question about magellan explorist GC device

[simeonrun]

i'm looking into buying this device and though it says it's for geocaching, this would also work as a general gps device correct? for instance, if i go on a road trip for whatever reason, would it also work as just getting me places in general? as in can i input specific addresses and get directions kind of thing.

 

thanks for the help!

[+fegan]

i'm looking into buying this device and though it says it's for geocaching, this would also work as a general gps device correct? for instance, if i go on a road trip for whatever reason, would it also work as just getting me places in general? as in can i input specific addresses and get directions kind of thing.

 

thanks for the help!

 

No turn-by-turn directions...the maps do not have routing information and there is no option to upgrade the maps at this time.

[simeonrun]

i'm looking into buying this device and though it says it's for geocaching, this would also work as a general gps device correct? for instance, if i go on a road trip for whatever reason, would it also work as just getting me places in general? as in can i input specific addresses and get directions kind of thing.

 

thanks for the help!

 

No turn-by-turn directions...the maps do not have routing information and there is no option to upgrade the maps at this time.

 

thank you for your quick reply! do you know of any other devices i could look into that are perfect for geocaching, but also have other uses as well?

[+fegan]

When you say 'general GPS' what I think you real mean is an automotive GPS that offers turn-by-turn directions...because, to me, a general GPS would be one that tells me where I am and gives me an arrow pointing toward where I would like to go and tells me how far it is (often referred to as 'crow flies' directions)...but you mentioned taking a road trip. For a road trip you would want turn-by-turn driving directions typically given by automotive GPS devices (e.g. TomTom, Garmin Nuvi, etc) and although those units can be less expensive than a handheld GPS they aren't as rugged (drop them in a puddle or onto some rocks and you'll see what I mean) nor do they typically take standard batteries with a reasonable life (e.g. most handheld GPS devices take AA batteries which last all day...while most auto GPS units use a rechargeable that can't be replaced without disassembling the GPS and they only last a few hours when removed from the car).

 

A price range would help for suggestions.

 

Since the Explorist GC is a paperless GPS, I'll take a stab at it and would suggest something like a Garmin Dakota 20, Oregon 450 or GPS MAP 62...there are free turn-by-turn maps available for all of these devices, or you could purchase City Navigator from Garmin to get turn-by-turn directions. I have used both and they both work well...the difference with paying for City Navigator is you get lots of Points of Interest (POIs) so you can find food, gas, lodging, etc while traveling...the free maps have little, if any, POIs.

[+gelfling6]

The GC may be good for geocaching, but it's terrible for directions. If you're looking for a GPS that can do both, there are some car GPS's that'll also do pedestrian mode, but the accuracy, and battery life are pretty low.

 

Somewhere in the forum, someone asked if their Smart-Phone has spoiled them, my answer is YES! Once your contract or minutes (if you didn't get the unlimited minutes) run out, You're sunk! the app requires link access to obtain maps, which aren't stored in the device (unlike most hand-held dedicated GPS's, short of the old eTrex Classic.).. Forget to pay your bill, and *BLINK!* nothing.. Which is why my cell phone is used just for communications, My NuVI is for driving, and my Explorist-GC is for geocaching!