Any suggestions on buing a new GPS?

[+LedKiss]

Hello all,

 

We are looking to get a new GPS, but don't want to put out a ton of cash (maybe $300 or so).

We had the Magellan Explorist 100, which is on its last legs and about to die. Girfriend got me the Magellan Triton 400 for Christmas and it has been nothing but a NIGHTMARE since day 1. I've read all the posts about the 400 and am sending it back today... it is just not worth it to me to wait and hope that they fix the bugs. Not only that, even with the bugs fixed, it is extremely un-user friendly!! The buttons are tiny and uncomfortable and we are spending more time trying to load and enter geocache information than we are actually caching.

 

So, from what we've seen, the Garmin 60Csx seems to be where we are leaning. Can anybody provide some plusses and minuses related to this? Is it worth the $300?

It seems that you can download caches straight off of Geocaching.com right into the Garmin... is that true? How easy is it to do?

 

Any other brands/ models that are better for the price?

 

Thanks a lot... we appreciate any help we can get here!

[+Miragee]

I have the Vista HCx and prefer it to the 60CSx. Before you make your choice, it would be great if you could go to a store, like R.E.I., that carries both models.

 

If you got the Vista HCx, you can almost get the City Navigator auto-routing maps as well for the $300.00. You can get Topo maps for it on eBay and stay under $300.00.

[yogazoo]

Go with the 60CSX. You won't be dissapointed!

[ropeknots]

Love my Garmin I think is good quality, and it does a good job on the field. Plus the auto dowload works very good.

[+3 Hawks]

I have an eTrex Vista HCx and I love it. I've never had any issues and it has only "hung-up" once during a cold start-up. Someone who has never used an eTrex will have to learn how to navigate on the unit, but that is to be expected. My HCx came with the Topo maps in the box and I've not even bothered to get the Navigator NT street maps.

 

Loading caches onto the HCx is a breeze.

Step one: Load the free Garmin Communicator application found on gc.com.

Step two: Hook up your GPSr to your computer with the USB cable.

Step three: Locate a cache you want to load and hit the "send to GPSr" tab either on the specific cache page or from the generated list. The communicator application will open and you click the "send to GPSr" tab. Two seconds later, the cache is loaded.

 

If you want to load 250 caches at once (under a minute), you will need to be a Premium member to generate pocket queries and you will have to use other applications like Easy GPS (free through gc.com) or GSAK (free to a point but spending $25.00 makes it a lot easier to use).

 

IMHO, you can't go wrong with a 60 or a Vista HCx. Good luck with your selection!!