$200 budget to find best GPS for geocaching...

[+Large Family]

I may have it narrowed to the GPSMAP60

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=1969468

 

or the Venture CX Color

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=2272068

 

Most important: Downloading waypoints, Good Reception under canopy, ??

 

What am I missing... What would you buy with $200

[+fratermus]

What am I missing... What would you buy with $200

 

For canopy work under trees @ $200, I'd try to find a used 60cx somewhere. Might take a while to find one at that price, but the sirf chipset will rock under the canopy.

[QuigleyJones]

I would go to REI and buy the LegendCx selling for $199.99 ( VentureCx is cheaper but soldout online)

[eaparks]

I may have it narrowed to the GPSMAP60

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=1969468

 

or the Venture CX Color

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/...oductId=2272068

 

Most important: Downloading waypoints, Good Reception under canopy, ??

 

What am I missing... What would you buy with $200

 

From the 2 above, I would go with the Venture Cx for the expandable memory, you will also get longer battery life but that is not a deciding factor in my opinion.

 

Neither one will give as good of reception under canopy as any unit that has the Sirf III chip. The Sirf III chip is excellent and definitely gives better reception under extreme canopy conditions, but either of the units you are looking at will get good reception most all of the time and if reception happened to be a problem then it can usually be improved by moving just a few feet excecpt for in the most extreme cases.

 

Finding a unit with a Sirf III chip for $200 may be hard to find, since it is the "lastest/greatest" buzz right now.

[+allent17]

I own a Venture CX and love the little handheld. The 60cs probably does have a bigger screen on it but I like the color screen of the venture cx and it is even brighter than my friend's 60cx at all settings. I think you should go with the Venture CX because you can get it for about $150, and get a micro-SD card for well under $200.

 

I use mine for geocaching almost all the time and the only time it gives me problems is in deep deep woods but even then I can at least get within range of the cache.

[+EScout]

The color eXplorist 500 can be found for under $200. Great reception and the best file management/memory system of any GPSr.

[+Chuy!]

Those prices at Dicks are above-average. Try Amazon or offroute.

 

I say the VentureCx. I received mine last week. I was surprised to find out there are only a few notable things the fancy pantsy 60csx (at twice the price) has over the VentureCx: Sirf chip; 1000 waypoints; altimeter; electronic compass and a bit larger screen. The only thing I envy is the Sirf chip, but for the price difference, I'm willing to seek higher ground or a clearing . And it's not that bad under trees; maybe in a heavy top brush, but so far, it's getting the job done.

 

What do you get? color screen; auto-routing capable; expandable memory; accepts POI (to overcome the 500-waypoint limit); calendar; calculator; alarm clock; sun/moon info; stopwatch; and excellent battery life. It don't come with a data cable, but it uses the ubiquitous cable used by most digital cameras and other usb devices - I have about five of these laying about. The color and memory card should win you over the Map60.

Edited May 10, 2007 by Chuy!