Looking for a "do-it-all" GPS and need advice

[+SilentWolf]

OK, I have indeed been reading through the forums, and yes there are several "which GPS should I buy" posts, but what's the harm in one more? Besides, it seems most of them are focused on trying to decide between 2 or 3 models, and to be honest I'm just too lazy to research them all.... with that said, here's why I'm here -

 

I have never owned a GPS before, but am familiar with their purpose and use somewhat, as I am a pilot and have frequently used them while flying. I have decided to get into Geocaching, and figured if I'm gonna get into it, I might as well get me a GPS that can be used for that and lots of other things. Besides geocaching (which i'd like to be able to do paperless) I'd like a unit with good detailed mapping of both roads and trails that would be used when traveling (I don't need turn-by-turn capability, just want to know where I'm at), one with good topo maps as well so if I am flying in a plane not GPS equipped I could use it as a general navigation aid - therefore WAAS is a must since it's required by the FAA. I'd also eventually use it for hunting and 4-wheeling, snowmobiling, etc... Expandability would be nice too, so a card slot should be there. I'd like to keep it $500 or under, unless there's a really good reason to maybe spend a tad more.

 

I have for some reason been drawn to the Lowrance Endura series, specifically the Sierra - but since they are very new and from the sounds of things have some bugs that need to be worked out, I am timid about jumping on that one right now. Is there something else out there that someone has experience with that could be recommended? Or does anyone have any insight into the Lowrances as to what's happening with them?

[+Corey]

For good maps, the first thing that comes to mind is Delorme and their PN series.

[BBH]

OK, I have indeed been reading through the forums, and yes there are several "which GPS should I buy" posts, but what's the harm in one more? Besides, it seems most of them are focused on trying to decide between 2 or 3 models, and to be honest I'm just too lazy to research them all.... with that said, here's why I'm here -

 

I have never owned a GPS before, but am familiar with their purpose and use somewhat, as I am a pilot and have frequently used them while flying. I have decided to get into Geocaching, and figured if I'm gonna get into it, I might as well get me a GPS that can be used for that and lots of other things. Besides geocaching (which i'd like to be able to do paperless) I'd like a unit with good detailed mapping of both roads and trails that would be used when traveling (I don't need turn-by-turn capability, just want to know where I'm at), one with good topo maps as well so if I am flying in a plane not GPS equipped I could use it as a general navigation aid - therefore WAAS is a must since it's required by the FAA. I'd also eventually use it for hunting and 4-wheeling, snowmobiling, etc... Expandability would be nice too, so a card slot should be there. I'd like to keep it $500 or under, unless there's a really good reason to maybe spend a tad more.

 

I have for some reason been drawn to the Lowrance Endura series, specifically the Sierra - but since they are very new and from the sounds of things have some bugs that need to be worked out, I am timid about jumping on that one right now. Is there something else out there that someone has experience with that could be recommended? Or does anyone have any insight into the Lowrances as to what's happening with them?

 

I went from using a Garmin for many years to a DeLorme PN-40, though I'm relatively new to geocaching. I like it for the ability to have aerial imagery for a modest fee, and the maps that come with it. Also, it has a dual core processor, so map redraws are very quick. It also has a multi Axis compass, which Garmin has now come out with. Not being an old time cacher, paperless is all I've known, but it is very nice having all the info at hand on the unit. I got mine from bass pro for $260 or so after a price match from walmart.com. It has it's issues at times, but for basic geocaching with the ability to do more, it's hard to beat imho. BTW, I live right down the street from Garmin, and am a loyal customer, owning a Nuvi, and Forerunner, and several other units, investing several thousand dollars with their company.

[+Chi-Town Cacher]

Howdy. I'm certainly no expert, but with that being said I have to say I just got a Delorme PN-40 and my 1st impression is that it's great. The mapping that comes with it is very good and for a very low yearly fee of I believe it's $30 you can get lots of extras like aerial photos to use with your unit. Like I say I'm no expert, but if you want to read a thread where Delorme's PN series was discussed quite vigorously by both sides then CLICK HERE! .

 

After reading that forum thread I knew that the Delorme PN-40 was a great match for my needs between their great maps, aerial imagery and true paperless capabilities I knew I had to upgrade from my Garmin Vista HCx to a top of the line Delorme PN-40. Yes the above is mostly my personal opinions, but if you'll check out the thread and others that discuss the Delorme PN series technical capabilities then you will at least know if it's a good match for you which I think it will be. Good luck in your search for your ideal GPSr!

[+Chi-Town Cacher]

I just noticed your budget for your "dream" GPSr. On the 28th (3 days from now) I've heard at REI stores (I'd guess online too) they're going to have the PN-40 on sale for a very low price of I think it was $260 and then if you pay another $10 for the Cache Register option to load geocaching pocket queries into your GPSr and then another $30 for a year of access to their imagery library and your total cost is $300 which is only about 60% of your $500 budget you had. Like I read somebody else say around here then take the leftover money and buy some gas to get you to a good place to either geocache or go hiking or whatever you want to do outdoors with your new PN-40. Ok, I'll shut up now and let the experts talk technical stuff with you. Good luck!

[+burtsbodgers]

Hi

not that i am against the delorme models, but i think that the garmin oregon range of GPSr,s are the easiest to use and are accurate enough for your use.

i have worked my way through the garmin range and have found this the best.

good top maps are available but at a price.

For Caching i dont think there is a better one.

i also use mine as a sat nav, although this is not one of your priorities.

you dont need any other software to use it, which makes it easier to set up and some of the feature you will find useful. Such as the sight n go feature just point it at a point on the horizon press the button and follow the arrow, amongst others.

have a look and see what you think.

[+Rockin Roddy]

The Oregon series is another nice choice, but I don't think it's for your usage. The screen is difficult to read when in a fixed position, hooking it to a bike, snowmobile or other fixed position means you'll have troubles for certain. Also, while the OR series does offer a few extra features that the PN-40 doesn't (and vice versa), these features (IMHO) just aren't worth the extra money. And don't forget, if you want routing maps, you'll need to buy them at another substantial cost. The Garmin Colorado series might be a better choice over the OR series, maybe someone with a bit of knowledge about these units will jump in?

 

The DeLorme PN series however, has all the maps you'll need included AND you can buy a subscription ($30/yr) that'll allow you unlimited downloading of aerial imagery which will likely be a great help when trail riding and such! I personally think the PN series is the best GPS for caching...and the cheapest choice for paperless caching! The PN series has all the airports (even most of the small local ones as POIs, so it'll allow you to bring them up so you can fly into any one of them as you need or want! The PNs have WAAS (like most units these days), and the topo maps come right with the unit! You'll also love the aerial imagery for flying, you'll be able to tell just what you're flying over, even in less than ideal visibility conditions!

 

Of course, this is merely my opinion, you should research and decide what you want from your purchase and then go from there! After all, an informed purchase is a purchase well enjoyed! Good luck!

Edited August 25, 2009 by Rockin Roddy

[+Searching_ut]

As and owner of a PN-40, and quite familiar with aircraft avionics, mapping requirements etc I wouldn't recommend one of the Delorme units at this time for your usage. With Delorme, you're stuck with Delormes maps, which really aren't of much use for flying. You wouldn't have access to any Jeppesen database stuff, or any other airport data, nor access to any sort of obstacle information other than somewhat crude terrain data. Price wise, Garmin has some of the best options, but you'll find it difficult to get the expandable memory in your price range. I recommend going to the Garmin Website and looking at their aviation offerings, most of which work well on land as well, then search the internet to see if you can find the one you like at a price you can afford.

[+user13371]

If aviation is at the top of the list, I'd agree with Searching_UT that the DeLorme would not be a good choice - pick something designed for that. Garmin and Lowrance both offer aviation-specific receivers and software.

 

But ... since the OP is looking for "everything else" and suggests it might only get used as a backup sometime for aviation - I'd also lean towards the PN-40. Best combination unit for the price.

 

I still wouldn't recommended it for aircraft use though, except on basis the OP suggested himself -- if nothing else was available at the time.

Edited August 25, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+SilentWolf]

As far as the aviation side of it goes, I wouldn't be using it as an "official" nav-aid so I'm not worried about having aviation charts or maps on it - I'd just like to once in a while pre-program in a route or something to follow, or yea - list some airfields or other POI's as waypoints, etc... but definitely want one that locks on quickly and is as accurate as possible.

I hadn't even looked at the Delorme ones yet, so I'll definitely check into them. And I did like the looks of the Garmin Oregon (400 i think it was), it looks real nice, but as was mentioned I also wondered how readable the screen would be at times...

Thanks a bunch to those of you that have responded, and please keep the advice coming!

[+StarBrand]

I have an Oregon 200, a colorado 300 and a Lowrance Endura Out&Back.

 

Overall, right now, I'd have to recommend the Colorado as my "goto" unit. Accuracy is as good as any unit on the market and it is quite good at holding signals in difficult conditions. The paperless Geocaching features are by far the easiest to use. I love the Oregon's intuitive touchscreen but it just isn't as good when it counts as the Colorado.

 

The Out&Back is a very nice unit and comes with some great Geocaching features (like the ability to filter caches out in the field) but it has a few annoyances that I think will be addressed with a software upgrade. Very nice feature set but it does need a few tweaks. The mapping capabilities are every bit as good as the Delorme products but no real pricing information is available yet and they may be more expensive than delorme's.

[+Pax42]

I can't recommend this product for hiking or geocaching but you might want to check it out as an aviation option down the road: AV8OR.

 

It offers aviation specific applications but still works equally as well in the car. And before any one asks, yes, I'm very biased. I work for the company that sells it and actually worked on it's development along with the other products in the AV8OR line.

 

I'll now add my recommendation for the PN-40 based on your current needs and budget.

 

Edit: Sorry if this sounds like spam. I'll delete the first 2 paragraphs if it bothers people.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Pax42

[+user13371]

AV8OR

That is pretty neat. No good for geocaching, but an awesome looking nav system.

 

Any chance you'll make one ruggedized, waterproof, with an all-day battery and a paperless geicaching mode?

[+Pax42]

Any chance you'll make one ruggedized, waterproof, with an all-day battery and a paperless geicaching mode?

Not likely. We already have a a good enough rivalry with the company down the street in the avionics market.

[+user13371]

That's a pity. Just ask anyone -- it's not a "real GPS" unless it's designed for geocaching

[Grasscatcher]

Now Lee......here's one "anyone" that disagrees.

 

I've been GPS'ing since before "Geocaching" even was a twinkle in someones eye. I will acknowledge that "the game" has caused an increase in interest, which is great for inovation, but I couldn't care less about the passtime. What is annoying is that all the manufacturers lately seem to be concentrating on all the bells and whistles stuff instead of maintaining GPS accuracy. Most of the "fluff" features are nice but unnecessary for geocaching and most don't even pertain to GPS accuracy.

 

Accurately determining coordinates of a structure (irrigation headgate) from sometimes ancient legal descriptions after they were plotted on paper maps, can be a real challenge.( before computer mapping software) After the (starting) coordinates are determined then the fun begins. Next is following the GPS's direction to that location or somewhere "nearby".+ / _ ????? to find the target and replace the coordinates with "actuals" ( Approx the same as Geocaching but starting with only best guess coordinates)

 

Finding Benchmarks with "scaled" coordinates is also a fun activity that's more challenging than Geocaching.

 

I really have to chuckle when someone posts a complaint or question about "their" GPS ONLY getting them to within XXX feet.

 

Not complaining, just "opinion" and a plug for increased GPS accuracy development over Geocaching " fluff" features.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Grasscatcher

[+briansnat]

I think that the closest thing to a do it all GPS is the Garmin 60CSX (and 76CSX). I have a half dozen units including a Delorme PN40, two Magellans and several other Garmin models and if I had to pick one it would be the 60CSX no doubt about it.

[+Rockin Roddy]

I think that the closest thing to a do it all GPS is the Garmin 60CSX (and 76CSX). I have a half dozen units including a Delorme PN40, two Magellans and several other Garmin models and if I had to pick one it would be the 60CSX no doubt about it.

 

Without a lot of work, this isn't paperless...and then even with the work, it's not truly paperless. There are units which do a lot more (caching wise at least).

[+Tahoe Skier5000]

OK, I have indeed been reading through the forums, and yes there are several "which GPS should I buy" posts, but what's the harm in one more? Besides, it seems most of them are focused on trying to decide between 2 or 3 models, and to be honest I'm just too lazy to research them all.... with that said, here's why I'm here -

 

I have never owned a GPS before, but am familiar with their purpose and use somewhat, as I am a pilot and have frequently used them while flying. I have decided to get into Geocaching, and figured if I'm gonna get into it, I might as well get me a GPS that can be used for that and lots of other things. Besides geocaching (which i'd like to be able to do paperless) I'd like a unit with good detailed mapping of both roads and trails that would be used when traveling (I don't need turn-by-turn capability, just want to know where I'm at), one with good topo maps as well so if I am flying in a plane not GPS equipped I could use it as a general navigation aid - therefore WAAS is a must since it's required by the FAA. I'd also eventually use it for hunting and 4-wheeling, snowmobiling, etc... Expandability would be nice too, so a card slot should be there. I'd like to keep it $500 or under, unless there's a really good reason to maybe spend a tad more.

 

I have for some reason been drawn to the Lowrance Endura series, specifically the Sierra - but since they are very new and from the sounds of things have some bugs that need to be worked out, I am timid about jumping on that one right now. Is there something else out there that someone has experience with that could be recommended? Or does anyone have any insight into the Lowrances as to what's happening with them?

 

This is based entirely on past experience with Lowrance GPSr's. I still have the original iFinder model from 2003 when I bought it. It was and still is a very solid performer! I don't use it much anymore, but occasionally I still give it a go if I feel like mixing it up.

 

Lowrance does a great job with the UI and software design on their units. I am totally sold on it and wish Garmin and Delorme would follow suit in some areas. Where Garmin seems to be dumbing down their line of GPS's, taking out features that existed even on past models, Lowrance for the most part, has remained consistent with what they offer. There were features on the iFinder I found incredibly useful, like being able to manually change the position update rate, increasing or decreasing the track smoothing, having full control power saving settings etc... It was great.

 

I love my iFinder but don't use it anymore since it old school tech. Reliable, yes, but old school.

 

I have faith that the Endura series will continue the legacy once they work out the quirks and fix the bugs. I am contemplating buying the Sierra model soon here. I realize it is still somewhat BETA right now, but also know that the firmware fixes will smooth it out in time. Don't let the newness of the GPS prevent you from buying it... firmware fixes are free, easy to get, and on the way.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Tahoe Skier5000

[+SilentWolf]

First off, thanks again everyone for your comments and suggestions - they have been incredibly helpful so far!

 

And speaking of so far, from what I've read and checked into further, I've kind of narrowed down my shopping list to a couple that have been suggested - After checking it out I do like the looks and sounds of the Delorme PN-40, seems like it would be a solid unit and do what I'd like, and from what I can tell would be the clear-cut winner when it comes to the maps. I'm still drawn to the Lowrance Sierra as well, and like Tahoe Skier mentioned I of course realize they are new and will have some bugs to work out, but should be a solid unit as well. And I also really like the Garmin Oregon 400t, seems like it's features and setup are real nice, but I'm still leary about the screen for some reason - I don't know why, and it's probably a fine unit, I've always just been paranoid about 100% touch-screen things. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd have to buy whatever additional maps I'd like to have, and it appears they aren't exactly cheap for the Garmin line of products... whereas the Lowrance supposedly has "premium content maps" pre-loaded, and the Delorme has a $30 subscription per year that I could download whatever I wanted from them.

 

I'd still love to hear anyone's suggestions and thoughts, I'm probably about a month or so out from actually making my mind up and making the purchase. Maybe, are there any things (like features or whatnot) that I haven't listed but should consider? I know battery life is always a thought, and I was surprised to see that the Delorme seems to suffer in that aspect. (Thank heavens for rechargeables, but who wants to carry about 5lbs worth of batteries?)

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

There are plenty of free maps available for Garmin units, including international maps. Here is one source...

http://gpsfiledepot.com

 

I don't recommend the Oregon for non-powered, fixed mount use, but for snowmobiling and 4WD use, you should be able to use 12V power, giving you a very bright screen.

[+SilentWolf]

I think that the closest thing to a do it all GPS is the Garmin 60CSX (and 76CSX). I have a half dozen units including a Delorme PN40, two Magellans and several other Garmin models and if I had to pick one it would be the 60CSX no doubt about it.

 

Without a lot of work, this isn't paperless...and then even with the work, it's not truly paperless. There are units which do a lot more (caching wise at least).

 

That's what I noticed too - the 60CSX looks like an awesome unit, with the exception of not having full paperless caching capability.

[+SilentWolf]

There are plenty of free maps available for Garmin units, including international maps. Here is one source...

http://gpsfiledepot.com

 

I don't recommend the Oregon for non-powered, fixed mount use, but for snowmobiling and 4WD use, you should be able to use 12V power, giving you a very bright screen.

 

Cool - thanks for that info Biker - knowing that I'm now kind of leaning towards the Oregon - I think I'm down to the 400t or the Delorme PN-40

[+Rockin Roddy]

There are plenty of free maps available for Garmin units, including international maps. Here is one source...

http://gpsfiledepot.com

 

I don't recommend the Oregon for non-powered, fixed mount use, but for snowmobiling and 4WD use, you should be able to use 12V power, giving you a very bright screen.

 

Cool - thanks for that info Biker - knowing that I'm now kind of leaning towards the Oregon - I think I'm down to the 400t or the Delorme PN-40

 

Keep in mind those maps won't route you, just show more detail than a basemap!

[+SilentWolf]

There are plenty of free maps available for Garmin units, including international maps. Here is one source...

http://gpsfiledepot.com

 

I don't recommend the Oregon for non-powered, fixed mount use, but for snowmobiling and 4WD use, you should be able to use 12V power, giving you a very bright screen.

 

Cool - thanks for that info Biker - knowing that I'm now kind of leaning towards the Oregon - I think I'm down to the 400t or the Delorme PN-40

 

Keep in mind those maps won't route you, just show more detail than a basemap!

 

What about the National Geographic maps? A buddy told me about them and said he thought they were some of the best out there.

[+SilentWolf]

OK, I've spent the last few days reading every review and forum I could find on the couple of GPS' I think I'd like, and after doing so I've pretty much narrowed my search down to either the Garmin Oregon 300 or the Dakota 20. I've steered away from the Delorme, as it's battery life seems rather disappointing, screen I think is somewhat smal, and I don't like the idea of being limited to only their maps - even though they do seem extensive..... I also like the idea of a touch-screen unit, and knowing that I can plug into my 12v while in the car to brighten the screen is a nice thought.

 

I'm wondering if anyone out there that has used the Oregons and the Dakota's can give me their thoughs - what do you like and/or not like about them? Is the screen really that hard to see outside as some people have reported? I know the Dakota has the 3-axis compass and the Oregon doesn't (without going to the 550, which I don't need a camera so can't see myself spending that much to jump up to it) - do you find the 3-axis to be advantageous to have? My big curiosity is on the microSD cards - I have read that the Oregon's are pretty much limited to a 4gig card, but can't find anything on the Dakota's for sure - can it use bigger or no?

[+Rockin Roddy]

OK, I've spent the last few days reading every review and forum I could find on the couple of GPS' I think I'd like, and after doing so I've pretty much narrowed my search down to either the Garmin Oregon 300 or the Dakota 20. I've steered away from the Delorme, as it's battery life seems rather disappointing, screen I think is somewhat smal, and I don't like the idea of being limited to only their maps - even though they do seem extensive..... I also like the idea of a touch-screen unit, and knowing that I can plug into my 12v while in the car to brighten the screen is a nice thought.

 

I'm wondering if anyone out there that has used the Oregons and the Dakota's can give me their thoughs - what do you like and/or not like about them? Is the screen really that hard to see outside as some people have reported? I know the Dakota has the 3-axis compass and the Oregon doesn't (without going to the 550, which I don't need a camera so can't see myself spending that much to jump up to it) - do you find the 3-axis to be advantageous to have? My big curiosity is on the microSD cards - I have read that the Oregon's are pretty much limited to a 4gig card, but can't find anything on the Dakota's for sure - can it use bigger or no?

 

For the record, you can plug the PN-40 into the 12v and it's much brighter too, although it isn't needed to be. Also, it can charge while in the car with the power travel kit!

 

As for the OR, I owned one briefly and can give you a few +/-s:

 

Pros:

 

Touchscreen does seem a bit easier to use for some things, but not all.

Not bad at routing, I like the detailed info it displays.

Battery life is a bit better than the PN-40, but not as good as the Dakota (if memory serves??).

Can get free maps, but I think you must buy a routing map if you want routing.

Holds a lot of caches and waypoints

 

Cons:

 

Touchscreen. Always wanting to wipe the fingerprints off. Hard to see in many lighting situations.

Compass was jerky at best. I loved how many told me to simply turn it off.

MAPS! Can't display topo maps while routing? Can't the maps be layered? NOT IMPRESSED!

MAPS! Prices of routing maps...OUCH!

 

Good luck on your purchase, please let us know how it works out!!

[+Maingray]

Very GENERAL pros/cons in a nutshell from someone who has used both OR and PN-40 for caching:

 

OR:

 

Pros: Nice size rugged unit, large screen. Touchscreen is a pro in my book, very intuitive interface for caching. Fully paperless able to either drag and drop gc.com Pocket queries, native GSAk communication or cache-by-cache from gc.com pages. Full cache descriptions of caches plus child waypoint handling. Make comments and upload back at home on gc.com. Active and responsive development team. High accuracy. I now consider the Oregon firmware to be MATURE... the latest updates worked wonders for its accuracy and stability.

 

Very large community of free US and international maps available. Mac versions of all software + maps available. Wireless communication with other ORs or COs. Good battery life with rechargeables particularly with the sanyo eneloops.

 

Cons: screen is dull (when on battery) compared to PN-40. Thats a consequence of touchscreens, period. Feels a little dumbed down in straight GPS-features compared to PN-40, but there have been many additions to the features over the last few months. In box basemap is poor, but premium mapping solutions allow this unit to auto-ruote extremely well with huge POI coverage, much like a car nuvi. Many many free pre-cut easy-to-install maps now available covering the whole world.

 

PN-40:

 

pros: Quality aerial + topo imagery available for a cheap subscription. Fully paperless able to either drag and drop gc.com Pocket queries, via macros, cache-by-cache from gc.com pages or through a PQ-based applet that will push many cache descriptions to the unit (one time $10 fee). Full descriptions of caches. Make comments and upload back at home on gc.com. Active and responsive development team. Routeable basemap included. High accuracy. Orange! Fast dual chip unit.

 

Cons: Battery life poor out the box. Build quality feels poor. Small screen. If you travel and want the imagery prepare to buy lots of SD cards and time to cut and prep subscription maps. Routeable basemap included is VERY poor for road navigation (topo based inaccuracies (think 100s of feet away from where the road really is), poor POI coverage and the roads are VERY innacurate.. e.g no one -way designation, State-road designation rather than real names in some cases) and no premium option to improve this. Maps available are limited to USA, unless you want to scan your own and buy a $99 mapping software upgrade. Mac support, i got lost on..ask here. Topo is too central still for it's map operation past the included pre-cut maps, and it's a wacky program (flame on!). Orange!

 

 

 

I went with the OR because I'm a freak who refuses to use a separate car unit for routing and wants an all-in-one unit, and I felt the paperless mode is more mature than the PN-40...plus I like Wherigo caches which the PN-40 doesnt support. It still feels better using the OR's caching UI...has a few more extras like cache run totals, permanent pointer on a geocaching "dashboard' pointing to the nearest geocache regardless of where you are navigating to and road to hiking transition is well handled by single click profiles. I also just fell in love with the touch screen, being able to touch a cache on a scrollable map and bring up full cache info was worth the price of admission to me, over the similar Colorado.

 

 

Bottom line... both PN-40 and Oregon do paperless caching extremely well, both units are now pushing the envelope as to what is achievable for paperless caching. PN-40's unique forte is the aerial imagery. Oregon's forte is the UI, and the fact (for me) that it's more than a competent road auto-router (with a premium U$ road map).

 

Both the OR and PN-40 are VERY GOOD, HIGH SENSITIVITY units and are both good all-in-one devices. I'm obviously biased to the OR as I stuck with that one. I spent the last 4 days driving and caching from North Carolina to New York City, with 4 very experienced geocachers that I haven't traveled with before. Three of the four were using Oregons. Last year it would have been 3 of the 4 using 60CSXs.

 

Based on your needs, read the above and decide. As a pilot the aerial imagery of the PN-40 should be a deal maker..right?

Edited September 1, 2009 by Maingray

[+SilentWolf]

Roddy and Maingray - thank you so very much for your input! I really appreciate it.

 

I'm heading to Sportsman's Warehouse tomorrow to put my fingerprints on a few units, and who knows.... I may just come home with one. I'm still bouncing between the Oregon or the Dakota so we'll see how they feel to me. Maingray you mentioned the aerial maps of the PN-40, which yea might be nice for flying, but to be honest - if I want an aerial image, I'll just look out the window

 

Thanks again guys!

[+The Yinnies]

Roddy and Maingray - thank you so very much for your input! I really appreciate it.

 

I'm heading to Sportsman's Warehouse tomorrow to put my fingerprints on a few units, and who knows.... I may just come home with one. I'm still bouncing between the Oregon or the Dakota so we'll see how they feel to me. Maingray you mentioned the aerial maps of the PN-40, which yea might be nice for flying, but to be honest - if I want an aerial image, I'll just look out the window

 

Thanks again guys!

Let us know what you decided.

Thanks

[+Maingray]

Maingray you mentioned the aerial maps of the PN-40, which yea might be nice for flying, but to be honest - if I want an aerial image, I'll just look out the window

 

Thanks again guys!

 

lol! true, that's the ultimate aerial image. The dakota is a cute unit, there are some first impression posted around web for it.

 

In the absence of any meaningful Garmin online forums, these are good sites to see warts n'all posts about both the OR and Dakota;

 

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/

 

http://garmindakota.wikispaces.com/

Edited September 2, 2009 by Maingray

[+SilentWolf]

First off, just wanted to say thanks again to everyone that threw in their 2cents here - I really appreciate the help and assistance!

 

This morning I pulled up to Sportsman's, walked straight back to the GPS display, and saw NEITHER the Oregon 300 or the Dakota! Man, what a buzz-kill! They had an Oregon 200 and a 400i, but no Dakota's at all. Oh well. I fiddled with the 200 for a minute, and really like the feel of it, and the interface seems real nice. It was actually a lot smaller in my hand than I thought it would be, which led me to believe that the Dakota would probably be too small for my liking. But I knew I wanted the bigger memory of the 300 and at least the 2-axis compass, so I left empty-handed.

 

But not all is lost, as soon as I got home, the laptop was fired up, and I am having shipped 2-day from Amazon.com the Oregon 300 ($355), some enerloop rechargeable AA's, and one of the Lacrosse chargers (after reading the other thread here sounds like that's the way to go) I can't wait! I know eventually I will want the routing street maps from garmin, (which I noticed were $77 on amazon) and a DC cable amongst other things, but that can wait for another order.

[+Paul_Aris]

First off, just wanted to say thanks again to everyone that threw in their 2cents here - I really appreciate the help and assistance!

 

This morning I pulled up to Sportsman's, walked straight back to the GPS display, and saw NEITHER the Oregon 300 or the Dakota! Man, what a buzz-kill! They had an Oregon 200 and a 400i, but no Dakota's at all. Oh well. I fiddled with the 200 for a minute, and really like the feel of it, and the interface seems real nice. It was actually a lot smaller in my hand than I thought it would be, which led me to believe that the Dakota would probably be too small for my liking. But I knew I wanted the bigger memory of the 300 and at least the 2-axis compass, so I left empty-handed.

 

But not all is lost, as soon as I got home, the laptop was fired up, and I am having shipped 2-day from Amazon.com the Oregon 300 ($355), some enerloop rechargeable AA's, and one of the Lacrosse chargers (after reading the other thread here sounds like that's the way to go) I can't wait! I know eventually I will want the routing street maps from garmin, (which I noticed were $77 on amazon) and a DC cable amongst other things, but that can wait for another order.

 

I think it is a good choice. I have a Colorado which is similiar to an oregon. I have a mount on my snowmoible dash. I can see the screen just fine. The built in topos has never not got me out of a remote location that I did not know where I was. The thing with snowmobiling, your not looking at the screen the entire time. You usually slow down or stop so you can study where you are. The larger screen size of the colorado/Oregon is nice for a quick glance and shows more area. I also found no reason to run power. With NIMH rechargables I can get 8-12 hours with the backlight on. I carry at least 2 extra sets.

 

The paperless geocaching is nice as well. My friend has teh 60CSX and I like the colorado much better in both outdoor activities and geocaching.

 

Edited September 3, 2009 by Paul_Aris

[+SilentWolf]

First off, just wanted to say thanks again to everyone that threw in their 2cents here - I really appreciate the help and assistance!

 

This morning I pulled up to Sportsman's, walked straight back to the GPS display, and saw NEITHER the Oregon 300 or the Dakota! Man, what a buzz-kill! They had an Oregon 200 and a 400i, but no Dakota's at all. Oh well. I fiddled with the 200 for a minute, and really like the feel of it, and the interface seems real nice. It was actually a lot smaller in my hand than I thought it would be, which led me to believe that the Dakota would probably be too small for my liking. But I knew I wanted the bigger memory of the 300 and at least the 2-axis compass, so I left empty-handed.

 

But not all is lost, as soon as I got home, the laptop was fired up, and I am having shipped 2-day from Amazon.com the Oregon 300 ($355), some enerloop rechargeable AA's, and one of the Lacrosse chargers (after reading the other thread here sounds like that's the way to go) I can't wait! I know eventually I will want the routing street maps from garmin, (which I noticed were $77 on amazon) and a DC cable amongst other things, but that can wait for another order.

 

I think it is a good choice. I have a Colorado which is similiar to an oregon. I have a mount on my snowmoible dash. I can see the screen just fine. The built in topos has never not got me out of a remote location that I did not know where I was. The thing with snowmobiling, your not looking at the screen the entire time. You usually slow down or stop so you can study where you are. The larger screen size of the colorado/Oregon is nice for a quick glance and shows more area. I also found no reason to run power. With NIMH rechargables I can get 8-12 hours with the backlight on. I carry at least 2 extra sets.

 

The paperless geocaching is nice as well. My friend has teh 60CSX and I like the colorado much better in both outdoor activities and geocaching.

 

 

Cool - thanks man! And sweet pic - it's been in the upper 90's here most of the summer, and I am so READY for some snow!

[+SilentWolf]

Well, after waiting patiently all day, UPS finally threw a box on my porch at almost 7pm..... I tell ya what a long day! But it's here! Bad news is that I've got myself looped into a repainting project this weekend, so it's gonna be a few days before I can take her out, but as soon as the opportunity arises I'll let y'all know what I think -

 

Thanks again everyone for the advice and help!

[+Searching_ut]

First off, just wanted to say thanks again to everyone that threw in their 2cents here - I really appreciate the help and assistance!

 

This morning I pulled up to Sportsman's, walked straight back to the GPS display, and saw NEITHER the Oregon 300 or the Dakota! Man, what a buzz-kill! They had an Oregon 200 and a 400i, but no Dakota's at all. Oh well. I fiddled with the 200 for a minute, and really like the feel of it, and the interface seems real nice. It was actually a lot smaller in my hand than I thought it would be, which led me to believe that the Dakota would probably be too small for my liking. But I knew I wanted the bigger memory of the 300 and at least the 2-axis compass, so I left empty-handed.

 

But not all is lost, as soon as I got home, the laptop was fired up, and I am having shipped 2-day from Amazon.com the Oregon 300 ($355), some enerloop rechargeable AA's, and one of the Lacrosse chargers (after reading the other thread here sounds like that's the way to go) I can't wait! I know eventually I will want the routing street maps from garmin, (which I noticed were $77 on amazon) and a DC cable amongst other things, but that can wait for another order.

 

Nice setup. What sort of mount are you using, and how is it attached to your sled? It seems my feeling sorry for myself for not being able to go out to play with the guys this weekend payed off, and the wife just let me pick up a Polaris of my own. It's not really a snow machine though, it a Silver Ranger RZR. Now I'm just waiting for the local trailer store to open because it's too big to fit in my shortbed truck. I've also got to try and figure out how to mount the GPS, and which GPS unit would work out best in it. I'm thinking I might go with a NUVI running TOPO maps, but haven't actually tried loading TOPO into a nuvi yet.

I think it is a good choice. I have a Colorado which is similiar to an oregon. I have a mount on my snowmoible dash. I can see the screen just fine. The built in topos has never not got me out of a remote location that I did not know where I was. The thing with snowmobiling, your not looking at the screen the entire time. You usually slow down or stop so you can study where you are. The larger screen size of the colorado/Oregon is nice for a quick glance and shows more area. I also found no reason to run power. With NIMH rechargables I can get 8-12 hours with the backlight on. I carry at least 2 extra sets.

 

The paperless geocaching is nice as well. My friend has teh 60CSX and I like the colorado much better in both outdoor activities and geocaching.

 

[+SilentWolf]

Well, my first impressions of the Oregon 300 are that it's awesome! Finally had the chance to get out this morning and find a few cache's, and it performed well. I love it's menus and interface - it's so easy and quick to do what you want it to. Out of the 10 caches' I went looking for there were only 2 I didn't find, and I'm sure it's my fault not the GPS's.... both of them were listed as micro's, and I'm still new at this

 

I do also have to say that I don't know why people are complaining about being able to read the screen out in the sun - I found it very easy to see.... even when it was sitting wedged between my windshield and dashboard, and the backlight went off after a minute or so I could still read it easily, and I'm not using a power cord yet, just batteries. (Which by the way are also performing very well so far, the Sanyo Eneloop rechargables.)

[+Searching_ut]

Congrats on the new toy. They're addictive, and really enhance your outdoor adventures other than geocaching as well. You'll be amazed at how much easire you find backcountry navigation. You're doing great if you've got a spot on your dash to wedge the unit into. The way mine is set up makes it difficult to find a goot place to place my gps units.

[+SilentWolf]

Oh I'll eventually get a mount for it, probably one of the suction cup ones, but it works for now