GPS for both car and geocaching ?

[murphylc]

Hi All

I am looking to buy a GPS and hoping to find one that I can use in the car for directions as well as geocaching. THis seems like an obvious combination but is difficult to find in teh specifications. Does anyone know of GPS that have these combined specifications. I would be willing to spending ~$200.00 but hoping to find a Boxing week sale.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the GPS and Technology forum.

[+sbell111]

It seems that the GPSr manufacturers have been steadily moving away from units that are awesome at both road and trail navigation. Mostly, the problem is that trail-worthy GPSrs don't generally have turn-by-turn voice guidance and road-worthy GPSrs generally aren't rugged enough to risk on-trail.

 

We have a Garmin Quest (and Quest 2) that does both pretty well. It snaps into a powered cradle that does the talking for it and routes just fine on trail. One wonders why they haven't made a talking cradle for the Colorado or Dakota.

[+dakboy]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

[NordicMan]

Hi & welcome to Geocaching

 

Read THIS thread for lots of useful info & advice

 

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

[+tonya c]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

 

Your actually wrong about this. Garmin makes the NUVI 500/550 that does both track and trail. It's waterproof and works fine outside. It has all the Nuvi features so it does a good job on the road. I bought mine from Amazon.com 3 weeks ago for $199. I noticed there price does fluctuate a bit. But I haven't seen it priced over $225.

[+sbell111]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

 

Your actually wrong about this. Garmin makes the NUVI 500/550 that does both track and trail. It's waterproof and works fine outside. It has all the Nuvi features so it does a good job on the road. I bought mine from Amazon.com 3 weeks ago for $199. I noticed there price does fluctuate a bit. But I haven't seen it priced over $225.

Interesting. I wonder how rugged is 'rugged'.

[murphylc]

Hi Again

Thanks for pointing me to that thread. It has lots of useful info but now I am more confused that ever There is lots of jargon used that I am unfamiliar with and lots of opinions too!

 

I guess there is no definitive answer for this. I will just a have to bite the bullet and actually make a decision.

[+achtung6]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

 

Your actually wrong about this. Garmin makes the NUVI 500/550 that does both track and trail. It's waterproof and works fine outside. It has all the Nuvi features so it does a good job on the road. I bought mine from Amazon.com 3 weeks ago for $199. I noticed there price does fluctuate a bit. But I haven't seen it priced over $225.

 

This is a good looking unit but given its sleek appearance I wonder how well it will fare outdoors. More importantly, given its form factor i.e. its shape, it would seem not practical to hold in your hand for any length of time while you navigate on foot over rough terrain, tree stumps, etc while searching for a hide.

 

Dakboy is right, you are better off with a dedicated unit for each purpose. I've had great success for on-road navigation using my TomTom One 3rd ed. I picked it up refurbished for around $100 almost two years ago. I hear the entry level TomTom units are even cheaper now when you buy them refurbished. I can recommend them highly.

 

I think if you save up just a little more cash you can have your cake and eat it too. A solid unit for the car and another for your hobby.

[+tonya c]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

 

Your actually wrong about this. Garmin makes the NUVI 500/550 that does both track and trail. It's waterproof and works fine outside. It has all the Nuvi features so it does a good job on the road. I bought mine from Amazon.com 3 weeks ago for $199. I noticed there price does fluctuate a bit. But I haven't seen it priced over $225.

 

This is a good looking unit but given its sleek appearance I wonder how well it will fare outdoors. More importantly, given its form factor i.e. its shape, it would seem not practical to hold in your hand for any length of time while you navigate on foot over rough terrain, tree stumps, etc while searching for a hide.

 

Dakboy is right, you are better off with a dedicated unit for each purpose. I've had great success for on-road navigation using my TomTom One 3rd ed. I picked it up refurbished for around $100 almost two years ago. I hear the entry level TomTom units are even cheaper now when you buy them refurbished. I can recommend them highly.

 

I think if you save up just a little more cash you can have your cake and eat it too. A solid unit for the car and another for your hobby.

 

I have Nuvi 255T, Nuvi 550, 60csx and an Oregon 400t. I'm impressed with this Nuvi 550. It's a rugged unit. You can tell once you hold it in your hand. It's thicker and heavier than my 255T. It's defintely a different feel then the Oregon and 60csx. For someone that is looking for both a street and trail GPS I'd sure give this one a second look. Don't discount it until you've seen it and used it.

[+The Yinnies]

There is no GPS, especially with your price point, that will meet both requirements.

 

Handheld/outdoors GPSrs are generally rugged & weather-resistant (if not waterproof). But they tend to do a poor job of road routing unless you add on more costly software.

 

Car GPSrs road route very well, but many don't last too long when they're off the cord, are not drop-able, aren't weather-resistant, don't fit well in the hand, and lack much of the information you want to have at your fingertips when you're off-road.

 

IMHO you would be better off getting a $100 handheld GPS and a $100 car GPS (which will both function adequately for their intended use) than spending $200 on a single unit that will disappoint terribly on one side or the other.

This is what I think the best advise. I have a Nuvi 500, a PN-40 and a Dakota 20. In a pnch when my Wife has the 500 I use the PN-40 and it works good to go cache to cache but not great. Get a Nuvi 205 or 205W and a 4100 handheld. You can put the cache info on the Nuvi and you are all set.

[+CacheFreakTim]

I have a Nuvi 500. The 500/550 are great units for both driving and caching on the trail.

[+TeacherTrekker]

I have a Nuvi 500. The 500/550 are great units for both driving and caching on the trail.

 

I just got a Nuvi 1300 and so far it seems to do it all. I have a handheld Garmin but I needed another car unit for my Jeep and wanted to double it up for caching. It allows for coordinate input (which was harder to find than I thought) No boxes out there seem to contain that particular info! I had to buy and return until I found this one. For my two cents....I really like this one. (I am not going to give up my handheld anytime soon though)

 

Teachertrekker

[+vds]

I have a Nuvi 500. The 500/550 are great units for both driving and caching on the trail.

 

I just got a Nuvi 1300 and so far it seems to do it all. I have a handheld Garmin but I needed another car unit for my Jeep and wanted to double it up for caching. It allows for coordinate input (which was harder to find than I thought) No boxes out there seem to contain that particular info! I had to buy and return until I found this one. For my two cents....I really like this one. (I am not going to give up my handheld anytime soon though)

 

Teachertrekker

 

Nuvi 1300 is on sale for the next few days at OfficeMax for $119 :-)

 

http://www.officemax.com/technology/gps-sy...uct-prod2790108