GPS Advice

[+litefoot13]

My family recently moved to Maryland, and before we start braving the big, bad streets of Baltimore, DC, or Annapolis to go places, my mom wants a (fairly cheap) GPS with which she can find her way around.

My sibs and I want to go geocaching with said GPS.

 

Any suggestions on a GPS that will at least partly fulfill both functions fairly well, yet is under 350 (max)?

I don't expect a perfect fit for either use, I just want some places to start looking.

I figure experienced people would be the ones to ask. ^________^

[+Chuy!]

I always say a handheld GPS [with routing maps) makes a better dash unit than a dash unit makes a handheld.

 

Pros of a dash model: large screen; touchscreen; better for paperless; voice navigation; comes with maps.

Cons of a dash model: short battery life; bulky on the trail; can't download tracks; apt to breakeage if dropped.

 

Pros of a handheld; lightweight; relatively long battery life; lots of features for the trail.

Cons of a handheld: small screen; maps are separate.

 

My recommendation in your price range is the Garmin Vista HCx $220. Add $70 for mapping software and another $40 for DC auto power cord, dash mount, and GPS cover.

[+ecanderson]

You don't say how old mom is, nor how good her vision might be, nor if she'll have a co-pilot. What I can tell you is that using a handheld for driving isn't easy if you can't easily see the screen while you're driving. They don't do "spoken directions", so knowing exactly what is expected when a handheld goes "beep" requires the driver to look closely and sort that out.

 

There's a reason nobody is making an automotive GPS with a handheld size screen.

 

Unless "mom" can actually work with the handheld as an automotive nav device on her own, you should start with the real need for an automotive GPS. I'm afraid you're doing to need to focus on that and take the inconvenience for geocaching with the package. To that end, the Garmin 500 and 550 try to work for both automotive and caching use. You might want to look at those. None of the remainder of the Garmin automotive line in current production are "caching friendly".

 

Better, get one for the car and one for geocaching like most of us have done over the years. More $, but less pain all the way around apart from that.

[Orion4]

My family recently moved to Maryland, and before we start braving the big, bad streets of Baltimore, DC, or Annapolis to go places, my mom wants a (fairly cheap) GPS with which she can find her way around.

My sibs and I want to go geocaching with said GPS.

 

Any suggestions on a GPS that will at least partly fulfill both functions fairly well, yet is under 350 (max)?

I don't expect a perfect fit for either use, I just want some places to start looking.

I figure experienced people would be the ones to ask. ^________^

 

Try a magellan crossover. I had one until stolen. The only pain was I had to hand type in the geocache coodinates, but other than that it was a great unit. You can pick up a refurbished one on ebay for 70-100 bucks. But it is by no means paperless caching. However, I am considering buying one of these, and possibly a geomate jr so I can be paperless.

[+sduck]

Does the garmin nuvi 500 fit your price point? It's a really nice crossover fusion model.

[+jopasm]

You can pick up a nice Garmin car gps for around $150 refurb. You can use the other $150-200 to pick up a nice handheld like a Venture HC, Delorme PN-30, or a Lowrance Endura Out&Back.

 

That way you have the car GPS for the car and a handheld for geocaching and as a backup if you invest in street maps.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

You can get a nuvi for $100 ($135 for one with text-to-speech and a 4.3" screen).

 

Then get a handheld for geocaching. $120 for a Venture HC. Better yet, $250 for an Oregon 200.

 

That way you won't be compromising anyone's experience.

[+litefoot13]

Mom can see fine, but she'll also tend to have a copilot.

Another complicator is that we live on a military base, and I believe they recently created a rule where it is illegal to be on the phone/handling GPS devices/etc.

At the moment two seperate GPSs is not feasible...perhaps in the future.

 

Buying 'em refurbished is a good idea, thanks. ^^

 

Thanks for all the advice...it gives me someplace to start looking.

[+coggins]

Mom can see fine, but she'll also tend to have a copilot.

Another complicator is that we live on a military base, and I believe they recently created a rule where it is illegal to be on the phone/handling GPS devices/etc.

At the moment two seperate GPSs is not feasible...perhaps in the future.

 

Buying 'em refurbished is a good idea, thanks. ^^

 

Thanks for all the advice...it gives me someplace to start looking.

With a $350 budget, wanting a single GPS I would look into getting a new Garmin Colorado 400i, a DVD copy of City Navigator and a datcard for map storage. The CO 400i can be found online new in the box for under US$250. Edited March 22, 2010 by coggins

[+EnduraExpert]

You can pick up a nice Garmin car gps for around $150 refurb. You can use the other $150-200 to pick up a nice handheld like a Venture HC, Delorme PN-30, or a Lowrance Endura Out&Back.

 

That way you have the car GPS for the car and a handheld for geocaching and as a backup if you invest in street maps.

The Endura Safari at $299 and the Sierra at $399 will do voice turn by turn directions with an add-on card at $99. They are both handhelds and have great geocaching filters and features.

[Scusi]

Mom can see fine, but she'll also tend to have a copilot.

Another complicator is that we live on a military base, and I believe they recently created a rule where it is illegal to be on the phone/handling GPS devices/etc.

At the moment two seperate GPSs is not feasible...perhaps in the future.

 

Buying 'em refurbished is a good idea, thanks. ^^

 

Thanks for all the advice...it gives me someplace to start looking.

I am new to this forum and happened across it as I was looking at the garmin oregon 450. I started out with the iQue M5 for street mapping and found out about geocaching. I ended up buying the etrex vista hcx and worried that I would have trouble with street navigating. I am a Mom who doesn't see so well but I have it mounted on my door and it works just fine for me. I have used it here as well as Europe (I have city navigator North America and Europe). I wanted a unit that would provide good handheld as well as driving navigation. I have not read many reviews on how well the oregon 450 handles street mapping so I am still researching; but to answer your question, the etrex is a great unit that supports the features you are looking for at a reasonable price.

Edited March 25, 2010 by Scusi

[+starfishsaving]

I don't really have much to add other than to say that my primary caching unit has been just a Garmin Nuvi 360. It's not even all that fancy. I've found almost every cache I've looked for with the couple DNFs mostly being my noobishness, not the GPSr's fault. I don't know how much they cost, but I thought I'd throw that model number in the mix for candidates.

[+TXHooligans]

a nuvi 500 does both.. turn by turn and papeless geocaching.. got mine for 200 bucks on ebay.. be patient and get one used. may take a while, but it can be done.

 

i have the magellan crossover. doesn't zoom down to the same level as my garmins.. i also have a etrex legend. the arrow is like 150 ft long at max zoom.

 

i like my nuvi.. i'm sure others are much better but a few c notes is a big deal to me..