Garmin GPSMap 62s at REI

[+michaelnel]

REI has the GPSMap 62s, which normally sells for $399, on sale right now for $279.99. That's 20 bucks less than they are asking for the basic 62! At that price I couldn't resist and walked over to the SF store this evening and bought one.

[yogazoo]

Welcome to the fold. After your unfortunate Magellan experience your 62s should be like dying and going to heaven.

[+Chrysalides]

Last time it was at this price, turned out to be a pricing mistake. Tempted, but I really do like the higher resolution screen on the Oregon better - even if it is dimmer.

[+G & C]

That is one heck of a deal. If I didn't love my Oregon so much... and my backup Dakota...

[+Triple Crown]

Expect more price drops on all of the handhelds...the new Garmin Montana arrives in a few weeks.

[+humboldt flier]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

[+humboldt flier]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

 

On a serious note; The Montana seems to be a replacement for the Nuvi 500 / 550 series.

 

I see no spot for belt or lanyard carry which may support my feeling that it is a Nuvi. 500 / 550 replacement.

 

If it can chat wirelessly with some of the other garmins and the chip tech it could ... fill a role.

Edited May 18, 2011 by humboldt flier

[+humboldt flier]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

 

On a serious note; The Montana seems to be a replacement for the Nuvi 500 / 550 series.

 

I see no spot for belt or lanyard carry which may support my feeling that it is a Nuvi. 500 / 550 replacement.

 

If it can chat wirelessly with some of the other garmins and the chip tech it could ... fill a role.

 

Spec sheet shows that it shares wirelessly!!!!!!!!!

 

Powered by either a litium ion or three ( 3 ) AA's ...

[+G & C]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

 

On a serious note; The Montana seems to be a replacement for the Nuvi 500 / 550 series.

 

I see no spot for belt or lanyard carry which may support my feeling that it is a Nuvi. 500 / 550 replacement.

 

If it can chat wirelessly with some of the other garmins and the chip tech it could ... fill a role.

 

I don't think this is accurate after watching the product video on Garmins site. It looks like a new, larger screened, upgraded Oregon model in all honesty, with the ability to use it as a Nuvi type GPS in landscape mode. I'm fairly certain they built the Montana to be a handheld GPS primarily.

[+Maingray]

 

I don't think this is accurate after watching the product video on Garmins site. It looks like a new, larger screened, upgraded Oregon model in all honesty, with the ability to use it as a Nuvi type GPS in landscape mode. I'm fairly certain they built the Montana to be a handheld GPS primarily.

 

Looks to me like it's being marketed as a multi-use device just as the nuvi 5x0 were. It even has spoken turn directions for which you need their car mount for.

 

I don't really care personally, garmin are good at filling niches (trucker nuvi? bike nuvi?) and this will definitely fill the multi-use niche now they have sewn up the battery issue. I still personally think an Oregon is a just as good multi-use unit and will recommend that for such folks until this becomes more affordable.

[+michaelnel]

Looks to me like the Garmin Montana has steered this thread completely off-track.

[+G & C]

Looks to me like the Garmin Montana has steered this thread completely off-track.

 

Sorry about that.

 

Back on topic, what were you using before your new 62s, and how is the 62s stacking up?

[+humboldt flier]

Can the $50.00 coupon members recently received be applied to the purchase price?

[+luvvinbird]

REI has the GPSMap 62s, which normally sells for $399, on sale right now for $279.99. That's 20 bucks less than they are asking for the basic 62! At that price I couldn't resist and walked over to the SF store this evening and bought one.

I hope you enjoy your new 62s as I do mine. But, be patient. I went through a lot of growing pains with mine as the "manual" is very limited. I picked up a tremendous amount of info from this very forum allowing me to finally feel comfortable with it and to appreciate it's fantastic features. Admittedly, I'm a dinosaur...er, non-tech savvy kinda guy so you may breeze through the GP's.

[+michaelnel]

Back on topic, what were you using before your new 62s, and how is the 62s stacking up?

 

Well, I have owned the following GPSRs over the years:

 

Garmin GPS II

Garmin GPS 12MAP

Garmin Etrex Vista

Garmin Forerunner 301

Garmin Colorado 400t

Garmin Nuvi 1690

Garmin Oregon 450

Magellan eXplorist 710

GPSMap 60csx (three at different times)

DeLorme PN-60

GPSMap 62s

 

I have written elsewhere about my dislike for the poor sunlight readability of the display on the Oregon. I hated the Colorado too, only kept it for about 2 hours and took it back. Liked the touch screen for entering notes, not much else.

 

The Magellan's display is even worse and it is so buggy as to be almost unusable. Cool feature set, but needs another year in development before being unleashed on an innocent public. It also has a VORACIOUS appetite for batteries. I'm talking 2-3 hours for freshly charged Powerex 2700mAh NiMH cells.

 

The GPSMap 60csx was wonderful (I kept going back to those, owning three over about a 6 year period), but found the rather primitive geocaching capabilities limiting after having used paperless with the Oregon.

 

The DeLorme was just too weird, coming from all those Garmins. Who thought that battery cover was a good idea on the PN-60? Could there be a worse, less intuitive UI on a piece of software than on DeLorme's "Topo North America" software that comes with the PN-60? The PN-60 seemed to WORK really well, but the software, the strange PC cable connection, the battery door that has two fine threaded screws you have to take all the way out to get the door off, the cheap feeling buttons and the tiny display just didn't make it. I took that back to REI after having owned it for about 4 hours.

 

The 62S at the current REI price was a no-brainer. That's 20 bucks LESS than the PN-60 and only 50 bucks more than the 60csx. The 62S combines everything I liked about the Oregon with everything I liked about the 60csx, and I already had a copy of Topo 2008 and City Navigator for it, and I already had the bicycle mount I had bought for the Oregon (the 62 and the Oregon use the same mount). I am very very pleased with the 62s.

Edited May 19, 2011 by michaelnel

[+michaelnel]

Can the $50.00 coupon members recently received be applied to the purchase price?

 

What $50 coupon? I have been a member since Noah bought a GPS for the Ark from REI and I didn't get any $50 coupon!

[+jchabalk]

i just got one yesterday too, in SF also. i couldn't pass it up at that price! the best part is the price wasn't supposed to be that low until friday but when the guy rang it up last night it worked.

 

I had bought a 62ST the night before not knowing about the upcoming sale. It pretty immediately developed some problems with the screen (on that particular unit). It brought it back and they only had the 62S in stock but the guy working there mentioned the sale. I returned the 62ST and walked out with the 62S, 24k West Topos and $100. I already have the City Nav NT 2011 maps. That's a big win all around.

 

The red color is growing on my too.

 

I also have a number of Garmin handhelds including the 60CSx which has been my overall favorite for a number of years. I was nearly going to buy another 60CSx as my current one is having problems. With this REI sale the 62S costs only marginally more than the CSx and I think it's a worthy competitor for sure. Definitely every bit as good and solid as the 60CSx was when i bought it and that was 5 or so years ago.

Edited May 19, 2011 by jchabalk

[+n4grt]

I went out yesterday after reading this thread and got one. They still had it marked at $399 at the Raleigh REI, but they matched the web price. Thanks for sharing this. I have been looking at upgrading my 60CSX. The Price was right.

[+jchabalk]

that's funny, it seems like the San Francisco and San Carlos REIs (i called both about it to make sure it was in stock), were selling them for the sale price earlier in the week.

 

Regardless the sale runs from Friday 5/20 through sunday this weekend.

 

Here's REI link

[+bill_ncsu]

The REI store in Cary, NC has the Garmin 62s in stock. The sale price sign in the store has $299 as the price. I had taken the web page printout with me showing the price of $279. They honored the price. Now I am a owner of the 62s. The sale price in the NC stores did not take effect until today (5/20).

[+Timpat]

Thanks for the heads up on this deal! I placed my order! I have been waiting for a good price on the 62s and this is great.

[+Walts Hunting]

WOW two guys from SF. I didn't know they had a store there. Worked there for 30 years (SF not REI) before heading for the hills. Do get down there to visit and cache occasionally.

 

I agree with all your comments about the various Garmin units. I had a 60 and Oregon at the same time for awhile and the screen on the Oregon is terrible but i love the interface on the Oregon so stuck with it.

 

I will be down are REI on day one looking at the Montana when it comes out. I plan to take it outside for a look at readibility before investing that much but it shows much promise.

Edited May 21, 2011 by Walts Hunting

[+michaelnel]

Believe it or not, there are actually more than two guys in SF!

 

I don't think I'd have bought the 62S for the usual $399 price, but the $280 price is too reasonable to ignore, especially since they still have the basic 62 for $299 and the 62ST for $499.

Edited May 21, 2011 by michaelnel

[+t4e]

 

I have written elsewhere about my dislike for the poor sunlight readability of the display on the Oregon.

 

as the owner of a 550 and very happy with the display on it i am now starting to think that for those that complain about it is purely just an issue of their vision, i can see it perfectly even with sunglasses and the backlight is completely off during daylight

[+Maingray]

Back on topic, what were you using before your new 62s, and how is the 62s stacking up?

 

Well, I have owned the following GPSRs over the years:

 

Garmin GPS II

Garmin GPS 12MAP

Garmin Etrex Vista

Garmin Forerunner 301

Garmin Colorado 400t

Garmin Nuvi 1690

Garmin Oregon 450

Magellan eXplorist 710

GPSMap 60csx (three at different times)

DeLorme PN-60

GPSMap 62s

 

I have written elsewhere about my dislike for the poor sunlight readability of the display on the Oregon. I hated the Colorado too, only kept it for about 2 hours and took it back. Liked the touch screen for entering notes, not much else.

 

The Magellan's display is even worse and it is so buggy as to be almost unusable. Cool feature set, but needs another year in development before being unleashed on an innocent public. It also has a VORACIOUS appetite for batteries. I'm talking 2-3 hours for freshly charged Powerex 2700mAh NiMH cells.

 

The GPSMap 60csx was wonderful (I kept going back to those, owning three over about a 6 year period), but found the rather primitive geocaching capabilities limiting after having used paperless with the Oregon.

 

The DeLorme was just too weird, coming from all those Garmins. Who thought that battery cover was a good idea on the PN-60? Could there be a worse, less intuitive UI on a piece of software than on DeLorme's "Topo North America" software that comes with the PN-60? The PN-60 seemed to WORK really well, but the software, the strange PC cable connection, the battery door that has two fine threaded screws you have to take all the way out to get the door off, the cheap feeling buttons and the tiny display just didn't make it. I took that back to REI after having owned it for about 4 hours.

 

The 62S at the current REI price was a no-brainer. That's 20 bucks LESS than the PN-60 and only 50 bucks more than the 60csx. The 62S combines everything I liked about the Oregon with everything I liked about the 60csx, and I already had a copy of Topo 2008 and City Navigator for it, and I already had the bicycle mount I had bought for the Oregon (the 62 and the Oregon use the same mount). I am very very pleased with the 62s.

 

I agree with what he said. Same experiences (substitute PN-40 for the -60, even more of a Fisher Price piece of bad design, but at least I lasted 24 hours with it )

 

Pleased with the 62S..it's still an immature unit firmware wise, but the beta garmin team have been very nice to email back and forth with.

[+Egnix]

I'm on the fence. I've used a 60csx for almost 11 years. It has been great and is still in great shape. However, I'm always wishing I didn't have to rely on my PDA for the cache descriptions. So I always ask myself "Is the price of a new GPSr worth having the additional feature of paperless-caching-with-only-one-device?" and "Would I miss features or performance of the 60csx if I switched devices?"

 

Any previous/current 60csx owners who have made the switch to a 62 have any thoughts to share? What do you like about the 62? What do you miss from the 60? etc.

[+wingdog]

I was on the fence too but at that price, I can turn right around and put it on craigslist for a profit if I change my mind.

 

I dont think you can use the 50$ coupon they would not let me.

 

I looked seriously into the Montana, but really there isnt anything it can do that the 62 cannot other than touch screen and landscape, and I needed something that was versatile enough to hike in blue ridge with and still clip to my sport bike and give me turn by turn. and while the Montan can do this, I cant use the touch screen with my bike gloves on. and the 62 allows me to just scroll with buttons.

[+luvvinbird]

I'm on the fence. I've used a 60csx for almost 11 years. It has been great and is still in great shape. However, I'm always wishing I didn't have to rely on my PDA for the cache descriptions. So I always ask myself "Is the price of a new GPSr worth having the additional feature of paperless-caching-with-only-one-device?" and "Would I miss features or performance of the 60csx if I switched devices?"

 

Any previous/current 60csx owners who have made the switch to a 62 have any thoughts to share? What do you like about the 62? What do you miss from the 60? etc.

I used my 60SCx today to get nine caches. Works great and I really like it. Buttons and controls are easy to use, the screen is easy to see and GPS reception is excellent. I also use a 62s which I've owned for about 5 months. All of the features that are great on my 60CSx are equally as good on the 62s. But the paperless feature on the 62s is a big plus. Instant full descriptions, difficulty and terrain levels, hints, logs, all at the push of a button. I've not had an opportunity to use the "share wirelessly" feature nor have I searched for a cache containing a "Chirp" but those and many more features make the unit a smart purchase.

[+oldradioguy]

As luck would have it, my Venture HC died on me over the weekend. After a couple attempts to revive it, I decided I should at least "look" for a replacement. I just happened to go to the REI in Greensboro, NC and saw the 62s marked down to $279. Salesperson told me it was on sale throughout May 30th. I gave one more shot at un-bricking the Venture before going by REI after work on Tuesday.

 

Love the 62s, but am having trouble getting Maccaching to send Geocaches to the unit. Worked fine with the Venture HC. Anyone else having this problem? Any suggestions for other Mac software for uploading Geocaches?

 

I am ready to go Geocaching over Memorial Day weekend.

[+kwcahart]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

I'm getting the "Palin". Edited May 29, 2011 by kwhart

[+coggins]

Salesperson told me it was on sale throughout May 30th. I gave one more shot at un-bricking the Venture before going by REI after work on Tuesday.

FYI: Tuesday is the 31st, sale ends Monday:/

[+jaklimber]

I just received a GPSMAP 62s from REI and am very pleased. I moved up from a eTrex Legend, so there's a lot to love.

 

I am satisfied with how it handles caches using Garmin's Base Camp (MapSource type program) and I am very satisfied with GPSFileDepot Maps...better than Garmin's 2008 version I have. Definately no reason to get the maps from Garmin.

[+Great Scott!]

Salesperson told me it was on sale throughout May 30th. I gave one more shot at un-bricking the Venture before going by REI after work on Tuesday.

FYI: Tuesday is the 31st, sale ends Monday:/

He already bought the 62S...so I think he was talking about last Tuesday.

[+baloo&bd]

I will hold out for the Texas or the Alaska ... they have to be bigger and better.

I'm getting the "Palin".

 

Is that the one that doesn't read anything and has real flaky child waypoints?

 

I am still debating to pick up the 62s tomorrow. Montana is not even in the consideration as it still has one glaring weakness, it is a touchscreen, however there is now another rumor of a new Geocaching friendly GPS out in the not so distant future.

[+coggins]

Salesperson told me it was on sale throughout May 30th. I gave one more shot at un-bricking the Venture before going by REI after work on Tuesday.

FYI: Tuesday is the 31st, sale ends Monday:/

He already bought the 62S...so I think he was talking about last Tuesday.

I think you are right there, small type on the iToy… Edited May 30, 2011 by coggins