Researching GPS

[Robdice]

I'm looking to buy my first GPS receiver. Right now I'm looking at the Garmin Venture HC GPS receiver. (http://www.rei.com/product/761620). Anyone know much about this? Or one in the $150-300 price range that is great?

[joebartels]

Probably best to stick with the 76 or 60 until they work out the kinks if you're not into products not quite perfected. Of course once they perfect it, they'll ruin it again...

Jim said he gets better battery life on his 400t with the rechargeable batteries. I've never had any issues with screen sensitivity. They're probably not doing it right or bite their nails. The tip of your fingernail works perfect every time. It is a learning curve at first but the touch screen is definitely a plus. I remember checking them out time and time again before I knew how to use it at the stores thinking it was useless. I really like the large button layout and you can customize the layout to your preference too. The two I use most are the odometer and elevation profile so I moved those to the home screen. After you learn the menus I think it's faster than tiny buttons, plus there's nothing to wear out. Getting the clip off and changing the batteries is like changing the alternator in a Ferrari until you figure it out, then it's a piece of cake and you realize what an indestructible design it is.

[big_load]

I have an older Garmin 60CS (before the x). If I were buying today for trail use, I'd go for the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. It has great sensitivity and battery life and is very lightweight. My second choice would be the 60CSx.

[joebartels]

If I were buying today for trail use, I'd go for the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx.

It's really tough to beat the new low price, batteries run forever and it's small too.

[allanalxndr]

I really like my 60csx. Does everything i need and then some. Primary use is for hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Great battery life and keeps a strong satellite signal most of the time. Add the topo maps to it and you have all the information you could need for a given area.

[big_load]

My observations on the 60CSx relative to the 60CS: better sensitivity, easier map changing (and more memory overall), but a lot less power efficient (battery life went from 30 hours down to 18).

[Grasshopper]

big_load wrote:
If I were buying today for trail use, I'd go for the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx.It's really tough to beat the new low price, batteries run forever and it's small too.

Since our Angela(tibber) and Beverly(blk) took advantage of that great Wal-Mart past X-Mas'09 holiday price of $149.00+tax for the eTrex Vista HCx, I have now had a whole lot of personal up close time with these units helping to get their AZ topo maps(1:24k) loaded in and working with the various menus setup for them. So I can now kind-of compare my 60CSx to their Vista Hcx units and here are just a few things in my mind that make the 60CSx a superior unit:
..the HCx screen is just too small and much more difficult to view the map detail compared to the larger 60CSx screen;
..the HCx buttons are funky to work with (buttons on both sides of unit and the squirrely toggle switch on top;
..the HCx does not have an automatic power up option(110v) when you hook it up to your computer..it hooks up and powers up on the computer using the batteries only;
..the HCx does not have the capability (I can't find one if it exists) to move backwards to your previous screen(s) one-at-a-time.. ie- if you are on a particular screen and you want to go back one screen, you have to go forward through all your loaded main screens inorder to get to that particular screen;
..the HCx does not have an adequate design solution to hang your GPS on your pack shoulder strap.. the 60CSx has a great in the box solution with a relatively strong clip to attach high on your pack shoulder strap that the 60CSx unit attaches to;
..the Wal-Mart holiday'09 special price of $149. for the HCx no longer exists, so the published price difference now between the HCx and the 60CSx is not that much different for the larger and better designed, user friendly 60CSx;

All this being said, the HCx unit buy for Angela and Beverly at $149. was the correct solution for them and this unit does have numerous excellent other GPS features like the higher end 60CSx that make it a solid contender..

[desertgirl]

Ok -- you guys are amazing atthe consise analysis. Thanks for all that feedback!

I think I am going to go and check out the 500t and play with it somewhere ...I am sucker for new technology. and I like the touch screen for ease of nav. REI return policy may have to be invoked on this if I don't like it. Now I need to figure out what the price differential is between REI and online ...

Next on list is the 60csx or 76csx....which may be a more practical solution. Ah the choices....

[nonot]

I'll plug the Etrex Vista HCx and Etrex Legend HCx. I generally get at least a full day of hiking out of a pair of rechargables...sometimes 2 days. I haven't noticed that the maps drain that much battery on these models. But you need to buy a screen protector! If mine wears out (I've abused it pretty bad) I think I will get another one, plus a screen protecter. If you are going boating the floating ones will probably be a better investment. I do like the additional colors on the 60 and 70 csx's but originally they were way expensive when they first came out. However they are larger too and I wanted one that's pocketable.

[nonot]

Most of Hank's points are correct however you can power on the Vista series HCx's without batteries when connected to your computer, I do it all the time on mine.

Additionally, it has a decent set of mounting options if you wanted to attach it somewhere...but it fits in a pocket just fine.

big_load wrote:
If I were buying today for trail use, I'd go for the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx.It's really tough to beat the new low price, batteries run forever and it's small too.

Since our Angela(tibber) and Beverly(blk) took advantage of that great Wal-Mart past X-Mas'09 holiday price of $149.00+tax for the eTrex Vista HCx, I have now had a whole lot of personal up close time with these units helping to get their AZ topo maps(1:24k) loaded in and working with the various menus setup for them. So I can now kind-of compare my 60CSx to their Vista Hcx units and here are just a few things in my mind that make the 60CSx a superior unit:
..the HCx screen is just too small and much more difficult to view the map detail compared to the larger 60CSx screen;
..the HCx buttons are funky to work with (buttons on both sides of unit and the squirrely toggle switch on top;
..the HCx does not have an automatic power up option(110v) when you hook it up to your computer..it hooks up and powers up on the computer using the batteries only;
..the HCx does not have the capability (I can't find one if it exists) to move backwards to your previous screen(s) one-at-a-time.. ie- if you are on a particular screen and you want to go back one screen, you have to go forward through all your loaded main screens inorder to get to that particular screen;
..the HCx does not have an adequate design solution to hang your GPS on your pack shoulder strap.. the 60CSx has a great in the box solution with a relatively strong clip to attach high on your pack shoulder strap that the 60CSx unit attaches to;
..the Wal-Mart holiday'09 special price of $149. for the HCx no longer exists, so the published price difference now between the HCx and the 60CSx is not that much different for the larger and better designed, user friendly 60CSx;

All this being said, the HCx unit buy for Angela and Beverly at $149. was the correct solution for them and this unit does have numerous excellent other GPS features like the higher end 60CSx that make it a solid contender..

[pencak]

I have the Garmin Colorado 300 (which might not be available anymore). You can adjust the screen brightness and load maps from a memory chip. I got it because it has a high gain antenna. Besides hiking in AZ I use it down in Central America hiking in jungle. It picks up signals through heavy forest cover interference with no problem. Two AA rechargeables last 14hrs even when I'm saving tracks at a high frequency rate. Increasing the screen brightness reduces battery life but I keep it low and it's readable almost all the time. I got a separate case for it, something that was for a radio or something like that. Works great on a strap sewn to my pack.

[azbackpackr]

Add the topo maps to it and you have all the information you could need for a given area.

Yeah, great, if I had a DVD R/W on my computer. Sure wish I would have known that when I bought the GPS. (Garmin 60Cx) Will install after-market DVD R/W one of these days...hope it doesn't kill my old computer!

[joebartels]

R is plenty. The W doesn't cost much more these days and works well now, but will be an issues on older computers.

[azbackpackr]

Ok, thanks, good to know that!

[WilliamnWendi]

Thanks to all for this informative discussion on GPS. And thanks in general for this site it has been a wonderful resource and one that has introduced me to an area I have lived in for fourteen years not knowing how much there was to do without taveling all the way to the Grand Canyon. I was wondering if 60CSx or 76CSx can make a record of trails and the mileage traveled. If yes to the trail mapping what is involved in uploading plotted trails to sites such as our wonderfull Hikearizon.com Are we talking minutes or hours/ Dollars or cents? If yes to the distancing is that mileage accounting elevation gains or "As the crow flies". Thanks again. Bill T.

[BobP]

They give you both mileage and accumulated elevation gain (I have a 60csx). But run it thru the GPS or topo to get a more accurate reading. Uploading tracks is pretty fast depending on your computer connections. I would say seconds to minutes.

[Sredfield]

This is an excellent resource for self - teaching GPS. I believe there are groups for all the major GPS religions and sects.

This one happens to be mine--76CSx

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Garmin_GPSmap_76C/

[desertgirl]

I think I am going to go and check out the 500t and play with it somewhere ...I am sucker for new technology.

The Apple iPad did not do it for so my 2010 donation to supporting bleeding edge ...

I did get the Oregon 500t from REI. I decided it was worth a chance ..lets see how it goes!
If I really don't like it -- I will be using the REI's generous return policy. Typically don't like this policy since it generally increases the cost on items for me but in this case I love it!
I will be out this weekend....

Joe I do love the bomber caribiner attachment!!!

[Sredfield]

Wow, that does look like a lot of technology.

[joebartels]

In response to desertgirl:
Sweet!
Down the road if you want to upload a route to HAZ it's as easy as pie with that baby

Oregon to HAZ
1) When you start your hike navigate to "Setup", select "Reset", reset trip data & clear current track
2) Hike
3) When you finish or between hikes navigate to "Track Manager", select "Current Track" then "Save Track", then back to step #1 and reset
4) Plug unit in to USB, on the HAZ GPS Upload page click "Browse" then navigate to the GPX folder, select file and upload

[desertgirl]

Ok -- Back from the 1st outing with Oregon. Screen is not that great in sunlight but bumping up the brightness helps. Other than that 'twas a charm..Simple to use , resonably sensitive touch screen, Battery lasted 13+ hrs & to top it off it was useful. Michelle & I we heading past dark and I was able to easily follow the trail on the gps and head home in darkness ( The full moon did not show up when we were on the trail)

One other peeve -- the darn screen needs be like na ipod -- pinch & zoom!!!