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Best GPS?


darkangel313

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Posted

I am new to geocaching and need to get a GPS. I want to get one that is small, easy to use and preferably doesn't cost a lot. Any suggestions?

 

Howdy......

Garmin Vista HCX

Now you gotta do a little research to find the best price......

 

Vern / Foothills Drifter... :)

Posted

I have the Vista HCx, but it's a high end model. For a low cost Garmin, I wouldn't look at anything below a Venture HC. It's the entry-level color screen model and has the sensitive chip. It's internal memory is about 28mb, and has no option for an external data card. However, that's why it's not a high end model.

Posted

I have the Vista HCx, but it's a high end model. For a low cost Garmin, I wouldn't look at anything below a Venture HC. It's the entry-level color screen model and has the sensitive chip. It's internal memory is about 28mb, and has no option for an external data card. However, that's why it's not a high end model.

 

The Venture HC is said to have 24mb, but actually has only 22mb for loading maps. I've had this model and that's what Mapsource showed when uploading maps. I guess the other 2mb are for tracks or sth.

Posted

Prettty much any GPS in the Etrex line will work great.

 

For a newbie who wouldn't use the GPS for much more than Geoaching:

Garmin Etrex Venture HC:

 

This is was my first GPS and I still use it. You find them for about $80 refurbished or $120 new. As others have pointed out, it doesn't have a lot of memmory for loading maps. However, you don't need maps to geocache and if you don't plan to use this for in car navigation you really don't need them at all. Because it's a Garmin it has the added bonus of using the "send to GPS" function here on the site and that sure beats entering the locatiion by hand. Another downside is it has a very limited area for cache notes. Still, it has a high sens chipset and is about as accurate as you really need. It will get you within 15 +/- 5 ft most of the time, depending on the accuracy of the cache owner's GPS. Even if you had maps on it seems like it would run slow in realtime car travel. But for Geocaching purposes it has everything you need and it's pretty small (Easily fits in your pocket, a little larger than a cellphone).

 

Etrex H

This is the most basic version, I've never owned one but the reviews are pretty good considering the price. I think it has the same chipset as the Venture HC so should have the same accuracy. It's the cheapest unit of the line and can be had for $70 new. The problem you have is that it has no built in memory and does not accept cards either so you can't save anything and you will have to enter all of the waypoints manually or buy the $40 cable. For the sam total price you can have the Venture HC that comes with a USB cable and has plenty of memory to save waypoints.

 

For Garmin, I would suggest the Venture HC as the best overall beginner model unless you plan to use it in the car or upload topo maps and such. Personally, I never use the maps so for me this was/is a great unit. This is now my wife's GPS and she loves it.

 

I've owned a Magellan Explorist 300 and was not impressed with it at all as far as accuracy goes. I took it out and tried to find a few caches with it and couldn't find them and went home got the Venture HC. Turns out that venture got me with in 10 ft, the Explorist was point to an area about 80 ft away. I had this happend more than once the the Explorist, but the Etrex line seems very reliable.

 

Hope that helps.

Posted

Go with the Venture HC - goes for around $130.

 

Long battery life, color screen, USB connections, Geocaching mode, some map memory, rugged, high sensitivity, nice small form factor and a proven performer.

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