Using a Garmin Nuvi

[+Restcure794]

I'm using my iPhone app for geocaching right now, but I'm wondering if anyone has used their Garmin Nuvi and does it work for geocaching.

[+JohnCNA]

I found my first few caches using my Nuvi. It did not work very well. A fairly new smartphone is a far superior choice.

[+colleda]

We used a Garmin Nuvi for our first 6 months. It worked quite well except for battery life and trying to read the screen in daylight. We used a GSAK macro to download caches to it so that the caches appear in Extras. Using the normal download to Nuvi "Geocache Friendly" the caches load into "favorites" but you only get the GC number whereas using the macro you get the cache name and hint but not previous logs or cache description (that may be due to the maco we use).

[+Lieblweb]

Never used it to find the caches, but we use it all the time to drive-to the nearest parking areas of the caches.

 

You can load caches into the Nuvi using several different methods - with GSAK and/or POI Loader. We currently use export function in GSAK (no POI loader or macro).

 

I've known a couple people to use the Nuvi. Nothing wrong with using it (or any method) as long as you're having fun. Whatever method you use - You will discover if that method is suitable to YOU and/or whether you experience limitations.

 

If you already have a smart phone, it'll be your best & most efficient option. But hell........experiment a little and try out the Nuvi. Something different and/or challenging.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Garmin nüvi is very good at getting you to the nearest road to the cache. (We love Miss Bossy, our nüvi!)

But, I am not going to park on the shoulder on the New Jersey Turnpike, climb the fence, and swim across the swamp. That's where parking coordinates are nice. But even those can be tough if the parking coordinates are not on a road.

And, I think Garmin gets a payback when Miss Bossy keeps directing us onto toll roads, like the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. Yes. They may be a few minutes shorter, but, thanks, I'd rather travel on the local, non-toll) roads.

We've never tried using the nüvi to get to the cache. Her job is to get us near the cache. Then we use Gupy (Garmin eTrex 30) to get us to the cache. That's his job.

[+LewisClan77]

I have a Nuvi 500 and it has geocaches on it just like the Oregon. No Macro needed

[+Chrysalides]

I have a Nuvi 500 and it has geocaches on it just like the Oregon. No Macro needed

Yes, except the Nuvi 500 is a little too small for car navigation, and has been discontinued by Garmin some time ago (meaning the maps are horribly outdated). I'm amused that Amazon offered me to trade in one for a 50 cents gift card

[+kunarion]

I'm wondering if anyone has used their Garmin Nuvi and does it work for geocaching.

The Nuvi is designed for car navigation. So it's supposed to stay plugged into the power jack, has a short battery life, it's not waterproof, and keeps to roads. And the info is presented differently than on the Apps. Mine has only the cache number, although the cache name is shown when I click a cache number. Various models are different, of course. On some you may load an entire PQ easily, but then have to delete each cache manually (they become POIs).

 

I tried it with my Nuvi, and watching the coordinates click down was not my cup of tea. It also directed me back to the street around to the other side of the park, then on a straight line through everyone's property to the cache. Mine sticks to streets until it can't compute any more, regardless of the setting.

 

But lots of people use Nuvis for Geocaching. You could save data usage by loading a select cache or two, especially good if it's just a short walk from the car, and if for those caches you don't require all the info you would get on the cache page.

Edited July 16, 2014 by kunarion

[+tomtwogates]

I have 1000 un-found caches on my Nuvi - which I load via a GSAK macro every now and again - use it to get to the nearest road then use my trusty old Yellow Etrex to find the box. The proximity alarm is useful and lets you know when you get to around 400m of a cache. The Nuvi stores the whole cache description, hints, etc. and the last few logged finds.

[+Chrysalides]

I have 1000 un-found caches on my Nuvi - which I load via a GSAK macro every now and again - use it to get to the nearest road then use my trusty old Yellow Etrex to find the box. The proximity alarm is useful and lets you know when you get to around 400m of a cache. The Nuvi stores the whole cache description, hints, etc. and the last few logged finds.

I use the macro on a Nuvi, together with a handheld, to help me drive to a cache as well. But I disabled the proximity alarm a long time ago, it was too much of a distraction for me

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

NUVI 500, is great for Cache Machines in the Northwest.

 

Northwest Topos & Northwest Trails added it works wonders. Pop in a PQ and you are off and running.

[+Orcus79]

I find the NUVI I have is less then ideal, being the 1450 its large, cumbersome and not very accurate. I now use it to get to the general area with the routing (many caches here are on back roads) and now use a Dakota 10 to home in on the cache.

[+lowca]

I've used Nuvi for 3 years. I've written custom program that converts standard GPX file, then I load converted file using POILoader. I have access to logs, cache description etc then - everything I need.

But I agree that short battery life is a disadvantage.