorist 210 (or 400) if accuracy matters.

Edited July 27, 2006 by LetterDude

[Back400]

Thanks for feedback folks! I'm now focused on the Legend C, Explorist 400 and iFind H20 Plus. Makes sense to purchase something that can offer more than just plotting trails. Going to continue to search this forum for pros and cons of each and hopefully decide sometime in the next week. Thanks again and please continue with the feedback!!

Edited July 27, 2006 by Back400