Garmin 60 CSx

[+EarLady]

I'm new to Geocaching and am shopping for a new GPSr and and wondering why everyone loves the 60CSx so much (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just doing research).

 

I've read it is the "gold standard that all GPS units are compared to." Is is the accuracy, or the ease of use. I have so far limited my search to paperless and touchscreen, and am considering the Oregon 450 or the Dakota 20.

 

One person on this forum has the 60CSx and a pretty high end Oregon (It think the 550) and prefers the 60CSx. Is the accuracy of this unit a whole lot better than all the others out there? Will I be frustrated trying ot find caches with the Oregon or the Dakota? I want decent accuracy, but also want it to be easy and convenient as far as retrieving logs and such after finds. I also really want paperless.

 

I'm also wondering about the new 62 series. Does anyone know if it will be paperless, and touchscreen?

 

Thanks!

[+kunarion]

Is is the accuracy, or the ease of use. I have so far limited my search to paperless and touchscreen, and am considering the Oregon 450 or the Dakota 20.

I can't live without touchscreen, and all the info in hand on one device. But some cachers around here have the 60CSx, and I'm amazed at the accuracy. You might even find one for less than $200 brand new, due to new models coming soon.

 

See if you can test-drive a touchscreen GPSr outdoors (particularly the Oregon 450). The display tends to be darker and harder to see than non-touchscreen. You can change settings (shut off gradients, etc.), but the visibility issue is a matter of personal preference.

Edited July 11, 2010 by kunarion

[+Bear and Ragged]

The Oregons do seem to be getting better with each upgrade...

 

I have a 60CSx and an Oregon 300

Still prefer the 60, but the Oregon IS paperless.

(The 60 requires a little work in GSAK to get information as POI's)

 

I cache with both, after the recent Beta upgrade the Oregon now 'beeps' a fraction after the 60 when approaching the cache, rather than a second or two later!

 

In my opinion?

If you've never used a 60CSx, and never cache with someone that has one, you'll be non-the wiser.

[+Chokecherry]

I love my 60csx. It's a little work horse. It's got exceptional reception, even in wooded areas (where I spend most of my time caching). You can beat on it to a degree and not have to worry. It's basic. Doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles that I won't use and don't need to pay extra for. The battery life is good. I can see the screen in various light conditions. etc.

 

I do my paperless part of caching on my phone. And if I'm out with my mom we print our information so she can have it in her hands before hand. So that aspect of the higher end units was not something I desired at all.

[+Prime Suspect]

It's got a great antenna, a big quad-helix, rather than the iffy ceramic/patch hybrids of the newer units. Combine that with a really good chipset, and a screen you can easily read in direct sunlight, and what's not to like? Sure, it's not fully paperless, but that's what smartphones (or cheap PDAs off ebay) are for.

[+Quossum]

I love my 60CSx. Though it's not paperless, you can get smartnames and limited data (difficulty and terrain, container size, etc.) onto the unit via GSAK. The accuracy is very good--granted, this is my first GSPr so I don't have a huge basis of comparison, but it's usually within 10' of ground zero. Battery life is great; I've changed the batteries twice in 150 caches, and I tend to leave it on a lot. Rugged, too; it's been dropped, gotten wet, not a problem.

 

I do utilize my iTouch for full paperless caching, with an app called Geosphere.

 

All that said, I am very curious about the brand-new Garmin models, whether they'll have all that the 60CSx has, PLUS paperless? Wow, tempting!

 

--Q