GPS - importance of maps

[Gavalaa]

Hi all,

 

I'm about to buy a GPS and after researching I've decided to get either the Magellan GC or the Etrex 20. For use in the UK

 

I was leaning towards the Magellan as it seemed to be really well set up for paperless caching.

 

I've been comparing the specs and was wondering about the fact the Magellan doesn't have a function to buy and upload new maps to it. Do you guys think this is a big down point for basic geocaching or will the map already on the unit be fit for purpose?

 

Any thoughts on the question or generally which unit you think is best are most welcome!

 

Thanks

Gavin

[+LadyBee4T]

I have not used either unit but in general I would lean towards something that I could upgrade if/when I want to in the future without having to buy a new unit. By that I mean the capability to add more memory with a SD card or with your question the ability to add more maps. You may not need them now but you might decide that you want them in the future.

 

Someone who has unsed the magellan I'm sure will pop in here to tell you how good the base maps are on the magellan. I like street level maps and usually the ones that come on units don't show that only the large roads.

[seldom_sn]

There's a large volunteer community that makes Garmin compatible maps. garmin.openstreetmap.nl and talkytoaster are good places to look for UK maps. Both are free.

[+Atlas Cached]

I would definitely choose Garmin over any other brand, if for no other reason because there is such a huge user community offering free maps and other software/support for their devices.

 

I don't even know anyone who owns a Magellan.

[+LadyBee4T]

I would definitely choose Garmin over any other brand, if for no other reason because there is such a huge user community offering free maps and other software/support for their devices.

 

I don't even know anyone who owns a Magellan.

 

Many people around here use a magellan and love them as well as delorme units. I would not definitely choose garmin over any other brand. Availability of maps is only one consideration. I would chose a unit based on the features that I needed and wanted and also the price. My very first unit was an entry level magellan. Then I researched and got a lowrance h20c which I loved. I now have a montana only because I really lucked out and found a great deal on it.

[+Atlas Cached]

I would definitely choose Garmin over any other brand, if for no other reason because there is such a huge user community offering free maps and other software/support for their devices.

 

I don't even know anyone who owns a Magellan.

 

Many people around here use a magellan and love them as well as delorme units. I would not definitely choose garmin over any other brand. Availability of maps is only one consideration. I would chose a unit based on the features that I needed and wanted and also the price. My very first unit was an entry level magellan. Then I researched and got a lowrance h20c which I loved. I now have a montana only because I really lucked out and found a great deal on it.

 

Speaking of Lowrance, I purchased their $600 flagship model (Lowrance Endura Sierra) just so I could experience another brand... Having done so I am very happy to stick with Garmin units.

 

Anyone can read through these forums and see which brands have the most issues, and which brand has the best user and factory support. Garmin is constantly refining and introducing new features for all of their GPSr units, while other brands only offer updates and fixes once a year, if that often.

 

Anyone can run down to their local sporting goods store (if they have one) and handle the latest offerings from Garmin, Lowrance, Magellan, etc... and decide for themselves which units look and feel the most refined and finished.

 

Much like a Prius or a BMW will both get you from point 'A' to point 'B', there are some users who find they do not require a Garmin to meet their needs, but they certainly do enjoy them more.

[Gavalaa]

Thanks all

 

The links to the free maps to upload to the Garmin look really useful

 

If anyone has used them and comment on the it would be great

 

I think maybe i'll go Garmin if the free maps are decent quality

[+gelfling6]

I haven't used the eTrex-20, but from a Magellan GC owner's perspective, it's a toss-up.. The GC does a good job (not great, but good) for paperless.. It has its quirks.. (a jumpy display, since it doesn't have a compass, the screen tends to suddenly change direction without warning, (I have it set to travel direction up, never liked locking it north-up.) LARGE capacity for cache profiles, but.. s-l-o-w!!! (Welcome to the world of Windows-CE) the joy-button keyboard for entering notes, is a bit cumbersome.. (I tend to bring an old HP iPaq 3970 Pocket-PC for note taking, I simply assign a identifying code (C1, C2, etc..) to the note on the GC, then type (or voice-record) the note I'll put online (by cut/paste, or typing as I replay it.).

 

I've been able to mimmick the GC's note format, so even if I find a cache with another GPS, I usually upload a notes file to the site, and cover multiple finds. I've looked at the 20 at Best-Buy (here in the states), about the same size as the GC, all intent, it looks almost identical except for the button placements. I still prefer my eTrek Vista-HCx to the GC, though there are times where even the GC will actually out-perform the Vista.. (Again, it's still a toss-up.)

 

I know, not much help.. But, each GPSr has it's pluses and minuses.. the GC is just a little too jumpy & slow, but by no means a bad choice. Though, it could've been designed a little better (already tore the USB cover off the bottom. this is just the nature of the rubber.) It's by no means 100% water-proof. (especially without that cover! But even then, it's not sealed.)

 

Stephen (gelfling6)

[+phlatlander]

I would ensure regardless of the make of gps, that it can download and display TalkyToaster maps - the best for England!

 

I personally own a Garmin Nuvi 1350 and an Oregon 550. With a 4gb micro sd card in the 550 I currently have the following maps installed and displaying:

all of North America, England (TalkyToaster), Northern Italy, most of Spain, Europe along the Danube from Budapest to Nuremberg then to Prague, Mexico and Cuba and also city maps of Budapest and Prague.

 

All that to say that in my opinion (and use) I would only consider a gps that can handle an sd or micro sd card for several maps.

[+Glenn]

Do you guys think this is a big down point for basic geocaching or will the map already on the unit be fit for purpose?

It depends on the kind of basic geocaching you will be doing. If it is mostly around an urban or suburban area then maps on the GPSr can be helpful. Although because of the small screen size using the maps efficiently can be a challenge. If you venture somewhere rural or in to the wilderness you'll find that the maps contain very little detail and with the small screen your map is often one solid color unless you zoom way out. In this case I wouldn't rely solely on your GPSr for mapping. You can't exactly zip in to convenience store and pick up fresh set of batteries or mail your GPSr off for repair when your in the middle of a forest. Carrying a paper map is always a very good idea.

[RamblinBear]

In the UK, the support for Magellan is pretty poor - both in terms of maps and more general product support. Personally, I'd go for the Etrex... Hang on, I did... just a few months ago... :-)

[team tisri]

Hi all,

 

I'm about to buy a GPS and after researching I've decided to get either the Magellan GC or the Etrex 20. For use in the UK

 

I was leaning towards the Magellan as it seemed to be really well set up for paperless caching.

 

I've been comparing the specs and was wondering about the fact the Magellan doesn't have a function to buy and upload new maps to it. Do you guys think this is a big down point for basic geocaching or will the map already on the unit be fit for purpose?

 

Any thoughts on the question or generally which unit you think is best are most welcome!

 

Thanks

Gavin

 

Even if the map supplied with the GPS is 100% accurate in every respect (and the chances are it won't be, as there are an awful lot of roads, junctions etc) things change. Roads are built, priorities changed, junctions remodelled etc. If you can't change the maps in your unit how do you update it when, for example, the Hindhead tunnel is built, or the Bodmin Bypass or similar? I remember my GPS getting confused when as far as it could tell I was doing 70mph through a field. The maps in my car's satnav predate the Hindhead Tunnel and when I drive through that the GPS has no idea where I am, and acts as if I drove off the road at motorway speeds.

 

For geocaching on foot it might not be a problem, but even then you want the map to be at least reasonably accurate. I've tried to geocache in the US using an old map only to have problems because the road was shown in the wrong place, or the section marked as if I could walk from where I was parked to the cache led me to a major road that wasn't on the map but turned out to be a fairly new piece of the interstate.

 

I'd steer clear of the Garmins with the built in basemap for the same reason, you're paying for a map that will be out of date sooner or later.

[+Atlas Cached]

I'd steer clear of the Garmins with the built in basemap for the same reason, you're paying for a map that will be out of date sooner or later.

 

Don't confuse the Garmin GPSr Basemap and Topo Maps. They all have very basic Basemaps, and spendier models with the "t" suffix also have an intermediate 100K Topo map installed.

 

Better 24K Topo maps are available from Garmin and other sources.

[TScott27]

There is lots of support for Garmin and I've been using one too. For me that is the best option.

[+Huntleigh]

Even if the map supplied with the GPS is 100% accurate in every respect (and the chances are it won't be, as there are an awful lot of roads, junctions etc) things change. Roads are built, priorities changed, junctions remodelled etc. If you can't change the maps in your unit how do you update it when, for example, the Hindhead tunnel is built, or the Bodmin Bypass or similar?

...snip...

I'd steer clear of the Garmins with the built in basemap for the same reason, you're paying for a map that will be out of date sooner or later.

 

All the more reason to go for Garmin which has its "crowd sourced" free mapping fans.

 

The New Zealand Garmin community put out weekly updates on the NZ maps.

[team tisri]

I'd steer clear of the Garmins with the built in basemap for the same reason, you're paying for a map that will be out of date sooner or later.

 

Don't confuse the Garmin GPSr Basemap and Topo Maps. They all have very basic Basemaps, and spendier models with the "t" suffix also have an intermediate 100K Topo map installed.

 

Better 24K Topo maps are available from Garmin and other sources.

 

Sorry, I didn't make my post very clear at all. When I said "built in basemap" I meant the more expensive ones with the t suffix. Thanks to Atlas Cached for picking up my truly dismal post.

 

As Atlas says, -t models aside the standard basemap is all but useless. It shows a few major roads and only in very crude detail.

 

I'd still be a little cautious even with Garmin's 1:24k topo maps. However good they may be (I haven't used them so can't comment on that) if they include roads they will end up out of date.

Edited August 16, 2012 by team tisri

[Gavalaa]

Thanks for all the comments!

 

I went to get the etrex 20 but it was out of stock! Luckily my wife does Duke of Edinburgh so has an awesome discount card so we got the etrex 30!

 

Got it home and managed to get the talky toaster map uploaded to it fairly easily.

 

Took it out on a road trip over the least few days and it was really good. Usually all i had was an iphone so this time we could go anywhere knowing we would have a signal to help us find the caches. Did some great walks and clocked up 51 caches

 

Was a great investment for sure