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I need a new GPS


trevorh7000

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I am looking to get a new gps and am looking at the etrex 30 vs dakota 20 vs oregon xxx

 

I like that etrex 30 has GLONASS

 

I like the touch screen of dakota and oregon for entering field notes

 

I want this primarily for geocaching so I guess the touch screen is good but I would always have my smartphone for that - just that battery life sucks on a smart phone

 

Are the altimeter and compass worth having? As that seems the only difference between the dak 20/30 and its about 500 cheaper

 

Not intersted in spending more than 3k hence the models I have mentioned.

 

I don;t need or care for wireless - unless it is wifi for transferring maps/caches via wifi - but I suspect it is some propitiatory wireless thing.

 

Important features are ease of loading caches (via gpx file without messing with GSAK) and ease of loading maps by dropping them on to the sd card rather than having to use basecamp/mapsource to load.

 

Perhaps you can mention the positives and negatives of your device if you have one of these.

 

There is nothing wrong with my nuvi and etrex h but they are 5 years old now and I wanted a mapping handheld for my european adventure - I actually prefer the smart phone mapping but the battery and possible data costs are negative factors - or maybe I shoudl bebuying a large backup batter charger for the smartphone and be damned - but then I still have to mess with gsak to load the nuvi and etrex h

 

Thanks in advance

 

Other suggestions in my price range welcome - though the other GARMINS seem much more expensive!

 

I'll be doing my favourite cache whose name I may not mention in the little village of F..king in Austria - I'll be taking orders for my special commemorative Tshirt when I get back!!!!! Slogan - I went to Austria and all I found was this 1. F..king Cache. Perhaps once I have been there I will be allowed to share photos and my experience without getting banned!!!

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A caching friend has the eTrex20 and is very happy with it. The only drawback is the screen size. My son and brother both run Oregons and are also very happy with them. Only drawback is screen visibility in bright sunshine which Garmin seem to have addressed with the Montana series - which I have. Yes, a bit more expensive but in my view well worth the price differential. Not sure what they cost in SA but here we pay around R3500 for the 600.

 

Good luck with your choice.

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Look at the Garmin GPSMAP 62 (not touch screen). We've discovered we like it better than the Oregon for the crisper / brighter screen. Our Oregon 450 is probably 2 years old now and the screen is very light/faint and the touch screen doesn't work as good as it used to.

 

Since you're used to using the cell phone (with 3-axis compass), I would highly recommend getting a GPS with the 3-axis compass. Or else you'll wish you did....

 

You're not going to get turn-by-turn driving instructions with the Oregon or the 62. Keep your NUVI for that.... We use Oregon, 62s, and a Nuvi to get us to GZ.

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And I use my Montana! B):P:ph34r: Does it all in one - just like Aquafresh!! :laughing:

 

:laughing:

 

My screen is bigger than yours!!! LOL

 

But seriously... can you also use the Montana for a non-geocaching road trip? Like, search for restaurants, hotels, attractions, stores, etc..as you drive?

 

I like the Nuvi for what its supposed to do and its a bonus to be able to add geocaches to it.

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And I use my Montana! B):P:ph34r: Does it all in one - just like Aquafresh!! :laughing:

 

:laughing:

 

My screen is bigger than yours!!! LOL

 

But seriously... can you also use the Montana for a non-geocaching road trip? Like, search for restaurants, hotels, attractions, stores, etc..as you drive?

 

I like the Nuvi for what its supposed to do and its a bonus to be able to add geocaches to it.

 

Indeed. The Montana does everything that my Nuvi can do. I'm not saying it is better than the Nuvi, but it can do the same things. I do not use it as a Nuvi as I prefer the Nuvi for the "open road" driving. It is the same as my phone. I can use that for caching too, but I don't. I prefer using something that is purpose built for specialized tasks. Montana when I need a proper GPSr. Nuvi when driving navigation is requires and telephone when I want to communicate with somebody.

 

Yes, I hear those who say their telephone is great for caching and navigating. Used my Galaxy S3 once to try find a cache - never again. At the end of the day, use what you are comfortable with. I will never criticize anybody for their choice of instrument. They have a reason why they utilize whatever they do - it might be financial, physical, practical or whatever. That's cool with me. Nowadays we have such a choice there has to be something that will suit everybody out there. If not, tough!

 

Getting back to the GPSMAP62 - great instrument and has been around for ages and is super accurate. Why don't I have one? Too many buttons for me! I am a one finger person - cannot use 2 thumbs!! :rolleyes: As I said, there is such a choice. Go with what to are comfortable with.

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Trevor have a look at the prices from GPS City in the states. That is where I usually shop.

 

As for dragging and dropping maps without Basecamp / Mapsource as far as I know the only ones that you can do that with are here - http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

 

Open Street maps work great for caching et al, but I find they do not work when you want to find a specific address, etc. eg: Looking for 123 Main Street, Wherever does not work. Don't know if it is only my Nuvi and my Montana that does that but I've found it will only work if you have the Garmin "Navigator" or other Garmin maps. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

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Apart from the price, the Monterra actually looks like my ideal device.

 

I have always wanted an Oregon which can connect via wifi to pull down new GPXs etc. With the Monterra on top of Android it could allow for some very interesting applications. Certainly a very handy device to have whilst abroad and I think the wifi won't be proprietary but it will act as a standard IP device.

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Apart from the price, the Monterra actually looks like my ideal device.

 

I have always wanted an Oregon which can connect via wifi to pull down new GPXs etc. With the Monterra on top of Android it could allow for some very interesting applications. Certainly a very handy device to have whilst abroad and I think the wifi won't be proprietary but it will act as a standard IP device.

 

Monterra looks nice its exactly where I believed garmin had to go. I much prefer the navigation offering from my android but poor batter life means its not useable.

 

Wonder what Garmin has done to extended battery life - I see they have added AA batteries as an option

 

trev

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I looked at an etrex 20 (R2600) and oregon 350 (R3000) at Cape Union Mart and I must say both devices were extremely disappointing to me for that much money. I think with chepa smartphones I have come to expect better screens - both screens are small and maps were quite laggy to update when dragged. The definition of the screens and their clarity looked shocking compared to R900 smartphone. The overall handling of a smarphone is a much nicer experience and the two mapping applications I have on mine are great. Plus you get live searches and Google knows just about everything. The only thing is the poor battery life.

 

The Monterra may be the solution especially if they make it as thick and bulky as the oregon and etrex - then it can have a battery that lasts days - but ohn they won;t will they - it will be slim with a compromised battery no doubt

 

I can't say I am excited by either a oregon or etrex - I did not even look at the other R5000 units which was the montana or something which had something of a decent screen size. Even the nuvi screens are better and there is a nuvi for R1 400

 

If I coudl get a battery that was twice as thick as my Galaxy ace and extended it's life 24 hours with constant gps and phone use then I woudl have a great little unit - even if the gps was not as a good as one of the dedicated units.

 

Maybe I will look for a second hand unit as at least then I wont be dropping so much cash.

 

Trev

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Trevor, I've been caching with only a smartphone (first BB and now a S4) for the past 3 years for all the reasons you've mentioned above plus the fact that I don't like carrying many things around especially when travelling. The battery life can't compare to a GPS but one adapts to that, e.g. always have a charger available and only navigate when really necessary. But I must also admit that I very seldomly do more than only a hand full of caches in any given day...

Have you considered just buying an additional battery for your phone?

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What about one of these? http://www.mantality...ey-extreme.html

 

I need a new phone anyway and am looking at the S4 or one of the samsungs S4/S3 mini. WIll certainly buy some sort of extra battery pack charging device plus will have my trusty etrex h that lasts all day

 

No I need to work out if the camera will be good enough or whether I shoudl buy a camera as well - more strain on the battery!!!!!

 

I figure the cost of the phone R9000 but paid off over 24 months is money better spent that R3000 for a sub par Oregon and it will be good enough!

 

My mind is 90% made up - I just hate the idea of a cell phone contract I think they are obscene. I have thought about buying one when I arrive overseas but also don't want the risk.hassle of it not working back in SA or if it needs repairs under warrentee.

 

thanks all who participated in the thread.

 

Trev

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What about one of these? http://www.mantality...ey-extreme.html

 

I need a new phone anyway and am looking at the S4 or one of the samsungs S4/S3 mini. WIll certainly buy some sort of extra battery pack charging device plus will have my trusty etrex h that lasts all day

 

No I need to work out if the camera will be good enough or whether I shoudl buy a camera as well - more strain on the battery!!!!!

 

I figure the cost of the phone R9000 but paid off over 24 months is money better spent that R3000 for a sub par Oregon and it will be good enough!

 

My mind is 90% made up - I just hate the idea of a cell phone contract I think they are obscene. I have thought about buying one when I arrive overseas but also don't want the risk.hassle of it not working back in SA or if it needs repairs under warrentee.

 

thanks all who participated in the thread.

 

Trev

 

Trev - Samsung warranty is worldwide provided you by it from a recognized Samsung distributor. The S4 would cost you under R6000 here in the Middle East. For the S3 you can get it for around R4000. The S4 & S3 Minis are around R4000 and R2500 respectively. Furthermore, no contract hassles when you buy outright.

 

I run the S3 but do not use it as my main caching device due to battery life. I prefer loading everything onto my Montana and using that on my windscreen mount. Generally I want a GPS for what it was designed for - as with a phone and a camera! My S3 is purely backup if needed - both for navigational and photographic purposes.

 

I have friends who cache only with their phones - Samsung, iPhone and also BB. Another swears by his iPad!! They are happy operating that way and find the same caches find. Only downside though is they have horrific roaming charges when overseas. For some reason roaming data is very expensive in certain countries - like South Africa.

 

At the end of the day I would say do what you are comfortable with - or said another way - do what blows your hair back! Good luck and I look forward to reading your eventual review(s) once the choice has been made and the purchase(s) done.

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Caching overseas is bad news for personal relationships. You spend ages getting a sim card, downloading pocket queries, figuring out how to get it onto your GPSr, worrying about battery life and at the end of the day you forget to look at the flowers and whisper sweet nothings in a beloved's ear (or in the case of a beloved not available, anybody's ear). If you are going to be in specific areas then probably worth downloading a couple of PQ from home - that is where the dedicated GPSr comes in handy - cache data saved without having to connect to the airwaves. My ideal solution would be a smartphone with extra battery backup (there must be a way to use ordinary batteries with an adapter - newer smartphones have micro USB), or even a portable solar panel - think how exotic that will look. Best is to do what you have done - sniff around and pick a few to focus on, and try very hard to ignore the rest. I bought my Oregon 300 for R2000 2nd hand - not great in sunlight, but I like the fact that it uses standard AA batteries. I bought a camera that uses the same batteries, so can interchange or use non-rechargeables in a squeeze - that to me is one of the bigger plusses of the Oregon. Hardly ever use the camera though as smartphone can do most for the everyday photos one takes most of the time.

 

I got a gadget from a certain local Cape Town doctor (well known in geocaching circles) that must have come from a rep - you stick in one AA in the holder and on the other end are various adapters for all sorts of devices and voltages. Haven't used it though, for all I know it might be a chinese fake...

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I go with the pooks on getting a few PQ done before you go - this certainly helps if you have an idea of where you are going to be.

 

I used my Garmin Vista with open street maps as you know you can route to waypoints rather than street addresses. But then I did take my laptop also with all the data of those PQ stored in GSAK databases to feed onto the GPS. Did okay for me - anyway Trev enjoy and don't sweat the caches!

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I have been using the dakota 20 for a while now and I find that it suits my needs perfectly! PQ's can be uploaded to the device from your pc or the "Send to device" link on a cache page. This device's geocaching feature is perfect for those caching roadtrips. Another bonus is that if you are into mountainbiking or such, you can get a mount for the 20 and put it on your handlebars! Battery life on this device is fairly good as well. It is small, compact and the accuracy on it is good.

 

The drawback of this smaller unit is that the "keys" on the touch screen is also smaller, so if your thick fingers you might think about getting a stylus. Also, it is a touch screen so you have to take care not to scratch the screen.

 

As for maps:

 

I use open source maps. There are quite a few nice maps out there.The one I use most due to the good detail on it was downloaded from Openmtbmap. As I have a TomTom to use in my vehicle, I don't need the autorouting functions on the dakota. I feel that the Dakota was made with outdoor activities in mind and therefore it will be better to use it as such, but if you are willing to buy the Garmin maps for the auto routing then why not?

 

I'm more than happy with my Dakota and the only time it let me down was when I forgot to check the battery status before I left on a caching trip and forgot to take extra batteries along.

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Just a quick report back on the GPS situation.

 

I took my nuvi, etrex h and samsung galaxy ace. And my laptop

 

In hind sight the best solution would have been cell phone with sim and data connection

 

I used my pc for pocket queries and c:geo on the phone and had the etrex at hand as it is way more sensitive and accurate than the phone.

 

I don't think I can stomach another slow overpriced for what it is garmin device

 

I had a backup battery and then cell phone worked reasonably well

 

Will probably just get a better phone that hopefully has a better gps receiver.

 

Trev

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Just spent a week in the Sedgefield area and found that I used the Nuvi to get us to the vicinity. The laptop with GSAK loaded with PQ of the area was used to load the Yellow Etrex with the waypoints and the Nuvi then on-site for the description and hint - found this worked very well and was totally paperless which was a bonus.

 

Guess this could work overseas also - I had the advantage of being able to print wherever we stopped.

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