Comparing GPS help.

[+Gossage]

I am looking at getting a new Handheld GPS unit. The 2 I am looking at are the eTrex Vista® HCx and the eTrex Venture® HC. Any advice.

[+sportside]

Would be easier to help if you told us more what you want to do with it. THe Vista HCx has some nice features over the Venture HC. Longer battery life, electric compass, takes memory cards, more waypoints...

 

The Vista is $100 more than the Venture though. When I started out, I wasn't willing to pay the difference - I bought the Venture. For what I do, it fits my needs. If I were upgrading now, I would probably go with a 60CSx - the reviews are very good on it.

[+Gossage]

I have a car GPS (Mio C520) that I use for geocaching but I want to get a handheld unit for caching. Is it worth spending the extra $100 for the upgrade?

[+Kohavis]

It's worth investing in a handheld if you're geocaching.

 

I have a Venture HC and it suits me fine. But someone's GPSr preferences are like their musical preferences - everyone has a different opinion of what's "best".

 

I picked the Venture HC because I didn't think the card reader, electronic compass, electronic altimeter, additional waypoint and map storage, and custom POIs would be a show-stopper if I didn't have them. I don't plan long, multistate caching journeys where I'll need maps from many states resident in the unit. I didn't think I'd ever need to scroll through more than 500 waypoints (the Venture HC's capacity), or want to

 

I generally load my waypoints before my cache hunt, usually a few days before. Once I've found them, I delete them. 500 is plenty of room, considering I'll probably never hunt more than 20 in a day

 

I upload my daily tracks from the unit to Mapsource or SportTracks, then delete them from the handheld. I don't need long-term storage for that in the unit itself.

 

The electronic compass and altimeter are, in my opinion, bells and whistles I can live without. The GPS signal itself provides both of these functions, but you must be moving for it to update. Not a biggie for what I'll be using it for.

 

Custom POIs (points of interest) is something I can really live without, and not miss at all. I'm not out there to record where the drug store or the visitor center is located, and if I really need to mark a location, I can create a waypoint.

 

Same with tracks and routes storage. No need to have maps of Maine on my handheld, or future routes through the Grand Canyon. I'll load them as I need them. The Venture HC seems to hold plenty for this type of approach. Being able to hold 2GB of maps, routes, tracks and waypoints is WAY overkill for my needs.

 

But ....I'll qualify the above again .....FOR MY NEEDS. Everyone will have a slightly different take on what's "important" and what isn't. One thing is for sure - either the Vista HCx or the Venture HC is an excellent geocaching unit. The Garmin eTrex line seems ideal for geocachers who don't want to spend a fortune on a unit. Some higher end models can set you back $500 or $600, or more

 

Good luck

Edited October 28, 2008 by Kohavis

[+sportside]

I'm with Kohavis on just about everything. For my needs the Venture HC is perfect, I didn't need all the upgrades. I even do just about everything the way he listed it. I also use an ipod for paperless caching (was writing it all out). For the average cacher, the Venture at $115 is a good unit. The Vista HCx is $214, 60 CSx is $300 - all prices from Amazon.

 

Would I spend the $100 to get a Vista? Not after using the Venture for a while - I don't think the added items are worth it. I don't even have any maps in mine, just the basemap, I have a Tomtom for roads.

 

Whichever you end up getting, a handheld makes caching a lot easier than using a car GPSr...

[+StarBrand]

The 2 units are nearly identical except for:

 

The Vista adds an electronic compass and altimeter.

The Vista has expandable map memory

The Vista will do autorouting on the right maps.

The Vista can hold 1000 waypoints vs the Venture's 500.

 

Only you can decide if the $100 price difference is worth it.

 

Just to add to the mix - you can get a Garmin Legend HCx for about $180 - same as the Vista minus the electronic altimeter and compass.

[+Wild Thing 73]

I have a car GPS (Mio C520) that I use for geocaching but I want to get a handheld unit for caching. Is it worth spending the extra $100 for the upgrade?

Yes, but only if you want them......Remember you will get many answers to your questions, but only you can answer the question....Research, research, if you can't find a suitable answer, then come to the forum for your needs. The forums should really be the last place to come for personal question on how to spend your money....come to the forums when you have exhausted your research efforts.you will be happier for doing it...You must do your part, too.There are many "things" I can live with out, but if I want them, I will acquire them at almost any price...again, it is not our needs, it is our wants that is important. Hally caching ans smooth Trails......and good luck

[+briansnat]

The 2 units are nearly identical except for:

 

The Vista adds an electronic compass and altimeter.

The Vista has expandable map memory

The Vista will do autorouting on the right maps.

The Vista can hold 1000 waypoints vs the Venture's 500.

 

Only you can decide if the $100 price difference is worth it.

 

Just to add to the mix - you can get a Garmin Legend HCx for about $180 - same as the Vista minus the electronic altimeter and compass.

 

I think the Legend HCX is a good mid point between the two. As others have mentioned on you can decide

if the additional features are worth it. My advice would be to go with the most expensive unit you can afford. It's better than finding out later that your unit is missing features that you would like to have.

 

I personally think that the electronic compass and expandable map memory in the Vista are worth the extra money. Since you have a car GPS you probably don't need your hand held for driving instructions, but you can buy topo maps for it and the expandable memory will allow you to load enough map segments to cover most of the US, where the Venture HC will only give you roughly one state's of map coverage and you will have to remember to re-load maps any time you are traveling out of your map coverage area.