Down to 4!

[+Team Golden]

Well after reading posts and talking to stores I have the choice narrowed down to 4 units. All four are Garmin. They are:

 

Legend $249

Vista $349

Map76 $349

Map76S $449

 

The question is both the legend and Map76 have 8 meg of RAM. Is that enough? The Vista and Map76 have 24 meg.

 

Is reception on one better than the others?

 

Also does anyone know if the fishing hot spots show things like boat ramps, fuel docks, etc. for local lakes?

 

Should I just forget the boating side. Most lakes I will go to are small. I was thinking it would be nice to go to a new lake and not search for the boat ramp.

 

Thanks for your time. I'm buying one on Friday or Sat.

Brian

[+RAD Dad]

I like my legend, but if you don't mind spending the extra bucks, get the Vista. Either way, I like the small size of the Etrex, and they are easy to use.

 

ummmm....not sure what to say here....so ummm, well errrr, uhhhh, well I guess that's it.

[+briansnat]

I have the Legend and was apprehensive about the 8 meg of RAM. I've been able to load the maps for all of northern NJ from the Delaware to the Hudson, southern NY from the NJ border to near Albany and most of southern Vt. And I have room to spare.

 

The Map 76 is nice, but in my opinion better for street navigation than Geocaching. It doesn't seem to be as durable and is a lot bigger.

 

The 76 seems to have a slightly better antennae. On a trip with a fellow Geocacher who was using the 76 under heavy leaf cover, he received a more consistent lock on the sats than I did with my Etrex.

 

The Etrex however has the advangage of smaller size, ease of use and durability.

 

I'd say if you are going to use it mostly for outdoors...Geocaching, hiking, hunting, etc... get the Etrex and the Mapsource Topo software. If you are going to use it mostly for navigation in your car or boat, go with the Map 76 and the Roads & Recreation software.

 

If you get the Roads & Recreation Mapsource software it may well show boat ramps. I choose the Topo however. Unless you are a big time, big lake, or ocean fisherman, I wouldn't get the Fishing Hotspots SW. You can go the Garmin website to try the software out. They have a decent demo

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on May 24, 2002 at 03:45 AM.]

[+Alan2]

The prices you posted are about 20% higher than what you can really get them for if you shop onn the web. Usually they show the list price but if you click like you're going to buy it, the "real" price, much lower, will be displayed. (I payed 289 for my Vista last year for example). With that in mind, I would spend the extra bucks "saved" and get either the 76 S or Vista for the three times extra memory and the electronic compass and altimeter that neither the 76 nor the Legend have. I find the Vista's features very convenient and I like the fact the extra memory (24M) allows me to store a geographic area 200 miles by 100 miles of both Topo and Street maps. With the 8M you'd have about 70 by 100 miles. Less chance you'll run out of maps as you're cruising around and you have to load maps less often with the Vista.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

Alan

[+Team Golden]

Hello, Thanks for the great feedback. I plan on starting with the Topo map. The two I am down to is the legend and the 76s. I'm thinking being new that the legend may do just fine and if I find I use it a lot I will upgrade. Then..... I read the reviews on the 76s here on the board and everyone loves them. I have heard a few people comment on the coverage being lost on the legend in tree cover so that is also leaning me towards the 76s.

 

For the prices I'm buying in the store around here. If I get the legend it is 249 but I get 10% off that. The 76s was 449 with nothing off. I may save a few bucks on the net but I want it now!!!!

Also with shipping and returning if it doesn't work is easier in the store.

 

Thanks again and keep the feedback coming. I will be going tomorrow morning to buy one or the other.

 

Brian

[+Team Golden]

Well I just came back from the store with the first Map76S that they had. I really liked the legend but liked the bigger size screen of the Map76S. I also was very unsure on the meg difference so I went with the 24. Thanks to all of you for your input. I'm off to play with my new toy

[+makaio]

and it appears you aren't wasting any time...

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?ul=k9flyball

 

-

[+Team Golden]

There would have been one more but the cache wasn't there! Doing this I am seeing things I would have missed. Yesterday 3 hot air balloons flew overhead while I was in a park getting a cache. They were playing around and at one point they were only about 20 feet above some trees right next to me. Quite a site to see.

 

Brian