+57Maat Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 (edited) I've been reading these Forums for over a week and was really hoping I wouldn't have to ask yet another "Which GPS" question, and would have found my simple answer by now...but I haven’t. Is there such a thing as a paperless, touchscreen, waterproof, easy to read in bright sunlight, map-loaded, highly sensitive, highly accurate GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way, which also has functionality specifically created for geocaching and can store all the information from Pocket Queries as well as storing field notes??? If yes, please tell me. If no, please give me your humble opinion of the next best thing. I honestly appreciate your helpful answers, in advance. Edited March 30, 2012 by 57Maat Quote Link to comment
seldom_sn Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 easy to read in bright sunlight....GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way You'll need to visit a store on a sunny day and see if they'll let you take one outside. What additional costs are you concerned about? Quote Link to comment
+Gob-ler Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 My Garmin Montana does that! Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 easy to read in bright sunlight....GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way You'll need to visit a store on a sunny day and see if they'll let you take one outside. What additional costs are you concerned about? That's a very good suggestion...Thanks! I'm concerned that I'll have to pay $$$ here and there for maps. Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 My Garmin Montana does that! Thanks. I'll check it out. Quote Link to comment
seldom_sn Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 I'm concerned that I'll have to pay $$$ here and there for maps. If you buy a Montana, or other Garmin handhelds, I'm pretty sure you'll need to buy any routable maps for it. From hereBuy the auto mount and a City Navigator NT® map and it'll give you spoken turn-by-turn driving directions. It's big. It's versatile. It's tough. It earned the name Montana. Doesn't sound like they're giving it away does it? You can get free topos for the US from GPSfileDepot, but most of them aren't routable. Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 easy to read in bright sunlight....GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way You'll need to visit a store on a sunny day and see if they'll let you take one outside. What additional costs are you concerned about? That's a very good suggestion...Thanks! I'm concerned that I'll have to pay $$$ here and there for maps. If the store won't let you take it outside (which is an entirely reasonable stance for them to take, unless you've given them some solid security such as the full purchase price in cash) see if you can take it to an outside window that's got sunlight coming through it. You can get a lot of maps for free, OpenStreetMap being just one source of them. They are legitimately free, not ripped off and hacked products. Quote Link to comment
+BAMBOOZLE Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 As said, you're describing the Montana but I will say our Oregon 450 is no problem in sunlight and is a more convenient size. No touchscreen handheld comes with DETAILED maps pre-loaded ( Nuvi 500-550 does but is not a true handheld ) Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 Thanks for your replies. I'm now checking into both the Garmin and the Oregon. Does anyone know of a happy Magellan 510 user? Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 ...I'm pretty sure you'll need to buy any routable maps for it.... - The OP didn't mention routable. In fact, your post is the first that brings it up. - If you want routable (and free) maps for a Garmin, go here: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 (edited) - The OP didn't mention routable. In fact, your post is the first that brings it up. - If you want routable (and free) maps for a Garmin, go here: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ What GPS do you use? Edited March 31, 2012 by 57Maat Quote Link to comment
seldom_sn Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 ...I'm pretty sure you'll need to buy any routable maps for it.... - The OP didn't mention routable. In fact, your post is the first that brings it up. - If you want routable (and free) maps for a Garmin, go here: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Indeed, he didn't mention routable, but he did say that he didn't want to pay for maps. I guess you can pay for non-routable maps, but I wouldn't. Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 (edited) What GPS do you use?Garmin eTrex 30. Edited April 1, 2012 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
+luvvinbird Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 The Oregon 450 does a great job for me and does everything you've requested. But to round out your experience, I suggest purchasing or downloading route-able maps as the base map that comes with the unit is very, very basic. Quote Link to comment
sviking Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 My Garmin Montana does that! NO, it does not do all of that. Quote Link to comment
sviking Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I'm concerned that I'll have to pay $$$ here and there for maps. If you buy a Montana, or other Garmin handhelds, I'm pretty sure you'll need to buy any routable maps for it. BINGO. And, you'll need mounting hardware to effectively use it in a car. Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 I really want to thank every one that gave their feedback and replied to my PM's! I believe I'm going to move forward here and make a purchase...eeeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee. so excited! THANKS! Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) I've been reading these Forums for over a week and was really hoping I wouldn't have to ask yet another "Which GPS" question, and would have found my simple answer by now...but I haven’t. Is there such a thing as a paperless, touchscreen, waterproof, easy to read in bright sunlight, map-loaded, highly sensitive, highly accurate GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way, which also has functionality specifically created for geocaching and can store all the information from Pocket Queries as well as storing field notes??? If yes, please tell me. If no, please give me your humble opinion of the next best thing. I honestly appreciate your helpful answers, in advance. Current models with all those features: Oregon 450t Oregon 550t Montana 650t Previous models: nüvi 500 nüvi 550 Older Oregons (x00 models had displays that we're not as good in bright sunlight) would not fulfill all your requirements. Edited April 2, 2012 by coggins Quote Link to comment
Pup Patrol Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I've been reading these Forums for over a week and was really hoping I wouldn't have to ask yet another "Which GPS" question, and would have found my simple answer by now...but I haven’t. Is there such a thing as a paperless, touchscreen, waterproof, easy to read in bright sunlight, map-loaded, highly sensitive, highly accurate GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way, which also has functionality specifically created for geocaching and can store all the information from Pocket Queries as well as storing field notes??? If yes, please tell me. If no, please give me your humble opinion of the next best thing. I honestly appreciate your helpful answers, in advance. Not mentioned yet...are you planning on buying a Premium Membership? B. Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 My Garmin Montana does that! NO, it does not do all of that. My Montana also does ALL of that. Is there such a thing as a paperless - CHECK touchscreen - CHECK waterproof - CHECK easy to read in bright sunlight - CHECK map-loaded - CHECK (650T) highly sensitive - CHECK highly accurate - CHECK GPS that will keep me from spending additional monies along the way - CHECK (free maps are everywhere even routable ones) which also has functionality specifically created for geocaching and can store all the information from Pocket Queries as well as storing field notes? - CHECK SViking, what were you refering to the Montana NOT doing?? Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Not mentioned yet...are you planning on buying a Premium Membership? B. I sure am. I just got a load of GC stuff for my birthday (today) and that's one of my gifts! Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 Thanks Every one! I went into a Sport's Warehouse today and only got to look at a Montana from outside the case because their CS wasn't very good. Oh well. I'll keep checking my area. There's and REI around and a Sport's Authority...I'll call first! I'm still wondering about the Magellan 510...any one have experience with that? And for those that mentioned routable, that's a feature I'd like, too! Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Thanks Again to every one that chimed in to offer some advice/opinion. I went ahead and made a purchase today on a Magellan 510. I'm eager to get caching! Quote Link to comment
yogazoo Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) I went ahead and made a purchase today on a Magellan 510. I'm eager to get caching! ?? You must have really liked the 510 in person. Looking back on this post I don't believe anyone recommended it. Let us know how you like it, I used to love Magellans when I had a Meridian back in 2003. Edited April 4, 2012 by yogazoo Quote Link to comment
sviking Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Thanks Again to every one that chimed in to offer some advice/opinion. I went ahead and made a purchase today on a Magellan 510. I'm eager to get caching! Really? Current Magellans are poo. Hope the place you ordered it from has a good return policy. Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 ?? You must have really liked the 510 in person. Looking back on this post I don't believe anyone recommended it. Let us know how you like it, I used to love Magellans when I had a Meridian back in 2003. Really! lol. I intentionally did not list price as a buying factor in my OP because I wanted to see what you all knew that this gal didn't (which is of course, a cacheload). So I needed to hear and see if any touchscreen came up in my budget price range. Getting some birthday cash on Monday put me into the range for a touch screen and for that I'm grateful. I PM'd a few 510 owners through this website and got good, detailed reports (pros and cons) back. I hope I'll be happy. I'll certainly let you know how I like it, after I give it a good run! Thanks Yogazoo! Quote Link to comment
+57Maat Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Really? Current Magellans are poo. Hope the place you ordered it from has a good return policy. Gee, uhhh...thanks? I guess I'll find out, won't I? And if it is Poo you'll be the first to know. And if it ISN'T Poo, you'll also be the first to know! Quote Link to comment
+TeamPennyFinder Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I do not think the 510 is routable. If that is a feature that you wanted. To find that feature in that line you would have had to go all the way to the 710 model. I hope you enjoy the 510. Quote Link to comment
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