[Az-Geocaching] Needed: advice for my first GPS

[Robert & Linda Smith]

OK,   OK,   Let me wade into this debate. 

I have owned both Garmin (still do) and Magellan (still do) - I found 
the 60C a little over the top with things it could do.  I had trouble 
trying to have just 20 or 50 or 100 waypoints to chose from when I went 
on a cache run.  I wasn't able to list them in an order that I could 
understand.  Granted, when we found a cache it was easy and quick to see 
where the next closest cache was.  I expect there was a menu item that 
would have helped me.  I did not find the icon menu setup helpful to 
me.  I missed the ability to have a "file" of x number of caches from my 
pocket query and being able to load just those in memory to work with.  
As I remember the 60C had a large memory and you could put a bunch of 
caches in it's memory.

My Magellan Gold and Color give me the option to use the SD memory card 
and select specific files or groups of caches in an area that I am 
interested in.  My brain seems to work best that way.  I have a pocket 
query set up to give me a weekly update on say, "local" caches, then 
those near "mom", etc.  When I'm in that area I load them into memory, I 
can see the cache name if I only load 200 caches (I'm not going to hit 
that many in a day much less a week) and it all just seems to flow 
easier for me.

Now my wife, she likes her Garmin 12.  I can load 200 caches into it but 
if we go down to Phx. for instance, I need to load a different 200 for 
her.  Or she loads each one by hand, which she has done.

I want to see the eXplorist XL and it's larger screen.  If it has all 
the features and menus of the Meridian Color I might have to talk my way 
into one.  Unless, of course, all the software needs to be changed than 
all bets are off...

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Bob Smith, Petite Elite, Prescott, AZ

EvilFISH wrote:

> Gag me with a Garmin !!!!!!!!
>
> Magellan still works better without all the toys and games....
>
> Like many on this list have already said... the Garmin GPSMAP 60C 
> seems to be the GPS of choice for geocaching (it has geocaching 
> features too). I dont think you should simply be looking for a GPS in 
> a given price range per say... but you should be looking at what you 
> are getting for your money... whatever price range you are looking at. 
> The 60C is by far the best value and you are getting more GPS for the 
> money than any other model out there currently. I know a certain 
> geocacher who was a true Magellan fan. After only one caching outing 
> with me and seeing what my 60C would do... he was hooked on it. A 
> couple months later and he is now a proud owner of a 60C. He cant stop 
> talking about it! He cant beleive all the features it has compared to 
> his old GPS. The unit sells for around $350. I think the best price 
> you will find is probably at gpsnow.com. This is where I purchased my 
> unit. I bought the unit as soon as it became available and paid $400 
> for it. But it has come down in price a bit now. 


> If that is too much... then the Etrex Vista is a great deal as well. I 
> think you might find that for under $250 now. You can now get the 
> Vista in color.... but if you are going to spend that much... then you 
> might as well upgrade to the 60C.
>
>>
>> Garmin manufactures high end aviation panel mount intstrumentation, 
>> including GPS's. The FAA has to approve and certify anything Garmin 
>> produces for aviation before it can be installed in an aircraft. So 
>> you know they make very quality products. That experience and quality 
>> is obvious in their outdoors GPS units as well.
>>
>> Scott
>> Team Ropingthewind
>