Which GPS recommended? I am a newbie...

[+desertpeach]

I have just started geocaching...great hobby...lots of fun! I have an Magellan explorist 300 gps. I am entering all of my coordinates...which is taking some time...also printing out extra info that I might need.

 

I think that downloading my waypoints would save me some time.

 

Members who have been geocaching for a while, which GPS unit do you recommend?

 

Thanks for your input and help

 

Desert Peach

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Recommending a GPS unit depends on what your budget is. The new Garmin 'H' units have a High Sensitivity receiver. Those are good choices. I would recommend getting one that connects to your computer with USB, however, instead of with the Serial Port.

 

A mapping GPS unit is a good thing to have, and the least expensive, best choice for one of those would be the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx. Then you would need to purchase the City Navigator maps, and Topo maps, if you like to get out into the back country. The GPSr with the most "cool factor" seems to be the Garmin GPSMap60CSx.

 

Garmin is the manufacturer I recommend, over Magellan, because their Customer Service, should you even need it, is the best! Magellan's Customer Service ranges from terrible to non-existent . . .

 

If you do a Search of the Forums, you'll find many, many recent threads that will answer your question in great detail.

[+YBLee]

You definitely cannot go wrong with the 60 CS or CSx. I have used a few others including the Colorado for a few weeks and the 60CSx is by far the best overall I have used.

 

OK, before I get verbally spanked let me say that the Colorado has tremendous potential and isn't too bad with release 2.40 BUT, its interface is still immature and will go through a number of updates before it is as solid as the 60CSx. This said, if you want to go with what will undoubtly be the best at some point in the future, but the Colorado 400t and just deal with the quirks and grow with it.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited March 9, 2008 by YBLee

[Fluxuated]

Yep, as the others have said the 60CSx is a great unit, well worth the coin, add on TOPO and your all set. You can also add City Navigator and turn it into a driving tool as well. Lots of options, and transferring waypoints is a snap.

[+YBLee]

Yep, as the others have said the 60CSx is a great unit, well worth the coin, add on TOPO and your all set. You can also add City Navigator and turn it into a driving tool as well. Lots of options, and transferring waypoints is a snap.

 

Adding Topo and City Navigator NT to the 60CSx makes it the most well-rounded handheld you can buy, IMO. You will not be sorry and should be able to sell it if you outgrow it or just keep it as a backup.

[+YBLee]

Yep, as the others have said the 60CSx is a great unit, well worth the coin, add on TOPO and your all set. You can also add City Navigator and turn it into a driving tool as well. Lots of options, and transferring waypoints is a snap.

 

Adding Topo and City Navigator NT to the 60CSx makes it the most well-rounded handheld you can buy, IMO. You will not be sorry and should be able to sell it if you outgrow it or just keep it as a backup. I have the well known 2610 considered to be one of the best waterproof GPS's on the market and using City Navigation NT on the 60CSx and City Nav on the 2610, have seen little difference in the routing capability. Althought the 60 cannot speak, the beep warning on the 60 are very easy to follow.

Edited March 9, 2008 by YBLee

[Amuzme42]

Another Vote for the Garmin 60CSX with Topo 2008!

 

I love mine.

 

Cheapest on Walmart.com!

Edited March 9, 2008 by Amuzme42

[+randyrucker]

This one looks cool.

 

http://www.delorme.com//PN20Flash/default.htm

 

With this one you could listen to tunes at the same time, or watch as rain approached.

 

http://www.bushnell.com/gps/gps_onix400.cf...n=General%20Use

[+TrailGators]

Another Vote for the Garmin 60CSX with Topo 2008!

 

I love mine.

 

Cheapest on Walmart.com!

I would get that one too or maybe the Colorado...

[+Turtle3863]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

[+coggins]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

 

The Vista HCx and Legend HCx will get sat reception held in any way.

[+Turtle3863]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

 

It will not get as GOOD of a reception as the 60 series.

[+Miragee]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

 

It will not get as GOOD of a reception as the 60 series.

I disagree! Since I got my Vista HCx, I have never lost satellites and I really prefer the smaller size of that GPS unit compared to the 60 series. I also prefer the buttons on the Legend HCx/Vista HCx and the click stick for navigation, compared to all the buttons on the 60 Series.

 

Sometimes you can get great things for a lower price.

[+julianh]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

 

It will not get as GOOD of a reception as the 60 series.

That MAY be true - I don't know, as I have not had the opportunity to check them side by side.

 

It certainly used to be the case that Garmins with patch antennas were generally not as sensitive as units with the quad-helix antennas, and had to be held horizontal under clear sky to get good reception. It MAY still be the case that quad-helix antennas are more sensitive than patch antennas, but the new H-series eTrex receivers will maintain "very good" reception when held at pretty well any orientation, under pretty well any reception conditions. (I consider 5 or 6 bars at 80% or better signal strength when under deep rainforest cover to be "very good".)

 

I have even found that I get a good continuous 3D fix with my Summit HC in my backpack, and my backpack thrown in the boot (trunk) of my car (sedan, with full steel boot-lid, NOT a station wagon), along with all my other possessions. I'm not sure how it even gets any signal at all under these conditions - presumably there is just enough leakage through the glass and through the back seat into the boot. The track-logs under these conditions are still continuous and very usable - but admittedly not as rock-solid as the reception under "real world" conditions, when I position the GPSr inside the car cabin itself, where it can get a better view of the sky through the windows.

 

The 60cSx MAY be even better, but at some point, you would have to concede that "good enough" is "good enough"! I think most users would say that for all practical purposes there is no real-world difference between the sensitivity of the current generation Garmin receivers.

Edited March 10, 2008 by julianh

[+TrailGators]

The 60csx MAY be even better, but at some point, you would have to concede that "good enough" is "good enough"! I think most users would say that for all practical purposes there is no real-world difference between the sensitivity of the current generation Garmin receivers.

This is true. I'm still using a 60CS because it's "good enough" and because we don't have many trees out here....

[+Turtle3863]

I agree that the 60csx is the best unit out right now. You might look at the price of the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx and wonder why they are priced lower and wonder why pay for the 60 series. The number one reason is that the Garmin Legend HCx, or the Vista HCx has a patch antenna that must be held upright to get reception. The 60 series uses a quad helixl antenna that allows the unit to be carried on you belt and allow you to enjoy your hike. This to me makes the extra $'s well worth it.

 

It will not get as GOOD of a reception as the 60 series.

I disagree! Since I got my Vista HCx, I have never lost satellites and I really prefer the smaller size of that GPS unit compared to the 60 series. I also prefer the buttons on the Legend HCx/Vista HCx and the click stick for navigation, compared to all the buttons on the 60 Series.

 

Sometimes you can get great things for a lower price.

 

Well it looks as if the patch antenna has improved since my old Blue Legend but after talking to a few people who own a Vista HCX they still have that bad problem with the rubber getting over sized when they get hot and coming lose. It's just a mater of cost and preference.