Sportrak Pro V. Vista

[UncleCoreo]

Does anybody have a preference between these two? If so why.

 

I'm looking to buy my first gps unit and am stuck between these two. Can somebody offer some wisdom?

Sincerely,

Corey Young

corey.young@verizon.net

[+15Tango]

When I upgraded from a Garmin GPS II+ about 8 months ago, the guy at REI said that aside from the larger screen on the Sportrack, both receivers were about the same--I went with the Vista out of brand loyalty, I guess, and I've been happy with it so far.

 

Think Globally, Act Locally

 

[+briansnat]

I have the Vista and like it a lot. From what I've heard, the SporTrak has better reception under a heavy leaf canopy, but I've never compared the two side-by-side, so I can't say for certain. The Vista is a lot smaller, so if compact size is important (which it is to me), the Vista is a better choice. The Vista also has a superior display with better resolution.

 

The SporTrak has waypoint averaging and the Vista doesn't. Waypoint avergaging sounds like a great idea, but from what I've read in the forums, it is of dubious value and may sometimes make Geocaching more difficult.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" - Abraham Lincoln

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on December 22, 2002 at 09:36 AM.]

[UncleCoreo]

Does the Sportrak Pro have a compass, barometer, or altimeter like the Vista?

[+Caching In]

Costco still has the Magellan SporTrak PRO Travel Pack at Costco for $289.99 with the $100 rebate! And at this price, how could you go wrong for a first unit. The kit includes the SporTrak PRO GPS receiver, PC cable, 2xAA batteries, vehicle mounting bracket, soft belt case, 12V car adapter, and the MapSend Streets and Destinations USA CD. According to a Costco employee, this price/rebate is valid until Jan 5, 2003. (I would check to verify this though, the 16+ year old kid who I spoke with, didn't seem too sure of himself).

[Chameleon Circuit]

quote:

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Originally posted by BrianSnat:

I have the Vista and like it a lot.

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I thought you had a Legend?

[+briansnat]

quote:

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I thought you had a Legend?

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You are right. But the Legend had to go into the shop for a tune-up, so I decided to buy the yellow e-Trex to use while it was out of service. For some reason, I clicked on Vista when I ordered. I'm not sure what came over me. It was like someone else made me click on the Vista. I received it last week and I think it's great. I really like the additional memory and the altimeter. Anybody want to buy a refurbished Legend at a decent price?

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" - Abraham Lincoln

[+Renegade Knight]

The Sport track has more memory and a the same antanai as the GPS V so it's better than the Vista under tree cover.

 

The Vista has a electronic compass, and a better screen, plus if you are a garmin fan the rubber band map page. Garmins seem to be able to handle tons of waypoints being stored better than the Sport track. (Less screen clutter)

 

The Sport Track Pro is priced at a point that makes it the best bang for the buck.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[Chameleon Circuit]

quote:

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The Vista has a electronic compass, and a better screen, plus if you are a garmin fan the rubber band map page. Garmins seem to be able to handle tons of waypoints being stored better than the Sport track. (Less screen clutter)

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That's one of the options you can set on the Vista. You can clutter your screen up really good with the maximum detail displayed.

[Minkling]

I have not used a Garmin eTrex, I have the Pro and love it. I did alot of research on both before buying one. The Pro does hold a lock under cover really well, I tested this yesterday. Also if you like the "rubberbanding" that is included in the 4.0 upgrade. And you can't beat the deal at Costco. Sam's has a similar deal on the Map if you don't need all of the memory.

[+Cachetrotters]

Not for any tangible reason, though. But I guess intangibles account for more purchases than cold hard facts, based on what I read in these forums.

 

In my case, the word “Magellan” appeals to me more than the word “Garmin”. “Lowrance” is hard to pronounce and spell correctly so they’re out, too.

 

“Ashtech” I like, and that professional brand is used where I work, and they were bought by Magellan, and now Magellan is owned by Thales, which is an industry leader in navigation and avionic instrumentation, which ups the intangible stock of Magellan.

 

Therefore, the ST Pro sounds like it should get the job done.

 

Since I carry a Suunto compass, and wear a Suunto Vector watch, I don’t need a GPSr with alt, baro, compass, and thermometer built in.

 

But would I use a Garmin Vista? H*ll yes.

Edit: In fact, I would love to use a nice Garmin to see if the grass is greener on the other side, or find out that it was just because of the angle of the sun...

 

don

[Annad]

I got the package deal from Sam's Club for Christmas. It included the GPS itself, carrying case, Map CD, and PC Cable. Don't know what it cost but am happy to hear there was a $100 rebate involved.

 

I love this GPS!!! It's light, waterproof, and easy to use. I've found 3 caches with it so far. I prefer the Magellan user interface over the Garmin - it seems far more intuitive.