Help Me Choose a GPS Unit!!!

[Odaon]

Hey everyone,

I'm in the market for a GPS unit, and I need some help deciding which one to get. I've looked at a couple of the models that I've heard good things about, but I wanted to see what your opinions were. I'll be using this a lot for hiking, and exploring. I'll take it fishing with me, and use it on watercraft to pinpoint good fishing spots and such. A good way point system would be awesome. I don't think I'll use it for Geocaching very much, or at all. I'll probably also using it in my car as a backup navigation. Ease of map uploading or downloading would be cool. I'm pretty tech savvy so that's not that big of a deal. I don't want to spend too much money on it, let's say maximum $300.

Thanks!

 

[spoolup]

Garmin GPS60 CSx, maps from gpsdepot... This is my backcountry setup... the free topo GPSdepot maps are not great for around the city useage, girl does not like that she can not "find walmart" or "find nail salon", ended up getting her a cheapo legend CSx (or what ever the 3 letter are on the legends) with city navigator to keep in her bag, and some COSTCO tomtom for the car.

 

[Odaon]

That's one of the ones I looked at. Definitely one of my options. I'm not to worried about road navigation because I can just look at a map or go online and get it. More important is good topo maps of areas that i'll be exploring, and also water areas.

I'm really not familiar at all with the topo map programs that GPS uses. I have some learning to do there. Can I upload different areas that I wanna explore or try to find a small mountain stream a lake? How does that work? I assume that that depends more on the program than the GPS.

 

[bhoff]

I like my Garmin 60CSX.

 

[shaker]

been using mine on my adventure motorcycle and it has stood up to the bad roads and vibrations for a year . with a 2gig card you can have both topo and city nav on it ,,,most likely the marine maps as well.

 

[jca21]

i have a garmin gps 60cx which i've travelled around the world with. North America, Asia, and Australia. The GPS worked great.

 

[Katdaddy]

i have a garmin gps 60cx which i've travelled around the world with. North America, Asia, and Australia. The GPS worked great.

I also have this one and love it! You can download road maps to get to your destination and then swith to topo for hiking.

 

[Odaon]

Well, I think we have a pretty solid winner, haha. Now I need to learn where and how to get my topos.

 

[pilote]

i'm primitive; i just use a etrex h with a topo map and lensatic compass...i just need etrex to give me accurate bearings then use the map...i don't want to give complete trust to an electronic map and batteries...and i like using map and compass anyways...

but in the car, must have the technology; gamin gps is my brand...

 

[jca21]

i'm primitive; i just use a etrex h with a topo map and lensatic compass...i just need etrex to give me accurate bearings then use the map...i don't want to give complete trust to an electronic map and batteries...and i like using map and compass anyways...

i dont either. but for in the car use the gps is better than a map IMO.


i did a ton of driving in australia and having the gps loaded with australia city maps was a god send when getting around in a place i didnt know, driving on the wrong side of the road.


as for when im out hiking in bc? i do the same thing as you, use the gps to give me an accurate bearing for my starting point and then use my map and compass to navigate. i use the gps every 10km to confirm my position and make adjustments accordingly. i could navigate with just the map and compass but it would take me longer than checking my position every once in a while with the gps. it makes life easier; with that said, people should know how to use a map and compass before they pick up a gps as electronics are prone to failure.

 

[Odaon]

i dont either. but for in the car use the gps is better than a map IMO.


i did a ton of driving in australia and having the gps loaded with australia city maps was a god send when getting around in a place i didnt know, driving on the wrong side of the road.


as for when im out hiking in bc? i do the same thing as you, use the gps to give me an accurate bearing for my starting point and then use my map and compass to navigate. i use the gps every 10km to confirm my position and make adjustments accordingly. i could navigate with just the map and compass but it would take me longer than checking my position every once in a while with the gps. it makes life easier; with that said, people should know how to use a map and compass before they pick up a gps as electronics are prone to failure.

I agree that a good paper map is useful, but a huge portion of this GPS use is gonna be on the water were I can get waypoints and such of nice fishing spots. It'll come on the Kayak with me, and it'll be on the ice with me.

 

[jca21]

there are alot of nice waterproof cases that are made for the gps60cx model.

i would suggest looking into a olympus all weather camera to take pics with. it works up to 33 feet underwater i believe and is almost impervious to the elements. its shock proof and can be dropped from a height of 2 meters and also can be used in freezing temps.

cheers

JC

 

[modalnot]

before buying garmin, look at what they have available for maps. they are expensive, dont cover everything and as far as i remember you can only use map with one device. still i liked my 60csx till somebody decided they like it better.

 

[Quirt]

The business I co-own; we are a Garmin dealer. I've personally used a number of the models myself and had one catostrophic failure during an elk hunt with one (not the GPS60cx tho which is why I advocate having good map/compass skills as a backup).

However the GPS60cx model is an AMAZING unit and rock solid as an eletronic non-mil spec device goes. I own one myself and use it both for street and wilderness work. It has never failed. I've used it in very severe conditions including sub zero blizzards. It get's reception when others won't.

Get the 24k topo maps for the areas you're going to be in. Buy the largest SDMicro chip you can afford. Learn map/compass skills as a backup and know how to use them in the dark - co-witness your GPS and Map/Compass before venturing into nasty first time areas and then have to find your way out in the dark - don't ask me how I know.

 

[Odaon]

The business I co-own; we are a Garmin dealer. I've personally used a number of the models myself and had one catostrophic failure during an elk hunt with one (not the GPS60cx tho which is why I advocate having good map/compass skills as a backup).

However the GPS60cx model is an AMAZING unit and rock solid as an eletronic non-mil spec device goes. I own one myself and use it both for street and wilderness work. It has never failed. I've used it in very severe conditions including sub zero blizzards. It get's reception when others won't.

Get the 24k topo maps for the areas you're going to be in. Buy the largest SDMicro chip you can afford. Learn map/compass skills as a backup and know how to use them in the dark - co-witness your GPS and Map/Compass before venturing into nasty first time areas and then have to find your way out in the dark - don't ask me how I know.

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna start reading up on topo maps for the unit and all that good stuff.

 

[kr1]

The Garmin is good. The GPS60xx is very good. I own several Garmin's and think highly of them.

The best one out there now in my opinion is the Delorme PN-40.

Not only a solid unit but the computer interface is very good and more importantly the USGS 24K quads are available and have been for years instead of Garmin’s shitty 100K that they have been selling for years as standard paper Topos. AND there are a wealth of other overlays such as high resolution grey scale satellite imagery and color high resolution satellite imagery that can be used both on the unit and the computer. All of which are tremendously useful in supplementing the old USGS quads.

The whole freaking country is available in all those formats for $50 per year. Compare that to Garmin’s prices for their quads. I have nothing against Garmin. They make excellent GPS’s and like I said I own several, but I really like the new Delorme. I had bought the PN-20 to replace my Vista C and liked it so much I upgraded to the PN-40 when it came out.

Take a look. Depending on your requirements it may be something you want.

KR

 

[kr1]

Xxxxx

 

[jca21]

i get all my topos for free...

theres a guy from alberta who compiled all the canadian government topos into a free program which allows map transfer to ur garmin gps.

but seeing as how you're not canadian i guess you'll have to source a similar thing for the US topo maps.

 

[tenkara]

So why not the etrex vista hcx? it looks like it will last about 7 hours longer on the same 2 batteries.

 

[Pritch]

So why not the etrex vista hcx? it looks like it will last about 7 hours longer on the same 2 batteries.

Off the top of my head, I'd say because

1) No external antenna
2) No SIRF 3 chipset
3) Not nearly as rugged.

Disclaimer: I have an original Vista (mono) and replaced it with the 60CSx just before the "H" versions of the eTrex came out. I have heard that the H chip is a vast improvement over the original, but still not as sensetive as the SIRF 3. Had I waited, I might have jumped on a Rino with an H chip, but I have been very pleased with the CSx.

Not everybody will necessarily appreciate or require the ability of the CSx to lock and hold a signal in very demanding terrain. I know that several here resent the GPS as making it "too easy" and lulling unprepared people into dangerous situations, but in areas where I travel off trail, much time is spendt under the forest canopy, and without a GPS, I would spend a lot of time with no point of reference.

-- FLIX