Magellan GPS 310 for Young Newbie

[+jhwf44]

My cousin would like to start geocaching and is only in the 4th grade and is looking at buying his own GPS. He can get the Magellan GPS 310 for $90. I would like to know some of the pros and cons of this model. He can also get the Garmin Etrex for $110. If I was him I would pay $20 more for the etrex, but that could take him a while to get $20 more dollars. What do you think he should do, and what do you knwo about the Magellan 310?

 

jhwf4

[Attila]

I have a Mag 300 (extremely similar to the 310). It's not as accurate as the others (2 decimal places not 3). It seems to be a bit slower also. Still, it has never failed me when finding a cache. I just have to search a little bit larger area. I don't know a whole lot about the etrex, but if it were me, I'd save another $20 and buy the Garmin.

 

"I've never been lost. However, I did misplace the camp for a few days." - Daniel Boone

[+pizzachef]

for about three weeks. It was actually a Blazer 12, which is a 310 without the data link. It worked well, but was sometimes slow locking on. But it is a 12 channel reciever just like all of the expensive ones. I now have a 320 which has tons more features that I am very happy with. Anyway, to answer your question: I would get the eTrex. Mainly for the display. I know those young-uns have good eyes and have no trouble seeing the displays, but the 310's display is similar to a digital watch's display, and the eTrex's is like a palm pilot (okay, maybe not THAT nice, but it blows away the 310). It also can hold more than just 1 route, I believe, and more waypoints. But the eTrex is definitely worth the 20 bucks extra...heck, look around on the internet and you can probably get it for cheaper than the 310.

 

And it's more user-friendly and looks more high-tech. Which also makes the young-uns happy

 

-pizzachef

[+pizzachef]

for about three weeks. It was actually a Blazer 12, which is a 310 without the data link. It worked well, but was sometimes slow locking on. But it is a 12 channel reciever just like all of the expensive ones. I now have a 320 which has tons more features that I am very happy with. Anyway, to answer your question: I would get the eTrex. Mainly for the display. I know those young-uns have good eyes and have no trouble seeing the displays, but the 310's display is similar to a digital watch's display, and the eTrex's is like a palm pilot (okay, maybe not THAT nice, but it blows away the 310). It also can hold more than just 1 route, I believe, and more waypoints. But the eTrex is definitely worth the 20 bucks extra...heck, look around on the internet and you can probably get it for cheaper than the 310.

 

And it's more user-friendly and looks more high-tech. Which also makes the young-uns happy

 

-pizzachef

[Mossy Oak]

Stay away from the 310 . For another $30 - $40, look at the Magellan 315 , will have all the bells and whistles you will need.

 

Do a search at the top of the forum for Magellan 315 see for yourself what other cachers thing.

 

Wal-mart Magellan 315 $147.00

[Mossy Oak]

Stay away from the 310 . For another $30 - $40, look at the Magellan 315 , will have all the bells and whistles you will need.

 

Do a search at the top of the forum for Magellan 315 see for yourself what other cachers thing.

 

Wal-mart Magellan 315 $147.00

[+phantom4099]

I am a magellan guy. But I still would recomend something other than the 310. Most magellan guys only consider the 315 and up as good units. I see the etrex is like $89 at walmart.

 

Wyatt W.

 

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

[+pizzachef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by phantom4099:

...Most magellan guys only consider the 315 and up as good units...

---

 

This is very true..for me anyway. The Magellan 315 is VERY MUCH worth the 50 bucks extra for the features that you get over the 310 AND the eTrex. I'd definitely recommend that one, but you question was between the 310 and the eTrex. Between those two, fo with the eTrex, but if you've got $150 to spend..go with the 315.

 

-pizzachef

[+ZachNLiam]

I got my 9 year old son the eTrex. I lucked out and found one "open box" for $79. I also noticed (at least last weekend) that Fry's had them for $99. I haven't seen them at Wal-Mart as cheap as the other post mentioned, but maybe they vary by region?

 

He loves it. I only wish I could have got him the Legend. He's envious of my GPSV and GPSMAP 76. He totally understands the maps and everything.

 

I'm even considering getting him an eMap (if I can pick up one cheap) and letting him trickle down his eTrex to his little brother (age 6). It's been VERY educational for him. He's been hiding little caches in the backyard, setting the waypoints, and then making me find them after work!

[+ionekoa]

in all the years of handheld videogames they have had all kinds of peripherals, sega even had a tv reciever... so why not GPS. (this is about getting a new one for the youngins right??) seeing the avatar w/ the kid playing GBA gave me the idea. including the directional pad (that little + used as a "joystick" for those who dont know" there are 8 buttons on a GBA, and 6 on my etrex legend. so operation wouldnt be a problem, and look, color maps and everything. (spending $60 on a gba is cheaper than muli $100s for a palm) now if only i had the money to develope and market it, id never have to work again.

[+ZachNLiam]

That's a great point. I don't know if you've seen Singer's (I think its theirs) high-tech sewing machine that does all kinds of automatic designs... They use a Game Boy Color as the computer part. They developed their own cartridge for it, and the machine plugs into the "link port" on the gameboy.

 

They obviously don't have any agreement with Nintendo on this, because you're required to BUY a game boy to use the machine! I thought that was pretty funny.

 

I'm sure it wouldn't take much for Garmin or Magellan to make a GBA cartridge to plug right in, based on a handspring-type receiver.

 

hmmm....

[jvavrus2000]

Try this experiment. Turn on the Game Boy and a GPS receiver. Then hold them next to each other. See if you can get a fix....

 

I tried it once, based on some comments from an RF guy, and it turns out that the Game Boy (and probably most other computing devices) are very good GPS jammers....