Mid To Upper Range Gps

[+jwheels1]

What would one suggest for the next level up or beyond the starter GPS. If the entry levels go from $80-150. What do you get (and what would one suggest) for next level up $2-300. Are the more expensive GPS worth the price of 2 entry level ones?

[+ZingerHead]

For $150 you could get an Etrex Legend which has mapping, tracback capability, 12 channel receive with WAAS, and the ability to download waypoints and tracks to and from your computer. Let's call that the "basic" unit.

I just bought a GPSMAP 60CS to replace my aging eTrex Vista, which is very similar to the Legend. Here are the things that jump out at me as making the 60CS worth the extra money:

1. Big bright screen. The eTrex screen is perfectly readable under all lighting conditions, but the print is tiny and it's hard to read while driving. The color screen really helps you see at a glance where you are and where you're headed.

2. 56MB of map memory. The Legend has 8mb. With 56 I can put topos, streets, and tides for CT, most of MA, parts of RI and NY. In other words, a much larger area than I can cache in a day.

3. USB connection to the PC. It took me nearly an hour to load 24mB worth of maps to my Vista. It takes about 5 minutes to load 56MB to the 60CS.

4. Selectable trackback points. On the Vista the trackback feature went back to a few preselected points, and if the track was a long one it would take quite some time to set up. The 60CS lets you choose any point on the track to track back to, and it sets up in the blink of an eye.

5. Auto-routing. I lived without this for a long time, but now that I have it I'll never go back. This gives me all the capability of a $2000 automobile navigation system, except I can use it in any car I'm in, and I didn't spend anywhere near $2000.

6. Faster microprocessor. The 60 redraws maps much more quickly than my Vista.

7. Right now GARMIN has a $50 rebate on their color handhelds, and if you shop around you can find some very good deals.

 

HTH

[+Kai Team]

I own the eTrex Vista (older, non-color model) and love it - among other things it allows you to:

 

1) download waypoints from your computer (vs. manually enter them)

2) store many more waypoints, maps, routes, tracks, etc (i.e. it has more memory)

3) display street or topographic maps on the GPSr (with optional mapping software), showing you your actual location on the map and pointing the way to your destination,

4) perform autorouting on your computer (with the optional mapping software), where the software finds the best route from point A to point B (note you cannot do this on the GPSr itself - for that you need the high end, $500 model),

5) use an electronic compass that maintains a bearing/heading even when you stop moving (without the electronic compass, the GPS requires movement to know which way you're facing, and gets weird when you're standing still).

6) use WAAS, which improves the accuracy of your position considerably under the right conditions (i.e. when a WAAS satellite is available, which is usually).

 

I think it's well worth the extra money!

 

PS - there are equivalent units made by Magellan - I'm just not familiar with them.

 

Edit: I was writing this when ZingerHead posted - my comparisons are to the "starter" unit, not to the 60CS, which is the high end model I was thinking of when I mentioned autorouting above!

Edited April 5, 2005 by Kai Team

[Pinon]

I bought a Magellan Meridian Gold as my first GPS...around $200. I tried the Garmin Legend and I did not like it. I love my Merigold.

[+Thot]

My Magellan SporTrak Pro cost about $200 and I like it except for the anti-intuitive menus and poor manual, but Garman units seem to have the same problems.

 

That said, the main thing more expensive units get you is map memory. Auxiliary maps can take up a lot of memory. Someone mentioned how much faster his unit downloads. He’s talking about maps. Maps are expensive, and because they use a lot of bytes, they require more download time and more memory. I don’t use maps for caching. In my opinion maps are for navigation in boats or in a cars in areas you aren’t familiar with. If you don’t need maps for automobile/boat navigation, lots of memory and fast download don’t mean much to you. Others may disagree, but that’s how I see it.

 

Edited to add:

 

The ability to connect to your computer to download waypoints is very important, but waypoints don’t take much memory or download time.

 

Also, in my opinion, WAAS is important.

 

Both the Etrex Legend and the SproTrack Pro do these things.

 

Someone talked about auto-routing. That’s maps again. Add maps to an inexpensive unit and you have an expensive unit.

Edited April 5, 2005 by Thot

[+welch]

What would one suggest for the next level up or beyond the starter GPS. If the entry levels go from $80-150. What do you get (and what would one suggest) for next level up $2-300. Are the more expensive GPS worth the price of 2 entry level ones?

Depends if you find the extra features helpful or important.

Aside from MAYBE (since you need to be able to see them on a constant basis) WAAs, a $300 isn't going to be any more accurate than a $100 one. But that $300 may have things like detailed maps, and auto routing (things I really want). Also: color screen, tones/bells/voice?, electronic compass, pressure (barometric) altimeter, and the newest ones also have usb connections. If those features are helpful to you, then it was worth it. If you never use, say WAAS, because you think it causes the gps to be a little more flaky in cover (and I do), then that feature was a waste.

 

I'd suggest you figure out what sort if any maps you would want for your gps (topo or street leavel? both?), and how memory your normal 'area' takes up. (big metro areas with lots of roads take up more memory for the same amount of area in an area with fewer roads for example).

My suggestion would be the garmin gps V (deluxe package). It does autorouting!, and comes with the newest version of City Select ($100 by itself) for less than $250. One downside is that the memory is only 19mb (see above), also the screen is non color, and you have to use a serial connect speeds (so loading 19mb will take 45mintues to an hour). But for the price, its hard to beat

[+Isonzo Karst]

We own both the Garmin 60C and a Merigold with a memory card. Have maps on both. If you're doing a lot of driving/cache alone in unfamiliar territory, especially urban, the Garmin with it's bells and whistles (literally) might be the way to go. Personally I prefer the Meridian Gold, and it's less money. Comp-U-Plus will sell it to you with a 64mb card and mapsend maps for under $200. No auto routing, you have to read the maps yourself.

[+ZingerHead]

I'd second that vote for the GARMIN V, as for less than $300 you get auto-routing, 19MB of memory, and you also get the street mapping software as part of the package. The software alone will set you back $100 if you bought a different GARMIN unit. This is an extraordinary bargain.

[+orome]

About $500 scored me a Garmin GPSMAP 60C with the street-level detail maps. It has been absolutely invaluable for local and regional travel, along with geocaching.

[+Robespierre]

I waited and got the Vista for about $300 with electronic compass. Maps aren't so great, but my cousin bought a maps package, and now I have great Ohio maps for free.

[+TeamGuisinger]

I just got a Magellan eXplorist 200 for $104.00. Found it on yahoo shopping, and as a beginner I have to say it works great. I wish it had a download port, but other than that, it put me right on top of(literately) my first cache. It features 14 parallel channels, TrueFix GPS, WAAS/EGNOS, built in map, 16MB memory, 500 POI's and 20 routes, backlight, waterproof, and NO FEES. I suggest getting info from their website though because their manual leaves out a couple things like how to input a location without being there.

[+Marcie/Eric]

I love my MeriGold, got it from CompUPlus

[+EXDNR]

I am happy with my Garmin etrex vista. I am fairly new to geocaching, having been at it for only a month (29 found so far) and find the vista to have all the features I need. I paid $269 for mine at Bass Pro Shops in Saint Louis, MO which is very reasonable. It isn't color and does not have a quad helix antenna (a feature I wanted) but it works great. If I didn't have this unit I would have a Garmin GPSMap 60. This one is still grey scale, but it has the quad helix antenna.

[+briansnat]

I'd second that vote for the GARMIN V, as for less than $300 you get auto-routing, 19MB of memory, and you also get the street mapping software as part of the package. The software alone will set you back $100 if you bought a different GARMIN unit. This is an extraordinary bargain.

Another vote for the Garmin GPS V here. Its a bargain these days, esp. considering that you get the mapping software included in the price. It was a great GPS when it was nearly $500 and it still is a good one. A little slower and not as advanced as the newer 60C(S) and 76C(S), but once you figure in the cost of software you're saving close to $300 by going with the GPS V.