Narrowing down (or at least trying to...)

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Ahh... Bittersweet news... So, $30 for a 16g SDHC and I've got my maps loaded, but I've gotta keep the computer handy when traveling for on the fly PQs... Still WAY better than I had before!

I'm not sure if any included SD card reader supports SDHC cards.

All SD cards 4GB and over are SDHC.

SDHC card reader:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6858

 

16GB SDHC cards:

http://www.buy.com/prod/kingston-16gb-secu.../206865168.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820211245

 

Combo 16GB SDHC card and reader:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820208377

 

Yes, prior to 4GB cards coming down from $BIG, I used to keep several 2GB cards loaded with different areas.

Now that I have a 16GB card almost filled up, I offload and onload from my hard drive prior to trips out of town.

But this is not a daily process and it is the Color Aerial Photo Imagery that I exchange periodically.

For example, I have well over a dozen GB for northwest AZ, but I only go there annually.

[+llano]

I just ordered the DeLorme PN 40 for $200 from Amazon. I've been using my tom-tom one for streets, my ancient magellan topo for coords, and my stupid Iphone. The Iphone battery drain makes actually finding a cache impossible unless it's right on the road. The tom-tom is great for getting me in the area of the cache, and the magellan is the tried and true winner for hitting the coordinates. I've been looking for a paperless unit for a reasonable price for a couple of years, and, am glad I waited for this deal. I hope to elminate the need for much use of the Iphone geocaching site around home, and to get better accuracy for caches on the Delorme. Plus, what a great price for what was wanted! Thanks to all of you who contributed to the forum so I could hone down my "cache".

[+Chi-Town Cacher]

I just ordered the DeLorme PN 40 for $200 from Amazon. I've been using my tom-tom one for streets, my ancient magellan topo for coords, and my stupid Iphone. The Iphone battery drain makes actually finding a cache impossible unless it's right on the road. The tom-tom is great for getting me in the area of the cache, and the magellan is the tried and true winner for hitting the coordinates. I've been looking for a paperless unit for a reasonable price for a couple of years, and, am glad I waited for this deal. I hope to elminate the need for much use of the Iphone geocaching site around home, and to get better accuracy for caches on the Delorme. Plus, what a great price for what was wanted! Thanks to all of you who contributed to the forum so I could hone down my "cache".

Congrats on getting a PN-40 at such a great discount! I'm sure you'll love it. There is a really good thread here in the GPS and Technology forum that has lots of very good info for new PN-30 and PN-40 owners. If you are interested in checking it out you can CLICK HERE . Enjoy your new toy!!!

[+achsinohio]

Thats a lot of "wants" for that price range. Especially if you expect it to include all the maps. (do you??)

 

Only one that comes real close is the Delorme PN40.

 

A somewhat distant second would be the Colorado 400T plus City Nav maps - or you might get by with the free maps at gpsfiledepot.com without autorouting.

 

A very close third would be the Oregon 400T (plus City Nav) - its touchscreen interface is simply amazing and has caused me no issues whatsoever.

I am presently using the Garmin Oregon 400T I find this unit is everything I expected and more. I have just one concern, on my unit when it is very cold outside I must take off my gloves in order for the touch screen to function properly. I am wondering if this is an issue on all touchscreens or just mine.

[+rambrush]

Well I run the pn-40 and its not touchscreen but my palm pre is and it works just fine with gloves.

[+kwcahart]

Yes, there are a few of us. I'm a 1911 fan and I shoot silhouette with black. I use a Garmin 76Cx and it works great but I wish it was completely paperless. Birthday!!

[+Motorino]

After spending many hours reading thru lots of posts and threads I just ordered the PN40. Thanks for all the info and cant wait to get started! This is my first post and I like the cool icons.

-Moto

[+steenroller]

Came close to the PN40 and then the 78 series came out. Ordered one and like it because of my experience with the 76 series. Like the paperless and the ability to import custom maps. Another gun nut and amateur radio nut here.

[+zapfrog]

Was leaning towards the 60CXs series until I started reading about the Delormes now I want a PN60 but looks like I can only afford a PN40 at the moment...sigh.

[+Team Engage]

I know this thread is nearly 2 years old, but I think it deserves a bump - a great thread for some really useful opinions on a good variety of GPS brands.

Just for the record, I recently purchased the Garmin Oregon 450t. Basically, the only difference between that and the Colorado series is that it doesn't have a camera, saving about $150. The rrp in the US is actually $450, so it is pretty close to the required price range.

Touch screen has been fantastic - it requires a 'firm' touch so I don't often move things accidentally. I havn't tried with gloves, but I suspect it is a matter of pressure.

In terms of accuracy - outstanding. Most higher-end GPS units are now accurate to within a few metres, but this one can tell when I take a single step.

The automatic routing is very good, and allows you to choose between walking, car or bicycle (and probably a few others as well) which has an impact on which routes it suggests. It also has an option to allow or disallow uturns.

Battery life has been a pleasant surprise after the first set. I purchased a cheap set of batteries and blew through them in less than 4 hours. I then bought a good set and it took nearly 2 weeks of more than daily caching to burn through them. Finally I put in rechargables and I havn't finished my first charge yet. MUCH better than the smartphone.

I considered a GPSMAP cx, but having seen another user use it, it just didn't have the same ease of use. I can scroll and zoom the map with a fingertip, and the nearby cache function is exellent.

The only difficulty I have had is finding caches that are not the nearest cache, which I don't know the name of. There is a way to do it, but I havn't really figured it out yet. That hasn't mattered to me, becuase I tend to plan my route cache-by-cache, but it might slow things down sometimes.

The screen is readable in direct sunlight without the backlight, and in shadow with fairly low backlight. At night it helps to have the backlight on nearly high, but as stated, that doesn't have much effect on the batteries anyway.

 

I hope this helps anyone else trying to decide whether to purchase or not. Down with smartphones!