GPS?

[moab mark]

My wife accidently left my truck open overnite a few weeks ago. I had my Sat Phone GPS and a nice set of Bose headphones borrowed. Unfortunately they have not brought them back.:cry1:

I am looking for a new GPS. I had a Garmin 60csx really liked it but Garmin has so many new models that just looking at their site gave me a headache. So what are most of you using? Anyone used any of the Oregon models? Due to only using a very small portion of what these units can do I am leaning at going cheaper this time. But I want the built in compass option, it rules.

Mark

[jman]

Sportmans Warehouse is selling the Garmin Vista (has electronic compass), in color, high-sensitivity sensor, expandable memory; along with a Garmin Vista case; and the US Topo 2009 (maybe it's 2010 now, didn't check specifically), all for $250.

The device alone brand new will cost ya around $200. And the US TOPO CD is valued at $100.


Or you could get the cheaper model, the Legend (without the compass) for about $150.

Or hit up some pawn shops if you want really cheap.

[moab mark]

I've been checking pawn shops for a nice Sat phone and GPS but now luck.:angryfire:

[homerj]

I have the etrex Vista HCx and really like it, but if I had to do it over again I think I'd go with a Oregon or Dakota. The touch screen rules compared to the joystick on the etrex's.

[Iceaxe]

I use the cheapest eTrex Garmin makes, and I don't use half the features it has.... I have no clue what I'd do with more bells and whistles.

37350

[denaliguide]

go big. its was your wife's fault and she can't complain about replacement cost. can you say "top of the line, baby". :roflol:

[ststephen]

If the included maps are only the 100K resolution you'll probably want to upgrade the maps. Fortunately, for Utah you can find free 24K maps online. Might make that $100 value less of a savings if you'll only use it in Utah.

[John Peterson]

I had my 60CSX for a long time and abused it regularly. It fell off the clip and over the edge while descending Russell Gulch to Subway in April, never to be seen again. I though about replacing it with another like model, but ultimately picked up the Garmin 450. I don't remember all the Oregon variants, but I ended up not wanting to spend money for the digital camera feature.

Pros regarding the Oregon 450:
- Touchscreen is nice
- Menu navigation is straightforward, better than the rotary system used by the 60CSX
- Multiple profiles are nice - you can have KM, UTMs, don't follow roads, topo selected, with a running trackfile on one mode. Get back to the trailhead and switch it to another mode and you have statute miles, DD MM.MMM, follow roads, with city navigator running on the other. No more changing of setups required per user application
- Seems pretty bombproof so far. I abused my 60CSX, and while I haven't quite subjected the Oregon to that level of pain, it's holding up. Did Subway and Orderville w/ it clipped to the outside of my pack, no degradation.
- Size and weight

CONS:
- Pricier than the 60CSX it replaced.
- Some higher level settings are not intuitively placed in the menu system, especially if you are used to an older Garmin product
- Initial learning curve a bit steep
- Seems to chew through batteries a little quicker than the 60CSX
- Pretty sure it doesn't have the same antenna as the 60CSX. It takes a hair longer to ring in as a result. It did keep track through most all of Subway though, and about half of Orderville.

Overall, I am happy with the purchase, although it took me a few weeks to come around.

EDIT: Both the 60 series and the Oregon work well with the free Utah topo mapsets found here: http://www.miscjunk.org/mj/mp_uttopo.html

[Iceaxe]

I will make one sales plug for Garmin.... about 10 years ago I dropped my Garmin eTrex into the middle of the Black Hole. I spent about an hour diving down trying to retrieve it but the water was too deep and I couldn't find it, the water was about 20' deep where I dropped it.... anyhoo... about a year later I get a call from Micah Mckee saying he found my GPS. It had washed out of the Black Hole and he found it about 3 miles downstream from where I lost it. The GPS was returned to me and when it was opened up it was packed solid with sand and crude. I spent all of 5 minutes cleaning it up, popped in new batteries and it fired right up. Plugged it into my computer and it still contained my track right up to the deep pothole it was dropped in. The GPS was really beat up and the screen was scratch but it still works and I still use it.

[canyoncaver]

I had a Garmin GPS12 from 1997 until about two months ago when it finally died.

I took advantage of the REI Labor Day sale and got a Garmin Oregon 450 for $250 instead of the usual $350. I took it on a three-day backpack in the Uintas and was pleased. One thing that is nice is the custom maps feature. I was able to upload 24k topo maps directly onto the thing. Took a while to figure it out, but it worked.

The only thing I didn't like was that it ate up batteries quickly. I was only using alkaline AA's, not the lithium or rechargables that are recommended, so no surprise there.

So far I like the Oregon, but have only done one trip with it.

[moab mark]

Battery life is a big problem for me. I do alot of snowmobiling and I do not know whether it is the speed which creates alot of tracks or the extremely cold air but my 60 csx could not get thru one day without running out of batteries. We like to be able to come home afterwards and down load our tracks and see just how drunk we were on that day. If you have ever seen the track log of a good day boondocking it will crack you up.

I dropped by Sportsmans today to have a look. They currently have no deal on a GPS and maps. If you want Garmins maps the oregons are the best deals.

Mark

[ibenick]

I picked up an Oregon 450 earlier this year and I really like it. My old one was a Garmin 76s. As John said, the touchscreen is sweet, not as responsive as something like an iphone of course but still good and WAY better than any of the models with joysticks of buttons to navigate. On batteries I've been using Eneloop rechargeable NiMH's and I've been getting excellent life out of them. The trick is to always leave the screen dimmer all the way off, unless it's dark out you can still see it fine.

[jman]

Battery life is a big problem for me. I do alot of snowmobiling and I do not know whether it is the speed which creates alot of tracks or the extremely cold air but my 60 csx could not get thru one day without running out of batteries. We like to be able to come home afterwards and down load our tracks and see just how drunk we were on that day. If you have ever seen the track log of a good day boondocking it will crack you up.

I dropped by Sportsmans today to have a look. They currently have no deal on a GPS and maps. If you want Garmins maps the oregons are the best deals.

Mark

Which sportsmans? I talked to the folks up in Riverdale either two or three weeks ago and it was going on. Sorry Mark that it wasn't going then.

[Canyonbug]

I use the cheapest eTrex Garmin makes, and I don't use half the features it has.... I have no clue what I'd do with more bells and whistles.

37350

X2 ( exact same model)

Although I would say that after our North Wash Rondy I am thinking I need to upgrade. We got turned around Saturday trying to get to the canyon and Jeff pulled out a nice new Garmin Oregon (450 I think) and got us back on track. I was able to play with it for a few minutes and it was pretty sweet. Trying to decide if it was sweet enough to pony up some dough for one.

[moab mark]

Having the electronic compass when hiking is well worth the money.

Mark

[Bo_Beck]

My wife accidently left my truck open overnite a few weeks ago. I had my Sat Phone GPS and a nice set of Bose headphones borrowed. Unfortunately they have not brought them back.:cry1:

I am looking for a new GPS. I had a Garmin 60csx really liked it but Garmin has so many new models that just looking at their site gave me a headache. So what are most of you using? Anyone used any of the Oregon models? Due to only using a very small portion of what these units can do I am leaning at going cheaper this time. But I want the built in compass option, it rules.

Mark


Dakota 20 with just basemaps. Buy the DVD with the region you want $139? This way you can have the maps you want both on your computer and the GPS as well. Interfaceable.

[mrabe1979]

1+ for Garmin etrex series

I own a Garmin vista. Its great. I ran over it with my car accidentally while visiting a few canyons in the Swell. It still works great!