Brand New To Geocaching

[kamloopsgirl]

I just heard of geocaching and I can't wait to get started but I don't know where to begin. What is the best gps system for geocaching? Is there one for both travel and geocaching? Is there a brand that is highly recommended?

 

Thank you, V

[aniyn]

If you're just starting out I would recommend something from the Garmin Etrex line. They start out very basic but some of the higher models have good features. They're handheld models, but if you get one of the expandable models (ie Legend HCX) and the city map pack you can do turn by turn directions.

 

Unless of course you want to spend more money, then you could get a Colorado or Oregon....

Edited July 27, 2009 by aniyn

[kamloopsgirl]

If you're just starting out I would recommend something from the Garmin Etrex line. They start out very basic but some of the higher models have good features. They're handheld models, but if you get one of the expandable models (ie Legend HCX) and the city map pack you can do turn by turn directions.

 

Unless of course you want to spend more money, then you could get a Colorado or Oregon....

 

Thank you so much for your reply, I know that this is an old subject in here but I want to get a good one so that i don't have to replace it too soon. I would really like to get one that would be good for both travel and geocaching, I wouldn't be doing major hiking or anything, but I do want one with really good features so that I don't outgrow it. the paperless sounds good even though i'm not sure why u would need paper. i"ve seen the migelen type but found it didn't have correct routes in canada.

[+ohgr]

You might want to see this thread that's already had some replies.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=227182

 

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I've got a Garmin 60csx, and wouldn't trade it for any other currently available handheld.

[kamloopsgirl]

You might want to see this thread that's already had some replies.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=227182

 

--------

 

I've got a Garmin 60csx, and wouldn't trade it for any other currently available handheld.

 

Hi, I've read the posts on that site, i will check out the one you have, i've seen it mentioned before, I just thought that they may have updated it... I really want one that does both well, it doesn't have to be the handheld type, one that talks when i'm driving would be nice.

[aniyn]

I really want one that does both well, it doesn't have to be the handheld type, one that talks when i'm driving would be nice.

 

Unfortunately there isn't a gps that does both well - That's sort of like asking for a porsche that'll be good out on the forest service roads.

Car type gps units aren't really rugged enough for outdoors (and lack battery life as well as some features), and handheld units are too cumbersome to use while driving. There's no good balance (not yet anyways).

[kamloopsgirl]

I really want one that does both well, it doesn't have to be the handheld type, one that talks when i'm driving would be nice.

 

Unfortunately there isn't a gps that does both well - That's sort of like asking for a porsche that'll be good out on the forest service roads.

Car type gps units aren't really rugged enough for outdoors (and lack battery life as well as some features), and handheld units are too cumbersome to use while driving. There's no good balance (not yet anyways).

 

Okay, well then, I will use my dads car one when I need it a Magellan Maestro 4250, not out of the box yet, sitting in the bottom of the closet. So I'm up for tips what to do with that one,

 

I've done some reading about the garmin Colorado but it just seems way too advanced, and a bit more than I really want to spend.

 

V

[+flask]

you might could go with something like the 60csx.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Just for grins...... I went to Garmin.com the other day to see about getting add-ons for our older units.

 

Garmin does sell their discontiued models. They work just fine. That way you can get into it w/o blowing 400 - 500 dollars.

 

I use an ancient GPS 12, wife uses GPS 76. Grey-scale, not color displays.

 

What the hey, neither of them have failed yet. (the GPS 76 FLOATS)

[namiboy]

the nuvi 500 and 550 from garmin may suit you. they look like the car ones, but are also 'waterproof' and such, they say on the garmin site they are good for all uses:

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=27442

[+flask]

(the GPS 76 FLOATS)

 

the advantage of this property depends on where you drop the unit.

 

if you drop it in a large body of water such as lake or ocean, floating is an advantage.

 

if you drop it in a shallow but fast-moving stream, you will never see it again and you will wish you had a unit that sinks like a brick.

[kamloopsgirl]

Thanks everyone for all the input. I have it narrowed down a bit now.

 

First. I will get a gps for geocaching and forget about using it for travel as well.

 

Next it sounds like I should get a garmin.

 

This is where I'm lost, the 60csx has lots of great reviews, my concerns are, that it's an older model, does not have touchscreen, and doesn't have the paperless geocaching. Does any of this matter?????

 

The Colorado or Oregon, seem like I may be out of my league. Plus the cost is more.

 

So one of my questions is... Is it worth the extra $100 or $200????

 

In Canada the 60csx with the 2G card is around $400. Does that sound right?

 

V

[+ohgr]

This is where I'm lost, the 60csx has lots of great reviews, my concerns are, that it's an older model

 

While it's an older model, it's like an old friend.

 

You'll have to weigh the other options yourself, do you need a touchscreen? Do you want to take notes etc with you on the GPS, or is printing out the cache page ok with you? $$$? These are all personal preference items. My ex cached with a $69 Garmin Gecko unit (no maps, no color), and was sad when I upgraded her to a Magellan MerriGold unit a couple years later. I would go to an outdoors store, REI, etc, or even Best Buy, and lay your hands on a few, ask questions, etc.

[jholly]

Thanks everyone for all the input. I have it narrowed down a bit now.

 

First. I will get a gps for geocaching and forget about using it for travel as well.

 

Next it sounds like I should get a garmin.

 

This is where I'm lost, the 60csx has lots of great reviews, my concerns are, that it's an older model, does not have touchscreen, and doesn't have the paperless geocaching. Does any of this matter?????

 

The Colorado or Oregon, seem like I may be out of my league. Plus the cost is more.

 

So one of my questions is... Is it worth the extra $100 or $200????

 

In Canada the 60csx with the 2G card is around $400. Does that sound right?

 

V

 

The 60 is a very good unit. If you go here and follow the link for gps reviews you will see the 60 is the most used unit for geocaching. Also on that page is a link for some points to consider on buying a gps. Before you think about a CO/OR get your hands on one and take it outside. I find the screen difficult to see. The 60 on the other hand seems like the brighter the sun the brighter the screen. Far as paperless, a $25/30US M500 PDA will solve the paperless issue. I have a 76 and the M500. Yes it is two units, but I really don't find it to be a problem. As for the price, $400 sounds a little pricey, but I'm not aware what Canadian folks face on purchasing and what can be had on the internet. Amazon sell a 60csx for $293US and a 2G card for $7US. If you decide to go the 60 and PDA route, get the hard aluminum case for the PDA, money well spent. Did you look at the Etrex line? Some good units there, just make sure your getting a high sensitivity receiver.

 

Jim

Edited July 28, 2009 by jholly

[+burtsbodgers]

Hi All

If you are going to be serious about caching, but want to do it easily without printing out cache pages or making notes and planning to almost fine detail.

Want to be able to use a route planning unit that will give you turn by turn instructions, and get you to the cache when you get there.

will with stand a bit of abuse and is waterproof.

Then save your pennies and buy a Garmin Oregon, now almost the same price as the colorado!

The best all round GPSr that there is in my opinion

having used and traded up from Etrex, Venture HC, Legend HCX, Colorado 300

This is the best so far and easy to use, my Mrs can even use it.

[+Sol seaker]

My boyfriend got a Garmin Oregon 400T and is madly in love with it. I found it on ebay for him for around 400.00. This was a two hundred dollar discount at the time.

If you buy off of ebay make sure you get one that is new and that they will take returns. There is always a return policy at the bottom of the listing.

 

I use his old Garmin Etrex Summit.

 

The difference between these two is that mine (etrex) is easier to find the "nearest" cache on it. It has a nice clear listing. That's the only advantage.

 

His, has a much improved locating system. He can get accurate signals in trees, canyons, valleys, etc. When i have trouble with just cloud cover. (the 60csx is great for this too)

 

His does paperless caching. This means that he loads the caches from his computer. This takes him ten minutes maybe. On his GPSr he's got all the information from the website about the cache. In other words, the cache description, the clues, the logs.

We've often been at a cache site, looking and looking, and then he'll check the logs and find it hasn't been found in a year and we know to quit looking, it's probably not there.

With my machine I have to write out all of that, or print up the cache page. I've learned to condense the caches so I can get 4 or 5 onto one sheet of paper, but I spend sometimes a couple hours getting ready to go caching while he spends ten minutes. and I've wasted time on the ones we won't get to. As a result I have a huge file of pages of caches not yet found.

 

He's also got a map he can draw up on his to see where the cache is.

 

Will I spend the 400+ to get one myself? No. My finances won't allow for that. But I'm also still not sure how long I'll be geocaching. If I buy one tomorrow and decide to quit the game after only 200 more finds, that's two dollars a find, plus gas. Someday, if I decide I'm really going to be doing this for a long time, perhaps. But I'm too new at it now to know if I'll be doing this five years from now.

[kamloopsgirl]

My boyfriend got a Garmin Oregon 400T and is madly in love with it. I found it on ebay for him for around 400.00. This was a two hundred dollar discount at the time.

If you buy off of ebay make sure you get one that is new and that they will take returns. There is always a return policy at the bottom of the listing.

 

I use his old Garmin Etrex Summit.

 

The difference between these two is that mine (etrex) is easier to find the "nearest" cache on it. It has a nice clear listing. That's the only advantage.

 

His, has a much improved locating system. He can get accurate signals in trees, canyons, valleys, etc. When i have trouble with just cloud cover. (the 60csx is great for this too)

 

His does paperless caching. This means that he loads the caches from his computer. This takes him ten minutes maybe. On his GPSr he's got all the information from the website about the cache. In other words, the cache description, the clues, the logs.

We've often been at a cache site, looking and looking, and then he'll check the logs and find it hasn't been found in a year and we know to quit looking, it's probably not there.

With my machine I have to write out all of that, or print up the cache page. I've learned to condense the caches so I can get 4 or 5 onto one sheet of paper, but I spend sometimes a couple hours getting ready to go caching while he spends ten minutes. and I've wasted time on the ones we won't get to. As a result I have a huge file of pages of caches not yet found.

 

He's also got a map he can draw up on his to see where the cache is.

 

Will I spend the 400+ to get one myself? No. My finances won't allow for that. But I'm also still not sure how long I'll be geocaching. If I buy one tomorrow and decide to quit the game after only 200 more finds, that's two dollars a find, plus gas. Someday, if I decide I'm really going to be doing this for a long time, perhaps. But I'm too new at it now to know if I'll be doing this five years from now.

 

I did it !!!! I bought one!! the Gardin 60csx ..Now what? V

[+Bear and Ragged]

I did it !!!! I bought one!! the Garmin 60csx ..Now what? V

Load some caches into it, and get out there and search for them!