Garmin Colorado vs. Delorme PN-20

[logansackett]

I'm looking for a paperless GPS that has detailed street capability and the ability to transfer loc and gpx files and be able to see cache icons in realtion to the street layout. Also be able to upload information and mark found caches. It looks like both of these have these options but the Delorme is alot cheaper. Is there a big difference between the two? Would I be better off spending twice as much for the Garmin?

[+Maingray]

The included basemap for the PN's are topo-based... so it's detailed but the roads are often inaccurate and shifted. If road position (or road routing) is important go the $$ route..Colorado plus City Navigator. Coloardo is also a lot faster to use than the PN-20 and can hold more caches (2,000 PLUS 1,000 waypoints PLUS unlimited user POI).

 

But the PN-20 is a mighty fine unit for the price.

[stevensj2]

I'm looking for a paperless GPS that has detailed street capability and the ability to transfer loc and gpx files and be able to see cache icons in realtion to the street layout. Also be able to upload information and mark found caches. It looks like both of these have these options but the Delorme is alot cheaper. Is there a big difference between the two? Would I be better off spending twice as much for the Garmin?

There is a reason the pn-20 is so much cheaper: its slow as molasses. Screen redraws can take seconds, and if you're using this for any kind of road navigation, I'd suggest against it.

 

If on the other hand you were considering a pn-40, which is much, much faster, then the above doesn't apply. I also think a comparison to the pn-40 would be a better choice, and would make for a much tougher decision.

 

My local REI had the Colorado 400t on sale for $249. Ridiculously low price, which makes me mad I paid about $375 for my CO 300.

 

Owning a Colorado, I can say it is a fine unit. Accuracy is acceptable for recreation use, and the screen and topo maps are awesome.

 

I've been considering purchasing a pn-40 to replace it, and its been a tough call so far. The DeLorme does have the ability for raster maps and aerial imagery, for $30 a year.

 

At the same time, there are sites like GPSFileDepot where you can download all the FREE maps you want for the Colorado (or any Garmin unit). These free maps are often better than what the others are charging for their vector maps.

 

I'd honestly suggest spending a couple days with both units, and see which you prefer. With DeLorme's no-questions-asked 30-day return policy, I would probably start with it first.

 

If you don't like it, return it and get the Colorado. If you get the CO first, you may find youself needing to payback a restocking fee, thus losing money you could use towards the purchase of the DeLorme.

 

In any case, good luck with your search! You'll be happy either way

Edited April 15, 2009 by stevensj2

[logansackett]

It sounds like redraw is a big complaint. I personally don't see a big issue because once a cache is found and you select the next one you will be able to see the route and plan accordingly and usually they are close to each other. I also like the fact that the Delorme developers are actively listening for geocaching feedback and update firmware fixes often. Can anyone come up with other negatives...I heard the screen is small, will that be a big hinderence compared to the Colorado? Also ease of use. I heard that the PN-20 is difficult to learn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm looking for a paperless GPS that has detailed street capability and the ability to transfer loc and gpx files and be able to see cache icons in realtion to the street layout. Also be able to upload information and mark found caches. It looks like both of these have these options but the Delorme is alot cheaper. Is there a big difference between the two? Would I be better off spending twice as much for the Garmin?

There is a reason the pn-20 is so much cheaper: its slow as molasses. Screen redraws can take seconds, and if you're using this for any kind of road navigation, I'd suggest against it.

 

If on the other hand you were considering a pn-40, which is much, much faster, then the above doesn't apply. I also think a comparison to the pn-40 would be a better choice, and would make for a much tougher decision.

 

My local REI had the Colorado 400t on sale for $249. Ridiculously low price, which makes me mad I paid about $375 for my CO 300.

 

Owning a Colorado, I can say it is a fine unit. Accuracy is acceptable for recreation use, and the screen and topo maps are awesome.

 

I've been considering purchasing a pn-40 to replace it, and its been a tough call so far. The DeLorme does have the ability for raster maps and aerial imagery, for $30 a year.

 

At the same time, there are sites like GPSFileDepot where you can download all the FREE maps you want for the Colorado (or any Garmin unit). These free maps are often better than what the others are charging for their vector maps.

 

I'd honestly suggest spending a couple days with both units, and see which you prefer. With DeLorme's no-questions-asked 30-day return policy, I would probably start with it first.

 

If you don't like it, return it and get the Colorado. If you get the CO first, you may find youself needing to payback a restocking fee, thus losing money you could use towards the purchase of the DeLorme.

 

In any case, good luck with your search! You'll be happy either way

[+Rockin Roddy]

I'd also suggest the PN-40 over the PN-20. I also agree that the PN-40 vs the CO would make for a tough choice, I chose the PN-40!! Look at what you need the unit for and weigh the features and pros and cons and make an informed decision from there!!

[stevensj2]

Can anyone come up with other negatives...I heard the screen is small, will that be a big hinderence compared to the Colorado? Also ease of use. I heard that the PN-20 is difficult to learn.

The screen is smaller (this page has a pic which shows the pn-40 next to other GPS units, including the Oregon which has the same screen size as the Colorado).

 

On the plus side, the pn-40's screen is more readable under most conditions. The Colorado has more pixel density, which allows for much finer resolution and smooth display - but the cost of that is brightness. I have to enable the backlight on the CO often. This is less of an issue with the pn-40, as it is among the more readable screens.

 

Another negative is battery life. The pn-40 is a dual-processor unit, which means it requires more juice and is one of the most demanding units on batteries. The Colorado will last quite a bit longer on one set of batteries and between charges.

 

Both are said to be waterproof, and both carry the same rating on their waterproof ability. That said, I'm not inclined to trust it on my Colorado. There is a barrier around the batteries when the back is in place, which supposedly keeps the water out. However, there is a visible gap between the back and the actual unit - and if I can see into the gap, water will certainly get in there. Whether or not the barrier will be effective, I cannot tell nor do I want to find out the hard way.

 

You can go to the DeLorme website and see a unit functioning in a stream, and its design is (to me) more trustworthy in that regard. (Note: there is also a video on youtube of a Colorado owner submerging his unit in a sink and showing something similar).

 

The UI is easier and more intuitive on the Colorado, and the software is much simpler. But given time and the more detailed manual that comes with the DeLorme, one can learn the software enough to eventually eliminate that difference.

 

EDIT: I forgot to mention: Both pn-20 and pn-40 suffer from ssllloooww data transfer rates. The contact serial-usb system the units use significantly affects data transfer speed. A transfer of ~200mb might take 5-6 minutes on the Colorado. The same amount of data could take up to an hour on the DeLorme (not exaggerating). While it won't effect you in the woods, it is something to consider when planning your routes/trips. Especially since the DeLorme can handle raster imagery and you may download multiple map styles of the same area (lots of data).

Edited April 16, 2009 by stevensj2

[+embra]

I like my PN-40 much more than my PN-20, but I liked the PN-20 a lot, too. It does take some patience, but I think it does short routing from one cache to the next just fine. On foot it keeps up with you well. Certainly there are some who require snappier performance, but if you've got some patience the PN-20 is an excellent value, and promises the cheapest but most complete paperless caching without a PDA.

 

Not everyone likes it, but Delorme offers a 30 day return period if you decide you want something different.