The 64 Thousand Dollar Question

[SnaptheFrog]

Okay well, maybe not that much, but it's pretty dramatic, right?

 

Here's my problem, and I'm sure most of you have encountered this too. I can't make a decision.

In many ways most of the mapping GPS, color, handheld units are the same.

 

They all have logs.

They all have waypoints.

They all have points of interest.

 

The differences I've found that I don't care about are:

compass

batteries vs. battery pack

 

The differences I do care about are:

It speaks direction

It's weather resistant

The screen is bright, sharp, easy to read.

It recalculates your route

Street level capable

Stores personal points of interests, & addresses

 

I'm sure, being the absolute newbie that I am, I've overlooked other features. But narrowing down which GPS to get is tough.

 

What pointers can you give me? What was the deciding factor for you?

Does one maker have a reputation for better quality than another?

 

Thank you for your help.

[+embra]

The deciding factor for me remains SD card expandibility. That's not for everybody, or even most people, but for mutiple waypoint files and maximum flexibility in the field it tips the scales for me to Magellan.

 

As Garmin keeps adding more internal memory, I am feeling temptation to rethink my priorities, though.

[+IVxIV]

The differences I do care about are:

It speaks direction

It's weather resistant

The screen is bright, sharp, easy to read.

It recalculates your route

Street level capable

Stores personal points of interests, & addresses

 

The ONLY HANDHELD GPSr that exists on the market that autoroutes/reroutes, TALKS, is rugged and water resistant, and does all the other things you describe, is the Lowrance iWay 10m No other (consumer) GPS has all these features.

 

The unit display is hi-res 16 level greyscale black and white though. If you insist on a color model, soon the iWay 200c will be out.

[+kingquad]

go with garmin GPSMAP 60C,....it is auto routing....beeps when you need to make a turn....waterproof...easy to read color screen, and city streets level capable when you load on the mapsource maps..and you can store personal points of interest and address in it too.....that is what I use now,....dont go without auto routing, if that is one of your priority,....because i went from etrex yellow...then bought the legend because of the mas,....and not even 5 months later i had to update to the 60C once i seen it and used it....the color screen and auto routing is awesoem to have during any trips

[SnaptheFrog]

go with garmin GPSMAP 60C,....it is auto routing....beeps when you need to make a turn....waterproof...easy to read color screen, and city streets level capable when you load on the mapsource maps..and you can store personal points of interest and address in it too.....that is what I use now,....dont go without auto routing, if that is one of your priority,....because i went from etrex yellow...then bought the legend because of the mas,....and not even 5 months later i had to update to the 60C once i seen it and used it....the color screen and auto routing is awesoem to have during any trips

Wow, that sound nice. I just wish it was voice guiding instead of beeping. If I use it on my motorcycle, I don't want to take my eyes off the road if I can help it.

[SnaptheFrog]

The differences I do care about are:

It speaks direction

It's weather resistant

The screen is bright, sharp, easy to read.

It recalculates your route

Street level capable

Stores personal points of interests, & addresses

 

The ONLY HANDHELD GPSr that exists on the market that autoroutes/reroutes, TALKS, is rugged and water resistant, and does all the other things you describe, is the Lowrance iWay 10m No other (consumer) GPS has all these features.

 

The unit display is hi-res 16 level greyscale black and white though. If you insist on a color model, soon the iWay 200c will be out.

Thank you for the advice, but I wouldn't be happy without color.

[+IVxIV]

Thank you for the advice, but I wouldn't be happy without color

 

Well, then at this time you are SOL. Nobody today makes a GPSr that is: 1) Color, 2) Handheld, 3) Voice prompting, 4) rugged/waterproof

 

So you need to either wait for future models which may have all you needs, or settle for a compromise. Get a 60C that has a pretty color screen but *beeps* at you at turning points, or get a iWay that will voice-guide autoroute-reroute you to your destination but is not color. Or, if you sacrifice "rugged and waterproof" from your specs, a Garmin iQue will voice navigate you in color.

 

..need a coin to flip?