GPS for car navigation AND geocaching?

[turquoisetopaz]

I'm a new geocacher and I am wondering if there is such a GPS device that I would be able to use for car navigation as well as for geocaching. I could use something for both but would rather not buy two devices. Any suggestions?

[+Border Caz]

I'm a new geocacher and I am wondering if there is such a GPS device that I would be able to use for car navigation as well as for geocaching. I could use something for both but would rather not buy two devices. Any suggestions?

 

I use a Garmin Nuvi 205 Sat Nav. It's pretty accurate most of the time, although doesn't like tree cover. You can set it for automobile or pedestrian, and various other options.

[mtbikernate]

I'm a new geocacher and I am wondering if there is such a GPS device that I would be able to use for car navigation as well as for geocaching. I could use something for both but would rather not buy two devices. Any suggestions?

 

There is nothing that will be good at both, but many devices can do both. You will encounter many limitations.

[NordicMan]

Hi & welcome to Geocaching

 

Read a few pages of these forums, these sorts of questions get asked quite often and you can probably pick up most of your answers from those pages.. Here's a thread started just a few days ago, check it out

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=238087

[+Jaro99]

I'm a new geocacher and I am wondering if there is such a GPS device that I would be able to use for car navigation as well as for geocaching. I could use something for both but would rather not buy two devices. Any suggestions?

This is going to sound strange and different .....but HEY....We're Geocachers.....we like strange and different.....I have an IPHONE....I have Geocaching on it....my maps of the world to drive anywhere....Language Translator and Golf Logics for the ball position on the golf courses I play and Hundreds more!! This is not a SALES pitch...just WOW!! this does EVERYTHING!!....Oh...if you're using your PHONE....buy the small Zip-lock bags....put your phone in that and it protects it from being wet and damaged......HAPPY EVERYTHING!!! :-)

[+briansnat]

Hand held units do geocaching very well and some do a good job with road navigation.

 

Automotive units generally are poor choices for geocaching, but great for road navigation.

 

If you want something that does both with a reasonable degree of performance, you are best off getting a hand held unit. Garmin and Lowrance Endura units both do a good job with road navigation with the proper software installed. Forget DeLorme if you want to use it for automotive navigation. The navigation software is a total afterthought and essentially useless.

 

The only automotive units that I'm aware right now that do both reasonably well are the Garmin Nuvi 500 series. Most of the shortcomings of automotive units are addressed with the 500 series. Durability, field replaceable batteries, water resistance, compass navigation screen. Still with any automotive unit you are walking around holding what amounts to a picture frame in your hand and they don't come with lanyards and a convenient way to carry it on your belt or elsewhere.

Edited June 29, 2010 by briansnat

[+sidekeck]

I, too, wanted an all-in-one device for my car navigation and geocaching. After pining for an iPhone for nearly a year and doing quite a bit of research, I ended up with a Droid Incredible. I couldn't be happier. I consistently get +/- 7ft accuracy geocaching (13-20ft under heavy tree cover). That's significantly better than my Garmin handheld. The car nav is great (Google Maps app free in the Droid Market). I couldn't ask for anything better. For me this was a better option than iPhone, even though iPhone was something I'd wanted for a while.

 

And I agree about getting protective case for the phone. I'm hoping to find any Otterbox or similar.

[+Team_LPD]

I use my 60CSx for everything. No complaints when driving.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

What's your budget? The current best dual-use choice, IMHO, is the Garmin Oregon 450 + City Navigator maps + car kit. That's probably around $450 or so.

[+EnduraExpert]

Hand held units do geocaching very well and some do a good job with road navigation.

 

Automotive units generally are poor choices for geocaching, but great for road navigation.

 

If you want something that does both with a reasonable degree of performance, you are best off getting a hand held unit. Garmin and Lowrance Endura units both do a good job with road navigation with the proper software installed. Forget DeLorme if you want to use it for automotive navigation. The navigation software is a total afterthought and essentially useless.

 

The only automotive units that I'm aware right now that do both reasonably well are the Garmin Nuvi 500 series. Most of the shortcomings of automotive units are addressed with the 500 series. Durability, field replaceable batteries, water resistance, compass navigation screen. Still with any automotive unit you are walking around holding what amounts to a picture frame in your hand and they don't come with lanyards and a convenient way to carry it on your belt or elsewhere.

Just wanted to point out that the Endura Safari $299 and Sierra $399 will do voice prompted turn-by-turn directions with the addition of the $99 turn-by-turn accessory card. Both will also give paperless geocaching features with on-board cache filtering.

[+MdEd]

I actually use a Droid for both and it works very well.

[Hope_Ferdabest]

I have to say that the Garmin 660 was an ideal choice for grandma and beginner geocachers like myself.   It probably would not meet the needs of the true sports enthusiast but for ease of use to download lists of geocaches, for family fun, to  upload the coordinates directly so that you get a map of unopened treasure boxes and ease of navigation from driving to walking this is the machine for the job!    The size was a bit bigger than today's cell phones so once in a while it got in the way.    I have begged the company to bring it back into production.   They insist that other models offer the same features---but there is nothing.    It can be done.   It should be done.   But Garmin has let us down.....     sign me, so sad now that my gps is over 10 years old and cannot be replaced.....    : (    

[+Mineral2]

13 hours ago, Hope_Ferdabest said:

I have to say that the Garmin 660 was an ideal choice for grandma and beginner geocachers like myself.   It probably would not meet the needs of the true sports enthusiast but for ease of use to download lists of geocaches, for family fun, to  upload the coordinates directly so that you get a map of unopened treasure boxes and ease of navigation from driving to walking this is the machine for the job!    The size was a bit bigger than today's cell phones so once in a while it got in the way.    I have begged the company to bring it back into production.   They insist that other models offer the same features---but there is nothing.    It can be done.   It should be done.   But Garmin has let us down.....     sign me, so sad now that my gps is over 10 years old and cannot be replaced.....    : (    

You mean the nuvi 660? You can absolutely do better with a newer device. Garmin tends to only add features over time, only removing features when they are no longer useable or supported (ie, the Wherigo player in the old Oregon series.). It's ridiculous to ask a company to bring back old technology into production. Would you ask Apple to bring back the Apple IIe just because it was working for you? Should slide rules still be sold because you don't want to buy a calculator?

 

[+cerberus1]

14 hours ago, Hope_Ferdabest said:

I have to say that the Garmin 660 was an ideal choice for grandma and beginner geocachers like myself. 

I still use a nuvi 660 for driving , but never used it as a cache searching tool.  Ebay still has some....   

[+hzoi]

I use a Montana 610, which has excellent trail support and, with a car mount, supports voice directions in the car.