Garmin Nuvi 360 - for Geocaching?

[The Enigma Busters]

I'm hoping to purchase a GPS unit that I can use for vehicle navigation but also geocaching. The only one I can find that does this is the Magellan Crossover - but reviews on this is not good. I'm looking at something like the Garmin Nuvi 360. Could someone tell me if this GPS intended for the car would also work for geocaching - and would it still be user friendly (ie if there were multi- co-ordinates needed to find the cache)

 

Thanks

[moonpup]

Well based on experience, I would recommend this... get a handheld... it's more durable and will cope well with dropping the unit, being exposed to water/snow/slush/rain etc. Since you want both in car use and geocaching, consider a Garmin 60Cx/CSx or 76Cx/CSx or the new somewhat unstable Colorado series.

Edited March 7, 2008 by moonpup

[The Enigma Busters]

Well based on experience, I would recommend this... get a handheld... it's more durable and will cope well with dropping the unit, being exposed to water/snow/slush/rain etc. Since you want both in car use and geocaching, consider a Garmin 60Cx/CSx or 76Cx/CSx or the new somewhat unstable Colorado series.

 

Okay, thanks. That is helpful.

[moonpup]

Glad to help... that's what we are here for. The other option you have is the fantastic eTrex line, specifically the Legend HCx or VistaHCx. This is a great unit for geocaching, but depending on your eyes may be a bit difficult for use in the vehicle. Also, the automotive gps's like the Nuvi are best left in the car.

Edited March 7, 2008 by moonpup

[+Red90]

Really, there is no all in one unit. The car units are much better tan any handheld at car navigation.

 

If you want to do a lot of car navigation, get the Nuvi and then a simpler handheld for caching. The Garmin Etrex "H" units are good bang for the buck. You can't go wrong with the Etrex Legend HCx.

 

If you wan to take a "hit" in car navigation capabilities, but want the best caching device, the Garmin Colorados can be used for both....but car navigation is not quite as nice.

[+Life In Drive]

I am a relatively new geocacher, but I studied it through and bought a Garmin Nuvi 350 to use in the car and for caching. I am 100% pleased with my decision. Most of our hunting will be done in the city, so the automotive stying and features of the 350 make it perfect for getting us to within a few hundred feet of the site.

 

Once we have arrived (after the nice lady from the little box tells us every turn to take), we just change the mode to "pedestrian" and the nav setting to "off-road" and we follow the icon to within 5 feet of the cache. we have searched for 10 caches and were able to find 9 of them. My 9 and 11 year old sons were able to use the unit straight out of the box with no assistance. They love holding it and letting the unit guide them to the hidden treasure.

 

We just plug it into the computer via USB and load the coordinates right from the geocaching.com site. It was simple to set up. When I get home from work, my kids will have the sites selected and we will load a few each night and then go out on the hunt over the weekends.

 

I know that there are more sophisticated units out there. My dad has a really fancy rig he uses for hunting and fishing. I need something that is easy for my whole family to use and something that can still help me with actually getting CLOSE to the cache site. The Nuvi 350 is perfect for it.

 

I will admit that I like the factory radio in my car, I still have an old 27" picture tube TV, and I don't have a MAC. But, this Nuvi adds some real cool factor to my world. Though it is simple to some, it is the most awesome thing I can imagine. Everyone has their perspective, I suppose.

 

I wish you the best on your caching and on your hunt for a GPS. I honestly believe I have discovered the world's best family sport. I cannot believe that all this fun has been hidden from us for years!

[+texbaz]

I'm hoping to purchase a GPS unit that I can use for vehicle navigation but also geocaching. The only one I can find that does this is the Magellan Crossover - but reviews on this is not good. I'm looking at something like the Garmin Nuvi 360. Could someone tell me if this GPS intended for the car would also work for geocaching - and would it still be user friendly (ie if there were multi- co-ordinates needed to find the cache)

 

Thanks

 

TEB, I have a Nuvi 360 I purchased just for vehicle use. I saw some of the other options it was capable of, one being pedestrian mode, and while it was good at locating caches it is not the right tool. Don't get wrong it is a great GPS, (the blue-tooth needs a little work and speaker volume). What I do now since my old GPS III+ croaked, I purchased a handheld unit etrex Vista. I use the Nuvi to get me to the general vicinity and the Vista to make the find. The Nuvi is really not up to trucking through the brush, trails, weather, etc.

 

If I was on vacation and needed a single unit just to get me around a city it is great. But for the purpose of caching you will eventually realize it is not really suited for carrying around (no lanyard, square, not weather resistant)