What unit for a 5 year old?

[+Vater_Araignee]

Ok, I'm looking to get my son a receiver and I need:

• Durability
  
• Simple display (an arrow pointing in the direction he needs to go)
  
• The less expensive the better.
  

Suggestions?

[+Timpat]

My son was 5 when I got him the Garmin eTrex Legend. It's a good beginner unit plus it can load 8Mb of mapping if wanted later. We still have it and use it after 8 yrs! The price has come down to about $110 if you shop around online.

[+TrailGators]

I agree that a Blue Legend from eBay is a good choice.

[+Colonial Cats]

An iFinder Go2 is always a good chioce. You can get one through Amazon.com for about $110.

[+WatchDog2020]

A little off topic but remember to also take 100 foot of rope. 5 year olds are just the right weight to lower over the side of a bridge, down an old well or off a cliff to get those 5/5 caches.

[Jake - Team A.I.]

I gave my little sister a Garmin Geko 201 a few years ago. You might find some deals on those floating around. I know I saw one at Target a quite a while ago for like $50, on clearance. It has a smaller screen and no mapping, but has a backlight and connection for a data cable. It also has some games built in.

[Dosido]

Suggestions?

Can't go wrong with a base model Yellow Etrex, or a Magellan 100 - get either of them off Ebay used for a reasonable price.

 

I suggest a lanyard around the neck so the unit doesn't take a spill. A friend used to bring along the Etrex Yellow for my (then 5 year old) daughter. Now, I just give her my Colorado - it's fun to let them read the distance to the cache, at 5 they're just getting the hang of reading 'five hundred and fifteen' instead of five one five

 

You might poke around the local geomeets - there might be someone that has an older unit that they wouldn't mind parting with for a good cause.

[+StarBrand]

Garmin Geko - small form factor and easy to learn.

[+Prime Suspect]

Cheapest used Geko you can find that support uploading waypoints via a cable.

[+Vater_Araignee]

So far I am undecided between eTrex Legend HCx, and Geko 301. I can get them both around $100.00 on ebay.

 

The Geko has a compass so he would still have his bearing holding still and doesnt come with a cable increasing the cost or making entries a pain.

The eTrex uses micro SD (I have plenty and get more free almost anytime I want) but without a compass I assume he would have the same issue I have with my Mio where the bearing is only correct wile moving.

 

What are the big issues with these models?

Any other receiver suggestions?

[kchunks]

Vater, nice sig. It took me a minute but I love that show.

 

I am in the camp that does not want an electronic compass and I also think that if someone ever thinks they are going to need a compass they should go get a magnetic one. A GPS is no substitute for a compass. That said, a lot of people think they're cool but they do require calibration and recalibration and more calibration. Or, you could just ignore it, leave the compass turned off and get better battery life. I would opt for a transfer cable over a compass.

 

In case anyone suggests the Bushnell Backtrack, stay away. It only holds three waypoints and you have to mark them when you're standing there. You can't enter a point and then have it guide you.

 

Thanks for starting the thread- the GPS I want (PN-40) is a little out of reach right now so I have been pondering getting one that I could pass on to my currently three year old son and not so techno savvy wife in a couple of years. This info helps (and my current leaning, which changes on a weekly basis, is a Legend HCx).

[yougogirl64]

Love my Blue Legend.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Vater, nice sig. It took me a minute but I love that show.

 

I am in the camp that does not want an electronic compass and I also think that if someone ever thinks they are going to need a compass they should go get a magnetic one. A GPS is no substitute for a compass. That said, a lot of people think they're cool but they do require calibration and recalibration and more calibration. Or, you could just ignore it, leave the compass turned off and get better battery life. I would opt for a transfer cable over a compass.

 

In case anyone suggests the Bushnell Backtrack, stay away. It only holds three waypoints and you have to mark them when you're standing there. You can't enter a point and then have it guide you.

 

Thanks for starting the thread- the GPS I want (PN-40) is a little out of reach right now so I have been pondering getting one that I could pass on to my currently three year old son and not so techno savvy wife in a couple of years. This info helps (and my current leaning, which changes on a weekly basis, is a Legend HCx).

If you saw me wearing my jacket, hiking belt and carrying my geobag you would catch me with three lensatic compasses. I so wont trust complicated electronics to replace a load stone.

The reason I want an electronic compass in his receiver is...

To prevent that.

[+Rubberhead]

I would think Garmin's Old Yeller' would be perfect with it's great big fat arrow on the compass page. Once he or she moves up, it would make a good back-up GPS or one for a guest. I'd bet you can find a used one for $50 or less.

[FanMan]

The Geko 301 is a great unit; I've used one for the past several years. I wouldn't want a GPS without the compass (and altimeter, but that's a different story), and the tiny size of the Geko is perfect for a small child. It was only my 50 year old eyeballs and the tiny Geko screen that drove me to a new 60CSx,,,