Need to replace GPS - another 76CSx or Oregon 300?

[+Thrak]

My trusty 76CSx has some major issues. I've left it on the hood of my truck too many times and it's smacked parking lots and roads. Sometimes the compass is way off and sometimes it just vanishes and I have to reboot the unit to get it back. When it's working I can't be sure of the accuracy at all. It was 150 feet off a few times recently.

 

Sooooooo...... I figured I'd just replace it with another 76CSx. I've been using this unit since August of 2005 and I'm very familiar with it and it's been a great geocaching and traveling tool. We actually made a few multi-state trips using the 76CSx for routing (with excellent results) before I got my nüvi 760.

 

I started looking online and see that the Oregon 300 is around the same price as the 76CSx. Hmmmm........

 

I'm looking for input from folks who've used them both or, if you haven't used both, perhaps input from those who have the Oregon 300. I need to purchase the new unit before the end of June because we're leaving then for a 2 week camping and geocaching trip which will include GW VIII.

 

Any help / advice / input would be greatly appreciated. Stick with the 76CSx or switch to the Oregon 300?

[+Styk]

My trusty 76CSx has some major issues. I've left it on the hood of my truck too many times and it's smacked parking lots and roads. Sometimes the compass is way off and sometimes it just vanishes and I have to reboot the unit to get it back. When it's working I can't be sure of the accuracy at all. It was 150 feet off a few times recently.

 

Sooooooo...... I figured I'd just replace it with another 76CSx. I've been using this unit since August of 2005 and I'm very familiar with it and it's been a great geocaching and traveling tool. We actually made a few multi-state trips using the 76CSx for routing (with excellent results) before I got my nüvi 760.

 

I started looking online and see that the Oregon 300 is around the same price as the 76CSx. Hmmmm........

 

I'm looking for input from folks who've used them both or, if you haven't used both, perhaps input from those who have the Oregon 300. I need to purchase the new unit before the end of June because we're leaving then for a 2 week camping and geocaching trip which will include GW VIII.

 

Any help / advice / input would be greatly appreciated. Stick with the 76CSx or switch to the Oregon 300?

 

I've had a 60 Cx for several years , when the Colorado came out, I jumped on it like a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. It's been a love - hate relationship ever since. I almost sold the 60 off when the Colorado arrived, sure glad I didn't, it's been a great unit and I still use it today.

 

I've been watching the Oregon series for a long time and recently upgraded to a 450. The Colorado has been sold off and so far so good with the 450. The geocaching features are great and the 3 axis compass beats the 2 axis of the Colorado hands down.

 

The only thing i wish garmin would bring back is the night mode, even my Nuvi 550 has it.

Edited March 19, 2010 by Styk

[+gpsgeology]

I have the 550 and the 60csx.

 

Like the previous poster, I have love-hate for the Oregon.

 

For the paperless features, the Oregon is great. For everything else, the jury is out.

 

I don't think you can go really wrong with either the Oregon series or the 60 series.

 

Hope this helps a little.

steve.

Edited March 19, 2010 by gpsgeology

[+OldA'sFan]

My trusty 76CSx has some major issues. I've left it on the hood of my truck too many times and it's smacked parking lots and roads. Sometimes the compass is way off and sometimes it just vanishes and I have to reboot the unit to get it back. When it's working I can't be sure of the accuracy at all. It was 150 feet off a few times recently.

 

Sooooooo...... I figured I'd just replace it with another 76CSx. I've been using this unit since August of 2005 and I'm very familiar with it and it's been a great geocaching and traveling tool. We actually made a few multi-state trips using the 76CSx for routing (with excellent results) before I got my nüvi 760.

 

I started looking online and see that the Oregon 300 is around the same price as the 76CSx. Hmmmm........

 

I'm looking for input from folks who've used them both or, if you haven't used both, perhaps input from those who have the Oregon 300. I need to purchase the new unit before the end of June because we're leaving then for a 2 week camping and geocaching trip which will include GW VIII.

 

Any help / advice / input would be greatly appreciated. Stick with the 76CSx or switch to the Oregon 300?

 

I've never used a 76CSx or 60CSx. From what I hear they are great units. I can comment on the Orgon 300 and the Oregon 450. I have used a 300 for about 6 months and like it very much. It does have some issues with screen brightness and the 2-D compass. The screen leaves a lot to be desired but with some "tweaking" (see the Oregon wiki) you can make it acceptable. The 2-D compass leaves a lot to be desired. I love the touch screen and the ease of use of the 300. It is extremely geocaching friendly and very easy to use. Paperless caching is the only way to go. So in my opinion the 300's faults are far outweighted by it's pluses.

 

Now to the Oregon 450. I just received a new unit (long story for another time and place), and the screen is brighter. Not "bunches", but it is brighter. If I were to put a number to it I would guess 15%. The 3-D compass is super! I had it out today and was checking it out against my Brunton 15 and was very impressed how the 450's 3-D compass performed. Bottom line is if you want a touch screen, easy to use, geocaching unit I would go for the 450 over the 300.

 

OldA'sFan

[+Thrak]

My trusty 76CSx has some major issues. I've left it on the hood of my truck too many times and it's smacked parking lots and roads. Sometimes the compass is way off and sometimes it just vanishes and I have to reboot the unit to get it back. When it's working I can't be sure of the accuracy at all. It was 150 feet off a few times recently.

 

Sooooooo...... I figured I'd just replace it with another 76CSx. I've been using this unit since August of 2005 and I'm very familiar with it and it's been a great geocaching and traveling tool. We actually made a few multi-state trips using the 76CSx for routing (with excellent results) before I got my nüvi 760.

 

I started looking online and see that the Oregon 300 is around the same price as the 76CSx. Hmmmm........

 

I'm looking for input from folks who've used them both or, if you haven't used both, perhaps input from those who have the Oregon 300. I need to purchase the new unit before the end of June because we're leaving then for a 2 week camping and geocaching trip which will include GW VIII.

 

Any help / advice / input would be greatly appreciated. Stick with the 76CSx or switch to the Oregon 300?

 

I've never used a 76CSx or 60CSx. From what I hear they are great units. I can comment on the Orgon 300 and the Oregon 450. I have used a 300 for about 6 months and like it very much. It does have some issues with screen brightness and the 2-D compass. The screen leaves a lot to be desired but with some "tweaking" (see the Oregon wiki) you can make it acceptable. The 2-D compass leaves a lot to be desired. I love the touch screen and the ease of use of the 300. It is extremely geocaching friendly and very easy to use. Paperless caching is the only way to go. So in my opinion the 300's faults are far outweighted by it's pluses.

 

Now to the Oregon 450. I just received a new unit (long story for another time and place), and the screen is brighter. Not "bunches", but it is brighter. If I were to put a number to it I would guess 15%. The 3-D compass is super! I had it out today and was checking it out against my Brunton 15 and was very impressed how the 450's 3-D compass performed. Bottom line is if you want a touch screen, easy to use, geocaching unit I would go for the 450 over the 300.

 

OldA'sFan

 

Wow! I hadn't actually seen or checked out the 450. It has the same MSRP as the 300.

 

Ok, I'll revise my original query to make it a choice between the 76CSx and the Oregon 450. Sigh..... The more I look into this the more confusing it becomes. I really wish I could TRY the Oregon 450 rather than just reading about it.

 

I could also use information regarding listing geocaches, deleting geocaches in the field, marking geocaches "found" so they disappear from the list where the "unfound" geocaches are, etc. All of these work fine on the 76CSx. Are these features available on the Colorado 450 or have they all been removed and the only way to manipulate the caches is by connecting to a computer? I'm not seeing much info on how the darn things work. It must be out there.....

Edited March 19, 2010 by Thrak

[+Unobtainium]

I have a 550 and think that the geocaching support is great. If you send the caches to the unit in a GPX file from the GC site you have the full description, logs, and hint. You can list all unfound caches and all found caches separately. You can not delete individual caches at all and can only delete the entire GPX file on the computer. The really nice feature is the field notes. With these you can type notes as you cache and then upload them to the GC site for logging.

[+SidAndBob]

My trusty 76CSx has some major issues. I've left it on the hood of my truck too many times and it's smacked parking lots and roads. Sometimes the compass is way off and sometimes it just vanishes and I have to reboot the unit to get it back. When it's working I can't be sure of the accuracy at all. It was 150 feet off a few times recently.

 

Sooooooo...... I figured I'd just replace it with another 76CSx. I've been using this unit since August of 2005 and I'm very familiar with it and it's been a great geocaching and traveling tool. We actually made a few multi-state trips using the 76CSx for routing (with excellent results) before I got my nüvi 760.

 

I started looking online and see that the Oregon 300 is around the same price as the 76CSx. Hmmmm........

 

I'm looking for input from folks who've used them both or, if you haven't used both, perhaps input from those who have the Oregon 300. I need to purchase the new unit before the end of June because we're leaving then for a 2 week camping and geocaching trip which will include GW VIII.

 

Any help / advice / input would be greatly appreciated. Stick with the 76CSx or switch to the Oregon 300?

I'm planning replacing my 60CSx. I contacted Garmin about transferring map licenses. Eventually they told me that they do out-of-warranty replacements. (£88 in UK). This is a fully refurbished replacement (as new) with 1 year warranty. They will also transfer any map licenses - otherwise you have to buy new maps, which can be very expensive.

To me personally the new generation of Garmin receivers is a downgrade from the 60/76CSx.

I would phone their CS number.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I have a 400t and a 60CSx. I always use the 400t. The 60CSx comes along as a backup, but I rarely use it for anything other than comparing tracklogs. I think you'd really enjoy the paperless features on the Oregon line.

[+Cherokee Bill]

I have a Garmin 60CSX, and it ROCKS! Would not trade it for another!

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

But have you tried an Oregon?

[+The Yinnies]

I would look at the Dakota 20.

[+Thrak]

I have to go to Roseville for work next week and, if I have time, I'll drop into REI and see if they have an Oregon 450 in stock that I can play with. Hopefully, if they have one, I can leave my driver's license or something and take it out into the parking lot to check out the screen in the sunlight. I can take my failing 76CSx along for comparison. If I can't make time during that trip, I have to go to Santa Rosa for a couple of days next month (again for work) and there's an REI there. That may be a better trip to do it since I won't have do do it during my "lunch" break. I likely won't get a break of any kind during the Roseville trip.

 

If I can check it out in Santa Rosa I'll have lots of time after work since I'll be staying over in a hotel for two nights with nothing else to do. (Ok, I may do a little geocaching and there are some folks there who may invite me for dinner one of the nights but......... )

 

I'm really interested in the paperless aspect of the Oregon 450. I love my 76CSx but there ARE things about it that annoy me. For instance, the naming field is fairly large but won't take much text. What's up with that? It's going to take a pretty good showing from the Oregon to make me switch but, like I said above, the paperless aspect of the thing - having the cache page right there on the unit - is a pretty strong selling factor.

 

I'm still open to any and all input on this.......

[+Thrak]

Rats. While in Santa Rosa I made time to visit REI only to find that they were totally out of stock and I wasn't able to check out the Oregon 450. Bah.

[+Walts Hunting]

I can leave my driver's license or something and take it out into the parking lot to check out the screen in the sunlight

 

You would have found the screen not as good as the 76 or 60 series. The touchscreen material causes the problem and while they got it a little better when they made it glossy instead of matte it will never be the as good so you just have to accept that.

 

Despite all it's shortcomings (there is still the undercover issue and lack of WAAS) its interface is so nice that everybody I know just lives with the issues. Including me. I upgraded from the Colorado to the Oregon and now if I am headed into woody areas I use the Colorado to find and Oregon to recordkeep. The Oregon works great other areas and is the one I registered for Birdseye.

[+Thrak]

I can leave my driver's license or something and take it out into the parking lot to check out the screen in the sunlight

 

You would have found the screen not as good as the 76 or 60 series. The touchscreen material causes the problem and while they got it a little better when they made it glossy instead of matte it will never be the as good so you just have to accept that.

 

Despite all it's shortcomings (there is still the undercover issue and lack of WAAS) its interface is so nice that everybody I know just lives with the issues. Including me. I upgraded from the Colorado to the Oregon and now if I am headed into woody areas I use the Colorado to find and Oregon to recordkeep. The Oregon works great other areas and is the one I registered for Birdseye.

 

Are you using the Oregon 450 or a different model? I haven't heard of the "undercover issue" in regard to the 450.

[ao318]

Have you looked at the new Garmin 78 series? They are an updated version of the 76 series GPS. These are paperless caching GPS's. The 78s is listed for $449.00 but is sold at REI for $399.00.

 

Check them out, especially if you liked your old 76. I'm hoping they come out with an updated version of the 60csx soon.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited for link error.

Edited May 12, 2010 by ao318

[+Team Golden]

Have you looked at the new Garmin 78 series? They are an updated version of the 76 series GPS. These are paperless caching GPS's. The 78s is listed for $449.00 but is sold at REI for $399.00.

 

Check them out, especially if you liked your old 76. I'm hoping they come out with an updated version of the 60csx soon.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited for link error.

 

Drooooool

 

I have the older 76CS not the CSX and keep thinking of upgrading to the CSX but looks like I will wait another year for the bugs to be worked out and then pick up the 78s.

[+Thrak]

Have you looked at the new Garmin 78 series? They are an updated version of the 76 series GPS. These are paperless caching GPS's. The 78s is listed for $449.00 but is sold at REI for $399.00.

 

Check them out, especially if you liked your old 76. I'm hoping they come out with an updated version of the 60csx soon.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited for link error.

 

Interesting unit but....... It's not available for sale anywhere yet. You can pre-order but you can't buy one. I'd like to see a shot of the paperless geocaching mode on this one. I need to get a new unit before the end of June when I hit the road on my way up to GW VIII. I don't know that the 78 series will be available by then.