eXplorist GC

[+firestronaut]

I'm looking to buy a Magellan eXplorist GC. I'm short on money so I need to make sure I get my GPS decision right!

 

I've been reading reviews, and searching for information, but there's a lot of jargon that my non-technical mind can't understand.

So I have a few questions, I hope someone can help me. Sorry if the answers are obvious, I have trouble understanding anything technical

 

I'll be geocaching in the UK and perhaps some parts of Europe with it, is it reliable in these areas?

Do maps need to be downloaded or are the built in? If so, is it easy to do this?

Is it easy to use and understand?

Can you search for geocaching on the go or do they have to be downloaded beforehand?

Has anyone had an problems (that's not a manufacturer problem) with it? Has it led you to the wrong place?

Does it contain all the cache information like the iPhone app? (size, hint, description, photos?)

Can you send logs from it?

 

Sorry, I know there's a lot of questions, even if you can only answer one, please help me

[Mr.Yuck]

I'm looking to buy a Magellan eXplorist GC. I'm short on money so I need to make sure I get my GPS decision right!

 

I've been reading reviews, and searching for information, but there's a lot of jargon that my non-technical mind can't understand.

So I have a few questions, I hope someone can help me. Sorry if the answers are obvious, I have trouble understanding anything technical

 

I'll be geocaching in the UK and perhaps some parts of Europe with it, is it reliable in these areas?

Do maps need to be downloaded or are the built in? If so, is it easy to do this?

Is it easy to use and understand?

Can you search for geocaching on the go or do they have to be downloaded beforehand?

Has anyone had an problems (that's not a manufacturer problem) with it? Has it led you to the wrong place?

Does it contain all the cache information like the iPhone app? (size, hint, description, photos?)

Can you send logs from it?

 

Sorry, I know there's a lot of questions, even if you can only answer one, please help me

 

This American can answer some. It's a built-in world-wide base map. You cannot load anything else in. Some will say this is disadvantage, but it's not like it will never be updated, ever again. Magellan can, and I'm sure will, update it as part of a firmware upgrade.

 

No, you must download caches ahead of time. You definitely cannot look for them "on the go" like a smartphone. Keep in mind this is not a problem for many experienced, hardcore Geocachers, as they get a couple Pocket Queries a week of their local caches, and update their GPS units. They've been doing this long before smartphones came along, regardless of what GPS unit they own.

 

It is "paperless" and I would say contains all the information the Iphone app does. I don't have one of them, I roll with the Windows Phone app.

[+firestronaut]

Thank you!

[+The Stainless Steel Rat]

I have had the GC for a month or so, I used to have an older Magellan 500

I would say its easy to use, as its made specifically for geocaching.That said if its your first model you will have a learning curve, finding out how it works, downloading pocket queries etc.

And it has a great road map built in, though all the info windows and numbers etc are much smaller than my old magellan.

I use a free program from Magellan called vantage point to input clusters ( pocket queries) of caches yo my unit.You can use other free programs as well, or do it cache by cache from each cache page.

have fun

[Mr.Yuck]

Oh, I forgot one I can answer. You can send logs from it, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to do this with joystick letter entry. And you'd have to have it hooked up to a computer, and send the logs.