GPS units: What's your favorite? Why?

[yakimuchacho]

What GPS unit do you think is the best? I intend to use it a lot during winter backcountry shoeing/boarding.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

i just chose a garmin gpsmap-76s for my x-mas gift. (for similar uses)

i decided on that over the vista (and v-c) partially b/c it was on sale for $250 (mrp $430), partially b/c of a better antennae.

garmin units have more users, which means better support (at least with peers) and the units have been hacked if you want to do any of your own modifications (custom maps).

 

this site has more information than you'll know what to do with, including links to online retailers (seriously good deals!).

 

this board has some good discussions on models, but keep in mind that their usage is quite a bit different than yours.

 

good luck!!

[PaulB]

I have a Garmin GPS 12 (old school, but durable) and recently picked up a Garmin Geko 201 (more memory and much smaller). Both are good units if you want a simple GPS that will tell you where you are, track where you've been, and let you download/upload data from your PC.

 

I've never looked at any of the units with built in map databases, mostly 'cause I don't think they'd be very useful. I'd rather carry a paper map.

[robertjoy]

Hey! I just sold my faithful GPS12 and got a Gekko 201. For mountaineerng I don't see how you would need anything more expensive. I would never use the fancy street map downloads. The Gekko is tiny, light, and has all the features a mountaineer would want, I think. RMJ

[Alpinfox]

I want a very small and very lightweight GPS.

 

Any of you folks ever use the Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS? It can mount on a wrist strap, but I imagine I'd just keep it in a pocket or something.

It's even smaller+lighter than the Geko 201 . Anybody have any experience with the forerunner or, preferably, both the forerunner and the geko?

[Dr_Crash]

No experience, but I wish someone made a watch with GPS, barometer, and HR monitor. And not charge $899 as Suunto would do. If they can market a GPS watch for $149, you'd expect to see sub-$300 watches with all the above features... And they would sell like pancakes (once one solves the 15 hr battery issue with smart power management :-P)

 

The main issue with a GPS in a watch form factor is the size of the antenna, and thus the acquisition time and quality of reception. (I want an external antenna connector for my gadget watch and a flexible 30 ft wire antenna that weighs next to nothing.)

drC

[Couloir]

Garmin ETrex...simple, sub $100 and does what I need.

 

I feel a little too connected to the outside world if I take too much technology out with me. I think someone even mentioned once that they were climbing with someone and they were taking waypoints at every minute turn and it was driving him crazy.

[Dr_Crash]

Damn, GPS for <$100. Time to relegate my $400 sextant (and that's extremely cheap for a metal sextant) to a wall ornament

 

drC

[cj001f]

Checkout the Magellan eXplorist series - the 500 & 600 are smaller than the 60cs, same featureload, and way more useful than an eTrex. The base eTrex sucks. Crappy compass, crappy battery life. If you really want something for winter navigation, learn to use a compass & altimeter. Batteries die quick in the cold.

[chirp]

I have an old Etrex Summit and my wife has a GPSMAP 60CS. We use em for Geocaching and amazingly my old school summit does really well even with the patch antenna. Hers has a quad helix and waas capability, a definite plus in heavily forested areas...like the cascades.

Really digging the geocaching as a fun little techy side hobby and a great way to dial in GPS units ability under a variety of situations.

 

Geocaching

TBFHoMFV (work safe)

 

[Macson]

Better than the forerunner is the foretrex. It has the same body as the forerunner and the same programming as the gecko 201, so it works with National Geographic TOPO if you like to plan routes ahead of time. I have one and have used it a handful of times. The Tooth (just for the heck of it), SEWS (same reason), Adams.

 

In the limited amount that I've used it I'd say the performance and reception is about the same as my etrex venture was. It's very small, which I really like. The 201 and 101 are the same except that the 201 has a rechargable lithium ion battery and the 101 uses AAA's. I have the 201. Believe it or not the best price I found it for was at walmart.com. Cheaper than ebay at the time.

[thelawgoddess]

what's the difference between the gecko 101/201 and the etrex models?

[PaulB]

what's the difference between the gecko 101/201 and the etrex models?

The Garmin website has a useful comparison page.

[newtoclimbing]

I have been using the Garmin 60 this year, and on five trips, I'm pretty impressed. It's not tiny or lightweight, but it has good features, a very clear grey screen and outstanding battery life. Really outstanding battery life!

 

It lacks a barometer or electronic compass, but those features eat batteries like crazy anyway.

 

I have lost the sat lock a few times, but only in very heavy timber on a north-facing slope. It get a hot fix fast and cold fixes are quick too. The alarm clock feature is handy for those of us that don't wear a watch. I paid $190CDN from gpscentral.ca and it's a decent value.

[thelawgoddess]

what's the difference between the gecko 101/201 and the etrex models?

The Garmin website has a useful comparison page.

thanks!

[JoshK]

I am big into gadgets and have the 60CS and the geko 301. The 60CS does everything and its mapping is awesome. It has everything you could want in a GPS and is a very powerful navigation tool.

 

On the other hand the Geko is super light and you can take it on any trip where you are concerned about weight and size.

 

I would highly recommeed the Geko 301 because you can find them FOR LESS THAN $150 NEW ON EBAY from reliable sellers. DO NOT PAY THE $230 FOR RETAIL!!!!!!!!!!!! The geko 301 has a magnetic compass and barometric altimiter all in that tiny package and for the non-ripoff non-retail price it is a great GPS.

[atomic]

Second the Geko 201.

 

Everything you need in a very lightweight unit that is just way too easy to keep handy. The extras on the 301 suck too much juice (and they're probably redundant, anyway, if you have a compass and altimeter watch, etc.)

[whidbey]

Am I correct in this observation? Going to Garmins website and comparing the 101 and 201... the only difference is a $50 battery? I'm trying to decide between the two and that is the only difference on the spec page... am I missing something?

 

cheers

[Fairweather]

Geocaching: an excuse to litter our local mountains with worthless garbage. A hobby for those unable to mentally or physically process the demands of orienteering.

 

I still like my Garmin Legend. The price has come down with the advent of the newer Geko line.

 

"Magnetic compass" feature on the higher priced units: absolutely worthless, pointless, redundant. If you really need to know which direction and feature is, take two steps toward it and let your unit re-orient. Or use the old-school Silva you should have with you anyhow!

 

I agree with the person who likes the basic Garmin e-trex. The battery life is far superior to 'better' models.

 

Battery Life above all else.

 

 

 

.02

Edited June 27, 2005 by Fairweather

[chirp]

Sportclimbing: an excuse to litter our local mountains with worthless garbage

At least you cant see the geocaches unless you are looking for them, hell, alot of them I can't even find when they are staring me in the face.

The environmental culture in geocaching is alot more pro-trash removal and "stealth" than climbing seems to be these days.

[Fairweather]

Hmmm....Sport climbers vs geocachers. Who can heap the most garbage upon the alpine landscape?

 

That would be a tough call!

[chirp]

[thelawgoddess]

Second the Geko 201.

 

Everything you need in a very lightweight unit that is just way too easy to keep handy. The extras on the 301 suck too much juice (and they're probably redundant, anyway, if you have a compass and altimeter watch, etc.)

what if you don't have an altimeter watch? i noticed there is also one etrex model that has the barometric altimeter. do you think it would be better to have separate gps and altimeters? (i guess battery-wise perhaps it would be?)

[Macson]

what if you don't have an altimeter watch? i noticed there is also one etrex model that has the barometric altimeter. do you think it would be better to have separate gps and altimeters? (i guess battery-wise perhaps it would be?)

 

Separate is nice because of the battery issue. It's also nice because you can't always get a good gps signal (under trees etc...), and because firing up the gps just to get your elevation sucks.

 

I've found that accuracy is about the same on either type. That is, not great. However, my gps altitude was more accurate on top of Baker yesterday. Within about 10', while my Suunto was off about 100' because of big weather changes during the morning.

[Cobra_Commander]

Hmmm....Sport climbers vs geocachers. Who can heap the most garbage upon the alpine landscape?

 

That would be a tough call!

 

Clown.