etrex hc vs geomate jr

[+Primulas]

I am new to GCing and have just done a few runs using my tomtom auto GPS. I now realize i need a decent handheld. I'm on a very low end budget.

 

I'm split right now between the geomate jr(about 70 bucks by the time i get the cord) and the etrex hc($100 refurbed.)

 

I love that the geomate comes pre-loaded with caches, the idea of using it casually on the go is very appealing. The big question i have is there any way to load caches manually(through the cable), besides what may be offered through the geomate servers? I don't really want to lose the possibility of being able to do puzzle caches and multi-loc caches. Are these do-able with the geomate? Also does the geomate "library contain everything contained on this site?"

 

How about the ease of loading locations to the etrex hc? I know this unit will do pretty much everything i need; it's just the idea of having thousands of caches at my finger tips keeps flipping me back and forth. Not to mention the $30 price difference.

 

Also note whatever unit i pick up will be my primary and only unit(except the tomtom of course.)

 

Any help that anyone can offer is much appreciated.

 

thanks again in advance.

 

-Primulas

[+Luu Luu]

I am sad no one responded - this is my EXACT question too.

[+londontavern]

From what I have gathered, the Geomate 'junior' is a simple device aimed at kids mainly for its ease of operation especially as it comes 'ready to go'.

 

The Etrex HC is as a simple to use once you have loaded in your Geocache information..

 

I have been caching for over two years (with an Etrex HC) and I still haven't complete 500 caches (although getting close). In that time caches have come and gone, I have cached well outside my local area and overseas in various countries. So If I had started with a Geomate jr the data would have been well out of date or not even available.

 

The Etrex HC is a bit more of a sophisticated unit, but if you are 'comfortable' with computers you can easily load 'free maps' and have upto 500 caches at a time . Changing them as you go.

 

$30US dollars gets you a whole heap of something, so stop messing about.

Edited June 5, 2011 by londontavern

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I am sad no one responded - this is my EXACT question too.

Odd. It IS responded to. The only thing is that it was/is in the "Getting Started" forums, not here in the "GPS and Technology" forums.

 

Same response here:

 

eTrex is a tool (GPSr), Geomate Jr. is a toy (more or less).

 

No real question about a choice to make.

[+CacheFreakTim]

I own both units so I can speak to both of them. Both are good accurate units but are for a very different audience. I used the Geomate for awhile and found it too limited. I think it makes a great GPS for kids...and by kinds I mean under 10. Anyone older will want more features like paperless as well as the ability to input coordinates. For the price it is a very accurate GPS but I feel the update kit is almost a necessity at is point as the unit only comes with 250,000 caches which sounds like a lot but in reality you will want to add more. Once you add the $25 for the update kit you are close to $100.

 

The etrex Venture HC is also an accurate unit and has everything the Geomate does except for the preloaded caches and simple 2 button ease of use. The etrex will also do a lot more such as mapping, give you the cache names, keep tracks, make waypoints, and a whole bunch of other stuff. For that reason alone if you are torn between the two I highly recommend the etrex Venture HC.

 

With that said the one downside I can say for the Venture HC is that it does not do paperless caching (descriptions, hints, logs, etc...) If you can go a little higher I would very much recommend jumping up to the Garmin Dakota 10.

[+jacob501]

I own both units so I can speak to both of them. Both are good accurate units but are for a very different audience. I used the Geomate for awhile and found it too limited. I think it makes a great GPS for kids...and by kinds I mean under 10. Anyone older will want more features like paperless as well as the ability to input coordinates. For the price it is a very accurate GPS but I feel the update kit is almost a necessity at is point as the unit only comes with 250,000 caches which sounds like a lot but in reality you will want to add more. Once you add the $25 for the update kit you are close to $100.

 

The etrex Venture HC is also an accurate unit and has everything the Geomate does except for the preloaded caches and simple 2 button ease of use. The etrex will also do a lot more such as mapping, give you the cache names, keep tracks, make waypoints, and a whole bunch of other stuff. For that reason alone if you are torn between the two I highly recommend the etrex Venture HC.

 

With that said the one downside I can say for the Venture HC is that it does not do paperless caching (descriptions, hints, logs, etc...) If you can go a little higher I would very much recommend jumping up to the Garmin Dakota 10.

Sure, the dakota 10 is touchscreen but if you can wait, I would even suggest trying to get the new Etrex 20 or 30 models. They are supposably going to be great!

[+CacheFreakTim]

I own both units so I can speak to both of them. Both are good accurate units but are for a very different audience. I used the Geomate for awhile and found it too limited. I think it makes a great GPS for kids...and by kinds I mean under 10. Anyone older will want more features like paperless as well as the ability to input coordinates. For the price it is a very accurate GPS but I feel the update kit is almost a necessity at is point as the unit only comes with 250,000 caches which sounds like a lot but in reality you will want to add more. Once you add the $25 for the update kit you are close to $100.

 

The etrex Venture HC is also an accurate unit and has everything the Geomate does except for the preloaded caches and simple 2 button ease of use. The etrex will also do a lot more such as mapping, give you the cache names, keep tracks, make waypoints, and a whole bunch of other stuff. For that reason alone if you are torn between the two I highly recommend the etrex Venture HC.

 

With that said the one downside I can say for the Venture HC is that it does not do paperless caching (descriptions, hints, logs, etc...) If you can go a little higher I would very much recommend jumping up to the Garmin Dakota 10.

Sure, the dakota 10 is touchscreen but if you can wait, I would even suggest trying to get the new Etrex 20 or 30 models. They are supposably going to be great!

 

This is a good point as well. The problem is they will not be out till the 3rd quarter of 2011. On paper they look great. They will have all the features of the current etrex units but also do paperless caching. The one downside is there are only three models of the new etrex instead of 6 as there is now, this means only three price points instead of six. The unit at the Venture HC price point of $119 (MSRP) will be the etrex 10 which has a black&white/monochrome screen. If this isn't a deal breaker for you and don't mind waiting a few months it might be a good bet.

[+jacob501]

I own both units so I can speak to both of them. Both are good accurate units but are for a very different audience. I used the Geomate for awhile and found it too limited. I think it makes a great GPS for kids...and by kinds I mean under 10. Anyone older will want more features like paperless as well as the ability to input coordinates. For the price it is a very accurate GPS but I feel the update kit is almost a necessity at is point as the unit only comes with 250,000 caches which sounds like a lot but in reality you will want to add more. Once you add the $25 for the update kit you are close to $100.

 

The etrex Venture HC is also an accurate unit and has everything the Geomate does except for the preloaded caches and simple 2 button ease of use. The etrex will also do a lot more such as mapping, give you the cache names, keep tracks, make waypoints, and a whole bunch of other stuff. For that reason alone if you are torn between the two I highly recommend the etrex Venture HC.

 

With that said the one downside I can say for the Venture HC is that it does not do paperless caching (descriptions, hints, logs, etc...) If you can go a little higher I would very much recommend jumping up to the Garmin Dakota 10.

Sure, the dakota 10 is touchscreen but if you can wait, I would even suggest trying to get the new Etrex 20 or 30 models. They are supposably going to be great!

 

This is a good point as well. The problem is they will not be out till the 3rd quarter of 2011. On paper they look great. They will have all the features of the current etrex units but also do paperless caching. The one downside is there are only three models of the new etrex instead of 6 as there is now, this means only three price points instead of six. The unit at the Venture HC price point of $119 (MSRP) will be the etrex 10 which has a black&white/monochrome screen. If this isn't a deal breaker for you and don't mind waiting a few months it might be a good bet.

Yeah, at first I was thinking about getting an Oregon or Dakota, but then I decided on the Etrex 30, even if I do have to wait. Because I really do like the Etrex series and I'm not sure I would like the touchscreen on the other units.

 

BTW, isn't the 3rd quarter of 2011 ending like on June 30? So really, we might only have to wait a few weeks!

Or am I wrong?

[+dfx]

BTW, isn't the 3rd quarter of 2011 ending like on June 30? So really, we might only have to wait a few weeks!

Or am I wrong?

 

quar·ter (kwôrtr)n.1. One of four equal parts.

 

Now let's see. A year has 12 months, so splitting it into four equal parts means that one quarter is 3 months. I'm sure you can figure it out from there.

[+jacob501]

BTW, isn't the 3rd quarter of 2011 ending like on June 30? So really, we might only have to wait a few weeks!

Or am I wrong?

 

quar·ter (kwôrtr)n.1. One of four equal parts.

 

Now let's see. A year has 12 months, so splitting it into four equal parts means that one quarter is 3 months. I'm sure you can figure it out from there.

I know wikipedia isn't always that reliable, but I thought they were talking about the fiscal/business year??

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_year#United_States

[+dfx]

I know wikipedia isn't always that reliable, but I thought they were talking about the fiscal/business year??

 

What makes you think that?

[+jacob501]

I know wikipedia isn't always that reliable, but I thought they were talking about the fiscal/business year??

 

What makes you think that?

Well...I don't know...!!!

 

I have googled it a couple of times, but no one has posted any date or approximate date on when it is released so how do YOU know what "third quarter" means?

[+dfx]

I have googled it a couple of times, but no one has posted any date or approximate date on when it is released so how do YOU know what "third quarter" means?

 

I don't "know", but I can assume. Fiscal years are governmental things, so they differ from country to country. Garmin sells units worldwide, and their press releases are global too. So it wouldn't make sense for them to talk about the US fiscal year. Instead it makes much more sense to be about calendar year quarters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_year#Quarters

[+CacheFreakTim]

 

Yeah, at first I was thinking about getting an Oregon or Dakota, but then I decided on the Etrex 30, even if I do have to wait. Because I really do like the Etrex series and I'm not sure I would like the touchscreen on the other units.

 

BTW, isn't the 3rd quarter of 2011 ending like on June 30? So really, we might only have to wait a few weeks!

Or am I wrong?

 

When saying 3rd quarter they mean of the calendar year....not fiscal. So that would be July-Sept.