Best GPS for caching internationally?

[+Matthewdk07]

Hello. I am still learning the ins and outs of geocaching equipment.  Someday, I would like to geocache outside of my home country. In general,  I do not want to go through the trouble of trying to use unreliable cell phone data in foreign countries, or have to pay through the nose for the privilege of accessing data in said countries, too. Is there a dedicated GPS model that can act like the cell phone app? The main feature I'm looking for is a live map that adjusts based on my location and shows me caches nearby like in the app. If such a GPS does not exist, what are some other effective methods I could use to successfully geocache in other countries? Any equipment suggestions are appreciated, regardless of how much they cost.

[+Viajero Perdido]

One suggestion of (likely to be) many:  get a cellphone caching app that's capable of working both online (live map) and also completely offline if desired (pre-loaded everything).  If Android, see Locus Map Pro.  If iOS, see Cachly.

 

I usually cache in airplane mode using the former.  And if I really need a spoiler picture I forgot to load earlier, off comes airplane mode briefly, load the image or extra logs or whatever, and carry on.  (It's for these rare occasions that I buy a SIM in foreign countries, but I could certainly get by without.)

 

PS, I happily cache with this phone, and at that price, it doesn't even have to be your "main" phone.  Even without a SIM (monthly cost: $0), you can set everything up by WiFi.  Search aliexpress for "rugged phone" for plenty of options.

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Viajero Perdido

[+Mineral2]

The short answer is no. The long answer is... Sort of. The Oregon 700 and gpsMap66 both have live capabilities, but require access to an internet connection to work. Thus for a true live map in the field, you still need to carry around a cell phone with data service. However, both will also let you make and download search results on wifi (including pocket queries), meaning that you could plan your day's adventure from a public Access point without the need to connect to a computer to transfer files. Of course, you can also save the same information on your phone over wifi for offline use. So the need for a separate GPS is unnecessary if you're already used to geocaching with your phone.

 

If you don't want to use any internet while abroad, the best you can do on a phone or GPS is run Pocket Queries for the area you'll be in just before your trip and download them for offline use (phone) or to your GPS and just be ok with your data not being up to date to the minute. Honestly, having data that fresh isn't really necessary, though if your trip is more than a week or two, it's nice to get more recent data.

Edited September 12, 2019 by Mineral2

[+Atlas Cached]

3 hours ago, Matthewdk07 said:

... I do not want to go through the trouble of trying to use unreliable cell phone data in foreign countries, or have to pay through the nose for the privilege of accessing data in said countries... The main feature I'm looking for is a live map that adjusts based on my location and shows me caches nearby like in the app. 

 

Can't have it both ways.

 

If you want Live access to geocache data, you have to have an internet connection available.

 

As other suggest, the Garmin Oregon 7x0 and GPSMAP 66 series both are capable of loading and displaying live geocache data in the field via shared internet connection through your phone or a Wi-Fi hotspot.

 

At this time, there are no other GPSr that have this feature.

[+colleda]

The last time I was in the UK I purchased a SIM after landing at Heathrow. It was fairly cheap (compared to here in Australia) with data allowance and could be used in Europe too. My Motorola G4 Plus phone has dual SIM capability so that I could swap between the two depending on what was a cheaper option, calls, text etc. BTW I also take my Garmin GPSr. BTW the SIM provider was EE.

[+Matthewdk07]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I have a better idea of what I want to do for future trips.