can get nuvi 205 for $75 is it worth it

[reggie151]

title says it all just need to know if its a good all around gps. i bike hike kayak and cash.

[jkettu]

Afaik, 205 is not waterproof. In a car it works quite well.

[hoyshnin]

Not shockproof, not waterproof, no lanyard to carry it with, and an awkward shape, so probably bad for kayaking, pretty good for biking (you can load topo maps onto it that have trails) and ok for geocaching. You can paperless geocahe with nuvis - google "paperless nuvi." It's quite accurate as well. Another drawback is that it has an internal battery that will only last 4-5 hours, but you can buy an external battery pack that will take AA's. I use a nuvi 255w and it works great for caching (I attached a lanyard to mine using Velcro with adhesive to try and make it a bit less prone to breaking). So really it's up to you. I'd probably opt for a handheld gpsr given the fact that you wan to use it near water.

[+mjs3350]

great for car use, terrible for outdoor use.

[+splashy]

With a diver zipbag you can use it also on water, battery time is a bit short < 5 hours.

If it's working what do you want more?

[MtnHermit]

title says it all just need to know if its a good all around gps. i bike hike kayak and cash.

I own a 205W, excellent GPS, BUT it has two major drawbacks:

1- Short battery life 2-5 hours depending on backlight.

2- Impossible to read in bright sunlight, you can use your body as shade and get by.

 

I use my CO 300 for outdoor uses. Sixteen hours on AAs and the brighter the light the better.

[+Pax42]

A number of cachers, including myself, use both a low end Nuvi like the 205 (in my case, the 270) for navigating via road to caches and then switch over to our more rugged handhelds outside the car. You get the best of both worlds. If you can afford to go that route then yes, $75 for the 205 is a good deal. I've seen Black Friday ads for the 205 at $99.99.

 

The 205 by itself for caching is doable but you'll quickly find yourself wanting something better designed for the task.

[+Chuy!]

What year maps does it have? A new Nuvi 205 with 2010 maps goes for about $205. The 2010 update maps go for $50. A used 205 with 2009 maps for $75 is a fair deal for the seller but not a good value imo - unless it has 2010 maps. No on the water! The Nuvi 500/550 are the only ones currently in the line-up that are waterproof.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Chuy!

[+ReedKyCacheFinders]

We just bought one for $80 from Local selling from a cheapcycle group. We're very happy with our's. We have 3 handhelds so no plans to use the Nuvi for on the trail hunts. Just to get us to the parking area/s is what it will be used for in geocaching.