[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Hand-held GPS? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 7/31/2011 12:22:22 PM EDT
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I'm looking for a handheld GPS to use for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and also driving in the city.
I'd like for it to be as rugged/waterproof as possible. I have a budget of $400-$500. I've been looking at the Garmin line but am ignorant of a lot of the features and terminology they use to describe their features. The touch screen units look cool but i question how they'd hold up in some rugged shit. Also is there a website/forum that has a list of waypoints/markers of cool spots in the wilderness. i.e... waterfalls, swimming holes, caves, etc...? What say ARFCOM? |
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Quoted: smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. |
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Garmin 60 csx Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile +1 +1 Another vote. I'm a geocacher and I also have an iPhone with the geocaching app. The IPhone gets you close but the GPS will lead you right to it. IMO, smartphones (iPhones since that's all I got) ain't good enough yet. |
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smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. Sure they do. You can get an app like Backcountry Navigator or cache the Google Maps maps if you prefer them. ETA: For the casual user, this is a good cautionary tale. Like I said, I work with GPS professioally and used to work for a company with GPS in the name. I have a pretty good handle on mapping and navigation. |
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smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. Sure they do. You can get an app like Backcountry Navigator or cache the Google Maps maps if you prefer them. ETA: For the casual user, this is a good cautionary tale. Like I said, I work with GPS professioally and used to work for a company with GPS in the name. I have a pretty good handle on mapping and navigation. how do androids do floating in the river next to you tethered to your life vest after you decided to be stupid and tried to reverse direction in rapids and go back up them causing your kayak to reject you. 
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. Sure they do. You can get an app like Backcountry Navigator or cache the Google Maps maps if you prefer them. ETA: For the casual user, this is a good cautionary tale. Like I said, I work with GPS professioally and used to work for a company with GPS in the name. I have a pretty good handle on mapping and navigation. how do androids do floating in the river next to you tethered to your life vest after you decided to be stupid and tried to reverse direction in rapids and go back up them causing your kayak to reject you. Poorly so I posted this: " but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx".  I have a nice Otterbox for my phone but that makes it hard to use. I love my 60CSx. |
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smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. Sure they do. You can get an app like Backcountry Navigator or cache the Google Maps maps if you prefer them. ETA: For the casual user, this is a good cautionary tale. Like I said, I work with GPS professioally and used to work for a company with GPS in the name. I have a pretty good handle on mapping and navigation. how do androids do floating in the river next to you tethered to your life vest after you decided to be stupid and tried to reverse direction in rapids and go back up them causing your kayak to reject you. Poorly so I posted this: " but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx".
I have a nice Otterbox for my phone but that makes it hard to use. I love my 60CSx. I was just messing. My buddies rugged phone handles being submersed pretty well! but two features that are huge to me are waterproof and batteries I can change. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. Sure they do. You can get an app like Backcountry Navigator or cache the Google Maps maps if you prefer them. ETA: For the casual user, this is a good cautionary tale. Like I said, I work with GPS professioally and used to work for a company with GPS in the name. I have a pretty good handle on mapping and navigation. how do androids do floating in the river next to you tethered to your life vest after you decided to be stupid and tried to reverse direction in rapids and go back up them causing your kayak to reject you. Poorly so I posted this: " but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx". I have a nice Otterbox for my phone but that makes it hard to use. I love my 60CSx. I was just messing. My buddies rugged phone handles being submersed pretty well! but two features that are huge to me are waterproof and batteries I can change. I agree completely. My 60CSx is up there in a mental category I have for my gear that pretty much means if it gets damaged I'm in deep shit. |
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I'm looking for a handheld GPS to use for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and also driving in the city. I'd like for it to be as rugged/waterproof as possible. I have a budget of $400-$500. I've been looking at the Garmin line but am ignorant of a lot of the features and terminology they use to describe their features. The touch screen units look cool but i question how they'd hold up in some rugged shit. Also is there a website/forum that has a list of waypoints/markers of cool spots in the wilderness. i.e... waterfalls, swimming holes, caves, etc...? What say ARFCOM? I had the Garmin GPS Map 76 CSx. That thing was awesome. Tough as heck. Years of hunting and made it through many firefights in Afg. Worked in the cold, water, heat, being bumped, dropped, getting hundreds of pounds dropped onto it. Screen took a licking, and had a crack, but it didn't compromise how it worked or being able to read the screen. Easy to use, lots of features. It's a bit big, but that helps when using it with thick gloves on. I'd still have it, but an ANA Capt. "borrowed" it for a patrol, and never returned it. |
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Garmin 60 csx Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile +1 +1 Another vote. I'm a geocacher and I also have an iPhone with the geocaching app. The IPhone gets you close but the GPS will lead you right to it. IMO, smartphones (iPhones since that's all I got) ain't good enough yet. When I flip on GPS on my Droid X, I can tell which corner of my house I'm standing in. I'd say I get to within a meter or two. The only issue I have is that when I use it to navigate in the car, it will lag my position by maybe 30 meters or so. Other than that, a smartphone with GPS is a hella great multi-purpose instrument. |
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I like my Delorme PN-40. I originally went that route because it gave me the ability to upload maps and imagery, and with the right (but expensive) software, scan my own maps and images and put them on the GPS. I wanted this capability when I was in Korea.
Mine did unfortunately have a problem though when it was brand new that got worse quickly. They went me a packing slip, I sent it in, they sent it back and it's been good to go since. |
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Is this an easy and reliable source or is it something that I'm gonna have a bunch of trouble with and wishing I had bought it pre-loaded? Anyone else use this link? It looks to have a lot of good shit on it but just wanna double check. $80-$100 extra for maps seems a little much.... |
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smart phone. I like the nav/mapping on my phone but for use in a kayak/raft I prefer something rugged and waterproof like the 60CSx. I also like the battery life better and it's easy to carry a couple extra AA batteries. ETA: THe 60CSx also has the SiRF Star III receiver chipset which is amazingly sensitive. It's fucking awesome. Android phones do NOT store maps on board like a dedicated GPS. You must have a data signal so the phone can pull the maps off the internet. We got stuck once trying to find an out of the way place in a rural area. The phone had a gps signal but could not download the maps to show our location. I suspect iphones work the same way. I would not take a smart phone out into the boonies and expect the gps to function. They don't "out of the box", but there are "offline" maps that you can download and store in your SD card. Check Sygic (I believe there are others too). That being said, I wouldn't want to use my android for kayacking or anything. |
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Garmin 60 csx Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile +1 +1 +1 Holds up to the heat, dust, water, vibration, and abuse of being mounted on my ATV. Even works well getting around town. The rubber part will start to degrade from UV light after a long time in the sun. The way I understand how smartphone GPS works is by linking to the towers to sync with maps. If you are in remote areas with no access to the network you just get long/lat coordinates. Smart phones are not a replacement for a real GPS unit. |
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Is this an easy and reliable source or is it something that I'm gonna have a bunch of trouble with and wishing I had bought it pre-loaded? Anyone else use this link? It looks to have a lot of good shit on it but just wanna double check. $80-$100 extra for maps seems a little much.... I've used those maps. I prefer the Garmin regional 24k topo maps. |
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Another vote for the 60csx Check out some reviews on the 62ST before you buy it. It seems the 60csx is discontinued and the 62 is the replacement. I'm guessing they have the same features. I'm thinking I'll buy the 62ST. Just need to find a good deal on it. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Another vote for the 60csx Check out some reviews on the 62ST before you buy it. It seems the 60csx is discontinued and the 62 is the replacement. I'm guessing they have the same features. I'm thinking I'll buy the 62ST. Just need to find a good deal on it. I have both the 60CSx and the 62s. I like the interface of the 60 better. However, the 62 has lots of internal memory in comparison to the 60. You can buy the Garmin 24K maps on a DVD and download them to your GPS, OR you can buy a MicroSD card from Garmin with the maps preloaded. Either option costs about $100. Be aware that if you buy the DVD maps, they are registered and locked to ONE Garmin unit. In other words, if you buy a second GPS, you have to buy a second license. OTOH, you can take the MicroSD card out of one GPS and put it in the other one. I don't think the 62st is worth the extra $100, since the included maps are the 1:100K, not the 1:24K. Even though it's been officially discontinued, Garmin would still honor the warranty on the 60. You can get them online from Cabelas for $250 or REI.com for $219 (which is what I did). Here's a Garmin link explaining the map options. In my view, Garmin really nickels and dimes you to death on maps. Try the links in the posts higher up to learn more about making and uploading free maps as well. Good luck and enjoy. I love taking either GPS for a hike, coming home, and dumping the hike data into Google Earth. Here's a hike I just did (with the 62s) |
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Another vote for the 60csx Check out some reviews on the 62ST before you buy it. It seems the 60csx is discontinued and the 62 is the replacement. I'm guessing they have the same features. I'm thinking I'll buy the 62ST. Just need to find a good deal on it. I have both the 60CSx and the 62s. I like the interface of the 60 better. However, the 62 has lots of internal memory in comparison to the 60. You can buy the Garmin 24K maps on a DVD and download them to your GPS, OR you can buy a MicroSD card from Garmin with the maps preloaded. Either option costs about $100. Be aware that if you buy the DVD maps, they are registered and locked to ONE Garmin unit. In other words, if you buy a second GPS, you have to buy a second license. OTOH, you can take the MicroSD card out of one GPS and put it in the other one. I don't think the 62st is worth the extra $100, since the included maps are the 1:100K, not the 1:24K. Even though it's been officially discontinued, Garmin would still honor the warranty on the 60. You can get them online from Cabelas for $250 or REI.com for $219 (which is what I did). Here's a Garmin link explaining the map options. In my view, Garmin really nickels and dimes you to death on maps. Try the links in the posts higher up to learn more about making and uploading free maps as well. Good luck and enjoy. I love taking either GPS for a hike, coming home, and dumping the hike data into Google Earth. Here's a hike I just did (with the 62s) Is the interface of the 60 superior to the 62 or are you just use to them? I wonder what I would be giving up, aside from memory space, by going with the 60 over the 62? I definitely like the price of the 60... I'll probably go with the loaded microSD card. Any recommendations? I was looking at getting the City Navigator one and possible a TOPO one for the Midwest(if they make one). Thanks for the help guys. |
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I use the Mapsource software to compile the regions and maps I want on the computer and upload them to the Garmin. I have Garmin City Nav USA, Mexico, and Topo 24k Arizona.
I got them on DVD and made ISO files out of them for convenience. I also had to up size my SD card. |
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Which map scale is better, 1:100K, or 1:24K? I'm about to pull the trigger on this 60csx and need to make sure I get the right maps. TOPO 24K or 100K? 24k has more detail. You may our may not need it depending on what you will use it for. I would rather have that one. I would skip the street navigation. Not that great in the small screen. Use a phone or get a cheap car gps. |
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Definitely get the 1:24K maps. Much better detail. I don't know that the 62 has a superior interface over the 60, just different. I think both are functional. I have the preloaded MicroSD map card, which works well with the 60. However, I don't think you can write new data to Garmin's SD card. You can save routes, waypoints, and tracks in the 60's onboard memory, but the capacity isn't anything close to the 62. Practically, this may never be an issue, unless you have lots and lots of tracks and routes saved all the time. You can always import/export them to/from your computer, so you don't have to keep them all on the unit. I would have no hesitation in buying the 60CSx. It's been the King of the Hill for the last five years for handheld GPS units. The 62 has some improvements. If you decide you've outgrown the 60, you will always be able to sell it on ebay or Craigslist and get a good chunk of money back. The 62st costs another $100 for preloaded maps, but they're 100K. There's also a 62sc (with a camera) and a 62stc (camera, and topo maps). I guess you could do cool stuff with geo-tagging your photos and all that, but those features push up the price. I went with the plain vanilla 62s. You can get the 62, but it doesn't take an SD card, and it doesn't have an altimeter. If you do much hiking, you'll love the altimeter, so it was worth it to me. The 60CSx has the altimeter. ETA: This page has a bunch of comparison screenshots of the 100K vs the 24K maps and the differences in detail. |