I need a GPS recommendation

[K7147]

Rutwad!

I use a Gamin GPSmap 60CS with topographic maps loaded into it for off-road work and exchange the topographic maps with street maps for road use. Most all the new units are excellent with Garmin probably being the most popular. The site GPS4fun.com has some excellent product reviews/comparisons for all available GPS units although their prices may not be the best.

As these units are pretty much bullet proof I’d not shy away from a good used unit if price were an issue. Many folk buy them and are unwilling to put up with the initial learning curve and thus many perfect units are on the used market.

Have fun, Ken

 

[GaryM]

I have a Garmin Legend CX, with an SD card slot, that I received as a gift.

You can buy SD cards preprogrammed with Topo data, or download map data from your PC to the SD card. Be aware that the unit will not create routes based on the topo data, but will do so based on the road data.

It has a color display that's easily read in sunlight. Some units are hard to read in different lighting conditions. If you can, try out the unit you paln to buy in different lighting conditions.

I also have a C530 unit made for auto use. As mentioned, it's pretty useless for anything else.

 

[CurlyDave]

I would like to get a GPS for off-road use. I do not want to spend much money on it since I probably won't use it that much, but I do want a fairly nice, capable unit.

What would you suggest?

thanks

I have had several of the Garmin handheld units, and can give you a very important insight.

Most of the less expensive hand-held units do not work well if there is even moderate tree or brush cover. If you plan to use this unit primarily in open areas, almost any unit will work, but the mapping ones are much easier to understand.

Recently, maybe a year or so ago, there has been a great advance in handheld GPS units. I have a Garmin 60CSx, which has a SiRF GPS receiver. This thing works almost everywhere, trees, brush, canyons, etc. All the places where I either had to look for a clearing and then wait for a location, or where I couldn't get GPS reception at all now have good GPS reception.

Last fall, I was able to navigate 5 miles through very steep mountains with no trails and heavy tree cover, and come out within a few feet of a rendevous point.

These will set you back ~$400, but working in tree cover is a major advantage.

P.S. It took me several weeks of daily use to really become familar with the capabilities of the unit. I would go to work a few minutes early and spend some time navigating around the parking lot every day, and then walk for several miles on weekends in areas where I knew the roads.

We had 8 guys on our elk hunt and maybe 10-12 on the deer hunt, and most had GPS units, but had given up on using them due to complexity. I wasn't any smarter than any of them, but by practicing before I got out in the woods, I was the only one who could effectively use the GPS.

 

[jinman]

Dave, my wife bought me the GPSMap 60Cx handheld unit last year for my birthday. I bought the metroguide maps and downloaded about 57 Mb into my 64 Mb card for all of N. Central Texas up to OK City. I'm still fumbling with features and controls, but the darn thing finds satellites from within my house with a metal roof.

I may buy a topo CD and a bigger micro-SD card, but I'm really pleased with the Garmin. I would definitely recommend the Garmin, but I kind of got the impression that rutwad didn't want to spend that kind of money. However, I don't think he will be happy with anything less for on the trail.

 

[CurlyDave]

I would definitely recommend the Garmin, but I kind of got the impression that rutwad didn't want to spend that kind of money. However, I don't think he will be happy with anything less for on the trail.

That is exactly my impression also. I just wanted to let him know some of the advantages of getting something that works instead of spending less and getting something that will probably not meet his needs.

If you get another microSD card, any SanDisk card will work, no need to pay Garmin prices. Other brands may not work -- something about the voltages the Garmin unit uses.

I have the topo map set, and if you do any hunting or hiking, it is well worth it.