New Guy Here - Recommend A Gps Please?

[+PC Painter]

Hey all...that was a LONG 24 hours waiting to post, while reading about all this, and wanting to jump right in. I love new hobbies, and haven't been this psyched about one in a loooooong time! Anything interesting you want to know about me will be in my profile already, and on my website. I'm really glad to be here! So, I've read all the FAQ's and articles and such...and I've checked out lots of cache listings in my area, and travel bugs.

 

I've also been looking at GPS units. I think I have it narrowed down to two models. I'm a bit of a techno junkie, and I know I'll use it for other things, so I think I have my heart set on a color model. I found a link to a place (www.gpsonsale.com) where I can get the Magellan SporTrack Color for $240, or the Magellan Meridian Color for $330.

 

I'm leaning heavily towards the SporTrack, because it's considerably cheaper, and has quite a bit of extra memory built in. But, the Meridian can take an unlimited amount of flash cards, so I could technically have as much memory as I wanted. I'm not sure I'll need it, though.

 

Let's say I have a topo map of the San Diego area loaded into my SporTrack, and I go on a trip to....say....Cleveland (I know...why?...heh). I could just wipe out San Diego, and download Cleveland, and then reverse the process when I got back, right? If that's the case, then I wouldn't need the Meridian. Is the extra memory in the SporTrack enough for a nice color topo or street map for my county or state? Also....is the website a site that is generally trustworthy? Can anyone recommend a better GPS (given my budget and preferences) or know of a cheaper price for what I'm looking for?

 

I know I'm asking a lot for a n00b here, and I appreciate any thoughtful answers you can provide. I look forward to being a contributor in what looks like a great site!

[+Renegade Knight]

The Garmin 60C or 60CS is worth a look in your price range. The Magellan GPS's are fine. However at least on the Sport Track Color the screen readibility can be an issue. I don't know if the Meridian improved the screen or uses the same type. The 60's screen is hard to beat even by a monocrome GPS which traditionaly is the king if readability.

 

Other than the normal Magellan vs. Garmin issues the GPS's you have picked out are good units, other than the potential screen issues. (Readability is relative so take a look inside, outside, and in the shade and sun).

[+PC Painter]

The Garmin 60C or 60CS is worth a look in your price range. The Magellan GPS's are fine. However at least on the Sport Track Color the screen readibility can be an issue. I don't know if the Meridian improved the screen or uses the same type. The 60's screen is hard to beat even by a monocrome GPS which traditionaly is the king if readability.

 

Other than the normal Magellan vs. Garmin issues the GPS's you have picked out are good units, other than the potential screen issues. (Readability is relative so take a look inside, outside, and in the shade and sun).

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll check both of those out. I'm a virgin at this, so I have no product allegiances.

[+PC Painter]

One more question, if you will...

 

Let's say I go with a non-color version, to save some money. Does a color version make it easier to tell terrain type, than a non-color version? My basis for wanting a color version, is to easily tell what to expect. If you can easily tell without color...and if you can still get good detail on a non-color....then I don't mind going non-color and saving money.

[+Texan78]

If you can afford a color unit, then i would go color. The are quite a bit easier to read. I would go with the Garmin 60 or 60cs like was suggested, you will be glad you did and will be pleased with it. If thats a little big pricey for you take a look at the Garmin Vista Color. I have the regular Vista and i am very happy with it.

[+PC Painter]

If you can afford a color unit, then i would go color. The are quite a bit easier to read. I would go with the Garmin 60 or 60cs like was suggested, you will be glad you did and will be pleased with it. If thats a little big pricey for you take a look at the Garmin Vista Color. I have the regular Vista and i am very happy with it.

The Garmin 60's were a bit pricey...I was barely ready to pay over $300 for the Meridian. I'll check out the Vista Color...thanks.

[+OurWoods]

Memory Cards > *

 

If you are going to be using it for other stuff, than unlimited memory is the way to go in my book. I use my GPS for navigation (work and play) as well as for geocaching. The ability to have maps for the entire east coast, as well as caches therein, all stored on handy little memory cards is great. I would be hard pressed to ever go back to built in memory.

 

I have a Meridian Plat. However if colour isn't an issue, and money is, go for the Meridian Gold. Same features, the only difference is, it doesnt do weather or have the electronic compass. That may or may not be an issue for you.

 

If you go with a Meridian be sure to pick up "DirectRoute" software. It's great for driving to caches, as well as anywhere unfamiliar.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I would recomend the Magellan Meridian Gold, but I am not a real big fan of color for geocaching, I just do not see a real need for it and for the extra cost of color you can pay for the mapping software. With the SD memory card you can not only expand the memory, but you can have files of waypoints stored on the card and bring up just the ones you want, I have mine broken down into regions the I cache in, San Francisco area, Sacramento, Davis and so one. Now while you are limted to how memory a Meridian can read on a card, there is a way to change this though I have not bothered with it, I have most all of Ca. and Nv. loaded into my Meridian gold using Map Send Direct route, not that I need that much, I just wanted to see what I could get onto the card, though I may go to Las Vegas in Feb. If I have time to do some caching I will have the maps loaded.

 

if your are not really good at reading Topo maps with the Magellan Topo software your GPS can display a terrain profile of the trail in front of you.

[+writer]

I've had no problem either using a monochrome display. In fact, you can happily geocache with pretty much any GPS receiver. So I'd go with something that fits your budget and not worry too much. After all, it's only going to get you close - most of the work is still trying to find the darned thing.

[+redsox2k4]

I have the Meridian Gold and Direct Route. I don't know how much time and frustration it has saved me by getting me to the cache easily. If someone posts parking coords, it will give you the best driving route to there and even if you only have the cache coords, it does a darn good job too.

 

I have a 1 GB card in mine, but even in a 64 MB I fit all of New England. Direct Route's the way to go and so is the Meridian, which ever model you choose.

[+AuntieWeasel]

I'm really glad to be here!

Color is out of my league (unless I get a really good Christmas bonus this year), so I don't have any advice for you (except to say, Garmin partisan that I am, the 60C is the one I'm eyeballing). Just wanted to tell you...you are SO going to love this. It's the most fun I've had in a jillion years.

[+G O Casher]

PC Painter,

Welcome to geocaching. It's a great hobby/sport/passtime that will bring you to new places that you never knew existed. Regarding a GPSr, IMHO there is no one unit that will serve all purposes. I also think that while color may be a "nice to have", it is not necessary for geocaching. You probably will eventually have two units, perhaps one for driving, one for caching. That being the case, I would start with a good caching unit like a etrex Legend or Vista. Then, later on, a good color unit for driving.

Now you have opinions that are all over the place. Start out with a lower cost unit, cache for a while, and then you'll know exactly what suits you. You can always sell the low cost unit if you are totally not happy with it, and not get hurt too bad. Cost is not a major factor in ability to find a cache. A basic b&w unit will find a cache just as quickly as color.

Most units are more than adequate so you can't make a wrong choice.

Good luck and have fun.

[+briansnat]

Color is nice to have. I got a 60CS a few weeks ago and love it. Its a great unit and the dedicated geocaching feature is nice, but I wouldn't pay the extra money just for color.

If money was an issue I'd spend my money on a top of the line monochrome unit and forget about the color. For $300 you can get a very nice mono unit. The Garmin GPS V and Map 76S are superb units in that price range and for a bit less you can get a Meri Platnum, or eTrex Vista, which are great units.

[+macatac1961]

I have the Magellan Sportrak Pro, I believe it's the same as the color only black and white. The positives are that it's as tough and as accurate as they come. I've dropped it on rocks, in a creek and even lost it two times and luckily found it again. However I have a problem with the battery compartment. The threads that hold the battery case in place have stripped and it no longer holds it in place, so I have it jury rigged for now until I get a back-up and send it in for repairs. 2 years old, still accurate and fairly reliable, so far. It's the only one I've owned but I've cached with many people who own the 60c and the 60cs and I'm wishing I spent the few hundred more for all the geocaching related features it has. That will be my next gps when the time comes. Like AuntieWeasel, you're going to love this game no matter which one you choose. Have fun, Mac.

[+Milbank]

Hard to say what one is best for you, but I don't think you could go wrong with a color unit. My next one will be color.

 

BTW: I took a look at your home page, awesome work.

Edited November 11, 2004 by Milbank

[+Markwell]

Hmmmm.... cool website. Maybe someone that might in the future submit something for here

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have the Magellan Sportrak Pro, I believe it's the same as the color only black and white. The positives are that it's as tough and as accurate as they come. I've dropped it on rocks, in a creek and even lost it two times and luckily found it again. However I have a problem with the battery compartment. The threads that hold the battery case in place have stripped and it no longer holds it in place, so I have it jury rigged for now until I get a back-up and send it in for repairs. 2 years old, still accurate and fairly reliable, so far. It's the only one I've owned but I've cached with many people who own the 60c and the 60cs and I'm wishing I spent the few hundred more for all the geocaching related features it has. That will be my next gps when the time comes. Like AuntieWeasel, you're going to love this game no matter which one you choose. Have fun, Mac.

I own a sport track color and a sport trak map (sport track map and pro use the sam case, but the sport trak color and the sport trak pro are not built into the same case, while the units look alike the cases are not, the Sport Trak color does not have a screw in battery compartment. By the way, I have not have a problem with the battery compartment on my Sport track map.

[+j9cache & Mike(j9+M)]

I have a Vista Color and I found it on the web for about $325. I'm a newbie too, so I won't say much more than I like it and its done wonderfully on the few caches I've found.

[+Apples 2 Apples]

I also am a newbie, but also a tech junkie as well. We use the Meridian Colour which we bought in the travellers pack. Came with the direct route cd, 64MB card and a cable that does double duty as the pc hookup and car power source. One downfall with the cable however is that its not USB. Hey does anyone know if you can get a gender changer for usb? I doubt it, its a different standard and pin out... Sorry, back to topic.... We have had no problems with it yet, except when the batteries are under a quarter. Then the readings sometimes seem off. When we switch the batteries however, the co-ords end up being bang on. Its water and shock proof, and unless I am wearing sunglasses I have never had problems reading the display.

 

The direct route software is awesome, it will plot your quickest route (keep in mind the software does not take into account speed limits in routing though). You can use it to find nearby resturants, amusements parks... almost anything really. By address or nearest location. Its like having a local search engine in your pocket.

 

With the memory card they gave us, the 64MB I have managed to upload about 90% of Ontario and used less than 40MB of space, I don't know if topo maps are larger byte wise than street maps though... so you may want to inquire about that.

 

But by and large, from one techno geek to another. The Meridian has been a solid purchase for us. We will deffinately purchase other magellan GPSr's in the future if ever we need or desire too.

 

Happy caching and good luck, its a great pastime

 

Apples 2 Apples

[geotrouvetout]

Garmin eTrex Legend color at Costco for 289$.

Last week they had the Meridian Color for 330$ w/ directRoute

[+Sputnik 57]

Let's say I have a topo map of the San Diego area loaded into my SporTrack, and I go on a trip to....say....Cleveland (I know...why?...heh). I could just wipe out San Diego, and download Cleveland, and then reverse the process when I got back, right? If that's the case, then I wouldn't need the Meridian.

You can always upload the maps you need, be it on a Garmin or a Magellan. SD cards make the process faster. For Grins, I loaded all of the Topo maps for California (using Garmin MapSource--I'm a Garmin guy). 61MB of map data. I'm betting Magellan is similar. That should give you some idea of memory usage.

 

With a Garmin (and I'm betting a Maggie, too) map units come with a base map that is sort of like a gas station highway map. Not much detail except major roads. But you can load San Diego, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Davenport and Cleveland for your driving trip (to find hotels and such when you stop) and let the base map take you in between (where you aren't likely to leave the highway.

[+macatac1961]

I own a sport track color and a sport trak map (sport track map and pro use the sam case, but the sport trak color and the sport trak pro are not built into the same case, while the units look alike the cases are not, the Sport Trak color does not have a screw in battery compartment. By the way, I have not have a problem with the battery compartment on my Sport track map.

Thanks JV, although I wish I knew that when I went shopping for it.

[+Torry]

( ... Torry looks at his battered little yellow eTrex ... kisses its little faceplate and tucks it back into his caching bag ... )

[+PC Painter]

Hard to say what one is best for you, but I don't think you could go wrong with a color unit. My next one will be color.

 

BTW: I took a look at your home page, awesome work.

THanks for the compliment on my website.

 

Thanks to everyone for the very detailed and extensive device. Funny, after I made a big deal about color, I decided that I could get nicer functions buying a higher end mono, than I could with the color, for the same money. I ended up buying the Magellan Gold. Like someone said...if I feel like I've outgrown it, or end up really wanting color, then I can sell it.

 

Thanks again everyone!