Recommendations for first GPS unit

[+Big84 1]

Hi All,
Now apologise if I offend people with this thread as I know its a bit of a newbie question but I have read through the last couple of pages of Thread topics and can't find the answer I need.

 

I've ben caching with my phone for a few years now and I am finding it more and more frustrating as my GPS signal keeps dropping out or jumping around like a loon.

 

I need some advice on a GPS Unit that is good for a newbie and is reasonably priced as I don't cache as much as I did. I have seen the Garmin GPSMAP 64s but not sure if its the right one for me.

[+Atlas Cached 111]

If you want to be able to load geocaches on the GPSr in real time, like you can with your phone, you will need to consider either the Oregon 7x0 or GPSMAP 66 series GPSr. Both are my GoTo GPSr for geocaching. All other GPSr will require tons of planning ahead of time to make sure you have the caches on the device for where you want to cache, then you will find yourself in a place where you dont have caches loaded, or you will find the caches you thought you loaded do not show up because you have loaded more than the max limit for the device, etc. etc. etc....

 

The Oregon 7x0 can be found on sale for a very reasonable price, and it is almost that time of year again for crazy sales!

[+cerberus1 1982]

3 hours ago, Big84 said:

I need some advice on a GPS Unit that is good for a newbie and is reasonably priced as I don't cache as much as I did. I have seen the Garmin GPSMAP 64s but not sure if its the right one for me.

 

Your most found caches in one day is five. 

If you're serious about "is reasonably priced as I don't cache as much as I did" ,  then the Garmin 64s should be fine.  

The 64 series uses buttons, so if you're most comfortable using a touchscreen, that's something to consider.
Unless you plan on loading every cache in the area, most modern handheld GPSrs will be okay.  I would stick with Garmin.

 

If "jumping around like a loon" is about signal bounce,  I assisted n tagged-along with another for a cache a couple months ago.

 - They were using the "top rated" model (66), and they had just as much bounce from a boulder field as my long-discontinued handheld. 

 

[+Red90 59]

Find a store that sells Garmin handhelds and look at them in person.  Purchase one that you like.

[+Team CowboyPapa 1]

Find a store that will let you try one out in the parking area and have a friend hide a test cache there.

[+gpsblake 8]

A Garmin GPSMAP 64s would be an excellent choice for the price point. There's a bit of a learning curve with any handheld GPSr if you have never owned one. Really good deals out there on the Etrex 30x which has a smaller screen but about $50 cheaper currently. 

 

The only Garmin unit I would say to avoid is the Etrex 10, it's just too limited. 

 

The advice given to look at the units at a store is sound although getting harder to harder to find outside a specialty store like Cabela's or REI.