Best GPS?

CROW · Jun 7, 2009

Well my trusty ol' GPSMap76s died this past season and I'm looking for a new one. What has everyone found to work best and why?

Here are the 4 that I'm considering:

Garmin Colorado 400t
Garmin Oregon 400t
Garmin RINO 530hcx
Garmin 60csx

Any others that I should be looking at?

Supplicate · Jun 7, 2009

Garmin 60csx by far.

Its worked for me from southern colorado to the north slope of alaska without a single issue of holding signal. I know some guys with the Rino that can't get them to maintain satelite signal for anything, they work okay in the southern reaches (CO, WY) but don't hardly work at all in the northern areas and forests.

My 60csx has also maintained signal in terrain that i figured wouldn't have any GPS signal at all.

Mafesto · Jun 7, 2009

I have a rino now & will upgrade when I find one that .....
can handlebar mount & plug into sled to eliminate messin with batteries
has the ability to download store & update trail maps

yz400ex · Jun 7, 2009

I am interested in this as well.. I was just going to post the same thing, but I do not have a list to choose from. I am just looking for a good reliable GPS that I can handlebar mount and wont break the bank to purchase.

newmy1 · Jun 7, 2009

Garmin RINO 530hcx. Has been flawless, bought an extra battery in case I ever need it.

Even better if your riding buddies own them. I bought the cycle mount and have it on the bars, in a way that it won't stab you if you bite it.

Ex-Member · Jun 7, 2009

Rino vs. the others depends on if you want the radio functionality in it or not. I prefer to have one device that does one thing well vs. something that does several functions poorly, so I carry a GPS that does GPS things and a radio that does radio things. That being said, the location-via-radio thing the Rinos do is pretty slick for a consumer device.

The "best" GPS is the one you know how to use... without that it's just dead weight. Do a few runs in town and get to know the new hardware before you need to use it.

Of the four you have listed, I don't think you'll be disappointed with any.

retiredpop · Jun 7, 2009

Supplicate said:
Garmin 60csx by far.

Its worked for me from southern colorado to the north slope of alaska without a single issue of holding signal. I know some guys with the Rino that can't get them to maintain satelite signal for anything, they work okay in the southern reaches (CO, WY) but don't hardly work at all in the northern areas and forests.

My 60csx has also maintained signal in terrain that i figured wouldn't have any GPS signal at all.

X2 on the 60 CSx. Very sensitive receiver.

Wade · Jun 7, 2009

Doesn't that Garmin Colorado 400t, have the ability to download 24K series National Geographic maps? That would nice, to be able to download bit maps, rather than purely vector based. I'd like to upload some topo maps from google.

Why doesn't someone make a handlebar GPS that looks like my Garmin Car GPS, with the wide touch screen, just water proof and shock proof, with all the forest service roads and wilderness boundaries on it?

adrenaline junkey · Jun 7, 2009

Another vote for the 530 hcx. Its nice to have one that does it all

NorthMNSledder · Jun 8, 2009

I'll put a vote in for the Colorado 400T, just make sure you wire in a power line off your sled. Because with the large color screen and cold weather it's a battery eater. But the dial works very easy with gloves on.

giddyup · Jun 8, 2009

gps

i have to put the vote to the rino i had the 60csx its great if you just want a gps but once you use the abilty of the rino its the only way to go, i started with the 120 now moved up to the 520/530 we each have on works great as a radio and the gps funtion is very similar to the 60 so it was easy to learn i dont think you can go wrong on your list, we also wire some of them in and they all get ram mounts rolled severl times never a worry
good luck

Ex-Member · Jun 8, 2009

^ +1 for RAM mounts.

Blk88GT · Jun 8, 2009

I've got a 60CSX with the Ram handlebar mount. Works great.

Insaneboltrounder/sjohns · Jun 8, 2009

My 2 cents

Garmin Colorado 400t screen too dim to be seen in bright sunlight , batterys dont last a ride
Garmin Oregon 400t touch screen will freeze in cold weather
Garmin RINO 530hcx , screen will freeze up if mounted on a sled , batterys last 4 days !
Garmin 60csx top of the bunch but doesnt use the new topo maps

Any others that I should be looking at?[/QUOTE]

heres what i am looking into.. http://www.gpsreview.net/delorme-pn-40/

Cliff Clavin · Jun 8, 2009

Another vote for the Rino. I have the 520 Hcx and really like it. Ram mount on the bars and away you go. On the quad in the summer and sled in the winter.....The rechargeable battery on it lasts quite awhile but they sell an additional battery pack that uses AA batteries....Color screen is great...

KFD070 · Jun 8, 2009

retiredpop said:
X2 on the 60 CSx. Very sensitive receiver.

X3 on the 60CSX. Used it this past year and loved it. I found it to be very user friendly. Heard a lot of great stuff about the Rhino but quite a bit more cash. Do not get a Magellan. Tried a Magellan for a couple of weeks this past year and it went straight back to the store. Hard to use and it tried to send me down to Southern California when I hit one of my "Go To" points in Western Canada. Probably would have been a scenic ride but likely would have had to replace Hyfax and carbides when I got home.

Rob1334 · Jun 8, 2009

If you do not have friends who have rhinos you are just paying extra for something you won't use. All Garmins have a similar if not the same chip set depending on the model you pick, so accuracy within the brand is going to be very good all across the board.

Like others have said, don't pay for something you won't use, and make sure you know how to use what you have. Summer is a good time to buy one as it is nice enough to take out often, collect data, and return home to see what you can do with that data.

With that being said, I use my Garmin eTrex Legend all the time, got it relatively cheap and have it setup for what I need. I use $10k Trimble units at work and still use a cheap one at home, eventually you will learn that most offer options you will never use or just luxery options they can get you for on price.

donbrown · Jun 8, 2009

X2 on the 60csx

Mule said:
^ +1 for RAM mounts.

I like your set up ... phone jack hook up .... how well does it hold up ???

Or are you just using stuff you have laying around?

Ex-Member · Jun 8, 2009

donbrown said:
I like your set up ... phone jack hook up .... how well does it hold up ???

Or are you just using stuff you have laying around?

Works real well, actually. Busted one connector so far, had that setup for over a year... lock tab popped off the connector. I keep a plug with me to keep snow out of hte connector when the GPS isn't plugged in, but the connector's pretty tough and the ends are cheap. Haven't had a problem with water in the connector either. Didn't feel like paying Garmin $30 _each_ for a few cables, so i modded the one I bought to fit truck, sled, dirtbike, and computer.

USB-Serial adapter in the box, power supply to power GPS from either external (like in the truck) or USB power.

captain-sno · Jun 8, 2009

Supplicate said:
Garmin 60csx by far.

Its worked for me from southern colorado to the north slope of alaska without a single issue of holding signal. I know some guys with the Rino that can't get them to maintain satelite signal for anything, they work okay in the southern reaches (CO, WY) but don't hardly work at all in the northern areas and forests.

My 60csx has also maintained signal in terrain that i figured wouldn't have any GPS signal at all.

The newer rino's have the same chip set as the 60csx, and the same specs for sensitivity. The older ones where not as sensitive and did not work well in canyons and heavy trees, but my new 530 works in my basement. As most GPS (except the waas satellites) satellites are not geo stationary, the difference between Alaska and Colorado will be dependent on the footprint of the coverage from the satellite itself...and in theory the Rino should receive as well as the 60....

Just my thoughts. I have mine mounted and installed a 12 volt (modified the mount) which keeps the battery @ 100%. Funny Garmin or a third party does not make a mount that allows for 12 volt hook up especially on an outdoor gps, you have to cut the cradle to fit the charge adapter onto the back of the battery.

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