Which Gps To Purchase?

[donnercruz]

I am new to geocaching.

 

I am taking my family on an 8 month roadtrip around the US (kids are 8 and 11). My wife and I thought geocaching would be a great addition to the trip.

 

I am looking at the Garmin Vista Cx and 60CSx (or 60Cx).

 

I am a mac user and will be bringing a mac on the road. I own a PC laptop but don't plan on bringing it. However, the price of preloaded sd cards to cover the US is pretty staggering. I guess I could rethink bringing the PC just to load topos.

 

Which GPS should I get? I've held them both at REI and size is not an issue.

 

If I buy two 1gb sd cards, could I load most of the US topo's.

 

I don't need the GPS for driving as both the RV and the car we are bringing have GPS's already.

[+Miragee]

I have a Vista C and like its small size. However, if you can afford the 60CSx, you should get that one because it gets much better reception in wooded areas, and other areas with difficult reception.

 

The Topo maps can often be purchased on eBay for a more reasonable amount of money, so I would get those and put them on your PC laptop and on the GPSr card.

 

You will want to take the PC laptop on your adventure. I'm not sure the GPSr talks to the Mac as easily, but I could be wrong. I use GSAK on my PC and it performs all the functions I need for managing the cache data I get in my PQs.

 

As you travel, you will want to update your cache data, downloading fresh PQs from WiFi locations as you find them.

 

It sounds like a wonderful adventure . . .

[+gof1]

You might want to get a premium membership before your trip.

The added benefits could be very useful on the long trip.

The PQs alone would come in handy.

 

EDIT to add that I just purchased a 60Cx and am very happy with it after 1 week.

Edited July 30, 2006 by gof1

[+briansnat]

They are both good units. The Vista CX has the advantage of being nice and compact. The 60CSX has a reputation for outstanding reception. So its a matter of which is more important, size or reception. If it was just for car use I'd say go with the 60CSX because the buttons are on the front, but you say you already have a GPS in the car, so that isn't an issue.

 

The pr-eloaded cards are expensive. You're better off buying the mapping software you want. Since you have a GPS in the car then no point buying City Navigator for your handheld. Get Mapsource Topo. If you put a 1 gig card in the unit you should be able to load more than 3/4 of the continental US into the unit using Topo. You can fit much of the rest on the card that comes with the unit. No need to buy 2, 1 gig cards. I'm sure there are a few areas you won't be visiting and can leave them out.

[headchange4u]

I am looking at the same 2 GPS units and I am in a delima on which to buy. I will mainly be using it for hiking.

 

I had started looking at the 60cx but the lack of an altimeter or compass turned me away from this model. I like the 60csx but it has a couple of downfalls. Number 1 is battery life, which is listed at 20 hours, whereas the 60cx has a 30 hour battery life and the Vista has 32 (info gotten from REI). I have also read that the 60csx does not have a base map. Is this true? The size and weight of the 60csx(7.5 oz). as compared to the Vista(5.6 oz.) is another factor. I do distance hiking and to me every ounce of weight counts.

 

The only thing that is keeping me from buying the Vista Cx is all the talk I have heard about how well the 60csx antenna works. The lack of an extranal antenna jack also bothers me.

 

So how well does the Vista truly perform in the backcountry?

Edited July 30, 2006 by headchange4u

[+El Diablo]

I just got a 60CSx for my b-day and took it out for a trial run. The reception is absolutely unbelieveable. I can get a lock anywhere in my house in a matter of seconds! It does come with base maps preloaded. For detailed maps you will need mapping software. It has 64mb SD card that can take in a lot of territoy. I just ordered a 512mb card and was testing it on Mapsourse to see how big of an area that would cover and it was NC,VA,SC,GA,FL,LA,TX,OK,IL,TN,KY,WV,AL,MS, and probably a state or two I left out.

 

As far as the weight...wasn't a problem. It also comes with a great belt clip to use when you don't actually need to be holding it. I love this unit!! Also Amazon is the best deal right now.

 

El Diablo

[+briansnat]

I am looking at the same 2 GPS units and I am in a delima on which to buy. I will mainly be using it for hiking.

 

I had started looking at the 60cx but the lack of an altimeter or compass turned me away from this model. I like the 60csx but it has a couple of downfalls. Number 1 is battery life, which is listed at 20 hours, whereas the 60cx has a 30 hour battery life and the Vista has 32 (info gotten from REI). I have also read that the 60csx does not have a base map. Is this true? The size and weight of the 60csx(7.5 oz). as compared to the Vista(5.6 oz.) is another factor. I do distance hiking and to me every ounce of weight counts.

 

The only thing that is keeping me from buying the Vista Cx is all the talk I have heard about how well the 60csx antenna works. The lack of an extranal antenna jack also bothers me.

 

So how well does the Vista truly perform in the backcountry?

 

The 60CSX does have a base map.

 

I'm guessing you are referring to the Vista CX and not the older b/w Vista. From what I've seen it performs quite well under trees. Even my old b/w Vista works under trees as long as its held correctly. The Vista C and CX have much improved reception over the older Vista and are less sensitive to position. It will perform great in open country and do the job under tree cover.

 

That said, the 60C(s)X and 76C(s)X are absolutely incredible. I was playing around with both yesterday. We were under a dense tree canopy and they would have a solid lock before the welcom screen cleared. 8 and more sats with full signal strength. Alongside them, my older 60CS had 3-4 sats, periodically losing them.

 

If you are doing some serious trail mapping, I think you would want the 60CSX. If you're just using the GPS to find your way around the woods, do some geocaching, maybe find a campsite or lean-to and log your mileage, the Vista CX will do great.

[+pigpen4x4]

I just upgraded from a Vista to a 60 Csx, and I am very happy.

I do like the City Navigater as it will quide me almost to the cache then I switch to the compass screen and bring it home. Driving directions are always spot on.

Not saying the Vista was a bad unit, it was very good. But the 60Csx is fantastic.

PP