what is the best gps for aroudn $200-300 that tracks where you going and you can save a good spot and shows you the path you got there and everything
hand held gps
- Thread starter heinracing
- Start date
Garmin 60CSx
Try a Garmin 60CSx. Excellent reception. Rugged. Water resistant to one meter deep for 30 minutes. I have seen them around $300 often, though I just got mine on special through a local sports shop for $250 including the TOPO 2008 DVD.
Garmin RINOs are popular also for the locater/radio function. I have good GMRS radios already though so didn't have a use for the RINO and they are never lower than $350, without any extra map. Any Garmin hand held you get, make sure that it has the "X" in the model number. That means that it has a high-sensitivity antenna. That is a must for any new purchase of a GPS for back-country.
Good luck!
Try a Garmin 60CSx. Excellent reception. Rugged. Water resistant to one meter deep for 30 minutes. I have seen them around $300 often, though I just got mine on special through a local sports shop for $250 including the TOPO 2008 DVD.
Garmin RINOs are popular also for the locater/radio function. I have good GMRS radios already though so didn't have a use for the RINO and they are never lower than $350, without any extra map. Any Garmin hand held you get, make sure that it has the "X" in the model number. That means that it has a high-sensitivity antenna. That is a must for any new purchase of a GPS for back-country.
Good luck!
Love my Garmin 76S, can download the mapsource for your area. Good tracking, and can see your altitude.
My eTrex vista does and so does my rhino 530...
Any of the Garmins will let you customize the display to show stuff like speed, elevation, time of day, average speed, and lots more. I set mine to show speed, elevation and time of day. The newer color models only let you do two across the top (or four, but it blocks too much of the map), so in that case I'd do elevation and time of day.
The 60CSx is a great unit. I like the 76CSx, but that's because I have the older 76S (black and white model).
Rob
The 60CSx is a great unit. I like the 76CSx, but that's because I have the older 76S (black and white model).
Rob
I've got the Garmin eterx Vista Cx. Great little unit, color display, compass, alt built into unit. Tons of other crap in the gps also. Paid $300 for it.
I
I've got a Garmin Etrex HCX and love it. Great reception and small enough to just slide into a pocket. I usually just turn it on before we leave and slide it into the breast pocket of my coat to keep the batteries warm and always has great reception even in my pocket, batteries will easly last for 2 or 3 trips out. Very easy to use with a full menu.
Garmin Etrex HCX
Garmin Etrex HCX
Anyone use a Delorme PN-20? I've been thinking about upgrading to one.
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=27626§ion=10051&minisite=10020
Currently use a Magellen Sportak, but it managed to fall out of pack whilst riding my dirt bike last summer. It's got a nice nasty crack down the center of the display. That and I need a PS-2 port to upload maps and I got rid of the last old computer in my house with a PS-2 port.
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?item=27626§ion=10051&minisite=10020
Currently use a Magellen Sportak, but it managed to fall out of pack whilst riding my dirt bike last summer. It's got a nice nasty crack down the center of the display. That and I need a PS-2 port to upload maps and I got rid of the last old computer in my house with a PS-2 port.
E
If that's all you want, just about any GPS receiver will do that. I bought a Garmin GPS12 from Craigslist for $20 a while ago and it does all that. It'll talk to my radios too.
Picture unrelated.
M
I just bought a Garmin Vista HCx from WalMart for $236.00. It has color display, Altimeter, Barometer, Electronic compass...which is cool because you can use that just like you can a regular compass...you don't have to be moving in order for it to work. So far it has been a great little unit and I highly recomend it.
K
Both myself and a good friend have the Garmin 60 CSx. We use them for dirtbiking and sledding, they seem to be very tough, and they pull in the SATS quickly.
Uniden Mystic
Does anyone know anything about the Uniden Mystic-- radio/gps ???
Seems like it would be a great unit to have ???? Not too pricey--$275.00 ea
Does anyone know anything about the Uniden Mystic-- radio/gps ???
Seems like it would be a great unit to have ???? Not too pricey--$275.00 ea
E
I've not had good luck with Uniden equipment in the past. Also looks like their GPS is based on Magellan's systems, I much prefer Garmin... they got their stuff together when it comes to GPS.
That radio is also a marine radio, will NOT talk to FRS/GMRS (Including the Rino series). Using marine radio frequencies inland isn't legal, although the coast guard is the one who monitors and enforces that... so chances of them finding you when you're in the mountains are unlikely. However, given the traffic on the VHF band, you're likely to cause harmful interference to business or emergency frequencies nearby.
X
I used to sell GPS's at a sports store and the first thing I'll tell you is you can't go wrong with Garmin. Easy to use and you can get just about any type of features you want depending on how much you want to spend.
I would recommend going to your local sports shop (hunting) type shop and find the resident GPS Geek. He will be able to show you all the features and point you in the right direction. Don't get hung up on the neat things that you don't need. Tell them what you want it for and make sure that if your into other sports like hunting or fishing to keep in mind that you might want to get something that will have all the goodies for that too.
I personally use a Magellan eXplorist 600 because I got a smokin deal on it. It's a great unit and has all the features but it's tough to get used to and can be pretty complicated in comparison to the Garmins.
I would warn against the Lowrance Units because I've seen tons of them have problems and that's the last thing you want when your depending on it. They have great features but the have also had a lot of problems.
I would recommend going to your local sports shop (hunting) type shop and find the resident GPS Geek. He will be able to show you all the features and point you in the right direction. Don't get hung up on the neat things that you don't need. Tell them what you want it for and make sure that if your into other sports like hunting or fishing to keep in mind that you might want to get something that will have all the goodies for that too.
I personally use a Magellan eXplorist 600 because I got a smokin deal on it. It's a great unit and has all the features but it's tough to get used to and can be pretty complicated in comparison to the Garmins.
I would warn against the Lowrance Units because I've seen tons of them have problems and that's the last thing you want when your depending on it. They have great features but the have also had a lot of problems.
A $100 E-Trex will doo that...
The entry level units is all that I have had ever since '96 (?) and they have always been fine. I don't need to know where the closest Burger King is. ???
Garmin is definitely the way to go
I have taught many GPS classes and have had many occasion to use most all brands out there. here is my take on them
Garmin - easiest most user friendly to figure out and use
biggest complaint you can only use Mapsource background maps
newer ones use a chip with mapsource already on it, plug and play background maps
Magellan - not too bad not as easy as a Garmin but not bad
Lowrance - way to many bells and whistles, get too complicated
Eagle - not bad but not as easy as the others
Brunton - POS don't waste your money If anyone ever brings one to one of my classes again I will personally throw it in the corner and let them use my own GPS
Trimble - haven't dealt with any new ones in years havent even seen them anymore
If you are going to spend extra money on anything spend it on a color screen. They make it easier to read and quickly identify between water and vegetation and distinguish between other items much faster.
Don't spend the money on an electronic compass. They are battery eaters. They use battery power to establish a magnetic field to orient themselves. The magellans I just got done playing with for the Boyscouts would go haywire because of the electronic compass in my work Jeep.
Any GPS can be used as a compass, you just have move 15 or 20 feet to let it orient itself to the direction of travel.
I have taught many GPS classes and have had many occasion to use most all brands out there. here is my take on them
Garmin - easiest most user friendly to figure out and use
biggest complaint you can only use Mapsource background maps
newer ones use a chip with mapsource already on it, plug and play background maps
Magellan - not too bad not as easy as a Garmin but not bad
Lowrance - way to many bells and whistles, get too complicated
Eagle - not bad but not as easy as the others
Brunton - POS don't waste your money If anyone ever brings one to one of my classes again I will personally throw it in the corner and let them use my own GPS
Trimble - haven't dealt with any new ones in years havent even seen them anymore
If you are going to spend extra money on anything spend it on a color screen. They make it easier to read and quickly identify between water and vegetation and distinguish between other items much faster.
Don't spend the money on an electronic compass. They are battery eaters. They use battery power to establish a magnetic field to orient themselves. The magellans I just got done playing with for the Boyscouts would go haywire because of the electronic compass in my work Jeep.
Any GPS can be used as a compass, you just have move 15 or 20 feet to let it orient itself to the direction of travel.
Last edited:
I
Will put my vote in for the Garmin 60Csx. Color screen, tracking ability, along with routing ability. Built in Altimeter is awesome too. Got mine at PCnation.com
C
I use a garmin 76 cs for a couple of years does everything and more.
Mapping is awesome, the topo feature is pretty cool as well. I bought the 76 thinking I needed more memory I got the entire state of oregon and N. California riding area loaded and have not got even close to using it all.
I belive the 60 series would be more than enough memory for most of us.
Mapping is awesome, the topo feature is pretty cool as well. I bought the 76 thinking I needed more memory I got the entire state of oregon and N. California riding area loaded and have not got even close to using it all.
I belive the 60 series would be more than enough memory for most of us.
X
Trimble pretty much put all their eggs in the Truck Tracking/Fleet Management side of the GPS business. (just in case you were wondering) Which is what my job is with the Railroad only equipment not trucks.
Sorry off topic I know but I couldn't stop myself.
Similar threads
