GPS suggestions.

[dioscuriII]

Can anyone suggest a good but affordable GPS? I need something for hiking and stuff. I would like to store lots of waypoints. Color is good. I don't have much experience with one, but I can learn anything. So that doesn't matter. $250 or less would be great.

Thanks!

Kevin

[ibenick]

I have a Garmin 450 that I really like. Might be a bit more than you're looking to spend ($319 on Amazon). I've had other Garmin units and the touchscreen is a huge improvement, IMO. It's also a lot more accurate than the eTrex model I borrowed from a friend last year and the battery life on it is incredible. If you want something like it but scaled down a bit, the Garmin Dakota is supposed to be pretty good too.

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Oregon-.../dp/B00313JX4W

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Dakota-.../dp/B002G1YPIO

[Iceaxe]

and the touchscreen is a huge improvement, IMO.

I have no clue if its true or not for a GPS, but I've had problems before with touchscreen phones when the temp gets really cold (below approximately 10 degree F, depending on the phone). Which might be a concern since I'm more likely to use my GPS in extreme weather conditions more then my cell phone.

[jman]

I've been thinking about getting the Garmin Rhino 500+. The attractive feature is that it has a 2way radio option built-in (5watt). Having another person in my group who already has one, we can now use the feature that will automatically send my location to him on his map.

That feature could have been really helpful on previous trips. One trip just recently was up the great white icicle, and my friend took another path looking around the cliff and somehow got lost from us. For the next 30mins we tried to reconnect again, but the echoes off the wall were throwing his voice above us and below us. And the shrubbery was thick so we couldn't see anything to get bearings. Finally, after enough yelling back and forth we were able to meet up again.

If I had this feature earlier, I would of been able to locate him within minutes, rather than just listening to the echoes off the wall.

[dioscuriII]

"Echo... echo... echo... Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon... Manny Mota... Mota... Mota." - Airplane

Sorry I had to do this...

[nelsonccc]

i'VE HAD THE GARMIN 60CS FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. It's perfect. takes all the abuse I throw at it and keeps going. I'd buy anotehr in a heartbeat. Last year I broke the battery door. Sent it to garmin, they replaced everything. It was out of warrranty so i had to pay $100 but essentially got a new GPS. New shell and screen. Love it.

[denaliguide]

ebay. etrex vista c.

[uintahiker]

Garmin

Garmin

GARMIN

I think mine is a Garmin LegendHCX. It's been a fun (and extremely useful) toy.

I'd say go with a Garmin. Another huge benefit is there seems to be more free uploadable maps for Garmin then there is for other GPS manufacturers.
Sites like gpsfiledepot.com and others are great resources.

You can find nice GPS units out there that are used and if you don't mind a little wear and tear you can get more bang for your buck then just buying a new one.

[HighPlainsPhotographer]

I will add another vote for the Garmin 60cs series - mine is still going storing after a few years and multiple (unintentional) attempts to break it.

[Deadeye008]

I use my Android phone and Trimble Outdoors App. Never had any problems with it and used it down to around 0 degrees F and as hot as 100+. I did buy a waterproof clear case for it to protect it from the weather. It is a clear soft plastic case so I can manipulate the devise without removing it from the case. The app allows me to add waypoints as well as geotagged pictures and videos. I can also go on the Trimble Outdoors site and creat a pre-trip plan with markers and tracks on it and then when I get out in the field I can use that pre-trip plan as a guide. The app also allows you to cache maps of all kinds including, terrain, topo, and satellite so that you can use them without having to be within a network signal.

[dioscuriII]

Thanks for all the info, everyone.

[homerj]

I have the Garmin etrax vista hcx. It's been a great GPS, but I wish I had one of those touchscreen ones (Dakota or Colorado). I think the Dakota's are cheaper, you might look into one of those.

[Win]

i'VE HAD THE GARMIN 60CS FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. It's perfect. takes all the abuse I throw at it and keeps going. I'd buy anotehr in a heartbeat. Last year I broke the battery door. Sent it to garmin, they replaced everything. It was out of warrranty so i had to pay $100 but essentially got a new GPS. New shell and screen. Love it.

I had a similar experience with a 60cs . I dropped mine in some fast moving water and it disappeared. Four months later a friend remembered me telling the story, hopped off her ATV and found it 20 feet downstream. I opened it up and the batteries and chip were fine but it had water in the window. Back to Garmin and for $100.00 they sent me a refurb.

I had replaced it with a 60CSX and am very happy with it.

Win

[Iceaxe]

I dropped my Garmin eTrex GPS in a deep pool in the Blackhole. A year later it was found a couple of miles downstream. I opened it up, cleaned the water and sand out, put new batteries in and it worked perfect. To top it off, my waypoints and track were still intact.

Blackhole

[Bad Karma]

I used to have a Garmin (and forget what model) which wokred perfectly. I've tried Magellan and didn't think it was as nice. I'd head over to Garmin's website, find a model that would work best for what you intend to use it for then hunt for a sale on it. Good luck

[dioscuriII]

Going Garmin. Thanks everyone.