I'm thinking in the $200 range.  Right now, I'm looking at the Wally world website.  I see a Magellan SporTrak for $148,  Magellan Meridian Gold for $228, and a Garmin eTrex Venture for $144.  The Magellan SporTrak Pro looks pretty nice, but it's a little too high ($270).
I really don't need a GPS for much, so it's more or less a "toy".  I'd use it hunting and maybe traveling a couple times a year (so maps would be nice).
Any advice?
Thanks,
CR

Dang, that dropped like a rock.

I thought for sure some of you would have opinions on these - since it's more of a "guy thing" according to my wife.  Oh well, maybe I'll ask one of the helpful "associates" at walmart for advice.  [LOL]

CR

from what i have heard the magellans have better antennae than the garmins do. the magellans are supposed to work better through heavy tree cover/heavily clouded skies.

That's the one I use and I love it! Check around on the internet and Ebay and you can find it cheaper too!

I own a Garmin GPS V that I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeely reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeely like.  Good base maps pre-installed.  An extra 19mb. of storage for detailed neighborhood maps.  It also has auto-routing for door-to-door directions which does a fair job as well.

I use it a lot as I really do have a poor sense of direction and when on road trips it provides a source of entertainment to break up the ride...because...you see...I'm a nerd.  I like to see what my current elevation is.  My overall average and moving average speed.  Just where in the hell I am on the map.  How far til my final destination.  ETA at final destination.  How far until next turnoff.  It will also record your maximum speed attained...a nice feature when you are making a run at it so you can remain focused on the road.  131 mph thus far.  Got plenty of room for more.

I saw one just recently at Target for $400...but I'd be willing to bet a quick search on the 'net and you could find them for much less.  It's outside of your stated budget...but just thought I'd chip in my $$.02.

try looking at www.getagps.com

that's where i got my Garmin Rino 120's,

which i love!!

only familiar with Garmin products, so couldn't tell you about others...

Start looking and bidding on ebay. I got a practically new magellan meridan with 128 mb mem card and the US map cd all shipped for $200. The reception is really good, I haven't lost reception yet outdoors. even with both heavy tree and cloud cover. I can get reception inside my apartment, 10' from the nearest window in a brick building. Once it's warmed up it runs great.

I would definetly suggest having at least 64 megs of memory. I've got about 40 Megs of maps in mine right now. Any long trip across several states will require alot more than the 8 megs (actually 6 after the basemaps) that is built into some units.

I have a Magellan 330M which is now 3 years old. But the latest and greatest can't do any thing that it will. The biggest diference is the newer versions are able to take memory cards.

Back when I was researching before I bought mine. I found there was a big following for the garmins. But I could not understand why.

Magellan was the first in the market. And they have reasonably priced full featured products. While garmin clearly played the features game.

For instance, back when I bought mine. Garmin had a unit that was waterproof that was in my price range. They also had one with a couple of the other features I wanted in my price range. But one with those features that was waterproof had things like a color screen which is un-needed and drives the price through the roof.

In the end. I am glad I bought the Magellan. It has served me well. From 90 miles offshore in the gulf of mexico to the thick piney woods of east Texas.

Now, why didn't I think of that!
Thank y'all for all the info,
CR

I am going to get one myself this year. My buddy has 2 E Maps that are incredable. Not only do they have all the normal functions, but by adding a larger chip, he has the entire State of Arizona on DETAILED topo maps in the thing. It shows on the map where you are and by punching in a coordinance, it will take you there while being on a topo map the entire time. He paid $200 for the entire package with the topos loaded on the optional chip. For someone who spends lots of time in the out doors, this thing is slick.

I have a Magellan Meridian color that I like pretty well.

My fav would be the GPS V for it works well in the woods and in a vehicle. However, that runs $400.

I have a older GPS III which still kicks ass. The unit has been dropped a million times and the case is very sturdy and the lens is scratch-proof.
You might want to consider a GPS III off of ebay. I'm not much of a ebay guy but, that is where I bought mine 4-5 years ago.

The Garmin Rino 120 is really neat. The little joystick takes a bit to master but the RINO would be my next buy for a handheld GPS. I was just shopping for them. The RINO is WAAS capable.

I find that Garmin's menu system and graphics make them stand out amounst the others.

I would not get any GPS that did'nt have a map overlay. I vote for the RINO 120. I just seen them at a local store for $225.
If you have other FRS or GMRS radios that would reinforce the choice.

Anyone know of a GPS unit with a integrated electronic compass that shows your orientation (which way your facing or rotating) while standing still (not walking)?

You might want to consider that.

I think the eTREX does.

I know the Magellan SportTrak color has a true 3 axis compass, a friend of mine bought his when I bought my Meridiian, it's a useful feature especially for hiking.

I checked and the eTREX does.

That definitely is a good option to look for.

Getting a bearing in thick, thick, brush with my GPS III is a pain. In the woods, I still bring a compass.

Dammit, now there is a Rino 130 that has the electronic compass........and I just got the 120 as a gift. I haven't seen any 130's in any stores.

updated: SRP is $375 and they are not available for a few months.

I have the Garmin eTrex Legend. I caught it on clearance at Wally World for $169.  It has a nice world base map and comes with the cable to download waypoints from your computer using their map products. It has a compass and also has calculator and other features like huntingand fishing best times moon phases. It normally sells for around $249(I think). Pretty good product IMHO.

I own both a Magellan Platinum and a ETrex Legend.  Of the two I like the Magellan better for the following reasons:

Customizable screen fields
Larger Screen
Better antenna (picks up satellites when the Etrex doesn’t)
Takes SD memory cards

Don’t get me wrong, I still like the Etrex, but I think the Magellan is a better machine.

Things I like about the Etrex:

It’s small
The “click stick” is nice but I understand that there has been a problem with them breaking.
Better battery life
Has a calculator

Just a note - In case anyone is hunting for a Used GPS, the original 'standard' (Yellow) eTrex does NOT have a no-motion-required compass.
I've got a small compass on my G-Shock wristband, and another on my daypack zipper-pull thermometer-compass fob, so no biggie.

Love my eTrex, works great, and actually help me get rescued in a timely manner this summer when I broke my leg on a hike. Even wrote Garmin a Testimonial.

Go for an extra 100 bucks and buy the top of the line E-trex Vista, about the size of a pack of smokes, 25 Megs of mapspace, altimiter, compass, has been with me all over the world, there is no better feeling in the world than being away from home at 3AM and finding your way back to your hotel....

I too have a Garmin GPS-V.

I was more concerned with vehicular use rather than hand-held use, which ruled out anything that couldn't sit on a dashboard and be useable (ie, the eTrex and the like).

Being very familiar with Garmin equipment (GPS-12 and GPS-III, GPS-III+, and GPS-IIIPilot) pretty much sold me on the brand, as well.

I do kinda wish it has the capability to use memory cards of some sort, but since the basemap is pretty decent, and I'm not real partial to having topo maps of the entire state when I'm not apt to hike the whole state, it wasn't really that big of a deal to me.  When making a trip, I'll fill it with maps of the area I'll end up in; when hiking I'll drop in some maps of the immediete vicinity.

Signal reception is pretty good -- is a 12-channel reciever, and getting full signals from 10-11 satellites is pretty much the norm in clear sky, while on national forest roads (Mark Twain National Forrest in MO) it'll drop to full signals on only 6, but still getting signals from the others (just not full signals).  Again -- You only need 3 for the system to work with reasonable accuracy, minimum of 4 for it to determine speed with any accuracy....but more is better [:D]

Mine's a year old, I think I paid about $400 or so (+shipping) Jan '03.

Got mine from [url]www.gpsnow.com[/url] which had some pretty damned good deals (below what garmin would allow 'em to advertise) without the ebay risks.  Dunno how their prices rate now though....but they had what I wanted at a godo price, in stock, and shipped it the same day. [:D]

Edited to add:  [url]www.gpsnow.com[/url] has the GPS-V for $319.95 instead of $399+ and the etrex vista for $244 (including the serial cable so you can dump more maps into it).

There is a good thread in the Survival Forum on this.

I would say Garmin 76S or RINO 120 (the latter is also FRS/GMRS Radio)

Both are between 190-250, depending on where/when you look for sales.

Noboby beats Garmin customer service.

magellan map 330 is what i have, and it really is a lifesaver, and reliable

+ 1 for looking for what you want at Wal-Mart, then buying it on Ebay.  I bought my Garmin for around $140 or so at the base PX, then saw it a little while later on Ebay for something like $105.  If you can wait a week for it, you can easily save anywhere from $40-$100 on it, I imagine.

This is the one I am buying.  A riding buddy (off road motorcycling) recently got one and we used it last week to help extract ourselves from a hairy scenario.  I am sold on the technology, particularly since I am in a new state and unfamiliar with all the areas near by.

I will post a review when I get it and become familiar with its operations...

Geoff

CR_

Save up buy best you can.. I love my eTrex Vista, I always buy more features than I need... as I become more comfortable with the unit I use more - perhaps you will to and the Vista is well rated.

My $.02

L_d