$500-$600 Budget What to buy?

[+WhatWasIThinkin]

Mainly hypothetical question. Just curious what those in the know would buy for GPS equipment with a $500-$600 spending limit?

 

Points of interest would include, GPS handheld unit(being able to see threw thick forrest cover a must), additional memory(if needed) and maping software.

 

Thanks so much for indulging this question for me. I have a @ 5 Year old Magellan Gold that still works fine but am curious as to what would be a better pick in todays technology

 

Thanks

Todd

Whatwasithinkin

aka WWIT

[+SkellyCA]

I'm waiting on the new Lawrance units to be released in May. Until then, an Oregon

[+fizzymagic]

If I had that much, I would buy a Delorme PN-40 for ~$350 and a Garmin nuvi with the rest.

[+StarBrand]

I'll recommend a Garmin Oregon 300 and a low end Nuvi for in the car.

 

however....

 

They are not out yet and no reviews yet but the Lowrance Endura series looks promising....... http://www.lowrance.com/en/Products/Outdoors/Endura-Sierra/ - might hold off a few weeks to see how these turn out.

Edited April 30, 2009 by StarBrand

[NordicMan]

I'm waiting on the new Lawrance units to be released in May. Until then, an Oregon

 

I'd agree with Skelly & Starbrand. The new Lowrance Enduras are going to be state-of-the-art when they come out. Push buttons and touchscreen, 3-axis compass on the Sierra model, etc. And Lowrance has always made top quality products

Edited April 30, 2009 by NordicMan

[+Pax42]

If I had that much, I would buy a Delorme PN-40 for ~$350 and a Garmin nuvi with the rest.

I agree. That's the setup I have. Road routing to caches with my handheld was OK but using the Nuvi with the GSAK macro to route to caches and then switching over to the handheld is much better. It doesn't even need to be an expensive Nuvi. A PN-40 and a $150 Nuvi puts you at the bottom of your range.

[Neos2]

Garmin 60 CSx, City Navigator maps on DVD, US Topo maps on DVD, used PDA, geocaching premium membership, GSAK, and Cachemate.

[+Chrysalides]

Garmin 60 CSx, City Navigator maps on DVD, US Topo maps on DVD, used PDA, geocaching premium membership, GSAK, and Cachemate.

You add street navigation to the handheld, but choose to get a PDA for the paperless function? I'd do it the other way around. Get a Nuvi for street navigation, and a handheld with paperless functionality for geocaching.

[+briansnat]

I'm waiting on the new Lawrance units to be released in May. Until then, an Oregon

 

I'd agree with Skelly & Starbrand. The new Lowrance Enduras are going to be state-of-the-art when they come out. Push buttons and touchscreen, 3-axis compass on the Sierra model, etc. And Lowrance has always made top quality products

 

The Enduras look great on paper and Lowrance has a rep for making some fine GPS units, but I'd wait until a few people used them before declaring the the "new state-of-the-art".

[Neos2]

Garmin 60 CSx, City Navigator maps on DVD, US Topo maps on DVD, used PDA, geocaching premium membership, GSAK, and Cachemate.

You add street navigation to the handheld, but choose to get a PDA for the paperless function? I'd do it the other way around. Get a Nuvi for street navigation, and a handheld with paperless functionality for geocaching.

No, I wouldnn't do without navigation ability in my gps. It's useful when you are far off the road looking for geocaches, you know. But beyond that, I want my navigation ability no matter which vehicle I'm in--mine, my husband's, a friend's, a rental.

 

As for adding the paperless function to the gps, I'm not a big fan of multi-purpose technology. Usually some parts of the technology work better than others in equipment like that. Oh, it would be nice to have a gps that is also a telephone, a navigation system, a camera, a telescope, a depth sounder, a cook stove, and starts the coffee when I wake up, but I doubt the technology for all those things would be equally good--why drink a rotten cup of coffee just to have a telephone to use while I'm caching?

 

I want to be able to upgrade to something I see as better technology when I see it without worrying whether it will still support some other thing I see as impossible to do without. Some of the multi-taks gps units sound like great ideas, but they lack certai things I really want. If I keep it separate, I can pick and choose where I will let the quality suffer and where I won't compromise.

 

Oh, and the system I suggested is exactly what I use. It works a charm.

Edited May 2, 2009 by Neos2

[+Chrysalides]

You add street navigation to the handheld, but choose to get a PDA for the paperless function? I'd do it the other way around. Get a Nuvi for street navigation, and a handheld with paperless functionality for geocaching.

No, I wouldnn't do without navigation ability in my gps. It's useful when you are far off the road looking for geocaches, you know. But beyond that, I want my navigation ability no matter which vehicle I'm in--mine, my husband's, a friend's, a rental.

 

As for adding the paperless function to the gps, I'm not a big fan of multi-purpose technology. Usually some parts of the technology work better than others in equipment like that. Oh, it would be nice to have a gps that is also a telephone, a navigation system, a camera, a telescope, a depth sounder, a cook stove, and starts the coffee when I wake up, but I doubt the technology for all those things would be equally good--why drink a rotten cup of coffee just to have a telephone to use while I'm caching?

 

I want to be able to upgrade to something I see as better technology when I see it without worrying whether it will still support some other thing I see as impossible to do without. Some of the multi-taks gps units sound like great ideas, but they lack certai things I really want. If I keep it separate, I can pick and choose where I will let the quality suffer and where I won't compromise.

 

Oh, and the system I suggested is exactly what I use. It works a charm.

Handheld GPSrs (AFAIK) does not give spoken directions, and usually have smaller screens. I find the 3D view and spoken directions to be very useful for a vehicle GPSr.

 

Having paperless function does not (to me) quite merit making the GPSr "multi-purpose". If you're already looking at your GPSr screen when geocaching, does it not make sense to look at the same screen when you want cache info? If you have to choose the next waypoint when you've found the cache, isn't it easier to hit "Found" or "DNF" on that same screen? It's hardly in the same league as, say, adding a phone or camera to the GPSr.

 

I'm curious about a statement you made : "No, I wouldnn't do without navigation ability in my gps. It's useful when you are far off the road looking for geocaches, you know." That would be covered by the Topo DVD, not the City Navigator DVD, right? I agree that being able to navigate on trails is very useful. It is having street navigation on the handheld that I don't find very useful.

 

With a Nuvi, you can bring it into whichever car you're driving. Same as your handheld. On the trail, you have one device, instead of two (I use a PDA currently, I know what it is like).

 

I'm not saying your way won't work. I'm merely presenting an alternative to the OP that I feel might be better, and explaining why, so that he can take it into consideration when making his choice.

Edited May 2, 2009 by Chrysalides

[+tfc0869]

I'm in agreement, getting two units is probably best:

 

1. Decent handheld with maps, and (IMO) paperless geocaching features. I've been using my Oregon all weekend, and it's extremely nice to have the description and hints right there. The map in the Oregon is nice for a quick glance at the "lay of the land" before switching to "compass" mode and having a go at the cache. But for road navigation, it's terrible.

 

2. Get a road navigation-optimized unit like the Nuvi belonging to my inlaws. Big, wide screen, showing a very clear 3-D view of streets, with constant narration of your next turns, nice included waypoints such as shopping destinations, etc. But too bulky to fit into your pocket when out geocaching.

[+briansnat]

As for adding the paperless function to the gps, I'm not a big fan of multi-purpose technology. Usually some parts of the technology work better than others in equipment like that

 

Paperless functionality in a handheld GPS isn't quite like a GPS/digital camera/cell phone, a television/DVD player or a GPS/GMRS radio. Your GPS already shows the cache name/GC# and other info. It's nothing more than a software tweak that provides more information. It's not like they are re-engineering the units and adding a lens for a camera and an MP3 player.

 

But I agree with you in one respectl. I'd take a 60CSX with City Navigator and a Palm with Cachemate over an Oregon/Colorado/PN40 with a Nuvi for the car.

 

The day they make a unit as good as a 60CSX with paperless functionality is the day I change my tune. I wish they would just add paperless to the 60CSX. It's not that hard. But Garmin knows they'd never sell another Oregon or Colorado if they do.

[Neos2]

As for adding the paperless function to the gps, I'm not a big fan of multi-purpose technology. Usually some parts of the technology work better than others in equipment like that

 

Paperless functionality in a handheld GPS isn't quite like a GPS/digital camera/cell phone, a television/DVD player or a GPS/GMRS radio. Your GPS already shows the cache name/GC# and other info. It's nothing more than a software tweak that provides more information. It's not like they are re-engineering the units and adding a lens for a camera and an MP3 player.

 

But I agree with you in one respectl. I'd take a 60CSX with City Navigator and a Palm with Cachemate over an Oregon/Colorado/PN40 with a Nuvi for the car.

 

The day they make a unit as good as a 60CSX with paperless functionality is the day I change my tune. I wish they would just add paperless to the 60CSX. It's not that hard. But Garmin knows they'd never sell another Oregon or Colorado if they do.

Well, yeah, I was exaggerating about the multi-purposing abilities, but I agree with you about the choice of the gps and palm set up --and about your thoughts on adding paperless to the 60CSx.

 

said my method would 'probably work' and it does. It works quite well in fact. So well that it's exactly the set up that most of my friends and I use. Now I haven't found many caches (just over 1000), but some of my friends have found tens of thousands. Sure it works.

 

One reason my method works so well is that I use GSAK to send my info to the Garmin and the PDA. On the gps, it shows the cache ID, the difficulty and terrain, the type and size of container. It also has a bit of the hint. (usually-- gerr). That's the info you need most often to find a cache, and it's the sort of thing we find ourselves needing to know on site. ("Now what size was that again?"). I don't have to break out the PDA, it's already on the gps.

 

We read the cache page on the way to the cache to look for info on parking and get a general idea of waht to expect, what cool things to see nearby, etc. On site we hunt with just the gps usually, and since the unit is so accurate, it almost always takes us within 5 feet of the coordinates. That's all we need, usually. We took my husband's aunt out caching yesterday. It was her first time. We hunted three caches and she found two of them within two minutes of getting to the spots. She would have done as well on the third, but she didn't want to stick her hand in the dark hole in the gerr!

 

But if we don't find it right away, we pull out the PDA again and read the cache page or the last few logs for more hints. And then we read the full hint, if we still need it. If I need to jot a note to tell the cache owner something, I put it on the PDA or sometimes in the field notes area on the gps. (Soggy log, log getting full, needs o-ring, etc).

 

Would I like the PDA function on the gps? Sure, if the gps was as good as the 60CSx. But I won't give up the features and quality of the 60CSx just to have a PDA on some gps.

 

And as for voice directions and navigation etc...

 

My husband uses the 60CSx at work in addition to using it for trips and caching. He drives a big truck and has to travel highways and tiny little back roads. He likes the way the 60CSx works for navigation just fine. Especially the way it alerts him to upcoming turns and switches to a close-up view of what lies ahead at the turns. As far as visibility--well, if you can see it in a big truck, you can certainly see it in a car.

 

And, Chrysalides hope you see this too--

city navigation maps provide additional detail the base maps do not have even in urban areas. The base map are very basic. The city maps have more details on streets and parks than the base maps. Indeed some things don't show up at all on the base maps. On the base map, you might have a large white area that on the city maps shows eight streets, a park, and a landmark symbol of some sort such as a school next to a church.

 

Topo maps tend to show a lot more water features than city maps, and that's been their main advantage for me. They sometimes show more state park roads, or at least have names on them (John Smith Road rather than 'road' which is what the city map might call a state park road). On the other hand, city maps tend to get update more frequently, so even out in the rural areas, city maps can be useful. All maps are really most useful for getting to general area of the cache, more than for getting to the cache from parking. Once you get close, the compass will point the way--heck, you could even just follow the coordinates alone (watching the numbers go down on the lat and long) all the way to the cache if you had to, once you get close (But I don't recommend it as it takes too long and it looks pretty silly)!

[+Chrysalides]

And, Chrysalides hope you see this too--

city navigation maps provide additional detail the base maps do not have even in urban areas. The base map are very basic. The city maps have more details on streets and parks than the base maps. Indeed some things don't show up at all on the base maps. On the base map, you might have a large white area that on the city maps shows eight streets, a park, and a landmark symbol of some sort such as a school next to a church.

 

Topo maps tend to show a lot more water features than city maps, and that's been their main advantage for me. They sometimes show more state park roads, or at least have names on them (John Smith Road rather than 'road' which is what the city map might call a state park road). On the other hand, city maps tend to get update more frequently, so even out in the rural areas, city maps can be useful. All maps are really most useful for getting to general area of the cache, more than for getting to the cache from parking. Once you get close, the compass will point the way--heck, you could even just follow the coordinates alone (watching the numbers go down on the lat and long) all the way to the cache if you had to, once you get close (But I don't recommend it as it takes too long and it looks pretty silly)!

Neos2, thanks for the very detailed description on how you use the 60CSX with PDA.

 

I do know that the base map is pretty much useless. My question is regarding your statement about using the City Navigation maps when you are off-road. I thought the Topo maps would be more useful in that situation?

 

Having paperless capability in my GPSr makes note taking after finding (or DNF) a cache more likely to happen. Like you, I store most of the essential information in the GPSr, and only pulls out the PDA when necessary, which is about 1 cache out of 4 or 5. And the PDA gets stored away before I start searching. The number of times I pulled it out to take notes I can count on the thumbs of my hands

 

Can you elaborate on what makes the 60CSX so much superior to the Oregon (ignoring paperless capability) as a GPSr for geocaching? Thanks.

[+Night Stalker]

I can think of a couple of reasons for using the 60CSX. One is that it is truly waterproof. I know this for a fact since mine came out of its belt mount and ended up bouncing down a steep hill, hitting trees all the way down and landing in a river. When I got down to the spot where it landed I could see the bright color screen under the water. I retrieved it and it is still going strong.

 

The screen is easy to see in all conditions.

 

As described above it is very rugged.

 

I have never used the Oregon, but friends who have state that you need the backlight to see the screen well, and I wouldn't throw and Oregon into a river to test whether it is truly waterproof.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Night Stalker

[+StarBrand]

I've used my Oregon 200 in heavy rain and dropped it in a puddle of water - no problems. But point taken about the overall screen dimness.

[Neos2]

I do know that the base map is pretty much useless. My question is regarding your statement about using the City Navigation maps when you are off-road. I thought the Topo maps would be more useful in that situation?

 

Can you elaborate on what makes the 60CSX so much superior to the Oregon (ignoring paperless capability) as a GPSr for geocaching? Thanks.

 

Depends on exactly what you mean by off-road...Ideally, you'll want both types of maps, for different reasons.

 

If you mean waaaaaay out in the woods miles from any navigable road, well, topo maps will give you more information, including elevation information, and lots of info on springs, creeks, swamps, bogs, lakes, ponds, mines, etc etc than city maps will.

 

If you mean "out in the state park" where all you really need is road information to see where to park and where to pick up the trail, either type of map will do. Trails usually do not show up on either type of map. Some state park features do show up (camping areas, parking lots, gift shops). Some of the larger, more popular, better established trail heads show up on both kinds of map.

 

There are some for-purchase trail maps of some of the national parks and some areas of the world have other maps that show the kind of detail that hikers want. I'm pretty sure there are some freeware maps and other (non-Garmin) maps that show hiking and biking trails some parks and so on--but I've never used them. When I get out in the really rough parts of the backroad areas, I carry a paper topo map and a hand-held compass anyway. I wouldn't fully trust myself out in landscape like that to any electronic device.

 

But we rarely go places like that these days ...and usually I can count gps to get me to the cache and back again. I use both kinds of maps in the gps--topo and city.

 

About 98% of the time I use the city maps. I sometimes even forget the topo maps are there until I really need them. Using the trackback feature will take you back to your car the way you came in even with the city maps, which is not always the shortest way, but it is a way. I don't often use the topo maps, but when I do, I really appreciate them.

 

On the other hand, the topo maps (for the US) will not allow you to use the auto-navigation feature of the gps. The unit defaults to the base map to navigate when the topo map is up or is the only loaded map.

 

Half the trick of many caches is just getting close enough to park for the hunt, so the "nearest spot to the cache" navigation is important. Don't underestimate the importance of the auto-routing navigation. Since we've had that, out excursions have been much more pleasant. We point to the cache and hit "go to, on road" and the gps gets us as close as it can on some road. Sometimes that backfires, but usually it's a huge time-saver, and lets us go to more caches in one day than we would otherwise.

 

By the routing backfiring, I mean:

For instance, one time auto-navigation took us to a subdivision street in front of someone's home, and 50 feet from the cache on the map--on the other side of the ten foot high fence. In reality, we needed to go around the whole subdivision to enter the park where the cache was located and walk across a field to the cache. Luckily for us, the neighborhood kids had created a short cut to the park from their end of the park, and we could just dash in that way too, but it really wasn''t the way we should have gone in to the park.

 

Another time, the gps wanted to take us in to a state park by a road that had been closed for years. Even the base map had that set of instructions, so the topo map was no help either. Heck, even the paper map of the state had the old road instead of the new one. We had to use the city map on the gps to visually to spot where the new entrance was probably located and drive around a bit to find the new way in to the park. Even when we got to the new entrance, the gps wanted to go around the park to the old road. The maps just weren't up to date.

 

But usually the maps work great to get us where we need to be and if not, well, it's easy enough to figure things like that out by looking at the map to see what you need to do to correct it.

 

Oh, and as for geocaching...the 60 CSx has the best of the chipsets for navigation on the market. It is just more accurate. That makes the electronic compass more accurate, and that means fewer miles hiking over the course of a day. For me that means I can do a few more caches before my back gives out. I really appreciate it on rugged terrain, where it means fewer steps in the wrong direction, fewer times I wander across a small ravine and have to climb back out it to be in the next small ravine, fewer times I have to cross the small creek to be on the right side, etc. A small error can really add up over a long distance. I'll take greater accuracy.

 

But more than that, I just like the way the 60CSx works and feels to operate. It's rugged, it fits the hand well, it is waterproof (Yes, I know from experience, too!), and you can read the screen in sunlight, moonlight, or inside a cave with the backlight. The buttons are in logical places, and they are comfortable for my dainty girl hands and my husbands big stubby ones, too.

 

Don't underestimate the importance of how a gps feels in your hand. I don't care how well you like the features of a gps, if you can't stand to hold it all day, you will end up finding reasons to dislike the gps. As far as "hand fit"-- I liked the 76 model, too. It fit my hand well enough. My husband does not care for it at all. Some people prefer the small Legend body styles and will forego the nifty features to have that body.

 

There were some missing functions on the Oregons when they first came out that are on the 60CSx. I don't know if they have since added them or not. I haven't kept up. To be honest, the Oregon or the Colorado will probably always be a hard one to sell to me because I dislike the cartoonish way the maps look on them. Some people prefer them.

 

Hope that helps at least a little.

[+GrateBear]

I'd buy another Garmin Legend, but the HCx which wasn't out yet when I got my Cx. The Legend does everything I need it for, be it caching or taking it on vacation for driving purposes. Then, I would still have a few extra hundred bucks to have more fun with! I have no need for a super expensive unit.

[+Chrysalides]

Hope that helps at least a little.

Yes, it helps a lot. Thank you for all that information.

 

I was seriously considering an Oregon, and now you've given me much to think about. I doubt I will get a 60CSX, but I may hold out for something similar with paperless features. At the very least I'll try to borrow or rent one before deciding.

 

Currently I'm using a Venture HC with free topo maps, a Nuvi 650, and an old Palm. The Nuvi 650, with geocaches loaded as custom POI using pilotsnipe's GSAK macro, works very well for navigating me to a parking spot for a cache (like you said, most of the time). The proximity alert also alerts me of nearby caches when I'm just driving around. The disadvantage here is that I need to sync my handheld, Nuvi and Palm with GSAK every so often.