Geocaching Mode??? Or Not???

[thor2000]

I just bought a Garmin GPS V with the understanding that it had a geocaching mode. That is what the sales person told me because my wife and I told her that is one of the reasons we wanted to buy a GPSr. Well, turns out that it doesn't.

After doing some reading the Garmin 60C and 60CS both have the geocaching mode. Even when to a site that shows a video about it. Looks pretty cool.

However, does this mode make it easier to find the cache? Really, what is the purpose and is it worth it? I still have time to return the GPS V.

Oh, one more question while I am at it.

Is it worth spending the extra for the GPS 60 CS?

 

I thank you all for you help and look forward to reading your responses.

 

Greg

[+OzarksJim]

I own a Garmin 60C, and use the "Geocaching Mode" once in a while, but I wouldn't say it was worth the extra $. It is handy when you press the Find button to have a Geocache (Not Found) icon; that way, you don't have to sort through non-geocache waypoints. When you press the "Found" button, you have an option to save the time and date you found the cache, and then you can automatically have the unit look up the next closest Geocache that you haven't found.

 

I don't think it makes the actual search for the cache easier. It just saves you from pressing a few extra buttons. To me, having the ability to load auto-routable maps makes it worth the extra $.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Jim

[+Kai Team]

I haven't seen anything specific about the "geocaching mode" (could you post a link to that video you watched?) so I can't comment on that.

 

Looking at Offroute's GPS Feature Comparions table, it appears that, compared to the GPS V, the 60C/CS are:

 

- About 2" longer (if size matters to you ) - i.e. ease of carrying and stowing.

- About 3.6 ounces lighter

- 20% longer battery life; uses 2 batteries instead of 4 (less spares to carry).

- 56 MB of memory (vs. 19 MB),which allows for more map capacity and

- 1000 waypoints (vs. 500)

- 50 routes with 250 waypoints each (vs. 20/50)

- 10,000 track points (vs. 3000)

 

All three units have autorouting. The CS also has an electronic compass and barometric altimeter (also the difference between the Legend and the Vista). I like the compass - the altimeter is not essential to me.

 

In my experience, none of the rest will matter unless you plan to do a lot of very long treks without access to a PC to upload/download data. I have the monochrome Vista, which has 24 MB of memory and the same route and waypoint capabilities as the V, and I've never wished for more memory, routes or waypoint capacity.

Edited October 31, 2004 by Kai Team

[+briansnat]

I just bought a Garmin GPS V with the understanding that it had a geocaching mode. That is what the sales person told me because my wife and I told her that is one of the reasons we wanted to buy a GPSr. Well, turns out that it doesn't.

After doing some reading the Garmin 60C and 60CS both have the geocaching mode. Even when to a site that shows a video about it. Looks pretty cool.

However, does this mode make it easier to find the cache? Really, what is the purpose and is it worth it? I still have time to return the GPS V.

Oh, one more question while I am at it.

Is it worth spending the extra for the GPS 60 CS?

 

I thank you all for you help and look forward to reading your responses.

 

Greg

I have a 60CS and geocaching mode is a nice feature, but not a necessity. I'd bring my V back simply because the salesperson lied to you (or was incompetent) and buy it elsewhere. The V is a fine unit and so is the 60C/S. Before the 60 series came out the V was my dream GPS.

 

Its not worth the extra money for geocaching mode, but it is for color and I've read that the 60 series handles autorouting much better than the V. I have no practical experience with both but that's what I've read.

[thor2000]

I haven't seen anything specific about the "geocaching mode" (could you post a link to that video you watched?) so I can't comment on that. 

 

Looking at Offroute's GPS Feature Comparions table, it appears that, compared to the GPS V, the 60C/CS are:

 

- About 2" longer (if size matters to you  ) - i.e. ease of carrying and stowing.

- About 3.6 ounces lighter

- 20% longer battery life; uses 2 batteries instead of 4 (less spares to carry).

- 56 MB of memory (vs. 19 MB),which allows for more map capacity and

- 1000 waypoints (vs. 500)

- 50 routes with 250 waypoints each (vs. 20/50)

- 10,000 track points (vs. 3000)

 

All three units have autorouting.  The CS also has an electronic compass and barometric altimeter (also the difference between the Legend and the Vista).  I like the compass - the altimeter is not essential to me.

 

In my experience, none of the rest will matter unless you plan to do a lot of very long treks without access to a PC to upload/download data.  I have the monochrome Vista, which has 24 MB of memory and the same route and waypoint capabilities as the V, and I've never wished for more memory, routes or waypoint capacity.

Here is the link to that site with the video on the geocaching mode in the 60C/CS

 

http://www.gps.tv/mpage/60c/03m.html

[+Team Tigger International]

I have to agree with others on this. Return the V since they lied to you (you can buy it somewhere else if you wanted). If you want the color, battery life and memory, buy the 60. The caching mode is a great idea, but really isn't well implemented.

 

Wulf

[+Renegade Knight]

I have a V and the 60 has a lot of nice features over the V. Color doesn't float my boat but having seen the color screen compaired to the V it's easier to read in most conditions and that I like. Extra memory and USB for swapping map sets, plus the 1000 waypoints. All nice.

 

Were I to buy a GPS today it would probably be the 60C (don't need the compass). However since I have a V and it's a good GPS I'm holding out for a VI. Or the next version of the 60C.

Edited November 1, 2004 by Renegade Knight

[+JT & PJ Cole]

I have had a GPS V for a few years and I now use it Geocaching, as well as for traveling, both in the Jeep and on my motorcycle. Route and waypoint capacity have not been a problem, and with a little work the maps have not been either.

The longer battery life, color screen, and additional memory in the 60C/CS are all good selling points, but I cant see how that will help find caches.

[+Milbank]

Geocaching Mode, awesome!

 

I'm really kicking myself now.

I was in a cabela's store this weekend. They have a part of the store that has clearanced and discounted items.

 

They had a 60c for $338 I asked if they had the box, book, cable, etc....

Yep, had everything. Even a 30 day return on it if something was wronge with it.

The box looked like hell, but the gps seemed to work ok.

 

I asked if they could do any better on the price. They looked in the computer at the price and came back to tell me they would sell if for $308.

 

I came to get some software for my Legend, so I looked around the store well I thought it over.

 

Well I got the software and left the 60c there. I did not know it had a geocache mode

I think that it's preaty cool that geocache is something that is being thought about when making the new gps modles.

 

I would almost go back and get the 60c if it was not a 6 hour drive round trip.

Edited November 1, 2004 by Milbank

[+trail hound]

I have a 60C and I love the Geocaching mode. Great feature. Worth more money? Not really. Nice to have? YES!

Milbank. Do you need help kicking yourself? You passed on an awesome deal!!! Was that the Hamburg, Cabela's?

[+Night Stalker]

One of the nice things about geocaching mode is that when used in conjunction with City Select you will be able to see all the caches that are on your screen. This lets you choose which one you want to go to and of course City Select on the 60C and CS allows you to use auto routing to get to the cache. This has saved me a lot of time trying to find which streets to drive on to get to a cache in an area I'm not familiar with. 99% of the time it gets me really close.

 

[+Milbank]

I have a 60C and I love the Geocaching mode. Great feature. Worth more money? Not really. Nice to have? YES!

Milbank. Do you need help kicking yourself? You passed on an awesome deal!!! Was that the Hamburg, Cabela's?

It was the Cabela's in Mitchell South Dakota.

 

Yes, some help with the kicking would be ok.

 

I was so close to getting it. Guess someone else is going to get a awesome deal on it.

[team tisri]

The caching mode is nice to have but I certainly wouldn't pay extra for it. When I go out caching with the wife I'm using a 60CS and she's using a Geko 201. She finds almost as many of them as I do.

 

For me what sets the 60CS apart from "the pack" is the mapping and auto-routing, with a colour screen that makes it much clearer what's going on. The car dashboard-mounting kit coupled with the waterproofing means I can find my way to the nearest car park, unclip my GPS and aim for the cache and not worry if the heavens open or I drop it in the river.

 

Until I used the 60CS I'd have listed colour as a nice-to-have, although having looked at both the 60CS and a couple of other units that supported mapping but not colour I'd say if you want maps then you want colour too. Now I'm just waiting for UK topological maps to be released.

[+Jeep_Dog]

However, does this mode make it easier to find the cache? Really, what is the purpose and is it worth it? I still have time to return the GPS V.

Oh, one more question while I am at it.

Is it worth spending the extra for the GPS 60 CS?

(cough-cough) yeah, in my massive 8 caches found, my advice may be considered by some as worthless. (shrug)

 

I don't know much about the geocache mode, since I use a relatively cheap Garmin Etrex Venture. Generally I'm a minimalist when it comes to something like geocaching since I've been orienteering for 20+ years, and my experience is when you get within 100 meters of a target a good set of eyes and paying attention to the environment is priceless.

 

Recently I blew past some geocachers that had some REALLY fancy gear, electronics that rival a military aircraft cockpit, top of the line clothing (some official geocaching stuff, to boot), the great extendo-rod hiking stick. They were quite a sight, and I was very impressed. After observing the wonderous sight of such wonderous and experienced geocachers (going literally in circles, mind you), me and my little caching assistant (daughter who's just a wee shy of 2 years old) waltzed directly to the cache, played with the swag (daughter, not me), signed the log, re-hid the cache, and off we went again. The fancy-attired and electronically assisted cachers (with over 200 caches found) still hadn't the foggiest of idea where the cache was.

 

I suppose my point is that observation and situational awareness is worth the fanciest of GPSr. I'd opt for the cheaper GPSr. Then again, I'm sure I'll get a dozen or so cachers tell me I've nary a clue.