New Geocaching family-need GPS for me and one for kids

[+CapriPete]

We are new geocachers and are currently using our Nuvi 260. It's the GPS that we use for long distance trips, and not knowing any better, it's what we use to find caches.

 

We just attended our first geocaching event cache picnic, and I realized that there are very cool units out there that are a lot more friendly for this sport than my Nuvi 260 (which I love for the car).

 

From reading the posts here, it seems like people like the Garmin 60csx and although people like the Colorado and Oregon, the jury is out because there are some bugs. I have a Mac and will most likely use mac-caching. Paperless caching sounds cool but we don't do that much caching that it would really be that necessary.

 

My question is -- I want a GPS for myself, and I'd also like to buy one for each of my two kids, so that they stop arguing over who gets to use it it when we cache. (They are 8, and so the unit needs to be as close as possible to indestructable). I like the Garmin 60csx, and Amazon has them for $303. But I don't want to spend that much for the kids. Any suggestions for all of us? I haven't heard bad things about the 60csx -- seems like it's a very old but reliable model. But any other suggestions would be helpful, either for me or for the kids, or for all of us. (I'd like to stay with Garmin though)

 

Thanks,

Liz

[+Damin69]

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a great unit. Also the Etrex series are some good units also. In the HC line depending on the features you want.

[+mousekakat]

Get them a little, yellow eTrex... and get it off of eBay.

 

Solid, water resistant, no bells and whistles or maps but it'll get ya where you're trying to go!

[+CapriPete]

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a great unit. Also the Etrex series are some good units also. In the HC line depending on the features you want.

 

Another question -- with the 60 CSX, are you able to geocache right out of the box? I don't need turn-by-turn directions because we have our Nuvi. So if I don't need that, will I still be able to cache without buying other maps? (And same question for the Etrex series -- they all include a "base map" but I'm not sure what that means...)

[+Team Tremblay]

I own a Colorado 300 and a Mac and I have no trouble. The new software lets you add comments when finding caches and it's extremely easy to just load up your unit with caches directly from the website before you hit the trail.

 

My dad is getting an Oregon which, from what I understand, will use the same basic software as the Co.

 

Oh, and get your kids to experience NOT having things. I've got 5 kids... 1 GPS!

[+Damin69]

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a great unit. Also the Etrex series are some good units also. In the HC line depending on the features you want.

 

Another question -- with the 60 CSX, are you able to geocache right out of the box? I don't need turn-by-turn directions because we have our Nuvi. So if I don't need that, will I still be able to cache without buying other maps? (And same question for the Etrex series -- they all include a "base map" but I'm not sure what that means...)

Yes you can. I have a Nuvi 255W as my on road GPS. I have the 60 CSX for Cacheing. works great. I have the Free Ibycus maps loaded in for base map. Then I just load in my way points and away I go. I had the Etrex Venture HC the only limitation I found with it was that it only had 24 meg of ram in it other wise it worked great for caching also. I have a 2 gig SD card in my CSX so no problem loading maps at all I have all of Wisconsin some of MN, IA, MI and IL loaded in.

[+Stu The Hiker UK]

Garmin etrex H, cheap and cheerfull and does what it says on the tin.

It's on Amazon.co.uk now for £61 with free P&P

 

It's great unit for Geching and great for Hikng.

 

I use it for both without any problems.

 

If you intend to use it for serious hiking you may be put off by it not having any base maps, but for me that's fine because I use Memory Map to plan and upload routes to it and print paper maps.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I suggest spending a few bucks extra and getting the kids the Venture HC. You won't have to mess with manually entering coordinates (or buying and using a SERIAL cable).

[+Stu The Hiker UK]

I suggest spending a few bucks extra and getting the kids the Venture HC. You won't have to mess with manually entering coordinates (or buying and using a SERIAL cable).

 

I've never had to enter coordinate manualy, only when doing mutli caches, and if you want to save money on the serial cable, then make one like mine, all I used was a lead off an old serial mouse from my bits box and a thin strip of plastic to slide over the contacts on the etrex

 

I can dig out the link to the cable making page if anyone wants it.

[+CapriPete]

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a great unit. Also the Etrex series are some good units also. In the HC line depending on the features you want.

 

Another question -- with the 60 CSX, are you able to geocache right out of the box? I don't need turn-by-turn directions because we have our Nuvi. So if I don't need that, will I still be able to cache without buying other maps? (And same question for the Etrex series -- they all include a "base map" but I'm not sure what that means...)

Yes you can. I have a Nuvi 255W as my on road GPS. I have the 60 CSX for Cacheing. works great. I have the Free Ibycus maps loaded in for base map. Then I just load in my way points and away I go. I had the Etrex Venture HC the only limitation I found with it was that it only had 24 meg of ram in it other wise it worked great for caching also. I have a 2 gig SD card in my CSX so no problem loading maps at all I have all of Wisconsin some of MN, IA, MI and IL loaded in.

Where do you get individual state maps? Are they topo maps or road maps?

[+Damin69]

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a great unit. Also the Etrex series are some good units also. In the HC line depending on the features you want.

 

Another question -- with the 60 CSX, are you able to geocache right out of the box? I don't need turn-by-turn directions because we have our Nuvi. So if I don't need that, will I still be able to cache without buying other maps? (And same question for the Etrex series -- they all include a "base map" but I'm not sure what that means...)

Yes you can. I have a Nuvi 255W as my on road GPS. I have the 60 CSX for Cacheing. works great. I have the Free Ibycus maps loaded in for base map. Then I just load in my way points and away I go. I had the Etrex Venture HC the only limitation I found with it was that it only had 24 meg of ram in it other wise it worked great for caching also. I have a 2 gig SD card in my CSX so no problem loading maps at all I have all of Wisconsin some of MN, IA, MI and IL loaded in.

Where do you get individual state maps? Are they topo maps or road maps?

 

This is where I downloaded my Road maps. They are not routeable but do show the roads and side roads way better than any of the preloaded base maps. http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/#Download

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

There are a few states with free 1:24K topo maps.

 

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/