GPSMAP 76CSx

[+Voodoodancer]

I am in the market for a new GPS. After years of service from my Etrex Legend C, I'm looking for an upgrade.

I think I've narrowed down my search to the GPSMAP 76CSx.

 

I use my GPS for going deep in the woods and of course geocaching. After looking at all of Garmins products it seems that they are almost all aimed toward on road navigation. I testdrove the Nuvi 200 for a week and it's awesome if you only use it for navigating onroad. It's completely worthless if you want to go offroad.

 

It seems that Garmin have left the offroad users behind. If garmin wasn't the only for the fact that Garmin is now the only one compatible with Groundspeak I'd probably buy DeLorme or Bushnell. They seem to be way ahead of Garmin as far as offroad use.

 

If anybody has any experience with the GPSMAP 76CSx, let me know what you think of it. How good is the software? Is it about the same as the basic that comes with the Legend?

[+fratermus]

I use my GPS for going deep in the woods and of course geocaching. After looking at all of Garmins products it seems that they are almost all aimed toward on road navigation. I testdrove the Nuvi 200 for a week and it's awesome if you only use it for navigating onroad. It's completely worthless if you want to go offroad.

 

It seems that Garmin have left the offroad users behind. If garmin wasn't the only for the fact that Garmin is now the only one compatible with Groundspeak I'd probably buy DeLorme or Bushnell. They seem to be way ahead of Garmin as far as offroad use.

 

Do you mean in-car offroad? Garmin has a wide range of hiking/portable units. I use a 60cx and really like it for hiking and for in-car use.

 

BTW, I think the 76 is basically like the 60 only the 76 series floats (for marine use) and is physically larger.

[+Voodoodancer]

By offroad I mean, back roads, onfoot and kayak.

Garmin has some good "Trail" GPS's, but they don't seem to have made as many advancements as other companies have made. On the other hand their car gps are simply amazing. The only gps that best buy had for offroad was the old b&w handhelds.

 

Garmin, to me, seem to be putting all their efforts in their in car navigation systems.

 

 

I use my GPS for going deep in the woods and of course geocaching. After looking at all of Garmins products it seems that they are almost all aimed toward on road navigation. I testdrove the Nuvi 200 for a week and it's awesome if you only use it for navigating onroad. It's completely worthless if you want to go offroad.

 

It seems that Garmin have left the offroad users behind. If garmin wasn't the only for the fact that Garmin is now the only one compatible with Groundspeak I'd probably buy DeLorme or Bushnell. They seem to be way ahead of Garmin as far as offroad use.

 

Do you mean in-car offroad? Garmin has a wide range of hiking/portable units. I use a 60cx and really like it for hiking and for in-car use.

 

BTW, I think the 76 is basically like the 60 only the 76 series floats (for marine use) and is physically larger.

[+fratermus]

By offroad I mean, back roads, onfoot and kayak.

Garmin has some good "Trail" GPS's, but they don't seem to have made as many advancements as other companies have made.

 

What specific features were you looking for in a portable that you aren't finding in the etrex (venture, vista,legend) cx, etrex hcx, 60/76cx? I am no garmin fanboi, but I think they are all solid portable units.

 

The only gps that best buy had for offroad was the old b&w handhelds.

 

I don't think we can judge Garmin's product focus based on what was on the shelf at Best Buy. Not that I assume you were making that argument... I assume you looked at the Garmin portable GPSr page and found the products substandard or missing features provided by other manufacturers in the same price ranges.

 

Garmin, to me, seem to be putting all their efforts in their in car navigation systems.

 

I disagree. Garmin has just this month released new color, autorouting, card-expandable, high-sensitivity portables (hcx). The high-end portables can do pretty much everything the car nav ones can, except for voice annunciation.

[+Voodoodancer]

I don't know if I was looking for any specific features. The best units "that if reviewed" since I've started looking for a new GPS don't seem to have anymore advanced features than the etrex I bought 4 years ago. I compared all the ones on the garmins website and there not much different than what they had years ago. I can't speak from experience on any unit except for the legend c and the nuvi 200.

 

Garmain has put a lot of new features on their road navigators, like anti theft features, mp3 player, photo viewers, touch screen etc. All those features were on the nuvi alone. I don't need all those features, but it was a shock to see them on a gps. I did like the touch screen and the anti theft.

 

Show me a new feature for a handheld. Maybe I'm just judging from they way they look. I haven't had the chance to get my hands on any of the news one yet.

 

While other gps companies have things like satellite photo maps, live weather radar, XM radio (although I like Sirius myself)

 

I don't think we can judge Garmin's product focus based on what was on the shelf at Best Buy.

 

I agree, but when they have nothing at all that I can even use, that's a hint that something is wrong. I guess I saw the advancement they made with the car gps and expected they made the same advancements in the handhelds.

 

I guess I should withhold that judgment until I can get my hands on one of their new products.

[+Prime Suspect]

Show me a new feature for a handheld. Maybe I'm just judging from they way they look. I haven't had the chance to get my hands on any of the news one yet.

 

How about the ability to create and load your own POI data?

[+mo_town_man]

Show me a new feature for a handheld. Maybe I'm just judging from they way they look. I haven't had the chance to get my hands on any of the news one yet.

 

How about the ability to create and load your own POI data?

 

I have the garman 76CSX and i think its a really nice GPS. But if u don't like garman and feel another brand is better, then i would't buy just because its the only one that will work with geocaching dot com.

 

I would pay the 30 dollars and do pocket queries or hand enter them if u have too before i would buy a 350 dollar unit u don't want. Lots of ways to get the info into a GPS, instead of that new button. (what did u do before that new button)

 

Anyway, thats my .02 cents worth. If u think garman sucks crap, go with another. i'm sure they will survive without ya. (God knows i'm paying them enuff to keep them in business)

 

--danny

[+Voodoodancer]

POI data is a good one.

 

I think I'm coming off wrong. I'm not anti Garmin. I love Garmin, I got 4 years of good service from them and I was more than satisfied with my etrex legend. So satisfied that I went back to Garmin to get my next GPS. I tried the Nuvi and it wasn't what I wanted at all. Then when I started looking around I didn't see much improvement from my legend. That's not to say that there are no improvements. I still want to stick with Garmin.

[+fratermus]

Show me a new feature for a handheld.

 

Custom POI

expandable microSD

high-sensitivity GPSr chipset

improved battery life

 

I am happy with my GPSr and their features. The Bushnell onix xm-capable GPSr does look all-singing and all-dancing, at about 2x the price of the hcx series. We pays our money and we makes our choices. Each to his own. Not many posts around here on Bushnell and Lowrance stuff, but I am sure they are fine units with fine aftersale support, and many years in the business. If I'm wrong I am sure someone will jump in and correct me.

 

Let us know what you get and how you like it. We like to read reviews 'round these parts.

 

Seacrest, out. :-P

[+zeke1975]

I don't have a 76CxS, but I have had a 76Cx since the first of the year, I love it. I have both the topo maps and city navigator NT, gets great reception, only issue is the beeps for turn by turn with CN aren't that loud. It's good for boating as well, as it floats. One thing to be careful of is that the battery contacts can easily break off, I had this issue, but Garmin fixed it and installed heavier duty contacts (why they didn't install them in the first place is beyond me). Perhaps the newer models already have the thicker contacts to begin with.