Another which GPS to buy' thread

[+Six Boots]

I'm looking to buy a new (our used) GPS. I don't care about cameras or touch screens. What I'd like is a unit with a decent sized screen, sd card slot, and has the ability to navigate anywhere (back country). Something that I can easily enter coordinates, whether to a cache or not. I don't care about turn by turn navigation, as my phone does that nicely.

 

Here's the catch. I'm only looking to spend about a hundred bucks. I know, I know. I'm looking at an eTrex. Can someone give me the pros and cons of this particular device?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

wvdad

cadlespam at gmail dot com

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I'd stay away from the eTrex H, which uses a serial interface and can't accomodate maps.

 

The eTrex 10 offers paperless caching, whereas the eTrex Venture HC accepts maps. I think you can find these in the $110 range.

[+Six Boots]

Thanks for your reply. A lot of them say they come with a base map. What additional maps might I load onto the venture? And although my main purpose is geocaching, would both of these allow me to navigate in the back country?

Edited March 19, 2012 by wvdad

[seldom_sn]

A lot of them say they come with a base map. What additional maps might I load onto the venture? And although my main purpose is geocaching, would both of these allow me to navigate in the back country?

 

Garmin base map detail is pretty limited. Some roads, NO contours. The Etrex 10 is not a mapping handheld but it's geocaching friendly. See: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144&pID=87768 . With a non-mapping handheld your navigation is going to be limited to Track Back (following you track in reverse) or direct line travel to selected waypoints. String enough waypoints together and you may have a route.

 

Etrex Venture HC specs here: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=8707 . 24MB won't hold many maps, but maybe a county size topo. Good free maps available here: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/ The size of the individual map sections you upload to your GPSr will be significantly smaller than a state map download.

[+Six Boots]

Ok, so I've upped my dollar limit to include GPSr devices in the range of the eTrex 30, which is the unit I'm now considering. Is it the best in it's price range, or if I'm willing to spend 300 (max), is there another GPSr that any of you would recommend?

 

Awesome community. Thanks for the help.

[seldom_sn]

Ok, so I've upped my dollar limit to include GPSr devices in the range of the eTrex 30, which is the unit I'm now considering. Is it the best in it's price range, or if I'm willing to spend 300 (max), is there another GPSr that any of you would recommend?

 

Awesome community. Thanks for the help.

You should probably check out this thread:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=289699&st=50&p=4996163&hl=etrex%20sticky&fromsearch=1entry4996163

 

Assuming from your screen name that you are in WV, tree cover could be a problem.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

Ok, so I've upped my dollar limit to include GPSr devices in the range of the eTrex 30, which is the unit I'm now considering. Is it the best in it's price range, or if I'm willing to spend 300 (max), is there another GPSr that any of you would recommend?

 

Awesome community. Thanks for the help.

 

Having used both a Garmin eTrex (SummitHC, roughly the same as the 30) and a DeLorme PN-60, I like the DeLorme better. There are some okay free maps to download for the Garmin, but if you want any kind of street map, it's going to cost you (about $100, I think). The basic map did okay on the country roads around me, but zooming in and out was a pain--in to see/read road names, and then out again to cover a larger area, with a lag each time.

 

With the DeLorme, it comes with a fairly decent map and their subscription ($30/year) allows for endless downloads rather than a pay-per-map like the Garmin. I find the interface easier to use, too (dedicated buttons for certain things) and the zoom function is noticeably faster, hardly any lag. Just got the DeLorme at Amazon for $220.

[+Six Boots]

My main purpose for a new GPSr, is its ability to allow me to do backcountry hiking and camping.. not be solely tied to geocaching.com. Not interested in one for it's street maps at all. Just interested in as big of a basemap as possible with the ability to add topo maps.

 

Any other brands or models that you could recommend?

[eaparks]

I know in your opening post you said not interested in touchscreen, if the only reason you mentioned this is due to price, the Oregon 450 can be bought for $250 - $290 range. Generally, the touchscreens have now seperated out 2 groups of users, those that don't like them at all and those who love them.

 

I'm in the love them category: they are easier to teach new users, the Oregon has 1/4" larger and higher resolution screen, a 1/4" may not sound like much but it is very noticeable when using, especially when you start wanting to add data fields to your map screen. For hiking and camping you will probably find useful having a data field on your map screen page. The Orgeon will fit nicely in a shirt pocket and has reasonable battery life. If you are someone that will add data... waypoints, want to record and rename tracks, or enter new coordinates in the field the touch screens are a lot faster at being able to do these tasks. I enter a lot of new information everytime I go out so I would dread having to go back to the buttons on an Etrex, or 62, or 78 series Garmin.

 

Since you are looking at mulitple uses you will also find "Profiles" very useful in being able to set up a particular activity (hiking, camping, geocaching, etc) with it's own unique settings and activating all of those setting, including which maps you want displayed, just by activating that Profile. Several Garmin models will do Profiles.

 

My suggestion would be to try both; your short list of a button GPS along side an Oregon 450 with the larger touchscreen buttons and actually try entering a set of new coordinates, since this was one of your higher priorities of being able to do easily.

Edited March 26, 2012 by eaparks

[+Socal ZukiCachers]

I would highly recommend the Magellan eXplorist eX310 for this, which will do everything you're asking plus comes loaded with a good quality basemap and you can later purchase the 24k high end topos for your region for about $50. Although this unit is currently marked down to $179.99 at MagellanGPS.com you can pick it up on Amazon for $149.99. However, if you want to save a few more bucks you can also look at the Magellan eXplorist eX110 which you can put up on Amazon for $119. The main difference with this unit is that you will not be able to upgrade to the high end topos, but it will track, route and do everything expected of a higher end unit for the purposes that you're looking for.

 

Hope this helps,

David

[+Six Boots]

I'm actually moving away from a Magellan eXplorist line. I really do hate inputting data via a joystick, and the screen is just small enough (and not very good in sunlight) that it makes it difficult for me to read text on it. Thanks for your suggestions though.

 

eaparks: Price was definitely the main reason I wasn't interested in a touch screen unit. Kudos for picking up on that. What exactly are data fields? Is there is a thread somewhere (geocaching.com or elsewhere) that breaks down everything you can do with a GPSr (tracks, data fields, putting tracks on something like google earth or maps). If so, I would be quite interested in reading it. As for your reply, you've definitely got me interested in the Oregon 450.

 

Edit: D'oh! 'data fields'. Sorry I asked.

Edited March 26, 2012 by wvdad

[eaparks]

The Garmin Oregon wiki is a very good source of information and will give you a lot of "How To" information in the Knowledge Base section. http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/

 

As seldom sn mentioned earlier, lots of FREE maps to download from http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ including 24k topos that will work on Garmin units.

 

I was curious to see what the best current price of the Oregon 450 is that I could find, quickly and it looks to be $262.95 with No Tax and free shipping from GPS4Us. https://www.gps4us.com/GARMIN-Oregon-450--P1140.html

Edited March 26, 2012 by eaparks

[+Six Boots]

Ok, so I will be buying a GPS tomorrow. I really like the Oregon 450, but from what everyone says, it's very difficult to read the screen in sunlight, and the altimeter is useless. Any opinions on this? Also, one last request for opinions on the best GPS device for around $300 and under.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Six Boots

[+Six Boots]

One question though, has Garmin gotten the 'sticky' problem worked out on the eTrex models?

Edited April 3, 2012 by Six Boots

[+Six Boots]

I appreciate your replies.

[+Six Boots]

eaparks, I went with the Oregon. I've only had it since Friday, but am liking it. I already loaded a topo map for my state. I have a few questions. Maybe you could steer me to a good resource (I've already read most of the wiki).

 

1. Every time I load additional maps, they overwrite the previous one. I'd like to load several different ones, and switch between them. Is this possible? How do I do it?

2. Is there a resource to improve the basemap (to include side streets). The stock basemap is pretty vanilla.

3. Is there a way to use Google Earth to load your own birds eye map views, without having to pay for the subscription.

4. Upon paying for the subscription, if that happens, are you able to download unlimited maps? It says that the subscription is for a year, but you can keep any map you downloaded (thinking that all I would need to do is spend several hours getting all of the maps I would ever need, thus never needing to renew).

 

Thanks for your help.

[+jepp2]

1. Every time I load additional maps, they overwrite the previous one. I'd like to load several different ones, and switch between them. Is this possible? How do I do it?

2. Is there a resource to improve the basemap (to include side streets). The stock basemap is pretty vanilla.

3. Is there a way to use Google Earth to load your own birds eye map views, without having to pay for the subscription.

4. Upon paying for the subscription, if that happens, are you able to download unlimited maps? It says that the subscription is for a year, but you can keep any map you downloaded (thinking that all I would need to do is spend several hours getting all of the maps I would ever need, thus never needing to renew).

 

1. 2 ways. With Mapsource I just select all the map segments I want to load before I load then I get them all. With BaseCamp I rename gmapsupp after transferring so you avoid the overwrite.

2. GPSFileDepot has some pretty good maps, or if you want routable maps go to Open Street Map

3. I will defer to someone else on this one.

4. My understanding is for your subscription the downloads are unlimited and you get to keep everything you downloaded after your subscription expires.

[seldom_sn]

3. Is there a way to use Google Earth to load your own birds eye map views, without having to pay for the subscription.

Not likely. What you are talking about is creating a "Garmin Custom Map". If you follow the link you'll see that they have some significant limitations and you need to use GE to create them. AFAIK you can use GE to align imagery, but I doubt that GE will let you copy its imagery to align. Also you're probably violating GE's terms of service, and guys that smart are probably able to keep you from doing that.

[+Six Boots]

Another question about my Oregon 450 and Geocaching. When downloading pocket queries, there are two files (geocaches and waypoints). Do I need the waypoints.gpx? If so, do I drop it in the same folder as the geocaches? When I put the waypoints.gpx file on my gpsr, then go to waypoints, none of them are named the same as the geocache, making it very cluttered. I'd like to use the waypoints on my gpsr only for waypoints I create.

[+Six Boots]

I just used Open Street Map to get street maps for the U.S. Am I able to load this without overwriting my basemap, or topo map I recently installed?

 

It gives 4 options for download (only two that would apply to me):

1. mapsource.exe

2. gmapsupp.zip

 

I understand that if I load the map via gmapsupp, it will overwrite my basemap, requiring me to backup/rename the default one in order to save it.

If I use mapsource, will it do the same thing, or will it preserve the default basemap and allow the two to coincide?

[+Six Boots]

Sorry. I've got an Oregon 450.

[+Six Boots]

You've been a big help. I appreciate it.

[+TeamPennyFinder]

About the waypoints file I always load that one to. Yes, it goes in the same folder.

 

The reason I load it also is that those suggested parking coords can be very helpful. In some cases can (like when a cache is very close to private property) can save you some trouble.

Edited April 20, 2012 by TeamPennyFinder

[+Six Boots]

Another question: Is there a way to get the Oregon to show distance to GZ while enroute to a cache?

[+akkatracker]

Another question: Is there a way to get the Oregon to show distance to GZ while enroute to a cache?

Go to the compass (home->compass) whilst navigating to a cache- loved my 300 but lost it

The compass feature whilst navigating to a cache is very helpful, were you using the map only before... this will make life so much easier

[+Six Boots]

Yes, I was using the map. It'd be nice if it showed distance on the map.