Best GPS

[Miles5150]

I'm about to buy a new GPS and would like some advice as to which is best. Post here or email me at julio5150@hotmail.com. Thanks!

[+4forfun]

We have the yellow Garmin ETREX. It was only 79 dollars and has never given us any problems and we have found all our caches. It doesn't have map functions or anything fancy, but we didn't buy it for that.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

You'll get a different response from every user. I have a Magellen 315 which works fine but I'm thinking about moving up to a Garmin V which is about a 500 dollar unit. Seems like that thing has all you can want in a unit.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

[+RangerRick]

Should be able to get the Garmin GPS V for about $385.00 US currency.

[+KYtrex]

I am currently using a Garmin Yellow Etrex. I have had it for about five months and still love it. It is a nice starter unit and it is very easy to use. I also recently ordered a Garmin V and am waiting for it to arrive (hopefully tomorrow) in time for the weekend. The Etrex will work well for caching and hiking, but I think a unit that can be loaded with topo maps would definitely be a plus. I sometimes wish I would have started with a mapping unit. Overall, it depends on how much you have to spend. If you have a little, I would go with a basic Etrex, but if you have a few dollars laid back for a rainy day, I would at least buy a mapping unit. I would search Garmin and Magellan sites and compare prices and features. You can also order through the geocaching.com site and they will get a small commission to help run the site. Hope this has helped.

 

KYtrex

[+Salvelinus]

I have a Lowrance Global Map 100 and a Garmin Vista. The Lowrance was about $120 and the Garmin was $265.

 

To be honest, I'll take the Lowrance any day. It has equivelent, if not better, mapping capability to the Garmin and stays locked on in heavy canopy much better. Its really an amazing unit. The Garmin is smaller and much easier to deal with because of its size and weight, but I find myself leaving it behind most of the time. We have lots of trees in PA!

 

Best of all, its not much more $$ than the basic Garmin yellow E-trex and has mapping built in. Either unit is great, I just find the Lowrance suits me better.

 

Never used a Magellen product, so I can't comment on them.

 

Good Luck!

Smoochnme

 

"Only when the last tree is cut,

and the last stream is polluted,

and the last fish is caught,

will we realize that you can't eat the money"

[Steak N Eggs]

We have two and there both Mag's. A 315 (old reliable upgraded to the 3.15 firmware) and a Meridian with a 16 meg mem card. I use both (not at the same time), I just pick which one before my hike. Very hard choice.....

 

"My gps say's it RIGHT HERE".

http://www.geogadgets.com

12 caches in 12 hours.

[Steak N Eggs]

We have two and there both Mag's. A 315 (old reliable upgraded to the 3.15 firmware) and a Meridian with a 16 meg mem card. I use both (not at the same time), I just pick which one before my hike. Very hard choice.....

 

"My gps say's it RIGHT HERE".

http://www.geogadgets.com

12 caches in 12 hours.

[+sbell111]

GPSr's are like cars. What's best is determined by your needs and desires (and cash available) at the time of purchase. I use a GPS3+ and love it. I've used a GPS5 a few times and really, really want one. But I can't justify paying the money for the additional features.

 

Bottom line, Look inward grasshopper. If you love caching and other GPS-related activities, and you have the means, go for the best (in my opinion, the GPS5). If you are just starting out and not absolutely sure that you are going to stick with it, or can't rationalize paying nearly 400 bucks, get yourself a more modest model. I know people who cache with a basic yellow e-trex and love it. If you desire mapping, move up to the Vista.

 

Just like cars, there's a model out there to satisfy everyone's needs and desires.

 

Have fun!

[+briansnat]

Most people seem to consider the Garmin V to be the Rolls Royce of GPSr's. I can't say, because I don't own one. When I was choosing mine, I was narrowed it down to the Garmin ETrex, the Etrex Legend and the E-Trex Vista. I like the mapping capabilities of the latter two. I chose the Legend because it was in the middle of the price spectrum. I was concerned about the limitations of the 8 meg storage, but I've since loaded the Mapsource topo of all of Northern NJ from the Delaware to the Hudson, Southern NY, to north of the Catskills and Southern Vermont from the Mass. border, to north of Manchester, with room to spare

[rghermes]

I was a afraid of leaving the Vista in the woods too. But I leave it around my neck with the included lanyard, no problem

 

"I am umbilically connected to the temperate zone. It's brought me life. It's brought me love, I never have outgrown"----J. Buffett

[+Markwell]

I used the little yellow etrex for over a year and for 74 finds. I just recently got the 76S and have only used it for two "url=http://www.geodashing.org/]Geodashing[/url] hunts, but I really like it. Can't wait to go on a cache hunt with it and my wife and boy will still be holding the etrex.

 

The etrex is a great starter unit for someone just dipping their toes into Geocaching. Not much money put out, but you don't get all the bells and whistles of maps, WAAS, etc. And the unit does not come with a PC connecting cable (although you can get one for around $40US. Little Yellow etrex also doesn't do averaging and tends to lose reception under heavy cover.

 

Other than that, I still love my first love: the little yellow.

 

Markwell

My Geocaching Page

[Miles5150]

Thanks a lot. What I'm looking for is a cheap meat and potatoes GPS. Most bang for the buck, but pretty cheap since my wife has me on a budget! No more toys till I pay off the credit card, but this is necessary. There were some very good options in there. I'm doing a little research on the one's you all listed thank you so much!

[Miles5150]

Thanks a lot. What I'm looking for is a cheap meat and potatoes GPS. Most bang for the buck, but pretty cheap since my wife has me on a budget! No more toys till I pay off the credit card, but this is necessary. There were some very good options in there. I'm doing a little research on the one's you all listed thank you so much!

[The Artful Dodger]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Miles5150:

Thanks a lot. What I'm looking for is a cheap meat and potatoes GPS. Most bang for the buck, but pretty cheap since my wife has me on a budget! No more toys till I pay off the credit card, but this is necessary. There were some very good options in there. I'm doing a little research on the one's you all listed thank you so much!

---

 

Miles, check out this top website for all good info. about the various GPS units out there.

 

[The Artful Dodger]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Miles5150:

Thanks a lot. What I'm looking for is a cheap meat and potatoes GPS. Most bang for the buck, but pretty cheap since my wife has me on a budget! No more toys till I pay off the credit card, but this is necessary. There were some very good options in there. I'm doing a little research on the one's you all listed thank you so much!

---

 

Miles, check out this top website for all good info. about the various GPS units out there.

 

[Syn]

I would like to think that I have the best unit, but occasionaly I see others on the trail and see the unit they are using.

 

I dont know but is there a support club for people with GPS Inadequacies?

[Best_Buddies]

If you are looking for an inexpensive no-frills model, you have three good choices.

 

Garmin eTrex basic (yellow) -- No frills, but small and rugged. If you shop around, you can get one for around $100.

 

Garmin GPS 12 -- A few more features than the eTrex -- Still well under $150.

 

Magellan GPS 315 -- Nice unit. Has the advantage of a POI database, including thousands of cities. Not as nice as mapping, but still nice. The disadvantage is that it is not as waterproof or as rugged as the Garmin models. About the same price as the eTrex.

 

Garmin eTrex Venture -- Also has a POI datbase, but the most expensive of the bunch (around $160). Small and rugged.

 

Of course, you can get the Magellan Meridian Green (basic) for around $200 which offer a base map of the US. Later, you can add mapping software and extra memory.

 

The Garmin eMap is NOT ruggedized or waterproof, but can be found relatively inexpensively ($150 or so). You can also add memory and mapping later, but the memory will cost 2 to 3 times what memory for the Meridian costs.

 

Pick your poison. The good news is that when you decide to upgrade, you can sell the old one on eBay for 70% to 80% of what you paid for it (assuming it is still in great condition).

 

-----

Any similarity between my opinions and reality is entirely coincidental.

--Harrkev

[+TerraTrekkers]

My wife and I have three units. An eTrex, an eTrex Legend and a Mag 315. If I use the Mag 315 my wife will beat me to the cache every time. I like the feel and controls of the 315 but the heat of the hunt it does not seem to work as well as the Garmins.