first time buying GPS

[+sillymooses52]

Me and my boyfriend have been geocaching for about a year now and have been using an iphone app. It works well but i would like a hand held GPS to help be more accurate and compare.I have been looking and comparing and getting more confused as to what is good and bad, but narrowed it down to four.

 

Magellan eXplorist 110

Garmin etrex 30

Magellan eXplorist 310

and Garmin etrex 20

 

Trying to keep it around $200 or lower, the ones i listed are on amazon around the same price range. I'm looking for reviews and advice.

[alandb]

I like an electronic compass, so of the units on your list, the etrex 30 is the only one with that feature.

 

Another option just slightly over your price range is the Garmin Oregon 450 (factory refurbished) for $205 at Garmin's eBay storefront (eBay member ID is garmin). I bought a refurbished Oregon 550T and it had full warranty and was just like new.

[+Lieblweb]

If you're used to using the iphone...you'll want a unit that has a 3axis compass.

[+Socal ZukiCachers]

If you're used to using the iphone...you'll want a unit that has a 3axis compass.

 

The rumor is that Best Buy has decided not to carry the Magellan GC any longer and they're going to replace it with the eX110; so they're going to be blowing out their GCs. I was told to expect to see them selling for as low as $50. However, I can't guarantee this, but you might check your local Best Buy. Please understand that Magellan is NOT discontinuing the GC. This is only a Best Buy thing.

 

Also, as an avid Geocacher I wouldn't recommend the eX110 for Geocaching since it has a limit of 500 Geocaches. The GC and eX310 will handle 10,000. This might not seem like a big deal; however, a Pocket Query can handle 1,000 caches and the problem is that when you load a PQ with anymore than 500 caches you never know which ones will load and which ones won't! As a Beta Tester for Magellan I have a 110 and a 310 and you'd be much happier with the eX310.

 

David

Magellan Insider

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Given those models, I'd go with the eTrex 20 or 30.

[+Lieblweb]

If you're used to using the iphone...you'll want a unit that has a 3axis compass.

 

Not necessarily. You can easily cache without one, I have the Etrex 20 and have no problem finding caches

 

Of course you can find caches.... but after using a 3axis compass and going to a unit that doesn't have one - it's hard to get used to it.

 

We bought an Explorist GC and hated it!! Sold it after one week!!

[+phlatlander]

with apologies to Alfonso Bedoya ("Treasure of the Sierra Madre")

"Compass? I ain't got no compass. I don't need no compass! I don't have to show you any stinkin' compass"

 

I use an Oregon550 for travelling and geocaching and seldom use the compass. I am quite comfortable using lat/long, but each to his own.

 

The E30 would be my choice.

[+theosus]

I used an etrex legend for a little while, the unit felt a little small in my hand and I never got used to the tiny "click stick". But it seemed accurate enough for geocaching. Since I won it at a conference, I wound up selling it and going back to my sportrak map that I bought in 2003. I still have it, but it's just about reached the end of its life span. It lost me for about 45 minutes hiking last month, when I needed it, even under a clear sky, and the case has cracked in a few places so its no longer waterproof.

I considered the explorist 310 - it looks like a nice little unit. I dont know what kind of caches you are going after but if it's mostly stuff right off roads that would likely be just fine. I use my iphone all the time for caches, usually close to the road or where I didn't plan on caching (i.e. at a mall parking lot)

I did a lot of research and finally went with the delorme pn-60 - and I'll tell you why, although your needs may vary. I would say go with what fits your needs, not what someone else says is great or sucks.

First - maps. I want topo maps, not just road maps. I hike, and geocache while i hike. topo is very nice to have. Most GPS units dont come with topo maps. Buying the maps may run you another $100 or more, unless you find free ones that work with your GPS. The pn-60 comes with topo maps. Multiple tracks: My old sportrak supported one track. With the pn-60, I can download a track of someone elses hike, and follow the line, and compare the two when I get home. No trak "point" limits... you can keep walking until the card fills up. My old one would start tossing out the first points when it hit the 1000 point limit. Endless waypoints... not that I would need or want this, really, but waypoints on the pn-60 are limited to 1000 per file, but you can add as many files as you want.

3gb of internal user accesible memory, plus an SD card slot... a lot of GPS unit say "2gb of memory!" which they fill up with their maps, giving you 500mb or so for your stuff. My sportrak had a whopping 4mb of user memory, so im not sure if I will be able to contain my happiness over 3gb...

The PN-60 interfaces with a satellite locator/messenger. If you find yourself in need of satellite messages when you were looking under a lamp skirt, this might be extreme, but if you are 8 miles back in the woods on the trail, it might be nice to have.

 

A friend of mine had the dakota (i think). I considered it, too... I like the touch screen idea, especially going from an iphone geocaching app, but I eventually decided against it.

A compass was not my breaking point. I have a nice $6 magnetic compass in my backpack. I've never had to use it. I HAVE used it, and know how, but I've never HAD to use it. If there is a $100 difference between the GPS you want and one with a compass, you can save $94 in the camping aisle at Target.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Don't buy a unit without a GOOD 3-axis electronic pointer ( forget the compass.....with a cache loaded the " pointer" will always aim at the cache even if you are moving slowly or stopped, a HUGE advantage in challenging terrain and a pleasure regardless of terrain )

Unfortunately I don't think the Etrex 30 compass is working well yet ( firmware ? ).....sales are just around the corner and if you want touchscreen the Oregon 450 should be $200 or lower and my personal favorite the Garmin 62S was purchased for $269.

[bigbad401]

Cabelas has the Oregon on sale starting on the 23rd of Nov for $200. In store and online.