Garmin 60CX -- how is it for geocaching?

[phritosan]

Sorry, I would search, but with the 5 char limit, it is a bit challenging.

 

I found a 60CX on sale, today only, for $200 and am considering getting it for a Christmas present. I want to cache with it -- how is it? How is the paperless? Seems like there might be better, but not for the sub $200 price range.

 

I'm currently caching with my iPhone Geocaching app, but in shoddy 3G areas it's not so good for view the maps, not to mention the urban reception of the GPS.

 

Please, learn me. Can I cache easily with just the 60CX? Would I benefit from taking the iphone along and leaving it in the car? I dont want it in rugged environments!

 

Thanks so much!

[+briansnat]

The 60CX is a fine unit for geocaching and I think still the best all around hand held unit on the market today. It and it's sister unit, the 60CSX are one of the most popular geocaching units. $200 is an outstanding price for it.

 

Using 3rd party software like GSAK you can get the hint, terrain, difficulty onto the unit, but its not a true paperless unit like an Oregon or Colorado.

 

But since you have the iPhone with the geocaching app you can use that for the cache info.

Edited December 11, 2009 by briansnat

[+Douce Us 5]

Well the "Garmin 60CSx" seems to be the GeoCachers prefered handheld GPS. But after a lot of investigating on line I bought a "DeLORME PN-40" and have used that to find my last 280 caches and LOVE IT!!. It's comparable to the "Garmin 60CSx" .....but WAY better!! It's has everything the 60CSx has and more. It's WAAS enabled which makes it 5 times more accurate than anything else that's not WAAS enabled. The built in compass is awesome, and it has a built in GeoCaching function where you can select a cache and have it direct you to it on a map.....just follow the direction of the arrow. That screen also tells you how many feet away you are from the cache. I got it from REI on sale for $250. Buy it....you wont regret it AT ALL!

[jholly]

Well the "Garmin 60CSx" seems to be the GeoCachers prefered handheld GPS. But after a lot of investigating on line I bought a "DeLORME PN-40" and have used that to find my last 280 caches and LOVE IT!!. It's comparable to the "Garmin 60CSx" .....but WAY better!! It's has everything the 60CSx has and more. It's WAAS enabled which makes it 5 times more accurate than anything else that's not WAAS enabled. The built in compass is awesome, and it has a built in GeoCaching function where you can select a cache and have it direct you to it on a map.....just follow the direction of the arrow. That screen also tells you how many feet away you are from the cache. I got it from REI on sale for $250. Buy it....you wont regret it AT ALL!

 

and this is different from a 60CSx how?

[+Night Stalker]

The big difference between the 60CSX and the 60CX is that the 60CX does not have a digital compass or a barometer. I use the 60CX and except for starting out when it needs to find itself it is as good as the 60CSX. To get the best use out of it you may need to buy some maps. I am using City Navigator. I did not buy it for geocaching, but to find my way around all the places I was sent for work. It was after I got it installed that I found out it is a lifesaver when geocaching also. It will take you to the closest road to a cache. 99% of the time that is where you want to park. It saves time and gas money. I am using Filedepots free topo maps and they are every bit as good as the older version of Garmin Topo that I was using. For paperless I bought an older Ipaq 3955 and load the cache pages on that.

[+briansnat]

Well the "Garmin 60CSx" seems to be the GeoCachers prefered handheld GPS. But after a lot of investigating on line I bought a "DeLORME PN-40" and have used that to find my last 280 caches and LOVE IT!!. It's comparable to the "Garmin 60CSx" .....but WAY better!! It's has everything the 60CSx has and more. It's WAAS enabled which makes it 5 times more accurate than anything else that's not WAAS enabled. The built in compass is awesome, and it has a built in GeoCaching function where you can select a cache and have it direct you to it on a map.....just follow the direction of the arrow. That screen also tells you how many feet away you are from the cache. I got it from REI on sale for $250. Buy it....you wont regret it AT ALL!

 

Which are all features that the 60CSX has as well.

[+StarBrand]

The 60CSx is what everybody compares the new units to - to see how they stack up. That is just a fact.

 

But if your intended main purpose is Geocaching - the true paperless features of several other units make it much easier. I personally like my Colorado 300 best but I aknowledge that most former 60CSx owners miss some of the old features when buying a Colorado.

[+Chewy_06]

We have two units - a 60Cx & an Oregon 200 (that we got a smoking deal on with a topo map at Costco in the summer) - we love them both. The 60Cx qualitatively appears to be more accurate & more tenacious in heavy cover than the oregon, but gives up paperless capabilities beyond the creative use of GSAK in naming & for hints. Which is where the iPhone comes in handy - i'll dump from GSAK to airsharing on the iphone & end up with the full details at my finger tips & can go to the cache pages liive if that isnt enough. The oregon is primarily my wife's unit - she doesnt have an iphone & very much likes having the complete cache data right at her fingertips. She's also much less likely to be off in heavily wooded areas by herself, which means that we'll probably have both units + the iPhone with us.

 

The difference between the 60cx & 60csx are trivial for me - my watch does both already.

 

Ive read much about the delorme's but, cant find on at a retailer where i can see / touch it and havent come across any local cachers that actually have one. Having had a nightmarish experience with a magellan before i bought the 60cx, i'm not going to buy one blindly.

[+9Key]

I had an Oregon but hated it. Just didn't seem to be as accurate in the trees as my trusty 60CSX, especially for hiding caches. Thumbs up on the CSX especially for $200.

[knowschad]

Sorry, I would search, but with the 5 char limit, it is a bit challenging.

 

Off topic for the most part, but hopefully useful... take a look a the How Am I Supposed To Search thread for a solution for that problem.

[knowschad]

I had an Oregon but hated it. Just didn't seem to be as accurate in the trees as my trusty 60CSX, especially for hiding caches. Thumbs up on the CSX especially for $200.

Mine was the Colorado 400T. Traded in for the 60CSx and have never regretted it for one second! And for the $200 difference, you can pick up a Nuvi for city navigation and paperless caching data.

[+Team Cotati]

I had an Oregon but hated it. Just didn't seem to be as accurate in the trees as my trusty 60CSX, especially for hiding caches. Thumbs up on the CSX especially for $200.

 

Does anyone know where that 60csx can be had for $200.00 brand new?

[knowschad]

I had an Oregon but hated it. Just didn't seem to be as accurate in the trees as my trusty 60CSX, especially for hiding caches. Thumbs up on the CSX especially for $200.

Does anyone know where that 60csx can be had for $200.00 brand new?

The OP was actually referring to a 60CX, not the 60CSX:

 

I found a 60CX on sale, today only, for $200

[+Team Cotati]

I had an Oregon but hated it. Just didn't seem to be as accurate in the trees as my trusty 60CSX, especially for hiding caches. Thumbs up on the CSX especially for $200.

Does anyone know where that 60csx can be had for $200.00 brand new?

The OP was actually referring to a 60CX, not the 60CSX:

 

I found a 60CX on sale, today only, for $200

 

Thanks, that makes more sense.

[+Team Idasam]

I found 1400 caches with my 60Cx. Now I cache with my 60 and my Oregon 400t. The 60 series are real workhorses. I'll always have my 60 with me.

[+stingray67]

Well the "Garmin 60CSx" seems to be the GeoCachers prefered handheld GPS. But after a lot of investigating on line I bought a "DeLORME PN-40" and have used that to find my last 280 caches and LOVE IT!!. It's comparable to the "Garmin 60CSx" .....but WAY better!! It's has everything the 60CSx has and more. It's WAAS enabled which makes it 5 times more accurate than anything else that's not WAAS enabled. The built in compass is awesome, and it has a built in GeoCaching function where you can select a cache and have it direct you to it on a map.....just follow the direction of the arrow. That screen also tells you how many feet away you are from the cache. I got it from REI on sale for $250. Buy it....you wont regret it AT ALL!

 

Actually, nothing you have said in this piece makes your unit any different than the 60CSx.. the Garmin can do ALL of what you have mentioned plus MORE! Moreover, the 60CSx IS WASS & EGNOS enabled and achieves those accuracies like the all of the best GPS units available. Additionally, the 60CSx is the 'preferred' unit.

 

I would advise.. forget the DeLORME go for the Garmin. Garmin are far more reputable.

 

I have also recently aquired an Oregon 550t which has supurb GeoCaching features (much the same as the Colorado), and has the addition of a 3-axis compass which the 60CSx doesnt have.. that said, it's not particulaly essentional but in practice does make using the unit a little easier.

 

However, the biggest reason for the addition of the Oregon (550t) is that i can add OSGB maps which is what I use on my MemoryMap on my PC. Its really nice to plan routes on a PC that are exactly the same as what I see on my GPS. I only wish this could have been the case for my already-brilliant 60CSx.

 

Having said this, the Oregon firmware currently has a bugs which can cause a few unexpected lock ups.. but nothing too serious.. Garmin are pretty good and updating their firmware.. usually!

 

If anyone is interested, I will be doing another GPS in-depth video review (Oregon 550t with MemoryMap) Review after Christmas.. Search Jay1967 on YouTube or click here when it becomes available. Im quite confident this unit will hold up well on its test.

 

with regard to Accuracy.. ive just turned on my Oregon 550t after not using it for a few days (and im inside a building) the screen shows:

 

 

(Altitude of 72m is spot-on, as printed on my OS map!)

Edited December 24, 2009 by stingray67