Yet Another Gps Purchase Question

[+Gizmo & Brazin]

I have seen a lot of questions and debates over which gps units are the best and why. I need advice on which gps is the absolute EASIEST to operate. I mean REALLY simple. I think my dad would love geocaching and I plan to but him a gps for Father's Day. But he is extremely computer/technology challenged. I need something that he can just enter waypoints in, and go. The fewer steps, the fewer buttons, the better. Let's not even consider cables and downloading waypoints, it would be a disaster. I know my dad well, but he and technology are at odds. I am thinking a gecko, from what I have read. Would this be the best choice? I'd like to keep it under $180. Thanks for any advice!

[+briansnat]

The Garmin Gecko is very simple to operate. The 201 model is the better choice because its a lot more versatile than the 101, without losing the simplicity. But since you insist that he will never download waypoints, then go with the 101. It's less than $100 most places.

 

I'd still get him the 201 in the event that he ever decides to do downloading, because it's far easier to dowload waypoints than to input them by hand, even for the technically challenged.

Edited May 23, 2004 by briansnat

[+LarsThorwald]

I'm still liking the eTrex units, but I don't have 7000+ posts...

[nyvram]

I've almost got 10 now. ;-)

 

Personally I like the eTrex I bought ($99) and has the possibilty of using a cable with it down the road if you ever think he can handle that.

 

To be honest, I think the sport begets the tech. I have found that my interest has already gotten me hooked on GSAK and I haven't even recieved my cable to the eTrex yet. This, coming from Mr. 'I found 1 cache so far'.

 

Tip: in GSAK set your 'double-click' behavior to launch the web-based URL. That way you can get the most of the benefits of tracking your caching without incurring the 'premium member' cost right away.

[+briansnat]

I'm still liking the eTrex units, but I don't have 7000+ posts

 

I'm still wondering what one has to do with the other .

 

Anyway, I have the eTrex and the Gecko 201. Though the eTrex is a fine unit, the Gecko is far easier to use and I think would be better for the tech challenged user.

Edited May 23, 2004 by briansnat

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

I, too, agree that the Geko is just about the easiest thing out there to operate. I have owned/used a Legend, frequently cache with someone who uses the Yellow, and my folks also use a yellow... When I wanted to buy a less-expensive, very easy to use new GPSr, I bought the Geko 201.

 

One of the biiiiiig things the Geko has going for it is that it has the buttons on the front - there's no confusion as to what they are like there can be with the Yellow.

 

Have a look. I think you'll like it.

 

 

-=-

michelle

[Shep, Seren & Tess Dog]

Hello, Im new too!

We accidently stumbled on a cache in S. Scotland back in March, & decided that this was the hobby for us! We are both terrified of technology (I can just about manage v. basic stuff on a computer, but hubby is totally lost) So we needed a v. basic & user friendly GPS, so we bought a brand new Gecko 101 one off E Bay for £60 - (I think that would be app $100).Weve had it for a bout a week now, & we are getting along just fine with it.We went off for the weekend to the south coast, & managed to find 3 caches straight away!

So all in all, we are very happy with our purchase!

Seren.x

[thorin]

The Garmin Gecko is very simple to operate. The 201 model is the better choice because its a lot more versatile than the 101, without losing the simplicity. But since you insist that he will never download waypoints, then go with the 101. It's less than $100 most places.

 

I'd still get him the 201 in the event that he ever decides to do downloading, because it's far easier to dowload waypoints than to input them by hand, even for the technically challenged.

I agree with briansnat. I picked up a Geko 201 recently and it's been great to GC'ing so far. I've even got my wife and brother-in-law hooked using this cheap unit. I purchased it at CanadianTire who normall has it for $199 CDN, then price matched $164 of a local store and gave me 10% back in CT money (so I have another $21 in CanadianTire money to purchase a compass or something completely unrelated down the road). Alot of people complain about the data cable not coming with it but there are plenty of ways around that.

 

Buy It Cheap

Build Your Own (Basically free ..... I've dont this with no problems)

Cheap Cable or even Cheaper do-it-yourself ends

 

Thorin

[+bons]

While I would normally be all over the 101 especially because of the price and because you say he'll never download waypoints, for the technically challenged I agree with Brian, get the 201. It has two big advantages for the technically challenged.

 

1) You can plug it into a $8 cigarette adaptor and keep your batteries from dying as you drive.

2) Someone else can download waypoints into it for him.

 

I don't mind entering my own waypoints. I'm not going to hunt that many caches on a weekend so I don't need the ability to download 500 waypoints in order to look for 10. But if it was someone else's GPS, I'd rather just dump it fill of waypoints and forget about it.

 

It's not hard to set up a PQ for someone, set up their box so that opening the file will open GSAK and teach them how to load the waypoints onto their GPS from GSAK.

 

Sure, someone else has to do all the setup, but for the technically challenged it may be worth it.

[+Renegade Knight]

It's all been said. Except I find EasyGPS easier to use to load waypoints than anything else. Especially since that's about all it does. Nothing to screw up.