Garmin etrex 30 Vs Garmin GPSmap 62st

[+TB-SE]

Hi.

 

I'm in the process of buying a GPS for Geocaching in Sweden. I've narrowed the choice down to Garmin etrex 30 or Garmin GPSmap 62s / st. The difference in price isn't so important here.

My HTC that i've used until now has three major drawbacks: the screen is unreadable in bright sunlight, the touch screen and the battery doesn't last long enough.

I understand that the Etrex 30 is very readable in bright sunlight, but I can't find any info on the GPSmap.

The GPSmap 62st has a preloaded topographical map. As far as I can see the etrex has a large scale "general" map of limited use.

The GPSmap has a highspeed USB, etrex has 1.1.

The etrex is smaller and handier, the GPSmap arial sticks up.

 

Is there anybody who has used both or can give me some feedback on the pros and cons of these two.

 

Regards

 

Tim

[+Croesgadwr]

Hi.

 

I'm in the process of buying a GPS for Geocaching in Sweden. I've narrowed the choice down to Garmin etrex 30 or Garmin GPSmap 62s / st. The difference in price isn't so important here.

My HTC that i've used until now has three major drawbacks: the screen is unreadable in bright sunlight, the touch screen and the battery doesn't last long enough.

I understand that the Etrex 30 is very readable in bright sunlight, but I can't find any info on the GPSmap.

The GPSmap 62st has a preloaded topographical map. As far as I can see the etrex has a large scale "general" map of limited use.

The GPSmap has a highspeed USB, etrex has 1.1.

The etrex is smaller and handier, the GPSmap arial sticks up.

 

Is there anybody who has used both or can give me some feedback on the pros and cons of these two.

 

Regards

 

Tim

Hi,

I'm sure that 'tr s' will be along shortly with his own thoughts on the questions that you've raised. I think you will find that he is quite an authority on the devices in question... A countryman of yours I think??

[+JL_HSTRE]

The GPSmap 62st has a preloaded topographical map. As far as I can see the etrex has a large scale "general" map of limited use.

 

The Etrex 20 & 30 only come with a lousy general map, but you can use the free Garmin Mapsource program to load other maps which are available free on the internet. GPS File Depot is - http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ - is real good for US maps, but I don't know if they have Sweden. I use a joint overlay of a topographic and trail map on my Etrex 30 and have been pretty pleased with it.

[+eusty]

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ has Swedish maps

[+kwcahart]

Don't spend the extra money for the "T", as in 62st, it isn't worth it when you can get better maps free as noted above.

[+TB-SE]

Don't spend the extra money for the "T", as in 62st, it isn't worth it when you can get better maps free as noted above.

 

Thanks for the advice.

I am going to buy an Etrex 30.

According to reports the only two drawbacks I can find are that the map redraws very slowly and that the USB is 1xx = slow.

 

Then I shall have to learn how to fix the custom maps...

But thats next weeks problem

 

Regards

Tim

[+bladesedge]

I have the 62s.... tell me ... is the etrex 30 touchscreen?

 

If so, batteries last a LOT longer in the 62s..... I can cache for a couple of days and keep my GPS on all day before I need to put my next lot of rechargables in. My mate I cache with has a Dakota, and hes always turning the screen off on his between caches and has to change them at least once while out on a day long caching trip

 

[+TB-SE]

I have the 62s.... tell me ... is the etrex 30 touchscreen?

 

If so, batteries last a LOT longer in the 62s..... I can cache for a couple of days and keep my GPS on all day before I need to put my next lot of rechargables in. My mate I cache with has a Dakota, and hes always turning the screen off on his between caches and has to change them at least once while out on a day long caching trip

No. The Etrex is not touchscreen.

I got it today so i've not used it yet. Reports say about 17-18 hrs use on good batteries.