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What is the best modern gps


Zebedi1

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Hi there, I have been geocaching for a while in Britain using my data on my phone and I would like to start doing it more widely and abroad. I would like to buy a gpsthat I can put the coords into and it navigates me there. Nothing too fancy. My budget for this is £220. If 220 is not enough I would like explanation as to why and I will raise it.

 

I have already found the Garmin GPSMAP 64 which looks good. Another question, do maos come free with the gps?

 

The requirements are ideally maps of the whole world and at least IPX7 water resistance

 

Thanks a lot, Zebedi1

Edited by Zebedi1
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As a community, we'll never get agreement on this, so this could end up being a very looong thread. But here's my vote:

 

  • A ruggedized Android phone (eg Blackview BV6000s, tough but cheap), plus

  • Locus Map Pro, plus

  • Offline vector maps (OpenStreetMap-based) from Locus or openandromaps.org.

This combination should be the ultimate Garmin-killer. I plan to buy that phone shortly (currently using a typical fragile Android), and can say nothing but good things about the app and maps mentioned above.

 

(Garmin would prefer you to buy their maps, but OSM is free and fast becoming world class. Remember how Wikipedia killed the encyclopedia? It's that all over again.)

 

PS, I see today that Garmin has a brand new handheld model, the 286 or something like that. But I sputtered when I saw the asking price: roughly four times the combination above.

Edited by Viajero Perdido
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As a community, we'll never get agreement on this, so this could end up being a very looong thread. But here's my vote:

 

  • A ruggedized Android phone (eg Blackview BV6000s, tough but cheap), plus

  • Locus Map Pro, plus

  • Offline vector maps (OpenStreetMap-based) from Locus or openandromaps.org.

This combination should be the ultimate Garmin-killer. I plan to buy that phone shortly (currently using a typical fragile Android), and can say nothing but good things about the app and maps mentioned above.

 

(Garmin would prefer you to buy their maps, but OSM is free and fast becoming world class. Remember how Wikipedia killed the encyclopedia? It's that all over again.)

 

PS, I see today that Garmin has a brand new handheld model, the 286 or something like that. But I sputtered when I saw the asking price: roughly four times the combination above.

 

And at that price, the 276Cx (which I believe is the model mentioned above) does not directly support geocaching.

 

As also mentioned, everyone has their own opinion and there are numerous threads discussing various devices. I have an Oregon 600 that meets my needs. I use it with free maps and do not see any need to buy those sold by Garmon. The 64 is a capable device and if I were looking for a handheld, it might be my first choice given the price. Most devices will store a lot of caches and get you where you need to go - it may come down to what you prefer: touch screen or buttons, display size, and the like. If you can try a device before you buy, it will probably give you a better sense than anything written in these forums.

 

These days, the only time I use a handheld is to strap it on the kayak console for general navigation and tracking. The Blackview 6000 (using GCDroid and OSM maps) has worked great for offline caching, whether it be on the water or hiking on a rainy day in a redwood forest canyon. Other than that the iPhone is my primary device for caching (including planning, management, and transferring caches to the handheld). We all have our personal routines. What works best for me may not work best for you.

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Hi there, I have been geocaching for a while in Britain using my data on my phone and I would like to start doing it more widely and abroad. I would like to buy a gpsthat I can put the coords into and it navigates me there.

 

Perhaps you're not aware that this was the first and primary purpose of the GPS receiver. Even those original GPS from the 90's let you enter in coordinates and navigate to them. So for this function, ANY GPS will work.

 

 

Another question, do maos come free with the gps?

 

The requirements are ideally maps of the whole world and at least IPX7 water resistance

 

Thanks a lot, Zebedi1

 

Handhelds come with a basic basemap, but if you need more detailed mapping, there are great free maps of Great Britain and the rest of Europe. You won't be able to keep the entire world on your unit at one time due to both space and software limitations, but really you don't need to. When travelling, load that map on the GPS before you leave and take it off when you get home.

 

Waterproofing, eh? Dude, do you even research specs on units before posting? I don't think there exists a handheld GPS that isn't IPX7 waterproof.

 

I suggest you go to Garmin's website, look at their handhelds, choose a few within your price range and compare the features and pick the one that you like. If you don't want to limit yourself to Garmin, Magellan is your next best option. But there do seem to be more resources available to Garmin users.

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(Garmin would prefer you to buy their maps, but OSM is free and fast becoming world class. Remember how Wikipedia killed the encyclopedia? It's that all over again.)

 

 

Love the talk of "Garmin Killing" :rolleyes: . Anyone who's been around as long as you should know that OSM maps are freely available for Garmin units. Link: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl

 

 

 

PS, I see today that Garmin has a brand new handheld model, the 286 or something like that. But I sputtered when I saw the asking price: roughly four times the combination above.

 

 

Who on earth would use the 276cx as a comparative point here? That's a marine chart plotter type device and is of course much more expensive. My Oregon 750 is one of the best navigation / gecoaching devices I've ever owned. The Oregon 600 is another great device that is relatively inexpensive these days.

Edited by yogazoo
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Love the talk of "Garmin Killing" :rolleyes: . Anyone who's been around as long as you should know that OSM maps are freely available for Garmin units. Link: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl

Of course.

 

But Garmin's map-selling business is competing with free (OSM and other fine maps).

 

And Garmin's hardware competes with the phone you might already have (essentially free), or with a ruggedized phone you might buy specifically as a Garmin substitute. The one I mentioned above is cheap and low-spec by phone standards, but high-spec when you compare to Garmin by criteria like screen resolution.

 

And for software, Garmin's single offering per unit (free and upgradeable occasionally but at risk of bricking the unit) competes with a healthy variety of Android apps to choose from (slight cost for the best ones). Functionality is comparable.

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The problem with a lot of options is they have not compared the newest to the newest. The newest Nuvis are still much better than what you can get on your phone for car navigation. Garmin is not sitting still. They are a lot different than what there was a few years ago.

 

As to the 276cx, it is not being marketed as a chartplotter. It is being marketed to the ATV and motorcycle crowd.

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The newest Nuvis are still much better than what you can get on your phone for car navigation.

 

I'd be interested in some details why the Nuvis are better than a recent phone, other than cell service is needed for the map updates on the phone. My only experience is with an antique Nuvi and the new ones have to be better, but in what ways? Thanks.

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Are you going to answer the question I asked? I'd like to know why/how new Nuvis are better than cell phones for vehicle navigation. Thanks.

 

You would need to sit down and look at the features and try them both or read some reviews as I'm not about to spend hours writing up a proper comparison.

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So your claim is baseless. Too bad, I thought there might be something actually useful forthcoming.

 

If you are truly interested, then YOU can spend some time researching and learning instead of expecting others to do the work for you. If you are not really interested, then it does not really matter.

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The newest Nuvis are still much better than what you can get on your phone for car navigation.

 

I'd be interested in some details why the Nuvis are better than a recent phone, other than cell service is needed for the map updates on the phone. My only experience is with an antique Nuvi and the new ones have to be better, but in what ways? Thanks.

 

The only feature I can come up with is the screen. Car GPS tend to have brighter screens that are more readable, even in direct sunlight. But even some newer phones have a boost mode for when the sun is hitting the screen. Else, with the abundance of both online and offline navigation apps and windshield mounts, a smartphone is at least equally as capable as a dedicated vehicle GPS. Some sites argue that it's worth having a dedicated GPS if you don't want to use your phone's storage to hold maps. If your phone accepts SD cards for expanded storage, then this isn't really a problem. But for models with fixed space, it's a consideration. The latest GPS units can even connect with your phone to make calls and look up local information, so... the line is certainly blurring. I think it's going to come down to personal preference in the end rather than an objective advantage.

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Smart phone app font sizes often used are a bugger at a distance for many owners (too bloody small, often an issue with poorly designed apps and higher resolution phones). My TomTom allows me to change font sizes, but even at its worst, is never as small as fonts rendered on my fairly high res phone.

 

Recent purpose built automotive units have switched from resistive to capacitive screens, and that brings with it the full high polished glass glare of a typical smart phone. Some of the older units with resistive screens didn't produce as much glare, though they did need additional backlighting to perform as well due to the slightly less transmissive nature of resistive screens.

 

Many phone apps don't do spoken directions worth diddly. For some, that's a deal breaker. On the whole, sound is better on the purpose built units as well -- bigger speakers provide better audio bandwidth and a bit more audio is available without distortion.

Edited by ecanderson
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As to the 276cx, it is not being marketed as a chartplotter. It is being marketed to the ATV and motorcycle crowd.

 

Right you are Red. The photo below, from Garmin's 276cx page, is where my impression was made. Clearly, however, not meant for the geocaching crowd which was my main point.

 

1478768371.jpg

Edited by yogazoo
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LOL, I'm not the one that made the baseless comment. I never asked you to do any research but rather explain the rationale behind your statement. Apparently you are unable to cite a single example that supports your statement.

 

We'll, for starters, my new nuvi has a 7 inch screen that I don't have to squint to see. And when my wife calls me on the road, I don't have to abort navigation. I can also load Topo maps with public land boundaries and other custom maps on my nuvi. Phone map choices are limited. Nuvi's have come down in price and are feature packed for navigation.

 

Take Red's advice if your serious about choosing what's right for you. There's plenty of information out there to base your own decisions on.

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...but high-spec when you compare to Garmin by criteria like screen resolution.

 

Having a lower screen resolution is entirely by design. One can easily, EASILY, read their Garmin screen in a variety of lighting conditions and in many cases without a backlight at all. Most phones have you crank up the backlight for marginal readability in bright sunlight which is a serious battery drain for marginal benefits.

 

There is engineering science behind the increase in ambient light reflectivity of lower resolution screens. Garmin knows their customer base and under what conditions they use their devices.

Edited by yogazoo
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Best is newbees asking about gpsr's use a gpsr for a while to see and feel the difference...

Those of us who have used both phones and gpsr's seriously for all around outdoor use ..also auto .. seem to lean towards dedicated gpsr's.. I have many phones..and many gpsr's... I leave the phone in the car... don't want to trash it out in the mountains and woods.. the apps and maps are so hoaky...I'm serious with gpsr's.. from saving or making files planning routes and actual use.. we hiked yesterday and my friends phone went dead from cold,etc. Garmin makes a rugged easy to use accurate gpsr's.. I know it will get me down from a long trip into the wilderness and mountain summits. None of Gamrins handhelds have let me down since 1997 when I bought my first Garmin GPS 48... Have had many since. Oh.. I still have the tracks saved since then too. Used an external antenna for all of them running the gps all day. But with Glonass in my Montana 610 and Oregon 700 and Monterra don't need it..amazing reception under tree cover and in canyons.. just in a pouch hanging off the pack.

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