Meridian Hard To Operate With One Hand?

[+wilkintj]

Can anyone tell me if the Meridian (looking at the platinum, but they all seem to be designed the same) is hard to operate with one hand? I'm between the eTrex Vista and Meridian Platinum. I like the fact that the Meridian floats, since I do canoe trips, which I'd use this on as well. But, it's a bit bigger than the eTrex, and looks like, where the controls are at the very bottom, that it'd be hard to use with just one hand. Does anyone have any experience with this, or have any thoughts as to which would be a better GPS? Them seem pretty similar otherwise, except for the expansion slot on the Meridian, and it's a bit bigger. Thanks much all.

[+Warriorrider]

I find my MeriPlat very easy to use with one hand. That is how I normally use it. As far as the size... it was one of the deciding factors for me to purchase the Plat. I like the screen size. For me it was much easier to see than the eTrex'. But that's just me

[+TotemLake]

I use one hand with my MeriPlat with no problems.

[+LthrWrk]

I have a meridian gold.. similar layout.. You may be quite surprised that it works well one handed. Resting in the palm of my hand can reach all the buttons with my thumb.

 

Now if you do not have opposable thumbs.. your in for a hard time.

[+GammaPiSigma]

Meridian Colour - one hand, no problem. OK, so it takes a bit of practice but I can work it now one handed quite effectively.

[+GOT GPS?]

Without a Wrist Strap for the Meridian Platinum I had, I had alot of trouble on multicaches, where I had to enter the coords to the next cache, while trying to keep up with the other person with me. The problem was the posible dropping of the unit when pressing the buttons near the bottom when walking fast. I remember that the GPS 315 I had was very easy to use on multicaches.

[+VENTUREMAN7/ "A" TEAM"]

THE MERIPLAT IS VERY EASY TO USE ONE HANDED, I REALLY LIKE THE LARGER SIZE OF THE MERIPLAT, AND THE LARGER SCREEN IS VERY NICE WHEN USING MAPSEND DR. ALSO A BIG PLUS IS THE EXP. MEMORY. WITH SD CARDS BEING SO INEXPENSIVE YOU CAN INSTALL A 32 MEG UP TO 1 GIG. AND STORE ALL THE MAPPING, AND WAYPOINTS THAT YOU WANT OR NEED.

[+Jamie Z]

THE MERIPLAT... [hollering]

Whoa, dude. Turn off your cap locks. It's very disturbing to have people yelling online.

 

Thanks.

 

Oh.. an my Meridian is quite easy to use one-handed.

 

Jamie

[+wilkintj]

Thanks everyone for your response, you've gotten me pretty interested in the Meridian, I need to get my hands on one to check it out before I buy one. It seems like getting it from the net is much cheaper than going to the store, but I didn't want to 'blindly' buy one. Thanks again.

[+Renegade Knight]

In using the 60CS and GPS V which is top vs bottom mounted buttons I prefer top mounted buttons. However I was able to use the bottom mounted buttons without too much difficutly. The thing was I has to slide the GPS up in my hand to do it and as has been pointed out, that makes it less stable as you walk.

 

It's probably something you could adjust to fairly easily.

[+Roo & the Bears]

I've also been considering a Meridian Platinum and a friend has been nice enough to let me use his Meridian Color to get the feel of the line (it's the off hunting season and he does not use it then).

 

I've been using the Meridian Color one handed and have had no problems with it. Once you figure out the keypad sequences, it's really no different from most other comparable GPSr's.

 

Another plus is the caches I've used the Color to look for have all been tracked down to within about 3 feet so the Meridian positional accuracy has impressed me as well. One of the caches in heavy woods we recently found was in an area where another friends GPSmap 60cs was jumping around. His got him to about 30' from the cache and the Meridian Color was 3'.

 

I have found that when I get close to the cache, if I stand still about 30 seconds and let the Color 'firm up' my position fix by letting it average positions, and then adjust my bearing with a 'real' compass for the distance indicated this seems to work the best (and be the quickest way to find the cache - usually puts me within 3 feet - but I get both WAAS sat's in most areas around me ).

[+hwyman]

Assuming that the Meridian fits comfortably in your hand (may not work so well with smaller hands), it's easily operated one-handed as has been mentioned already. Here's the real kicker...it can be easily operated with either hand! The eTrex series seem to favor right-handed useage...not the case for the Meridian where your thumb can access all the buttons.

[+wilkintj]

Hey, thanks again for the replies. I found a website comparing the two:

http://www.epinions.com/compare.html?submi...Compare=Compare

 

According to this website, the Meridian does not feature an altimiter, can anyone confirm or deny this? It also says that the Trip Calculator on the Meridian only contains Track Log and Time of Sunrise/sunset, and says the eTrex Trip Calculator contains: Maximum speed, Current speed, Trip Timers, Elevation Computer, Time of sunrise/sunset, Track Log

 

Does the Meridian really not contain these other features? Thanks much.

[+briansnat]

The eTrex series seem to favor right-handed useage...not the case for the Meridian where your thumb can access all the buttons.

 

Actually the eTrex line is designed for left handed use. Your thumb operates the click stick and your fingers operate the menu. Very easy.

 

If size is not a factor, Garmin now has a $50 rebate on the Map 76C and GPS Explorer.com has another $50 rebate bringing the price down to $338. The 76C floats and is similar in size to the Meridian. Personally, I hike and backpack a lot so the size of the 76C and Meridian would rule them out for me. I like the eTrex because it is so compact and fits easily in my pocket.

[+GOT GPS?]

Hey, thanks again for the replies. I found a website comparing the two:

http://www.epinions.com/compare.html?submi...Compare=Compare

 

According to this website, the Meridian does not feature an altimiter, can anyone confirm or deny this? It also says that the Trip Calculator on the Meridian only contains Track Log and Time of Sunrise/sunset, and says the eTrex Trip Calculator contains: Maximum speed, Current speed, Trip Timers, Elevation Computer, Time of sunrise/sunset, Track Log

 

Does the Meridian really not contain these other features? Thanks much.

I don't quite like the way they reviewed the 2 GPS units there.

 

The Meridian Platinum would be a better GPS for caching than a Vista, for I had both. Both the Vista and Platinum have all the sensors, only the vista uses the pressure sensor for it's GPS elevation reading, and the Platinum does not, so you can use a platinum in an airliner but not the vista because the vista would show you a false reading. The problem with Meridians though is that they lack an elapsed timer on a Trip Info page, and your average speed and max speed are lost when you shut off the GPS, then turn it back on. Still though, I think a Platinum is better for caching.

 

Looking at my Magellan ST Color, here are the possible selections in your Data fields:

Bearing, Distance, Speed, Heading, COG, VMG, CTS, ETA, ETE, XTE, Turn, Elevation, Time, Date, EPE, Avg. Spd, Max Speed, Total Dist, But no Trip Timer

[+wilkintj]

The Meridian Platinum would be a better GPS for caching than a Vista, for I had both. Both the Vista and Platinum have all the sensors, only the vista uses the pressure sensor for it's GPS elevation reading, and the Platinum does not, so you can use a platinum in an airliner but not the vista because the vista would show you a false reading.

 

So the Platinum will give you the altitude ... say if you're hiking up a hill, and it does so in a different manner than the Vista? Thanks much.

[+GeoFamof4]

Yes, the MeriPlan will definately give you an altitude reading. I also find it very easy to use "one-handed". While driving, I use a RAM mount and it is easy to manipulate one handed while driving. I also have another RAM mount I use on my bicycle.

 

Overall, I have been extremely satisfied with my MeriPlat. One of the best gadget investments I have ever made.