Best Navigation System for Geocaching

[+disciplesonmission]

I need some advice. I have searched the forums and I am not finding what I want. I may not be using the correct keywords, so if there is a link that already answers this I am sorry.

I am looking for a GPS to place in my car. We have a good handheld, but I need something that I can load caches onto and can navigate my hubby while I am logging caches, or looking up cache discriptions. I cannot do both things at once and he gets frustrated with me.

I want a reasonablly priced one, that I can load lots of caches on and it will navigate and alert when we are within so many feet. I have heard the Nuvi 550 and 500 are good, but I am having problems locating one of those. I would like to be able to buy them locally at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Ginger

[+mpilchfamily]

Personally i would stick with garmin. All of the Nuvi models are great so go with one that has a good size screen. I use a Nuvi 1300 in my car. Most of them will take a micro SD card so you can add 4GB of memory to it and upload plenty of caches and parking waypoints to it.

[+Chrysalides]

Are you using a Windows machine?

 

If you are, check out the Nuvi Geocaching macro for GSAK. It creates a custom POI database for the Nuvi.

 

http://geocaching.totaltechworld.com

[+dfx]

I prefer TomToms over the Nuvis, they're smarter, less intrusive and not as obnoxious. There's also POI loaders for TomToms, so you can load the caches with descriptions to them (haven't tried that myself though). Just gotta make sure you don't get one with the new dumbed down interface which doesn't support entering coordinates.

Edited March 15, 2011 by dfx

[+ventura_kids]

I think you will still have the frustrated husband.

Perhaps you should re-think the entire process

 

I use a Nuvi, and had the alert turned on. It would Ding a Bell whenever we got within point one .1 from a cache. All that caused was some strange swerving by the driver ( I can see tons of frustration here).

 

Also...on the Nuvi, you cannot see a nearby geocache until you are within about point two .2 miles from it.

 

We use a Garmin 62, and just hit the next closest cache. You can then zoom in or out to see where to go.

 

We also use the Nuvi. (750 series)- but it doesn't have pedestrian mode (so don't get that one)

[+ecanderson]

I prefer TomToms over the Nuvis, they're smarter, less intrusive and not as obnoxious. There's also POI loaders for TomToms, so you can load the caches with descriptions to them (haven't tried that myself though). Just gotta make sure you don't get one with the new dumbed down interface which doesn't support entering coordinates.

Agreed. I prefer both the driving and map views (and range) for POI on the TomTom. I use GSAK on my PQs and use "Export -> TomTom *.ov2" to create my custom POI file each week.

 

To the OP - avoid all of the following "EasyMenu" models (won't allow direct coordinate entry): Ease (Start2 in Europe), XL335SE, XL335LE, XL335LM, XL350, XL350T, XL350M, XL350TM, (XL IQRoutes2 in Europe), XXL550, XXL550T, XXL550M and XXL550TM, GO2405, GO2505.

 

Looks like a big list, but it's only a small fraction of the models being sold.

 

[+Chrysalides]

To the OP - avoid all of the following "EasyMenu" models (won't allow direct coordinate entry): Ease (Start2 in Europe), XL335SE, XL335LE, XL335LM, XL350, XL350T, XL350M, XL350TM, (XL IQRoutes2 in Europe), XXL550, XXL550T, XXL550M and XXL550TM, GO2405, GO2505.

 

Looks like a big list, but it's only a small fraction of the models being sold.

We need a facepalm emoticon. I thought Garmin was bad with their Nuvi models, I guess TomTom is not any better.

 

If you have to recommend a few TomTom models, which ones would you recommend?

[+ecanderson]

To the OP - avoid all of the following "EasyMenu" models (won't allow direct coordinate entry): Ease (Start2 in Europe), XL335SE, XL335LE, XL335LM, XL350, XL350T, XL350M, XL350TM, (XL IQRoutes2 in Europe), XXL550, XXL550T, XXL550M and XXL550TM, GO2405, GO2505.

 

Looks like a big list, but it's only a small fraction of the models being sold.

We need a facepalm emoticon. I thought Garmin was bad with their Nuvi models, I guess TomTom is not any better.

 

If you have to recommend a few TomTom models, which ones would you recommend?

Geez - static zap on a USB cable, reboot, and I have to start over. Had a couple of nice, long paragraphs for you.

 

Net - Net

 

Top of the line of the old platform (preferred to the new one for several reasons) is the GO740. Couple of flavors. "LIve" implies a monthly fee, but gives you MUCH more updated and detailed traffic info on more roads, and essentially an infinite POI list since you can do live Google lookups (it has a GPRS cell system with SIM built-in) and you can tell it to navigate to anything Google can find. That's the GO740TM Live.

At a minimum, be sure to pick up the GO740TM which gets you the lifetime map updates. This has just gone out of production, but has firmware and map support, so no worries on those counts.

 

Best bet in a nearly as well featured 5" unit is the XXL540M or XXL540TM (T = traffic, M = lifetime maps). There were problems with a batch that Amazon got for Black Friday, but that's finally all been squared away. If you want to save a couple of bucks and drop down to a 4.3" screen, the 340 version (again, with at least the "M" suffix, if not the TM) is a solid performer.

 

For a variety of reasons, I am not yet impressed with the newer 1XXX and 2XXX models on the new platform. Access to the older platform is as an external drive, and you can do just about anything to one. The new ones talk only over an IP connection with SSL, so it's a seriously closed system. You do whatever the associated "web application" allows you to do, no more, and no less, and they're way late on a lot of the features in that app. They just FINALLY got custom POI and map updates working, and this unit has been available since last year. Maybe later.

[+Chrysalides]

Geez - static zap on a USB cable, reboot, and I have to start over. Had a couple of nice, long paragraphs for you.

Glad there was no permanent damage from the static. Thanks for the very detailed post!

[+Trav'lin Two]

We use a Nuvi 500. It is easy to use with GSAK, you can load everything on the unit, cache info, past logs, hints, and you don't need the Garmin POI loader. You can do your log and then all you have to do is upload to your field notes and complete the entry. The only thing I don't like about the 500 is the keyboard, it is not the standard QUERTY but a straight ABCD...type of thing. That really sucks if you want to do a complete log before uploading.

 

You might want to check out the 550 model, there is some difference in maps.

 

We got ours from Amazon.

[+Chrysalides]

The only thing I don't like about the 500 is the keyboard, it is not the standard QUERTY but a straight ABCD...type of thing.

The sad thing about that is that it is so easy for Garmin to fix that with a firmware update.

 

Actually what I don't like about the 500 is : the 3.5" screen (too small), and the price (~$250).