Nuvi 500 vs 550

[MikeSSS]

The Nuvi 500 and 550 look like they would be good for cacheing, walking, hiking, kayaking, walk touring big cities and for use in the car too.

 

Is this true or do I have it wrong?

 

Any idea what the diff. between them is and which is better for many applications.

[sanramonhunter]

Exact same units. The only difference are the maps included. The 500 has only street maps but covers the U.S. and Canada. The 550 only covers the U.S. with street data but also had topographical data for the U.S. Not sure if the 550 covers Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. I think it would be good for caching, I've just got to get one in my hands to try it out. I'm waiting for them to make a version with Bluetooth and Text to speech before I go out and buy one. That may never happen.

[+The Yinnies]

They both have topo the 500 has less states. Go to garmin and it shows you what maps it has. If you will be staying in the USA you will only need the 500

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Um, no.

 

The nuvi 500 comes pre-loaded with City Navigator and topo maps of the 48 contiguous United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The nuvi 550 offers highway coverage of the entire U.S. and Canada but drops the topo maps.

 

I wasn't particularly impressed when I reviewed the 500, but there may have been some firmware updates / improvements since I tested it.

[+Wii Two]

I have been using the Nuvi 500 for about a month now. Brings me to the caches fine and can be used in car. Good all around unit. Only dissappointments I see are battery life and no case or way to clip it to your belt easy. Have to slip it in pocket. Small price to pay for it's versatility.

 

Don

[sanramonhunter]

Exact same units. The only difference are the maps included. The 500 has only street maps but covers the U.S. and Canada. The 550 only covers the U.S. with street data but also had topographical data for the U.S. Not sure if the 550 covers Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. I think it would be good for caching, I've just got to get one in my hands to try it out. I'm waiting for them to make a version with Bluetooth and Text to speech before I go out and buy one. That may never happen.

Woops had them reversed the 500 has the topo the 550 canadian street data.

[+geo-spoutnik]

I would say the 550 is not as great an hybride as we could hope. It's more 70% for car usage and 30% for outdoors. I tried one for a week and I didn't like the fact can you can't attach any thing to it to hang it around your neck.

 

But more disturbing is the fact that arrow pointing towards the cache is very very slow to react. Distance to cache does go down even thought the arrow might pointing backwards.

 

Also, the distance to the cache goes down like this: 200 - 150 - 100 - 90 - 80 - 70 -60 - 50 - 40 -30 - 20- 15-14-13-12.... I was using meters but it's probably the same for feet.

It's very annowing to have to wait to be closer to 15 meters to have it decrese meter by meter.

 

Before I updated the software, it was even worse, distance was only shown on the map page and not on the pointer.

 

Cute unit but not that great. Maybe more updates will help.

[+The Yinnies]

Um, no.

 

The nuvi 500 comes pre-loaded with City Navigator and topo maps of the 48 contiguous United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The nuvi 550 offers highway coverage of the entire U.S. and Canada but drops the topo maps.

 

I wasn't particularly impressed when I reviewed the 500, but there may have been some firmware updates / improvements since I tested it.

I am sorry I went on what Garmin told me and did not compare.

[MikeSSS]

Good information, thanks.

 

We have a Nuvi 200W and it does "car" just fine. I was thinking 60CSx or Vista HCx or Nuvi 500 for walking in cities and doing some caching, kayaking, hiking and stuff like that.

 

No attachment point for flotation is a deal killer as are the problems and features lacking for non car stuff.

 

The 60CSx looks like a "problem free" GPSR but the Vista HCx fits in a pocket easier. The problems the HCx has are probably too much for me, no reason to have a toy that makes you mad.

 

How would an Oregon be for city walking, hiking, cashing and car use compared to a 60CSx. I've read a few threads about this but don't remember what the conclusion was if any.

 

Thanks