+NewMommy1223 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I am new to GeoCaching and I use my phone app right now but it kills my battery way too fast. I am looking for something not too complicated as I have never used a GPS unit before and don't know a thing about them. Any suggestions or hints would be greatly appreciated related to GPS or caching in general. Thank you in advance! Quote Link to comment
+Mr. 0 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 (edited) I am new to GeoCaching and I use my phone app right now but it kills my battery way too fast. I am looking for something not too complicated as I have never used a GPS unit before and don't know a thing about them. Any suggestions or hints would be greatly appreciated related to GPS or caching in general. Thank you in advance! I run into the same issue when I use my phone for caching. I assume it's because the GPS is always on when using any Geocaching apps. As for other alternatives, GPS receivers really aren't that complicated to use. They do seem a little daunting at first, but most of them are pretty simple. The earlier Garmin series (eTrex, Legend, Venture, Summit, Vista) seem to be pretty easy to use, and relatively inexpensive as well. If you want to try them out first, you might drop by a local geocaching event. Most people will be more than happy to show you around a GPSr and talk about pro vs cons. Edited November 21, 2011 by Mr. 0 Quote Link to comment
+HHD Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I used my phone for over a year until I bit the bullet just recently and bought a Gpsr. I always carried around a portable battery pack (about 35 bucks at Walmart) that plus my phone battery gave me about 5 hours of caching. Quote Link to comment
hoosier guy Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps http://gpstracklog.com/buyers-guides/gps-for-geocachers http://gpsforgeocaching.com/ Check out these websites and you will learn a bit more about what unit is right for you. Keep in mind how much you cache, how involved you plan to get, etc. Just make sure you can download caches off the web and not have to enter them manually. Paperless caching is also very nice. Happy caching Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps http://gpstracklog.com/buyers-guides/gps-for-geocachers http://gpsforgeocaching.com/ Check out these websites and you will learn a bit more about what unit is right for you. Keep in mind how much you cache, how involved you plan to get, etc. Just make sure you can download caches off the web and not have to enter them manually. Paperless caching is also very nice. Happy caching What is paperless caching? Quote Link to comment
hoosier guy Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 (edited) http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps http://gpstracklog.com/buyers-guides/gps-for-geocachers http://gpsforgeocaching.com/ Check out these websites and you will learn a bit more about what unit is right for you. Keep in mind how much you cache, how involved you plan to get, etc. Just make sure you can download caches off the web and not have to enter them manually. Paperless caching is also very nice. Happy caching What is paperless caching? Ooops sorry, I should have explained that. Some GPSr units allow you do download all the information from the cache page onto your GPSr. Then when you are out in the field you can look up the hint, the last logs, etc. This keeps you from printing out the cache page or writing down a bunch of info and carrying sheets of paper with you. A very nice feature if you are going to get very involved. Happy caching, Hoosier Guy Edited November 21, 2011 by hoosier guy Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 (edited) Yes something like that is what I am looking for. Let me give you a background and maybe you have a suggestion... We have been caching since January and now have been to our first event and am almost at 200 caches! It's a weekend thing that we (my better half, 2 boys 9 and 10, and myself) enjoy now. We enjoy being out on the hiking trails so usually lots of tree cover. I am not technologically challenged but it may take a bit to figure it out. Another cacher we met told us to use the Magellan eXplorist but didn't say which version someone else suggested the Geomate Jr. Of course I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on one that is going to be difficult to use or not what I am looking for. I read some of the reviews on the websites previously listed but its a lot of gibberish when you don't know what you are looking for if that makes sense! Edited November 21, 2011 by NewMommy1223 Quote Link to comment
hoosier guy Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Yes something like that is what I am looking for. Let me give you a background and maybe you have a suggestion... We have been caching since January and now have been to our first event and am almost at 200 caches! It's a weekend thing that we (my better half, 2 boys 9 and 10, and myself) enjoy now. We enjoy being out on the hiking trails so usually lots of tree cover. I am not technologically challenged but it may take a bit to figure it out. Another cacher we met told us to use the Magellan eXplorist but didn't say which version someone else suggested the Geomate Jr. Of course I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on one that is going to be difficult to use or not what I am looking for. I read some of the reviews on the websites previously listed but its a lot of gibberish when you don't know what you are looking for if that makes sense! explorist GC is a good balance between features and price. the Gramin legend is another good unit. Best to cache with some friends and see what ou like about the ones they use. Quote Link to comment
+Reynolds1384 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I would recommend a Garmin Etrex HC. That is the very first one I started using and very satisfied with it. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) Yes something like that is what I am looking for. Let me give you a background and maybe you have a suggestion... We have been caching since January and now have been to our first event and am almost at 200 caches! It's a weekend thing that we (my better half, 2 boys 9 and 10, and myself) enjoy now. We enjoy being out on the hiking trails so usually lots of tree cover. I am not technologically challenged but it may take a bit to figure it out. Another cacher we met told us to use the Magellan eXplorist but didn't say which version someone else suggested the Geomate Jr. Of course I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on one that is going to be difficult to use or not what I am looking for. I read some of the reviews on the websites previously listed but its a lot of gibberish when you don't know what you are looking for if that makes sense! I'd stay away from Magellan because of their reputation for shoddy customer service. The Geomate Jr. is limiting because it comes pre-loaded with certain caches and doesn't have all caches in yours or any area. And once you add in the cost of the update kit you can buy a real GPS. You don't say exactly what "an arm and a leg" means to you. For someone that can be $50 and it could be $500 for someone else. I suspect you mean a mid priced unit. I suggest you check into the new Garmin eTrex line. The eTrex 10 is a basic unit with no maps and you get more features including mapping capability with the eTrex 20 and eTrex 30. I believe all three are "paperless". Another good, reasonably priced unit is the DeLorme PN40 Edited November 22, 2011 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+HHD Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I second the pn40. It has a bit of a learning curve but if you read the instructions...It's not so bad. Ps they are around 100 bucks on eBay. Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 OK so yes a mid priced unit is what I am looking for. One that you can load the caches from the internet I am guessing that is what you mean by paperless. Is it better to buy on Ebay or Amazon? DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS is this the one you are talking about? Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 OK so yes a mid priced unit is what I am looking for. One that you can load the caches from the internet I am guessing that is what you mean by paperless. Is it better to buy on Ebay or Amazon? DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS is this the one you are talking about? Yes, they mean the Delorme. For personal reasons (only), I would suggest Amazon. Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 A friend has the Magellan explorist gc that I can have for $50 which sounds like a good deal but she doesn't have the book with it or the usb cable. Any idea where I can get an instruction book and a cable? She decided to stay with using her phone because they don't cache that often and bought it for around $100. Quote Link to comment
+99lsfm2 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 You can get the mannual at the link: http://support.magellangps.com/support/index.php?group=default&languageid=1 Quote Link to comment
+Lieblweb Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I am new to GeoCaching and I use my phone app right now but it kills my battery way too fast. I am looking for something not too complicated as I have never used a GPS unit before and don't know a thing about them. Any suggestions or hints would be greatly appreciated related to GPS or caching in general. Thank you in advance! You want to make sure whatever GPS you get, you'll want to make sure it has the 3-axis compass and the ability to input 'next stage' coordinates for multi-caches. We started with the iphone and bought a Megallan Explorist - hated it!! It didn't have the 3-axis compass and couldn't input coordinates for multis. We sold that and bought a Garmin Oregon. The Oregon has been pretty good for the 6 months we've had it, although the firmware (or something) seems glitchy at times. My husband is pretty tech savy and he's done whatever possible to try and remedy that. It's just weird sometimes. The more expensive GPS units will have the 3 axis compass and next stage abilities. If you enjoy the hobby, don't settle for the cheapest. If you can afford it, put a little more money into it. Then - if you don't like the unit, you can re-sell it and get something else. Quote Link to comment
+Chief301 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 OK so yes a mid priced unit is what I am looking for. One that you can load the caches from the internet I am guessing that is what you mean by paperless. Is it better to buy on Ebay or Amazon? DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS is this the one you are talking about? Except for the very cheapest units, just about any GPSr these days will let you download caches from the Internet (via USB cable) That's not the definition of "paperless", though. For example, my Garmin Legend HCX will let me connect to my computer via USB cable and download up to 500 caches, but all I get is the cache name, GC code number, and coordinates. A unit designed for paperless caching will hold ALL the cache info such as the cache description, size, hints, and recent logs, all of which you will find useful in the field. It's all right there on the unit so theres no need to bring cache printouts with you or carry a PDA to have access to that info. Now, I get around this by carrying both the Legend and my iPhone while caching, using the Garmin for finding the cache and the iPhone for driving navigation and additional cache info . But that still leaves me juggling two units in the field. One of these days I'm planning to upgrade to a paperless unit, though. If you're seriously into this, you'll appreciate paperless. I think the new Garmin Etrex 20 and 30 look good. I personally wouldn't get the 10 because if it's inability to add maps, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 I am new to GeoCaching and I use my phone app right now but it kills my battery way too fast. I am looking for something not too complicated as I have never used a GPS unit before and don't know a thing about them. Any suggestions or hints would be greatly appreciated related to GPS or caching in general. Thank you in advance! You want to make sure whatever GPS you get, you'll want to make sure it has the 3-axis compass and the ability to input 'next stage' coordinates for multi-caches. We started with the iphone and bought a Megallan Explorist - hated it!! It didn't have the 3-axis compass and couldn't input coordinates for multis. We sold that and bought a Garmin Oregon. The Oregon has been pretty good for the 6 months we've had it, although the firmware (or something) seems glitchy at times. My husband is pretty tech savy and he's done whatever possible to try and remedy that. It's just weird sometimes. The more expensive GPS units will have the 3 axis compass and next stage abilities. If you enjoy the hobby, don't settle for the cheapest. If you can afford it, put a little more money into it. Then - if you don't like the unit, you can re-sell it and get something else. What is the 3 axis compass? Which explorist were you using? Quote Link to comment
+NewMommy1223 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 I would recommend a Garmin Etrex HC. That is the very first one I started using and very satisfied with it. Is that a "paperless" unit? How much does it run about? Quote Link to comment
+Chief301 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) I would recommend a Garmin Etrex HC. That is the very first one I started using and very satisfied with it. Is that a "paperless" unit? How much does it run about? Go to Garmin's website and check out their line of handheld GPSr's. In the specifications for each unit it will describe whether it supports paperless caching or not. The Etrex H does not, though. The Etrex H does not even come with a USB cable, so you'd have to buy that extra, which would cost you all together what a nicer unit would cost you, cable included. I'd recommend one of the newer Etrex line (10, 20, or 30). All are paperless, I believe, although the 10 lacks the ability to add maps and the electronic compass. Also, ignore the manufacturers suggested retail price on the website, most of those units can be found online for 10-20% less than Garmin's MSRP. Edited November 22, 2011 by Chief301 Quote Link to comment
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