What would you do (buy)

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

Hi folks,

We have a Garmin 60csx and a Palm pda (Tungsten E2) with CacheMate from which we load from GSAK. I don't have a need for a really techno cell phone so in that area, I use a very, very basic phone and don't want more enhanced services.

Looking at all of the above and without spending 1000 bucks, what GPS would you folks recommend?

We are very satisfied with our current set up but two factors present reason for perhaps changing.

1. our 60csx is beat all to h___! We love the unit, but it has taken a lot of abuse.

2. our Palm tungsten E2 is having a more and more difficult time communication with our computers. It also has had a lot of field wear and tear.

What would you switch to assuming we want to remain paperless and still use GSAK and will it have the reception of the 60csx?

Thanks and please forgive if these conditions have been posted on an earlier thread.

[+Triple Crown]

The next generation of your GPSr is the Garmin 62s, same form factor but with all of the paperless features and you can load it with GSAK. It has the same features as the Oregons (except the touchscreen) but some people find the screen easier to read in bright light.

 

I had the 60CSx and loved it, then got the DeLorme Pn-40 but traded it in for an Oregon 300 (now discontinued)

 

My next unit will be an Oregon 450 since I really like the touchscreen.

[+The Yinnies]

If you love your old unit go with the Garmin 62s. I have Delormes and love them. I have had Oregons and thought the screen was hard to see. I never like the touch screen, but now that I have a HCT Desire I am learning to really like it.

[+Chrysalides]

What would you switch to assuming we want to remain paperless and still use GSAK and will it have the reception of the 60csx?

Has anyone mentioned the 62s yet?

 

It is essentially the 60csx + paperless. There seems to be some people who encountered problems with it intermittently though, with regards to loading geocaches onto it. I don't have this unit so I'm not speaking from personal experience.

 

It also comes in comfortably below your $1000 budget, even though I think it is rather expensive compared to the Oregon 450.

[+dfx]

Has anyone mentioned the 62s yet?

 

It is essentially the 60csx + paperless.

 

i don't think this is really accurate. it may look like a 60 model and may look like it's their direct successor, but on the inside it's more similar to the oregons and dakotas than to the 60 series. at least as far as technology (hardware and firmware) goes, menu-wise it offers a "classic mode" which gives you a similar menu structure as on the 60.

[+Chrysalides]

i don't think this is really accurate. it may look like a 60 model and may look like it's their direct successor, but on the inside it's more similar to the oregons and dakotas than to the 60 series. at least as far as technology (hardware and firmware) goes, menu-wise it offers a "classic mode" which gives you a similar menu structure as on the 60.

In terms of hardware (esp. antenna and screen) and form factor, it's closer to the 60csx than to the Oregon / Dakota. The main difference is that to support paperless, the USB interface is now Mass Storage Class instead of Garmin proprietary. While GPS chipset and controller is likely closer to the Oregon than the 60csx, I feel that it is closer to the 60csx where it counts.

[LinXG]

In response to your question: What would you do (buy)

 

If you like the 60Csx as much as you claim then buy a new one. The prices right now are close to 50% off the original pricing.

 

The 62's offer some new features but are quite a bit more expensive. Again, it depends on what you want.

 

The Delorme PN-60 is nice, I bought one as a replacement for a Lowrance iFinder Expedition, and the user experience somewhat similar to Garmin but the screen size is quite small.

 

I would not recommend any of the new Lowrance units at all, they just aren't as good as the old iFinder series.

 

I can't comment on Magellan as I have no experience with them.

 

So maybe try a 62 series or perhaps the Oregon 450 if you think you would like a touch screen. I would suggest that you try before you buy if at all possible.

Edited January 10, 2011 by LinXG

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

In response to your question: What would you do (buy)

 

If you like the 60Csx as much as you claim then buy a new one. The prices right now are close to 50% off the original pricing.

 

The 62's offer some new features but are quite a bit more expensive. Again, it depends on what you want.

 

The Delorme PN-60 is nice, I bought one as a replacement for a Lowrance iFinder Expedition, and the user experience somewhat similar to Garmin but the screen size is quite small.

 

I would not recommend any of the new Lowrance units at all, they just aren't as good as the old iFinder series.

 

I can't comment on Magellan as I have no experience with them.

 

So maybe try a 62 series or perhaps the Oregon 450 if you think you would like a touch screen. I would suggest that you try before you buy if at all possible.

You folks have been great. Let me make sure I understand. If I go to the Garmin 62s I will be able to do away with my pda and go paperless? Also, will the 62 give me the fine reception as the 6ocsx? The 62s can configured to resemble the 60csx?

The pda is what I am trying to eliminate. It's getting so they are hard to find (more and more, it is difficult to hotsync with either of mu computers) and with smart phones, etc.,I feel that the pda will become a thing of the past.

Please excuse my ignorance on this topic, but as you can see, I am not an electronics whiz!

Thanks.

Edited January 10, 2011 by Konnarock Kid & Marge

[LinXG]

Hi Konnarock Kid & Marge

 

Paperless - no problem

Reception - no problem

Configuration - I don't know

 

- Check the Garmin website and download a user manual. Study before buying

- Check YouTube for user videos

- As I mentioned already, try before you buy if at all possible

 

There have have been some minor complaints on this forum about squeaky buttons on the 62's

but otherwise users seem to be quite happy with this model.

 

I have Garmin 76, 76Cx, 276C and Oregon 450T and in general been very happy with Garmin. I

don't think you'll be unhappy with the Garmin 62s.

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

Thanks to everyone with your help. It looks like the Garmin 62s will do the job.

[+Z06_Pilot]

Thanks to everyone with your help. It looks like the Garmin 62s will do the job.

My wife and I just started geocaching, and we looked at everything out there. she settled on a Delorme PN-60, and I got a Garmin 62s. after a few weeks in the field, she is serously considering dumping the PN-60 and getting a 62s.

 

Garmin really put a lot of resources into geocaching with the 62s. I am amazed at the sensitivity and accuracy of the 62s. the geocaching dashboard is just fantastic for helping you zero in on a cache. and hooking the 62s to your PC with Garmin's free Basecamp software runnng on the PC is a fantastic combination. all of the caches show up on my 24k Garmin topo maps on the PC, and allows us to decide what geographic area we want to search in-great when you are on vacation and there are caches all over an unfamiliar landscape.

 

you certainly won't be sorry going with the 62s, IMO.

 

good luck!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I'd get another 60 CSx and a Garmin Nuvi 500.

The 500 not only gives you a great unit to drive to the cache but is TOTALLY paperless including up-loading of field notes ( its the only Nuvi factory designed for geocaching ....read up on it )

There is nothing any better than a 60 CSx to walk from your car to the cache.

 

You can get BOTH of these for the price of a 62s ( maybe cheaper)

 

Read these forums......the case on the 62 is junk......it dosen't just make noise but the buttons wear after 100 caches?? I wanted one badly but just can't pull the trigger after what I've read.

Like I've said, I don't own one but the comments of all the posters I've read can't be all wrong.

[+backroadcachers]

I feel that I should comment because less than a week ago I was trying to decide between a 62s and an oregon 450. I did quite a lot of research and ended up buying both, then taking the 62s back. Here's why

 

1. I didn't really like the antenna sticking up.

2. The Oregon continually got satellites faster, held them better and had better reception.

3. The case started making the 'squeak' noise which worried me.

4. With gloves on, I found it hard to use the buttons. The gloves I had on weren't thick either.

5. Personally I like the screen of the 450. I found it much more readable than the 62s.

6. The Oregon fit in my hand a lot better, is smaller, and looks better.

 

# 5 and 6 are my personal opinions.

 

If you don't agree, don't flame me. You have your opinions and I have mine.

 

Also this was a deciding factor - Wherigo. I really want to get into those, and the 62s can't do them.

 

chgiude

Edited January 13, 2011 by chguide

[+kwcahart]

I really worried over which one to buy, the 62S or the 450. I bought the 450T because they were on sale, and I'm glad I did, it is a great unit, totally paperless, and the touch screen works great.

[+Semper Questio]

I'd get another 60 CSx and a Garmin Nuvi 500.

The 500 not only gives you a great unit to drive to the cache but is TOTALLY paperless including up-loading of field notes ( its the only Nuvi factory designed for geocaching ....read up on it )

 

Minor correction. The Nuvi 550 has geocaching functions built into it also.

 

I had been on the fence about which I would upgrade to (62s or Oregon). I had heard great things about the 62s display for old eyes like mine and I prefer physical buttons. But after reading report after report about problems with the case and the buttons wearing down so quickly, I'm not so sure. I'm not in a rush to dump my 60csx, but my Palm TX is getting wonky, so that is the driving force for my upgrade decisions.

 

I recently entered the Android world so I am now looking at...

1 - Paperless GPS - I still of the dilemma of which. The DeLormes are out of the running after having some hands-on time. Just too clumsy navigating the system for me.

2 - Keep my 60csx and use Cachemate for Android - I'm O with that, but I'd like to have a discussion with someone - ANYone - that has experience with the Android Cachemate first.

3 - Fully Android app with the 60csx as a backup and for rugged use - Also appealing but I'm torn between the Andriopd apps. The "app that shall not be anmed" seems powerful, but it also seems a bit like overkill for my style, seems a little slow, and is not an approved app. GCs is still experiencing growth pains and costs 10 bucks, but has some stuff I like, is being actively developed, and supports the site with my $$.

 

So to keep this on topic....Which would I buy given your scenario and based on my experience? Well, I just can't get a good gut feeling for the 62s now. Since paperless without a Palm is the goal, and assuming you don't want to wait for another year model to come out, I'd either look for an Oregon...maybe used. If you are a casual cacher and don't need a lot of the fancy-shamncy bells and whisltes, I'd even suggest you take a long hard look at the eXplorist GC.

[+digitalformula]

Bit of a reply but for what it's worth I've got an Oregon 300 and an Oregon 450t. Next time I need to replace my GPSr I'll buy Garmin again without any doubt. iPhone is a massive pain in the a** because the touchscreen doesn't work with gloves on (I do all my geocaching by bike). As someone said above, the Oregon gets a satellite signal super fast - WAY faster than either of my 2 other non-geocaching Garmin units (Edge 500 for cycling, Nuvi 1350 for driving).

 

So yeah, that's my 2c - Oregon series FTW (the 5xx series has a built-in camera, too, if you're interested in that sort of feature).

[+Z06_Pilot]

Has anyone mentioned the 62s yet?

 

It is essentially the 60csx + paperless.

 

i don't think this is really accurate. it may look like a 60 model and may look like it's their direct successor, but on the inside it's more similar to the oregons and dakotas than to the 60 series. at least as far as technology (hardware and firmware) goes, menu-wise it offers a "classic mode" which gives you a similar menu structure as on the 60.

 

+1 on the 62s. I think the form factor of the GPSr is almost as important as the software that runs it. i think Garmin did a great thing. took the best parts of the Dakotas/Oregons(software) and mated it to what I think is the best form factor(the 60 series). with paperless caching, you are relying on one single device for everything and the way the unit feels in your hand(easy to hold/one hand operation, etc), the screen readability in all kinds of light, and the ease with which you can stow the unit and retreive it quickly while on the hunt are critical.

 

I really feel the 62s accomplishes this with great success.