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I've been geocaching for a few years now. I use my android phone now but REALLY want a gps. I had the starter Magellan a few years back but it wAs hard to use and eventually stopped working. Anyway I'm between the Garmin (my favorite brand) Oregon 600,650,&700. Any thoughts or other ideas would be appreciated. A big thing for me is ease of finding/loading caches on the fly. I'm not a big sit on a computer mind of guy.more of a hey let's see what is in the area mind of guy.

Thanks!

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Thanks for the help! I really don't like using my phone. I am leaning toward the 700 for the easy of loading caches. The only issue is I've read some great reviews and I've read some really bad reviews. I'm looking to use it for 95% geocaches and maybe a little hiking. No driving or off-roading or boating or anything. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the unit?is there a way to connect a 600/650 to a phone to transfer geocache info over? Maybe by a cable? Thanks again for the help!

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Thanks for the help! I really don't like using my phone. I am leaning toward the 700 for the easy of loading caches. The only issue is I've read some great reviews and I've read some really bad reviews. I'm looking to use it for 95% geocaches and maybe a little hiking. No driving or off-roading or boating or anything. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the unit?is there a way to connect a 600/650 to a phone to transfer geocache info over? Maybe by a cable? Thanks again for the help!

 

Bad reviews for the Oregon 7x0 series? Where? I have one, best geocaching GPSr I have ever owned!

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I have a 700 and like it. Some things annoy me such as the sometimes flaky connectivity to Geocaching.com but without knowing that could be Geocaching.com breaking it vs Garmin. The screen is also very sensitive and you need to get in the habit of locking it so it doesn't accidentally start moving through menus, changing the display, etc.

Otherwise it works very well and is very configurable.

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Is there a way to connect a 600/650 to a phone to transfer geocache info over? Maybe by a cable? Thanks again for the help!

 

If you are a "let's see what is in the area" type of cacher and put everything you see on your gpsr, the 700 might serve you well provided you have service for it to connect.

 

If you commonly do more planning - whether it be to load a pocket query before heading out to where there is no service or to identify particular caches to do, using your phone and a cable with the 600 or 650 would be fine.

 

I have no interest in doing most of the caches that a 700 would load so I stuck with the 600 when I want to use a gpsr. At the same time I do not want to bring a computer with me just to cache. So connecting the 600 to my phone through a cable has worked well for me. It combines the best features of my phone, including graphics, to identify the caches I want to do and allows me to use the Oregon when I want to. I cannot remember the last time I used a computer to transfer caches to my Oregon.

 

Although you can transfer pocket queries or gpx files from the web site, I think it helps to use a caching app that can export gpx files after doing a live search or importing a query.

 

With my iPhone I use a small wifi router (about the size of my phone) that allows me to connect the 600 to it through a USB cable. Androids can transfer files through OTG cables.

Edited by geodarts
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I have no interest in doing most of the caches that a 700 would load

 

What would they load and what would they not load? I was under the impression that It would load anything on the gc website? Sorry for my misunderstanding. I'm not the most computer savy. Thanks for all the input

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There's no restriction on caches on any GPS. Some older models restrict the number you can have loaded at any one time, but you can install any cache you please. As long as you have access to it (IE, PMO caches will be harder to come by if you don't have a premium membership)

Edited by Mineral2
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I have no interest in doing most of the caches that a 700 would load

 

What would they load and what would they not load? I was under the impression that It would load anything on the gc website? Sorry for my misunderstanding. I'm not the most computer savy. Thanks for all the input

 

It's just a matter of personal preference. I don't want to use my gpsr to see everything around me that is on the gc website, but only particular caches that I am interested in doing. And I primarily use the Oregon when kayaking or biking - often out of service range. I identify the caches I want to find first. If plans change I can always add caches on the fly with my phone or tablet and a cable. So the 600 serves me well and has all the connectivity that I need.

 

Several months ago my gpsr fell into deep muddy tidal water. I replaced it with another 600. But if you want more caches on your gpsr, and to be connected with your gpsr to Groundspeak within service range, then the 700 woukd meet your needs better.

Edited by geodarts
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