GPS Units

[Andrewsdad]

Typically I am a slow adapter. I don't even own a cell phone yet. However, I was with a neighbor of mine last week hunting and he had a GPS unit. I am hooked! I am getting awfully confused with all the different brands, features etc. I am looking at the eTrek Vista but it costs $300. Or, I could go with a unit that costs $99. I am sure most of you on this forum,which is a great forum, own GPS units. Any words of wisdom? I know you get what you pay for but I just know that as soon I buy one, there is going to be a better unit available at half the price within a couple of months. Didn't you all find that out when you bought your PC? What should I buy?

[Northlander]

There are a lot of nice units out there. I suggest that if you will use it for fishing get something with mapping. I have a $99 unit and my buddy has a over $300 and his is sweet! Mapping is the way to go. The cheaper units often take a lot longer to boot up and arent as easy to read or operate. You get what you pay for in most cases. Ill see what his is and let ya know.

[Scoot]

Those of us who usually answer gps questions have answered them so many times that we're sick of giving the same responses over and over. So, unfortunately for you, you probably won't get all of the info you'd like with this question that's been answered before. I'd suggest you do a quick search in this forum and look back through some past gps info. This way, you'll get as much info as you'd like. Actually, this way you can get more info than you'd ever want!
Scoot

[traveler]

If you really want a GPS, I can give you general directions to the area I lost mine, out in Wyoming! 3 stinkin' days after I bought one, also for the first time. It was a Garmin 72, bought on recommendation from a friend. I won't buy that one again, even though I have an extra instruction book The buttons are on top with the screen on the bottom, which I didn't like, and it was too big. In fact, I was reading Cabelas website yesterday and the one that caught my eye may well have been the vista you mention. It said it had an internal electronic compass which let the unit give directions without being in motion, which is a drawback to some GPS units that I wasn't aware of. If anyone fluent in GPS reads this and could comment on this feature, I'd appreciate it. Maybe all the newer units are like that, I don't know.

[Guest]

FYI-

I own a Garmin E-Map and love it. It is very user-friendly and have never had any trouble with it. I think it retails for around $190. I'm positive you would be satisfied with it if you go this route. Good luck.

[Fisher Dave]

I would recommend any of the Magellan Meridian series units, very easy to operate, very easy to read, good maps, and maps can be uploaded to it from your PC for very good detail on bodies of water, side roads, elevation, or just about everything. These units are also waterproof, shock resistant, and float. I have never lost a signal in the outdoors with the Marine unit I have, and I've been all over the country.

They arent the cheapest (around $300) .. but you get what you pay for in the end.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I have a “Meridian Platinum” and love it…
I really like the Electronic Compass feature and the mapping is awesome…
The Delorme Software that you can down load works great with it along with several other types of mapping software programs.
I track every fishing trip and hunting trip and make notes when back at home for future reference.
I will admit that it is not the cheapest but thee Old Rumor “You get what you pat for theory” really hits home on GPS units.
Also: I went to several different Sporting Goods Stores and asked what they would recommend. I found out that 90% of these people have a tough time spelling GPS.
Do your own research and / or trust us or your friends not the sales people I think some of them have a commission that drives them.
I purchased mine over the net and have absolutely no complaints…
Good Luck!!!

[Mueske]

traveler,
Too bad you lost your GPS. I find it ironic, not funny, that a device many purchase to prevent becoming lost is itself lost. Deer hunting has mostly run its course here in Wyoming but most of the state will be combed by elk hunters on Tuesday. If your unit hasn't been located by now it will be soon, unless you were using it while seeking speed goats. No stone will be left unturned in this state for the next few months due to hunting various species. I'm sorry to learn of your loss but I'm learning more about GPS units due to this thread. I've only used them in airplanes and haven't found a need for them on the ground, yet.

Kevin

[Canuck]

I purchased a Garmin 38 approx. 10 yrs ago when they first came out and just loved it. I found it very user friendly. The only problem I found was it was slow to load up but that was the old system. I purchased a Garmin Map76S this past summer and just love it. It saved my sorry a-- this past moose huntin. It is very user friendly to but has many a feature I may never use. I turned the electronic compass off as it recommends one do that as it uses battery life and it can be turned on very easy anyways. The only problem I may see with this unit it claims to have only 10 hrs of battery life but I always carry a pair of extra batteries anyways. I was able to download all my waypoints from the 38 down to my PC then download them to my 76S. The reason I went to the 76S was the 24meg memory and I want to eventually download topo maps (When Canada gets its sorry a-- off the fence and allow them). I have downloaded the roads and have ordered the nag. maps for the Great Lakes. As previously mentioned U get what U pay for. They aren't cheap but then U should only have to purchase one every 10 yrs or so (provided U don't loose it, sorry about that guy.

[Try Too Fish]

Magellan Meridian series 2 thumbs up!!!
They or GPSS are sure nice for plotting trolling passes when fishing!Marking hazards with a permanent way-point is handy for when night fishing!
Mine is also the Marine series!

------------------
Try Too Fish
Forced Too Work!!:)

[Fisher Dave]

The Magellan Meridian Series (Marine, Gold Platnum, etc) also have built in memory (16 meg I think) and it accepts memory cards(size of a thumb nail internally) up to 128. I have a 64 meg card in mine and have the entire state of Mn, Wi, Il, Oh, In, Pa, and 3 of the great lakes .. this includes all roads, elevations, points of interest, marinas, buoys, etc ... and I still have a ton of room.

I forgot to put the extra storage part in my 1st post.. it is handy.

[Northlander]

The Garmin 76s with mapping is nice. Lots of memory and loads up fast. Keeps locked on . Expensive but worth it if you only get lost once or fog or snow gets ya on Winni.

[yoppdk]

I've also got a Meridian Platinum ... I just recommended one to a friend and found that Harmony Computers (do a search on the web for their web adress) has regular units for $249 or factory refurbished for about $175. That's a great way to get a premium unit without the great expense.

[Insp Gadget]

I will be spending Sunday in my favorite Deer woods with my wife and a metal detector looking for my one and only gps, a 4 year old Lowrance globalmap 100. (tripped last Saturday on a cross country trek and it fell from my upper hunting vest pocket. Or at least I think that's when it went!?!)

Notice that most of the favorites mentioned are Garmin/magellan and wonder if that's because they are easier to find then Lowrance, or if you've found them to be better? If we don't find it, I'll be looking for a new one and just not sure which way to go. All seem to be very similar with minor feature differences, all now have memory cards (except globalmap, ifinder does), but I do have the Lowrance mapping cd's and waypoints in my pc that may be easier to upload to a new Lowrance. That sort of has me leaning to ifinder, saving a few bucks, but most importantly, (hopefully) not losing all the data!

What do you gents think?

(personally, I think I should have tied the lanyard to my vest! Bet I never lose another one!)

[Canuck]

Good Luck Insp. Gadget. How about taking either your hunting dog or of if U havn't one get a friends. Their nose sure might help. Good Luck.

I went with the Garmin because I found it user friendly and I find I need all the help I can. I went with the 76S because of the memory size (24 meg). You are right they are like vehicles now, all have about the same features but everybody has a preference be it a Chev, GMC or Dodge or even a Ford.