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Garmin vs. Delorme--looking to buy a new GPS


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We are currently looking at different GPS's to purchase. We have heard good things about the Delorme pn-40 and pn-30. We have also heard good things about Garmin products. We currently have a garmin etrex that was about $100 4-5 years ago. We want something that is easy to use with entering waypoints (or easy to transfer waypoints) and also maybe something that we could use for traveling. Definitely want something with maps...and the touchscreen feature seems like it would be beneficial. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Not opposed to looking into other brands as well...these are the two that I have heard lots about. Haven't heard good things about magellans. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

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We are currently looking at different GPS's to purchase. We have heard good things about the Delorme pn-40 and pn-30. We have also heard good things about Garmin products. We currently have a garmin etrex that was about $100 4-5 years ago. We want something that is easy to use with entering waypoints (or easy to transfer waypoints) and also maybe something that we could use for traveling. Definitely want something with maps...and the touchscreen feature seems like it would be beneficial. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Not opposed to looking into other brands as well...these are the two that I have heard lots about. Haven't heard good things about magellans. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

PC vs Mac

Chevy vs Ford

Linux vs Windows

Delorme vs Garmin

 

As with any of the products above a lot of the difference comes down to personal preference. I prefer PCs, Chevy's, Linux and Delorme. Does that mean Macs, Fords, Windows and Garmins aren't as good? No, it just mean that my choices meet my needs. Nothing more, nothing less. So don't let yourself get caught in the flamewars while making a choice.

 

I have a PN-40. I think it's a great unit and have had no problems with it. I've cached with it in the blistering Florida sun, kayaked in the pouring Florida rain and everything in between. There is a bit of a learning curve to the Topo software but the plus side is that the map are included as part of the purchase price instead of an added cost after the GPSr purchase.

 

The downside of the PN 40 is short battery life when using alkeline batteries and numerous users have reported lockups when batters are low (again, I personally have never had a problem with it)

 

Upside is there is a great user base who are ready and willing to help. They are part of the reason I chose to buy a 40 (the aerial imagery is another [:D].

 

Find some local cachers with the units you are interested in, go caching with them so you can get real world, hands-on experience with the units and then choose what works best for you.

 

Good luck and happy caching

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I have a PN-20 and I like it a lot. If I had the money I would have sprung for the nicer one. I can't compare it to the new Garmins, though, as I have not used those.

 

You mentioned that you wanted it for traveling. What do you want it to do when traveling? Where are you going? DeLorme maps are limited outside the US and Canadia. That could be a factor in your choice.

 

Any day now (unless they get delayed again) the new Lowrance series should be available. Take a look at those as well; they look pretty sweet.

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Personal preference of course, but I really like the Delorme PN-40

 

I've owned a lot of Garmin's and while any of their GPS's are a solid choice, the Delorme line shouldn't be ignored. The PN-40 has been very solid, accurate and reliable so far for me.

 

The only drawbacks I should warn you about are the learning curve to learn TOPO 7 software and making maps and waypoints transfer back and forth to the GPS successfully. Delorme seems to have a bit of an elitist attitude, and it seems they've made it unnecessarily complicated to get simple tasks done quickly. Topo 7, although packed with features, is slow and unintuitive. Also Delorme's website is not well laid out, so trying to find software/firmware updates is a challenge.

 

Aside from that though (and keep in mind, these are small complaints... once you learn TOPO 7 and the GPS, everything is pretty smooth), the Delorme GPS's are on par if not slightly better than Garmin units. :D

 

Good luck!

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Personal preference of course, but I really like the Delorme PN-40

 

I've owned a lot of Garmin's and while any of their GPS's are a solid choice, the Delorme line shouldn't be ignored. The PN-40 has been very solid, accurate and reliable so far for me.

 

The only drawbacks I should warn you about are the learning curve to learn TOPO 7 software and making maps and waypoints transfer back and forth to the GPS successfully. Delorme seems to have a bit of an elitist attitude, and it seems they've made it unnecessarily complicated to get simple tasks done quickly. Topo 7, although packed with features, is slow and unintuitive. Also Delorme's website is not well laid out, so trying to find software/firmware updates is a challenge.

 

Aside from that though (and keep in mind, these are small complaints... once you learn TOPO 7 and the GPS, everything is pretty smooth), the Delorme GPS's are on par if not slightly better than Garmin units. :D

 

Good luck!

 

TOPO 8 seems a bit better!

 

As for the OP, I see you said travel....outside the USA, Canada and Mexico? if so, you might want to consider a Garmin should you require maps. Otherwise, I would say the PN-40 is a great unit and love mine!!

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Rankings:

 

Battery life: Garmin eTrex > 60/76 > CO = OR > PN-30/40

Satellite and/or Raster Topos: Delorme

24K Vector Topos: Garmin, Delorme has none

Cheaper w/ maps: Delorme

Travel: Garmin Nuvi (speaks English, French, Spanish, Plus others)

 

Some points to consider:

Vector topos are multi-level with text independent of the map.

Delorme use proprietary USB, why???

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The only drawbacks I should warn you about are the learning curve to learn TOPO 7 software and making maps and waypoints transfer back and forth to the GPS successfully.

I might add an update to the learning curve admonition here:

1. Recent enhancements in the firmware and the addtion of the Cache Register widget make geocaching possible while bypassing Topo 7 and 8. A new user need not even install Topo 8 to go geocaching paperlessy.

2. Most of the Topo 8 features and capabilities are not matched, or provided for, on software bundled with Garmin handhelds. As such, it is difficult to assess those attributes for a should I but this or that selection process.

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Delorme use proprietary USB, why???

Well discussed herein previously, as a search will reveal.

A design solution to provide compliance to the IEC 529 IPX7 standard (waterproof).

 

Any other questions?

 

how many strands of fiber are intertwined in a shredded wheat biscuit?

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Delorme use proprietary USB, why???

Well discussed herein previously, as a search will reveal.

A design solution to provide compliance to the IEC 529 IPX7 standard (waterproof).

 

Any other questions?

 

how many strands of fiber are intertwined in a shredded wheat biscuit?

What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

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Delorme use proprietary USB, why???

Well discussed herein previously, as a search will reveal.

A design solution to provide compliance to the IEC 529 IPX7 standard (waterproof).

 

Any other questions?

 

how many strands of fiber are intertwined in a shredded wheat biscuit?

 

Frosted or plain?

 

On topic, the IPX 7 is a good reason not to have standard USB connection. My PN-40 has been soaking wet more than once wheile kayaking/caching in the heavy Florida summer thunder showers. I've never been concerned about it getting wet but a couple times I've thought I might have to worry about how well it would handle a lighting strike. :D:(:)

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Time to crank up the noise filter again. DeLorme's unique USB connector is waterproof to IPX7 standards. So are Garmin's standard USB connections. Can we move on to more significant differences between DeLorme and Garmin units?

 

Edit to add:

 

"Waterproof" isn't a differentiation. But this is: You can get a standard USB cable for a Garmin -- but not for a DeLorme PN-series.

 

This may only matter to a small percentage of users -- those who want to keep a spare cable around, or somehow manage to break or lose the original one. Then it's a call to DeLorme instead of a quick trip to the corner store...

Edited by lee_rimar
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My first GPSr was an eTrex Legend (the old blue classic, still a backup). My new unit is the Oregon 400t.

 

I'm very happy with my choice for a number of reasons. I like the easy of data entry with the touch screen, ease of scrolling the map with the touch screen, accuracy is great (using 3.01 beta firmware - other versions are fine too - but 3.01 adds support for non-Garmin standard IMG map names), great screen viewability despite some criticisms, feature rich (averaging, support for freeware maps, easy track management, Paperless caching support, nice look and function of menus, etc..).

 

It's easy to connect to the PC to transfer maps, pocket queries and manage data.

 

I have few complaints: The USB transfer speed is on the slow side, but not a problem unless you are moving large IMG map files - and this can be overcome by using a card reader. It's a little on the battery hungry side but a full day of caching can be done with two sets of fully charged NiMH 2500Mah batteries. Touch screen can be delicate (or seems so) so I have that 'what if I crack the screen' thought in the back of my head sometimes, but I just try to be careful and have my unit insured for damage through a rider on my home owners insurance (only costs about $20 a year with my company).

 

I think in the end the PN series units or the Garmin would be great for most anyone. Learning a system takes time no matter what choice you make. In the end the GPSr is just a tool that you use along the journey (granted - the primary tool) but whichever brand or model you choose will likely serve you well as long as it has a high sensitivity receiver (which you have covered).

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Rankings:

 

Battery life: Garmin eTrex > 60/76 > CO = OR > PN-30/40

Satellite and/or Raster Topos: Delorme

24K Vector Topos: Garmin, Delorme has none

Cheaper w/ maps: Delorme

Travel: Garmin Nuvi (speaks English, French, Spanish, Plus others)

 

Some points to consider:

Vector topos are multi-level with text independent of the map.

Delorme use proprietary USB, why???

Delorme may not have 24K vector , but you failed to note the Topo is 24K as part of the downloads.

Edited by TotemLake
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...Accepting the excellent suggestion, let's examine the latest regarding the steep learning curve...
Cute story, ......

I can just visualize the next Jeff Foxworthy series: "Geocaching with a PN-40 - So Easy a 6 Year Old Can Do It" :P

 

only if howard stern does it first. and i don't see that happening.

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I've previously owned a GPSMAP76 (which sucks) and my sister owns a Garmine 60csx and both I and my mother now own the Delorme PN-40 seperatly. We both bought them on the same day.

I have compared the two hand in hand and both are good devices, however I do not lose signal like the 60csx and my is a bit more accurate. We actually did a multicache and ended up turning hers off and just using mine. I've also compared it to the Oregon 400t on a hunt with a fellow Geocacher, and since we found it so fast, we didn't have time to compare units. When hunting Geocaches you want the most accuracy and signal. The only downside is when someone with a bad gps unit hides the cache and gives off horrible cords.

 

I am actually a click away from getting the PN-40SE because I want the internal memory. 7.5g internal to go with my 16g sd card is a lot! And not to mention Satallite Ariel maps makes it like portable Google earth. Is it worth the heavier price tag? mmmm IMO YEAH! lol

Edited by 8D
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I am actually a click away from getting the PN-40SE because I want the internal memory. 7.5g internal to go with my 16g sd card is a lot! And not to mention Sattalite Ariel maps makes it like portable Google earth. Is it worth the heavier price tag? mmmm IMO YEAH! lol

For less than the cost of the SE upgrade, you can get two more 16GB cards. IMHO, the SE isn't really worth it.
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I too am looking at getting a new GPS, my mind was pretty much made up with the garmin 60csx until reading this thread and am now thinking about a DeLorme.

 

I live in the UK and will mainly be using this unit here, I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada, how true is this and in particular what are they like for the UK?

 

Cheers in advance for any help!

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I too am looking at getting a new GPS, my mind was pretty much made up with the garmin 60csx until reading this thread and am now thinking about a DeLorme.

 

I live in the UK and will mainly be using this unit here, I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada, how true is this and in particular what are they like for the UK?

 

Cheers in advance for any help!

 

I believe (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) the only maps you'll have are the world basemaps. I also believe you can buy the XMAP software and use this to make your own maps, but again, I could be wrong. I hear that XMAP isn't exactly an easy to use software, but have no experience with it!

 

For your usage, you might be better off with a Garmin Oregon or Colorado if you're looking for the same features as the DeLormes...IMHO.

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I am actually a click away from getting the PN-40SE because I want the internal memory. 7.5g internal to go with my 16g sd card is a lot! And not to mention Sattalite Ariel maps makes it like portable Google earth. Is it worth the heavier price tag? mmmm IMO YEAH! lol

For less than the cost of the SE upgrade, you can get two more 16GB cards. IMHO, the SE isn't really worth it.

With 8GB internal memory, you can have your local maps loaded as well as have the Navionics card loaded. So... opinions will vary but IMO it is worth it. My unit will always have more memory than a standard unit when matching it SD card for SD card and again IMO, you can never have too much memory.

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I am actually a click away from getting the PN-40SE because I want the internal memory. 7.5g internal to go with my 16g sd card is a lot! And not to mention Satallite Ariel maps makes it like portable Google earth. Is it worth the heavier price tag? mmmm IMO YEAH! lol

Yes, as dakboy notes, on a pure $perGB basis, the PN40SE does not pencil out as compated to a 16GB SDHC card.

 

However, as TL notes, there is a great convenience factor with the extra 7.5GB of the SE that cannot be cost rationalized.

 

On this issue, everybody's MMV. :P

 

Outside of that, I may have violated the prior admonition to restrict comparisons to models of the two makes noted in the topic title.

This post compares models of only one of the makes listed, the DeLorme PN-40 to the DeLorme PN-40SE.

Hopefully, the punishment is not terminal. :)

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I don't understand half of what you guys are saying...all I know is I put batteries in the Garmin, put in co-ords, and follow the little arrow to the cache.

 

I like Garmins cause it is funnier to say when I am walking by myself in the woods.

 

The day may come when you want more from your unit like paperless caching and such. If that day comes, you'll get an idea of what is being discussed! :blink: As for batteries, I have not had to put batteries in my PN-40 since I bought the power kit, gotta love that!

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I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada.
True. DeLorme does not offer maps for areas outside of North America.

 

Some folks mention XMap as an alternative to packaged maps for travelers outside of the US -- but that's not practical, and a misunderstanding of what XMap in intended for. Considering how often this has been thrashed out, it's amazing to see the same folks stillpresenting it as an option...

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=226430

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I own both a Colorado 400t and a PN-40. To me, the major differences are these.

 

1) Screen. Colorado (and Oregon and Dakota) have a larger screen than the PN-series. This does not matter to me, but if it's important to you, the Garmin units have the edge. On the other hand, the PN-series units have fewer visibility issues in the outdoors (especially over the touch-screen Oregon). Suggest you visit your local retailer (such as REI) and handle all the units in which you are interested. Or attend a local geocaching event.

 

2) Bells and whistles. The Garmin units have bells and whistles (3-D wireframe terrain view, track altitude profile, Wherigo capability) that are lacking on the PN-40. People rarely buy GPSrs specificially for these features, but if they're important to you, then they are relevant.

 

3) Paperless caching support. All of the higher-end units (Colorado, Oregon, Dakota, PN-series) support paperless caching. However, the PN-series supports 1000 caches. All of the Garmin units support 2000 or more. But the Garmin units have a lower limit on description size. That said, none of this has ever mattered to me. But it does matter to some avid cachers.

 

4) General caching use. I find the PN-40 to be superior to the Colorado. It has better stability when close to the cache. And the cache register provides better pocket query handling than the out-of-the-box handling provided by the Garmin units. Note that I'm ignoring third-party tools like GSAK. GSAK does not support the PN-series, but does support the Garmin units. So, if you use GSAK, GPSBabel, or similar products, Garmin has an advantage.

 

5) Imagery. For both hiking and caching, the availability of downloadable imagery is a killer advantage for the PN-series. B&W and color 1M aerials, 10M satellite aerials, 1:24K USGS topos, NOAA coastal (not inland) charts are all available for the US at a cost of $30/year (all you can download, yours to keep). Also, high-resolution aerials are available for a limited set of urban areas.

 

6) Total cost of ownership. Favors the PN-series, both because of lower street prices and becasue more is included in the box. In particular, the PN-40 includes both 1:100K vector topos (US) and routable roads (US, Canada, Mexico), as well as the PC (only, no Mac support) mapping software. The Colorado and Oregon 400t (note the "t" in the model number) include the 1:100K vector topos right on the unit (at an increase in price), but those maps cannot be used on the desktop. And routable roads require you to buy the separarte City Navigator product.

 

7) Road routing. I don't road-route much. However, the concensus seems to be that the Garmin City Navigator software does do a somewhat better job than the software included with the PN-40.

 

8) International map coverage. DeLorme is pretty much limited to the US (or, at least, North America). Better international coverage is available from Garmin if that's important to you. Note that I am limiting this to cartography provided by the manufacturer. I'm ignoring free third-party maps available on the Internet (advantage Garmin) and DIY capabilities provided by manufacturer software (advantage DeLorme XMap).

 

9) Overall unit stability. I was an early-adopter for both the Colorado and the PN-40. Both had their problems early in the product cycle. In both cases, the manufacturer corrected the problems through firmware upgrades. That said, I think DeLorme has the edge in aggressive problem remediation and in firmware enhancements. DeLorme customer service is also hard to beat.

 

10) Touch screen. The Colorado does not have a touch screen. The somewhat unusual "rock 'n roller" (don't you just love market-ese) is an acquired taste and is really, really inefficient for text entry. The PN-series has the classic array of special-purpose buttons, 4-way panning button, and zoom in/out rocker. The Oregon and Dakota are touch-screen units.

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I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada.
True. DeLorme does not offer maps for areas outside of North America.

 

Some folks mention XMap as an alternative to packaged maps for travelers outside of the US -- but that's not practical, and a misunderstanding of what XMap in intended for. Considering how often this has been thrashed out, it's amazing to see the same folks stillpresenting it as an option...

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=226430

 

After reading the posts i'm going to stick to my orginal descision of the 60csx as it's probably the best one for use in the UK and Europe!

 

Thanks for all your help

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I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada.
True. DeLorme does not offer maps for areas outside of North America.

 

Some folks mention XMap as an alternative to packaged maps for travelers outside of the US -- but that's not practical, and a misunderstanding of what XMap in intended for. Considering how often this has been thrashed out, it's amazing to see the same folks stillpresenting it as an option...

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=226430

 

PROBABLY because it IS an option....for the right person. Do you know something about this user that others don't? As long as it's an option, I suppose some of us will put it out there...you know, just in case?

Edited by Rockin Roddy
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...PC vs Mac

Chevy vs Ford

Linux vs Windows

Delorme vs Garmin...

 

Not so long ago it was Garmin vs. Magellan. Delorme has come a log ways in a short time.

 

The Arial maps are a great thing on a GPS. Garmin should take some notes here. Better still would be an alpha blended arial with topo. That's about as good as a map gets (ignoring routing).

 

best of all would be that alpha blended topo map with roads so you can have it all on one map screen. But that's in my world. Different folks have different uses for maps and so we get the variety.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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...PC vs Mac

Chevy vs Ford

Linux vs Windows

Delorme vs Garmin...

 

Not so long ago it was Garmin vs. Magellan. Delorme has come a log ways in a short time.

There's a lot to be said for being second or third to market. You can learn a lot from the mistakes of others.

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...PC vs Mac

Chevy vs Ford

Linux vs Windows

Delorme vs Garmin...

 

Not so long ago it was Garmin vs. Magellan. Delorme has come a log ways in a short time.

 

The Arial maps are a great thing on a GPS. Garmin should take some notes here. Better still would be an alpha blended arial with topo. That's about as good as a map gets (ignoring routing).

 

best of all would be that alpha blended topo map with roads so you can have it all on one map screen. But that's in my world. Different folks have different uses for maps and so we get the variety.

 

Thanks! We've all been working very hard to create quality products. We appreciate people taking notice.

 

As a matter of point, you can overlay our vector topo, street, and POI data on any raster imagery on the Earthmate PN-series GPS devices.

 

Screenshots available here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bjdanz/PN40Scr...feat=directlink

 

I hope that this helps!

 

-Brian

-Team DeLorme

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Rockin Roddy: "...(XMap) IS an option ... for the right person ..."

Roddy, you sly devil -- I'm very impressed! :D :D That's the cleverest thing I've ever read from you.

 

You're absolutely correct, XMap is an option "for the right person."

 

But -- that person won't be GPS shopping here, asking if they should buy DeLorme or Garmin. Nor asking what international maps are available for different brands. The person who could be making their own maps will be tool-shopping over in DeLorme's XMap forum, asking about workflow and data sources.

 

So if you insist putting every option on the table, you should also point out there are other GPS options besides DeLorme and Garmin. For example, buy parts and plans to build your own. Some folks do! http://hackaday.com/2007/10/04/build-your-...onass-receiver/

 

Shouldn't you offer that option too, I mean, just in case someone who asks what GPS they should buy might really be happier building their own?

Edited by lee_rimar
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"...(XMap) IS an option ... for the right person ..." Roddy, you sly devil -- I'm very impressed! :D :D That's the cleverest thing I've ever read from you.

 

You're absolutely correct, XMap is an option "for the right person."

 

But -- that person won't be here asking if they should buy a DeLorme or a Garmin. Nor asking what maps are available for different brands. The person who could be making their own maps will be tool-shopping over in DeLorme's XMap forum, asking about workflow and data sources.

 

So if you insist putting every option on the table, you should also point out there are other GPS options besides DeLorme and Garmin. For example, buy parts and plans online and build your own :D Some folks do! http://hackaday.com/2007/10/04/build-your-...onass-receiver/

 

Shouldn't you offer that option too, I mean, just in case someone who asks what GPS they should buy might really be happier building their own?

To be fair, he does provide the option he knows about. :D

 

And the flipside to that.... I think a DIY GPS is beyond most folks' skill sets where XMap may be within the realm.

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I think a DIY GPS is beyond most folks' skill sets where XMap may be within the realm.
Definitely within some folks' ken - that's why I gave kudos to Roddy for how he worded it.

 

But TL, think about it on a personal level. You personally are a bit advanced past the "What GPS should I buy?" or "Where do I get maps for outside of the USA?" kind of questions. Do you think XMap would be a practical way for you to get a map of the UK onto your PN-40? Would you feel up to the task of making a routable road map with POI's? For a whole country? Even a county?

Edited by lee_rimar
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I think a DIY GPS is beyond most folks' skill sets where XMap may be within the realm.
Definitely within some folks' ken - that's why I gave kudos to Roddy for how he worded it.

 

But TL, think about it on a personal level. You personally are a bit advanced past the "What GPS should I buy?" or "Where do I get maps for outside of the USA?" kind of questions. Do you think XMap would be a practical way for you to get a map of the UK onto your PN-40? Would you feel up to the task of making a routable road map with POI's? For a whole country? Even a county?

 

I wonder how most people would know unless they have had a chance to check it out. If XMAP is truly as advanced and difficult to use as you say, what good is it? Or to put that better, what is the reason for DeLorme having it on the market?

 

As for the DIY GPS, I think we're going into silliness now. :D

 

I tell you what, if DeLorme were looking for a guinea pig to test out and report their experiences with the XMAP product, they could send me out a copy and I'd be happy to try it out and report back my thoughts. Hey, even if they wished to send it to someone more advanced such as TL, at least we "less advanced" souls would know a bit more about the complexity of the software...just saying!

Edited by Rockin Roddy
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But TL, think about it on a personal level. You personally are a bit advanced past the "What GPS should I buy?" or "Where do I get maps for outside of the USA?" kind of questions. Do you think XMap would be a practical way for you to get a map of the UK onto your PN-40? Would you feel up to the task of making a routable road map with POI's? For a whole country? Even a county?

Exactly. Most of us would not. It's great for a small areas (trails in my local park), but it's not a practical option for a whole country (or state or county) -- especially not for the folks who are asking the kinds of questions the OP asked. I'm all in favor of full disclosure of your options, but I don't think it's right to muddy the waters with things that don't fit the audience. (And yes, we're making assumptions about the audience :D ) Just my two cents.

 

Edited to add: It's not so much the difficulty of using the product as it is the tedium of doing high volumes of data -- especially routable roads.

Edited by twolpert
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But TL, think about it on a personal level. You personally are a bit advanced past the "What GPS should I buy?" or "Where do I get maps for outside of the USA?" kind of questions. Do you think XMap would be a practical way for you to get a map of the UK onto your PN-40? Would you feel up to the task of making a routable road map with POI's? For a whole country? Even a county?

Exactly. Most of us would not. It's great for a small areas (trails in my local park), but it's not a practical option for a whole country (or state or county) -- especially not for the folks who are asking the kinds of questions the OP asked. I'm all in favor of full disclosure of your options, but I don't think it's right to muddy the waters with things that don't fit the audience. (And yes, we're making assumptions about the audience :D ) Just my two cents.

 

Edited to add: It's not so much the difficulty of using the product as it is the tedium of doing high volumes of data -- especially routable roads.

 

I take it you've used this product?

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I too am looking at getting a new GPS, my mind was pretty much made up with the garmin 60csx until reading this thread and am now thinking about a DeLorme.

 

I live in the UK and will mainly be using this unit here, I read somewhere that the DeLorme maps are limited outside the US/Canada, how true is this and in particular what are they like for the UK?

 

Cheers in advance for any help!

 

I believe (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) the only maps you'll have are the world basemaps. I also believe you can buy the XMAP software and use this to make your own maps, but again, I could be wrong. I hear that XMAP isn't exactly an easy to use software, but have no experience with it!

 

For your usage, you might be better off with a Garmin Oregon or Colorado if you're looking for the same features as the DeLormes...IMHO.

 

MAYBE you guys missed where I stated the Garmins might be a better fit? I said there was an option in XMAP, but still made it a point that Garmin would be the right choice...so what's the problem?

 

Maybe you just saw the option and didn't bother to read my whole comment?

 

Muddy the waters? Telling people there is an option is muddying the waters? Also, how do we know the poster wants the unit for routing? How do we know the poster doesn't own a car nav? We do know the poster has read a little bit as was admitted in his post, so maybe the poster has a grasp of the situation? Sorry, I will throw the options out when they are viable...

Edited by Rockin Roddy
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I just purchased a PN-30, which locks in fully in 30 seconds consistently. Is very intuitive very easy to download, up load--very much unlike my last-a Magellan Explorist, I bought the 25 dollar bicycle mount, was about 100 dollars less than PN 40, and I am very impressed with it so far. I bought their geocaching program for 10 dollars and it works like a charm Its driving routing feature works well , but it is small screen, so if I really needed automobile routing (which I do not) I would use a dedicated car unit. Seems solid and well made. I went with the PN-30 because of the pricing, I weighed heavily spending the few extra dollars and being that budgets and kids in college factor into almost all spending decisions I chose to save the difference and I do not in anyway feel that I missed out on anything. I really enjoy the unit.

Edited by Packanack
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If XMAP is truly as advanced and difficult to use as you say, what good is it?
It's good for many things - just not what you keep suggesting it for.
As for the DIY GPS, I think we're going into silliness now. :D
Oh, we've been in the silly season for a long time -- but some folks DO build their own electronic devices. There's nothing inherently silly about a circuit diagram or a handful of parts. It's only silly to suggest it to someone looking to BUY a GPS. Edited by lee_rimar
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I tell you what, if DeLorme were looking for a guinea pig to test out and report their experiences with the XMAP product, they could send me out a copy and I'd be happy to try it out and report back my thoughts.
Yes, we are well into the silly season.

 

Roddy, the last time I suggested you go read DeLorme's forum for information, you got upset. I'll risk it again here - please understand I am trying to help you understand something and not trying to insult you. If you are truly interested in learning about XMap, go read DeLorme's product descriptions, and go DeLorme's XMap forums to see how people are using it.

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