Best unit in the $200-$300 range?

[+travis71]

The subject says it all. What is the best unit in the aforementioned pricerange? I was looking at the Vista HCx, but am not well versed in the different models out there.

 

Thanks much,

 

Trav

[+fratermus]

What is your intended usage?

[+travis71]

geocaching.

[+fratermus]

geocaching.

 

$200-300 seems to be overkill for just caching. The Vista HCX would certainly be sufficient. I have cached with everything from yellow etrex to 60cx. All got me to striking distance of the caches.

[+travis71]

I wanted something with a better antennae (or more sensitive reciever, whatever the proper terminology is) due to there being alot of treecover & hollows in the area I will be playing in. If you can recommend something that you feel would be more suitable, please do! I was pretty bummed at the reception I was getting on the Legend last night in the park.

[+Airmapper]

Have a look at Lowrance units and pricing, you may be able to find a unit and maps for that price range. Don't count on road auto routing though, but they have good antennas and are as feature packed for the price.

[+keatingclan]

I wanted something with a better antennae (or more sensitive reciever, whatever the proper terminology is) due to there being alot of treecover & hollows in the area I will be playing in. If you can recommend something that you feel would be more suitable, please do! I was pretty bummed at the reception I was getting on the Legend last night in the park.

 

I think Sirfstar III is the latest generation of reciever, but for deep cover you might be better off with an external antenna. Most units can accept one, and you can buy them for about $20.

[+keatingclan]

I wanted something with a better antennae (or more sensitive reciever, whatever the proper terminology is) due to there being alot of treecover & hollows in the area I will be playing in. If you can recommend something that you feel would be more suitable, please do! I was pretty bummed at the reception I was getting on the Legend last night in the park.

 

I think Sirfstar III is the latest generation of reciever, but for deep cover you might be better off with an external antenna. Most units can accept one, and you can buy them for about $20.

 

I just checked and the garmin GPSmap 60Cx and 60 CSx both use the new Sirf chipset, and at least at one place can be had for less than $300 after a rebate.

[+Chuy!]

Your first choice is excellent. I have the Vista HCx and find it to be a very capable jack-of-all-trades. I got it for $237 at offroute.com.

[+DonB]

I wanted something with a better antennae (or more sensitive reciever, whatever the proper terminology is) due to there being alot of treecover & hollows in the area I will be playing in. If you can recommend something that you feel would be more suitable, please do! I was pretty bummed at the reception I was getting on the Legend last night in the park.

I'll second Airmappers suggestion. Before you buy check out some of the Lowrance line. I have the iFinder Hunt and can't think of other unit I would want. I can't remember the last time I lost a satellite lock with this gps.

[+rlridgeway]

I use GPS in West Virginia several times a week for both geocaching and at work. I have used a couple different brands and think any that has the newer high sensitivity receivers would do well.

A few years ago, there was a need for external antennas but the improved technology has changed that.

[+fratermus]

I wanted something with a better antennae (or more sensitive reciever, whatever the proper terminology is) due to there being alot of treecover & hollows in the area I will be playing in. If you can recommend something that you feel would be more suitable, please do! I was pretty bummed at the reception I was getting on the Legend last night in the park.

 

That pretty much nails it down to one of the high-sensitivity receivers, as the others have pointted out. The HCX you mention would be good and is the least expensive Garmin fully-featured GPS in case you have other uses in mind (auto navigation, etc). It accepts autorouting (and other) maps on generic microSD.

 

When I had this decision to make a few months ago I chose the 60cx because at that time the new etrex-based high-sensitivity models were an unknown quantity in the woods (none had been sold yet). Subsequent posts by owners indicate the H-models perform as designed under bad reception conditions. There are some firmware glitches being sorted out but that is to be expected with any new platform. If you can, hold both the 60cx and Vista HCX in your hand and play with them. The interfaces are quite different and people have different preferences. I have used both styles and have no real preference except that the dedicated Find button on the 60-series is the most-uesd button on mine.

 

If you really and truly only ever expect to geocache with it, you might find the new Etrex H for sale for less than $100, shipped. Simple and effective in tree cover. Won't win any chest-thumping contests but it means an extra $130 in the kids' college fund.

[gallet]

In every test I've seen the new Media Tek chips in the H series eTrex outperform the SirfStarIII, not by much though.

 

Before the new H series came out the SirfStarIII in the 60CSx was so much better that it wasn't worth considering other features like battery life. But now that the VistaHCx is at least as good a receiver as the 60CSx then you now need to look at things that were previously unimportant, like better battery life on the Vista and much brighter screen on the Vista and more compact overall package. If none of those things matter then it's just down to whether you like buttons on the front or the pick stick and side buttons.

 

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=67511

http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/articles.asp?id=175&page=5

http://www.naviboard.de/vb/showthread.php?t=21730

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklo...tek-gps-ch.html

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=80114

Edited September 16, 2007 by gallet

[+TrailGators]

Your first choice is excellent. I have the Vista HCx and find it to be a very capable jack-of-all-trades. I got it for $237 at offroute.com.

I agree. I would also look at the new Magellan Triton series if you are a hiker/off-roader and want to load great National Geographic topos.

[+nohocache]

Stay away from the Magellan explorist 500LE, it is a total piece of garbage.

Won't recognize data on SD card, door does not seal tight and lets water in, drops signals

in an open field with no cloud cover. Tech support is like a Saturday Night Live spoof skit,

only it is for real. Battery clip will last one month with regular use. You need to pry out

LIon Battery with a knife to get it out. Software is not Vista compatible. Absolute disaster in

every way.

[+EScout]

Stay away from the Magellan explorist 500LE, it is a total piece of garbage.

Won't recognize data on SD card, door does not seal tight and lets water in, drops signals

in an open field with no cloud cover. Tech support is like a Saturday Night Live spoof skit,

only it is for real. Battery clip will last one month with regular use. You need to pry out

LIon Battery with a knife to get it out. Software is not Vista compatible. Absolute disaster in

every way.

 

I am going to defend the 500 and address each point. I have tried a couple of SD cards and they work great. The battery cover has one of the best seals I have seen in a GPSr. It is closed with a stainless steel screw into a brass nut built into the plastic. It gets great reception and never loses a fix unless you go into a tunnel. Tech support may be bad, I have not needed it in 2.5 years of ownership.

The battery clip is used as a backup. Everyone should be using the Li-Ion battery since this is one of the best features of the unit. Mine comes out easily with my finger, but you should almost never need to remove it. Regarding Vista compatible, I have three major hobbies, and 95% of the software that I use for them is not compatible with Vista, which is why I am not using Vista.

[+casey97]

I have no beef with other brands of GPSrs, but the ability of clicking send to GPS while on GC.com, is a huge feather in the Garmin cap.

[+SwampYankee]

I'm very happy with my GPSMap 60csx. Never lost a signal with it yet. I was also happy with my Magellen Gold and keep it so friends can go with me. Never used the new H series so can't comment on it.

[+Grinch & Gremlin]

Either one would be an excellent choice, so you can at least relax in that you can't really make a mistake. Things I would consider...

 

Reasons to choose the HCx: Smaller size is really nice for hiking. It's a proven form factor that carries and handles well. Screen is brighter than 60CSx. Sensitivity is virtually identical to 60CSx. Once learned, the keys are easier to use while holding one-handed.

 

Reasons to choose the 60CSx: HCx firmware problems with odometer are not yet fixed and it is a major problem since it affects your ability to know how far you've traveled. You can't really know that the problem will ever be fixed (though we all hope so). Patch antenna on HCx is strongly directional and needs to be held screen up. Helix antenna on 60CSx is much less directional and will maintain a lock in almost any position (such as hanging upside down around your neck or tossed in a pack). 60CSx buttons are easier to use initially because they're labeled and there are more of them. If you only use occasionally, you won't have to remember which button does what.

 

For me, the firmware problem is the critical issue. I would choose the Vista HCx if it didn't have that problem or if I expected it to be resolved quickly. (Garmin has known about it since July and it's still not fixed.) The small size is just better for hiking if you're not giving anything up for it in sensitivity. But if I thought they weren't going to get that odometer issue fixed, I'd rather have the 60CSx and its performance is excellent.

 

For the record, I have the original Vista C and the 60CSx. I have been waiting for Garmin to fix the HCx before buying it.