GPS Selection

[Guest Ambush Bug]

Does anyone have any experience with the Garmin eMap GPS? I was looking at the GPS III+, but I was told it was good hardware, but lacked street naming, and address finding... Yikes! This led me to the eMap. How does it compare to the GPS 12? Which is best for GeoCaching?

 

Also, is the "TOPO" map CD worth it?

[Guest aero]

I have both the Garmin III+ and the Garmin Topo CD-ROM, and I love them both. As for the street names, I think you have to buy another CD, but I rarely use it for finding anything but main roads and quick detours. The basic database is good enough for that.

[Guest Mike_Teague]

In response to the original, I use GPS's without (for all practical purposes) ANY mapping capability... My GPS III has the rudimentary US basemap, but for Geocaching, it is essentially useless...

 

The only maps I actually use are Street Atlas 7 before the hunt, where I might print out some relevant maps... Once I'm out in the area, inevitably, I find that I didn't print the right ones, or didnt print at the right scale, so they become of less usefulness... Then I bring out the Delorme topo/road atlas for the state that I carry in the car (these are very good now that they started putting the coords on the margins!) IF I happened to be REALLY planning ahead, I have USGS DRG quads printed out for the area.. These are usually even less useful than the other maps, as they are so outdated, but at least show the terrain a little better..

 

I find the more I think about geocaching, the more hard it is to describe or explain... its so great... SO many variables.. what works for one, may not work for another, etc. etc. etc.

 

Pretty much, USE ANYTHING YOU CAN!

[Guest Ambush Bug]

Okay, so I got the GPS III+ and it's GREAT!!!! Thanks to everyone who recommended it. I'm looking forward to getting some MapSource CD's eventually...

[Guest gpsfan]

Hi,

 

i am deciding between the Etrex ($109) and the G12 ($130-$140). I heard the G12 holds signal better under trees, which is important to me. Any thoughts on this or will the Etrex do me just fine?

 

Thanks!

[Guest andy]

hey, if you are in that price range you might want to conider the magellan gps 315, its pretty awesome, and around 150$, i've heard the etrex doesn't average, which can be a bit of a problem. the magellan does. plus, it floats. seriously though, alot of people are really happy w/it and have said alot of good things about it..i like mine alot. its also supposed to be better under tree cover than the etrex.. i dont know much about the g12, but you might want to compare specs w/the magellan.

[Guest Kairon]

In case anyone's thinking about getting a III+ -- got mine at Office Depot for $289.

http://www.officedepot.com/shop/catalog/sku.asp?ID=900495&LEVEL=SK&SID=LK16JEE6EJHN8HDE89U237JAAUHT0EB5&PP=14

[Guest discofever]

A heads-up on the Office Depot deal - the clearance sale has entered the final days, with prices for an eTrex hanging at $70 and prices for a Garmin III+ weighing in at a scant $99. Chances are, evey store you can find is sold out of the III+ units, but you can still find some eTrex units lying about.

 

Match that eTrex with the in-store offer of $10 off a no-commitment AOL subscription (I signed up and cancelled the next day) and then use the coupon at this cryptic link : http://ofc.rsvp0.com/servlet/website/ResponseForm?hMJEzmhkLl.25VT--.25VTbgmLkgHs.25VT.26tHps for another $10 off. I got my eTrex for $54 after sales tax - I bet one of you can do better, esp. if you get them to lower prices for an open box or display unit.

 

Good luck!

 

Note to moderators : if it is not kosher to post coupon info in this forum, please change the URL to http://bensbargains.net, where you need to do a search for 'Office Depot'. The link is posted there with Office Depot's knowledge.

[Guest discofever]

Addendum : it appears that the $99 price for the Garmin III+ unit at Office Depot was a severe pricing mistake. On the website, the price is already at $289, and stores appear to be a day behind, so this deal will dry up on December 18... for those that were able to get the Garmin III+ at $99, congratulations!

 

The eTrex and eMap prices are still the same - $69 and $99.

[Guest DannyThompson]

I can recommend the Magellan 315 too. Being in the UK one of the main attractions is it's ability to also convert between coordinate standards - if you're ever here trying to Geocache you'll need to refer to OSGB - none of our maps are Lat/Lon coded (none I've found yet anyway).

 

The Mag315 also averages, as someone else has said, and receives in some adverse conditions too. Haven't tried it's floating abilities yet. The wife looked at me kinda strange when she saw me taking it into the bathroom (where us UK'ers have baths!!) so I left it outside :-)

 

Rgds to all.

[Guest andy]

wow,

the emap is really 99$ and the etrex 69$ at www.officedepot.com

insane.

if you look at the specs @ garmin though, its obvious emap is really most appropriate for indoor use-apparently it can survive "misting" but not rain-so, its not really well suited for geocaching. and as mentioned, alot of people use the etrex/love it, but the lack of averaging can be somewhat annoying...but geez, these are cheap.. thanks for the heads up, maybe ill buy an etrex for a friend for the holidays...

take care

 

andy

[Guest andy]

ack! apparently, even though it says they are "in stock", when you order, they are out of stock..maybe some local stores still have one or two left....

[+Corp Of Discovery]

This was the last thread on the last page in this forum at this time, decided to give it a bump. Maybe if we do this occasionally new threads won't be locked because they repeat old threads.

 

Remember, wherever you go- there you are!

[LowranceTracker1]

My nickname says it all...... Just go buy a Lowrance Global Map 100 !

[+GLM]

If you can get a III+ for $99, jump on it!!

But, if it is $289, I would throw another $40 in the pot and get a Garmin V with auto routing.

Here is where I saw the V for the good price -

http://www.gpsnow.com/gmv.htm

 

I have no affiliation with that company at all and I have done NO business with them. I was just pointing out that the V is out there at a good price.

 

Gary

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drop back 10 and ........trip over the cache.

[+Team Og Rof A Klaw]

I think the G12 is legacy.

 

____________________________

- Team Og Rof A Klaw

All who wander are not lost.

[+WildGooseChase]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GLM:

If you can get a III+ for $99, jump on it!!

But, if it is $289, I would throw another $40 in the pot and get a Garmin V with auto routing.

Here is where I saw the V for the good price -

http://www.gpsnow.com/gmv.htm

 

I have no affiliation with that company at all and I have done NO business with them. I was just pointing out that the V is out there at a good price.

 

Gary

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drop back 10 and ........trip over the cache.

---

 

If I had a time machine I would go for it myself!