Bushnell Onix350

[MadAdmiral]

I found a Bushnell Onix350 for sale for $120 w/ free shipping (regularly $200). There weren't any reviews for it in the resources. Does anyone know if this is any good? I copied the specs listed below.

 

Dimensions

Height 7"

Width 3.11"

Depth 0.55"

GPS System

SBAS WAAS

Receiver SiRFstarIII

Channels 20 channels

Antenna Built-in

Map

Basemap Yes

Maps Included North America

Navigation

Waypoints 1,000

Routes 50

Memory

Support Memory Cards microSD

Memory Card Capacity 512MB microSD

Display

Screen Size 3.5"

Screen Format LCD

Display Resolution 320 x 240

Display Features Full color LCD

Connections

PC InterFace Supported USB

Battery

Battery Type Lithium-Ion Rechargeable battery

Battery Life Up to 30 hours

Feature

GPS System Features Downloads and displays georeferenced satellite photography

TruView Navigation exclusive screen layering

SafeTrack battery conservation mode

Solunar Edge Sun & Moon Tables

Self calibrating 3-axis digital compass

Elevation profiles

Barometric Pressure & Temperature Sensors

Rugged rubber armor

Waterproof (IPX7 rated)

[+Indotguy]

Bushnell is apparently trying hard to move these units. Scan the forum pages and you will find several threads related to this brand and possibly some insight.

[+RavenMaster & Uindinha]

Just to help: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx..._-NA-_-58238004

[IainLee]

My only possible concern is...

"Memory Card Capacity 512MB microSD"

 

Doesn't seem a lot.

[MadAdmiral]

Just to help: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx..._-NA-_-58238004

 

That's where I found it. There aren't any reviews. I've only found one online (from Amazon) saying that it was really bad (1 star) mainly because the maps weren't current. I'm looking at this for my first GPS, so I don't know too much about what I need, but I thought that maps weren't that important for geocaching...

 

As far as the rest of the forum, the only thing anyone talks about is having to convert the location files to a different format, which I personally don't think is that bad as it was also mentioned that there were programs available for this. I want to know more about the actual unit. Seeing as the cheapest Garmin unit that connects to a computer via USB is $130+ and the cheapest Delorme that does that is $150+, I want to know if, at this price, the Bushnell is a better buy.

Edited December 22, 2009 by MadAdmiral

[+embra]

Seeing as the cheapest Garmin unit that connects to a computer via USB is $130+ and the cheapest Delorme that does that is $150+, I want to know if, at this price, the Bushnell is a better buy.

Probably not. Bushnells are not very popular around here. There have been a couple of sales within the last month or so that have got more of them into users' hands, but my impression is that they are not very geocache-friendly.

 

It's a bit unfair for me to make disparaging remarks without backing them up, but if you search this forum for "Bushnell+Onix" you should find a good sampling of comment. Lots of those will be referring to the 400; I'm not sure how relevant they are, but since it's a higher model designation I would think any problems there are also present with the 350.

[MadAdmiral]

So if this isn't recommended, can anyone give me a unit that would be good? I'd prefer to stay as close to $100 as possible, but spend as much as $175-200...

[+Native20559]

So if this isn't recommended, can anyone give me a unit that would be good? I'd prefer to stay as close to $100 as possible, but spend as much as $175-200...

 

Take a look at the Garmin Vista HCX! It's really a terrific GPS and you should be able to find one very close to your price range (look in Bizrate or NexTag for price comparisons). It's not one of the newest generation paperless geocachers but is a extremely versatile and accurate GPS for the money (has many of the same capabilities as the 60CSX which is also not a paperless unit and is taking the market by storm in popularity but costs a hundred dollars or more, more than the Vista). It's definitely worth a look.

 

Good luck.

 

N

[MadAdmiral]

What makes the Vista HCX different from the Legend HCx? The Legend is ~$25 cheaper, and I don't see what's different.

 

What about the Venture HC and Summit HC? About the only thing I can see is different from the Vista is these don't have expandable memory (that and up to $75).

[+smithdk]

What makes the Vista HCX different from the Legend HCx? The Legend is ~$25 cheaper, and I don't see what's different.

 

What about the Venture HC and Summit HC? About the only thing I can see is different from the Vista is these don't have expandable memory (that and up to $75).

 

The Vista HCx has an electronic compass and barometric altimeter which the legend HCx does not.

[+embra]

...and if you're trying to shave a few bucks off your purchase price, you can geocache fine without either feature. Some people find the compass to be a nice plus, though.

[dzarovit]

Funny that I saw this article, because I was just about to post the same thing. I'm in the same boat as MadAdmiral. I was looking around newegg and found the Bushnell Onix350 for $120, and other than certain ebay deals, that seems to be the least expensive handheld/waterproof unit. So first off, thanks to everyone for contributing. This has been really helpful.

 

Second, I have a question regarding purchase of GPS units: is it safe to buy a refurbished unit?

 

Are there any units out there worth buying that are less than $150? I'm a broke college student, and $120 is really my cap right now, but I can spend upwards of $150, but I really can't go any higher than that. It may seem a trivial difference to some people, but that's the difference between mac & cheese and ramen (guess which is better!).

 

Help?!

[+geognerd]

Funny that I saw this article, because I was just about to post the same thing. I'm in the same boat as MadAdmiral. I was looking around newegg and found the Bushnell Onix350 for $120, and other than certain ebay deals, that seems to be the least expensive handheld/waterproof unit. So first off, thanks to everyone for contributing. This has been really helpful.

 

Second, I have a question regarding purchase of GPS units: is it safe to buy a refurbished unit?

 

Are there any units out there worth buying that are less than $150? I'm a broke college student, and $120 is really my cap right now, but I can spend upwards of $150, but I really can't go any higher than that. It may seem a trivial difference to some people, but that's the difference between mac & cheese and ramen (guess which is better!).

 

Help?!

 

I'd definitely steer clear of the Bushnell units. Pretty much anything else you buy (except a Cobra) will have better aftermarket support in terms of accessories and more importantly software. I know you are on a budget, but you need to factor in convenience when figuring out the total cost of a new GPSr. It is better to buy "too much" GPSr than not enough. I started with a Magellan eXplorist 100 and had to upgrade a year later because I wanted mapping capability and the ability to connect to a PC. The eX100 was fine, but limited. I ended up shelling out for two GPS units in a year instead of just buying the right one in the first place.

 

If I were you, I'd look at the eTrex Venture HC. It is around $130 at Amazon at the moment. Color screen, good receiver, and it connects to the computer via USB for much easier waypoint transfers. Being a Garmin, all sorts of programs will work with it for transferring geocaches and tracks. Yes, the map memory is limited and it doesn't do turn-by-turn directions, but you are on a budget. Again, considering the budget limitations, I would skip the barometer and electronic compass. I have been caching for over five years and not once have I ever wished I had a barometric altimeter or electronic compass. If you really want a compass, pick up a good one at a sporting goods store for a few bucks.

 

I would also suggest the DeLorme PN-20, but it is an older slower model that is becoming harder to find new in retail channels. It used to be around $150, but it comes with maps for the US. The newer/faster/better PN-30 is nice (I have one) but it costs $200. That's getting out of your price range.

 

I don't have experience with refurb GPS units, though my Apple-refurbished iPod Touch has worked great and you would never know it was refurbished. If the GPSr was refurbished by the manufacturer and came with the same warranty as a new one, I'd consider it a safe bet.

[+Native20559]

Funny that I saw this article, because I was just about to post the same thing. I'm in the same boat as MadAdmiral. I was looking around newegg and found the Bushnell Onix350 for $120, and other than certain ebay deals, that seems to be the least expensive handheld/waterproof unit. So first off, thanks to everyone for contributing. This has been really helpful.

 

Second, I have a question regarding purchase of GPS units: is it safe to buy a refurbished unit?

 

Are there any units out there worth buying that are less than $150? I'm a broke college student, and $120 is really my cap right now, but I can spend upwards of $150, but I really can't go any higher than that. It may seem a trivial difference to some people, but that's the difference between mac & cheese and ramen (guess which is better!).

 

Help?!

 

I'd definitely steer clear of the Bushnell units. Pretty much anything else you buy (except a Cobra) will have better aftermarket support in terms of accessories and more importantly software. I know you are on a budget, but you need to factor in convenience when figuring out the total cost of a new GPSr. It is better to buy "too much" GPSr than not enough. I started with a Magellan eXplorist 100 and had to upgrade a year later because I wanted mapping capability and the ability to connect to a PC. The eX100 was fine, but limited. I ended up shelling out for two GPS units in a year instead of just buying the right one in the first place.

 

If I were you, I'd look at the eTrex Venture HC. It is around $130 at Amazon at the moment. Color screen, good receiver, and it connects to the computer via USB for much easier waypoint transfers. Being a Garmin, all sorts of programs will work with it for transferring geocaches and tracks. Yes, the map memory is limited and it doesn't do turn-by-turn directions, but you are on a budget. Again, considering the budget limitations, I would skip the barometer and electronic compass. I have been caching for over five years and not once have I ever wished I had a barometric altimeter or electronic compass. If you really want a compass, pick up a good one at a sporting goods store for a few bucks.

 

I would also suggest the DeLorme PN-20, but it is an older slower model that is becoming harder to find new in retail channels. It used to be around $150, but it comes with maps for the US. The newer/faster/better PN-30 is nice (I have one) but it costs $200. That's getting out of your price range.

 

I don't have experience with refurb GPS units, though my Apple-refurbished iPod Touch has worked great and you would never know it was refurbished. If the GPSr was refurbished by the manufacturer and came with the same warranty as a new one, I'd consider it a safe bet.

 

It might be worth saving a couple more weeks of beer money and getting something you want rather than settling for something you don't. Digg a little deeper in the sofa for spare change ... you never know what you'll find in there

 

N

[+Mosaic55]

Just to help: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx..._-NA-_-58238004

 

That's where I found it. There aren't any reviews. I've only found one online (from Amazon) saying that it was really bad (1 star) mainly because the maps weren't current. I'm looking at this for my first GPS, so I don't know too much about what I need, but I thought that maps weren't that important for geocaching...

 

As far as the rest of the forum, the only thing anyone talks about is having to convert the location files to a different format, which I personally don't think is that bad as it was also mentioned that there were programs available for this. I want to know more about the actual unit. Seeing as the cheapest Garmin unit that connects to a computer via USB is $130+ and the cheapest Delorme that does that is $150+, I want to know if, at this price, the Bushnell is a better buy.

 

I bought one of these from newegg (before reading this thread!) and it's not as bad as those reviews say.

 

It is huge! it's twice as large as my exporist 210, although it doesn't feel much heavier and the size allows for a nice large easy to read screen.

 

The first thing I did was to upgrade the firmware from the Bushnell site and download the updated PC companion software. I ignored the CD that came with the unit. You need a micro SD card reader to transfer the firmware. (I already had such a reader for my cell phone.) The included SD card is 512mb.

 

It looks like it is going to be more accurate than the exporist, just sitting on the window sill on a rainy day it picks up about 9 satellites and reports accuracy of 28 ft compared to the 7 or 8 the explorist sees and its' report of 65ft accuracy. (Even my old, cheap car GPS is better than the explorist at locking on satellites)

 

The base map is pretty useless, I was disappointed to find out no better maps were included. It's $30 a year for unlimited downloads of the topo maps and aerial satellite views. Map downloads work fine, although not the fastest and a bit non-intuitive to do the first time.

 

I was able to download .loc files from GC.com and used GPSbabel to create .gpx files. Then used the Busnell online map download page to translate into the Onix format and upload to the unit. I did this for the 12 or 15 caches nearest my house and maps that cover the immediate area and it all worked just fine.

 

Things got somewhat rougher when I tried larger area maps all at once. The web interface hung and I had to restart IE a few times before the downloads worked and also limit the number of maps downloaded at once. Also with more maps and waypoints loaded the unit started really slowing down on map refreshes. Also the unit hung once and I had to pull the battery to get it to restart. Deleted some maps and waypoint from the unit and it hasn't hung again.

 

I don't think this would work out for power cachers, but I'm anything but. I think I can live with the limits it imposes. I haven't done any caching at all in a while ( I got frustrated at not being able to find some caches that others were finding easily) but now that there are a few new caches near my house and one very close to my work, I want try again. Also looking at the Waymarking site. Loading one or two dozen caches and associated maps at a time (if that's what it takes to keep it working smoothly) will be acceptable.

The downloadable maps seem current enough, showing the 355 tollway extension and a recent nearby street closure at least.

 

I am doubtful of the waterproof claims because the plug that seals the charger and USB ports falls out too easily.

 

Maybe there are more capable devices now (even at this price point) but I really liked the idea of having the satellite views available and the QVGA screen.

 

I don't expect to do much with it until spring, so we;ll see how it goes then.

Edited December 25, 2009 by Mosaic55

[chasem1991]

Just to help: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx..._-NA-_-58238004

 

That's where I found it. There aren't any reviews. I've only found one online (from Amazon) saying that it was really bad (1 star) mainly because the maps weren't current. I'm looking at this for my first GPS, so I don't know too much about what I need, but I thought that maps weren't that important for geocaching...

 

As far as the rest of the forum, the only thing anyone talks about is having to convert the location files to a different format, which I personally don't think is that bad as it was also mentioned that there were programs available for this. I want to know more about the actual unit. Seeing as the cheapest Garmin unit that connects to a computer via USB is $130+ and the cheapest Delorme that does that is $150+, I want to know if, at this price, the Bushnell is a better buy.

 

I bought one of these from newegg (before reading this thread!) and it's not as bad as those reviews say.

 

It is huge! it's twice as large as my exporist 210, although it doesn't feel much heavier and the size allows for a nice large easy to read screen.

 

The first thing I did was to upgrade the firmware from the Bushnell site and download the updated PC companion software. I ignored the CD that came with the unit. You need a micro SD card reader to transfer the firmware. (I already had such a reader for my cell phone.) The included SD card is 512mb.

 

It looks like it is going to be more accurate than the exporist, just sitting on the window sill on a rainy day it picks up about 9 satellites and reports accuracy of 28 ft compared to the 7 or 8 the explorist sees and its' report of 65ft accuracy. (Even my old, cheap car GPS is better than the explorist at locking on satellites)

 

The base map is pretty useless, I was disappointed to find out no better maps were included. It's $30 a year for unlimited downloads of the topo maps and aerial satellite views. Map downloads work fine, although not the fastest and a bit non-intuitive to do the first time.

 

I was able to download .loc files from GC.com and used GPSbabel to create .gpx files. Then used the Busnell online map download page to translate into the Onix format and upload to the unit. I did this for the 12 or 15 caches nearest my house and maps that cover the immediate area and it all worked just fine.

 

Things got somewhat rougher when I tried larger area maps all at once. The web interface hung and I had to restart IE a few times before the downloads worked and also limit the number of maps downloaded at once. Also with more maps and waypoints loaded the unit started really slowing down on map refreshes. Also the unit hung once and I had to pull the battery to get it to restart. Deleted some maps and waypoint from the unit and it hasn't hung again.

 

I don't think this would work out for power cachers, but I'm anything but. I think I can live with the limits it imposes. I haven't done any caching at all in a while ( I got frustrated at not being able to find some caches that others were finding easily) but now that there are a few new caches near my house and one very close to my work, I want try again. Also looking at the Waymarking site. Loading one or two dozen caches and associated maps at a time (if that's what it takes to keep it working smoothly) will be acceptable.

The downloadable maps seem current enough, showing the 355 tollway extension and a recent nearby street closure at least.

 

I am doubtful of the waterproof claims because the plug that seals the charger and USB ports falls out too easily.

 

Maybe there are more capable devices now (even at this price point) but I really liked the idea of having the satellite views available and the QVGA screen.

 

I don't expect to do much with it until spring, so we;ll see how it goes then.

 

 

Thanks for the great review.

[+Mosaic55]

Woot has the Onix 350 on sale today (only) for $70 + 5 shipping.

 

I have really mixed feelings about posting the deal here. Loading maps is cumbersome and it can't load very many maps before it slows down. But for $75, maybe it's OK?

 

BTW, GPSBabel con convert GPX to waypoints for it now.