GPS advice

[salomonskiier12]

So I've been doing a lot of touring/exploring recently, and having almost gotten lost numerous times, it would be nice to have a gps to see where I am headed as well as to upload my tracks to the computer.

I've been looking a some models, and here are the key features I def will need: long bat life, rechargeable, color screen (easier to see in daylight), small, but big enough so I can use with glove (or at least a liner on), and the ability to store breadcrumbs (in case I'm hungry) so that I can look at the path I just took.

The one thing I'm concerned with is the tree cover. Being on the ice coast here, we ski trees, so I hope the trees won't impede the satellite signal when I am creating tracks.

So far, I've been looking at these:
http://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-eT...GPS-P1594.aspx

http://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-eT...-HC-P1600.aspx

http://www.thegpsstore.com/DeLorme-E...GPS-P1940.aspx

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations. Good idea or not so good? Thanks!

[altis]

I have to comment on some of your key features:

Rechargeable - this is a pain if you're away from the mains for more than a day or so. Mine has a built-in lithium battery and I've had to construct a battery-pack charger. Far easier just to get one that takes AAs or AAAs.

Colour screen - these inevitably have a backlight meaning the screen is transmissive. For high readability in bright sunlight you need a reflective screen - like an LCD calculator. This means monochrome.

I'd recommend the Garmin Foretrex 301 or 401. Long battery life, easy to read, easy user menu, good buttons and wrist-mounted for easy access. There's no map but you can create routes, tracks, waypoints and breadcrumb trails just like an eTrex.

I have the 201 which works well for me. Just watch out for forward falls when, if you bend your wrist back too far, you can pop the watch pins - but then the 201 is wider.

[Nobody Famous]

Always do a price check/comparison here: http://www.gpsnow.com/ - sometimes you have to put in cart to see the actual/low price.

[Shorty_J]

I agree with altis about batteries. If you want to use rechargable AA's, know yourself out, but at least you're not limited on long trips (where batteries die fast in the cold).

I have the Legend HCx and I like it. It doesn't do great in tight tree-cover and is definately better above treeline, but it's better than earlier generation versions in the trees. It also sometimes gets a bit confused when you start it up, sometimes... it will place you incorrectly, then figure out where you really are and put a long straight line on your track. You can delete bad points at home with the included software.

[smthgfshy]

I'll be that guy and say it....

DON'T GET LOST!!!


and....forget GPS....seriously!!! Learn to use map and compass first. GPS, cell phones, SPOT locators, etc... don't make the BC safer...they make people stupider. Don't be that guy!! it's equivalent to learning how to scuba dive before you learn to swim. when you can not get into a jam with map and compass and get yourself outta when, then go buy a garmin.

[DownhillRider]

Pretty much just going to reiterate what's already been said, but here it goes anyways:

Use the GPS as a tool, but do NOT rely on it. Rely on your map, your compass, and your common sense. Just last week I pulled mine out, temp was about -27C at the time, and the track was fucked. That was the first time that's happened to me, and I've used it in the cold many times, but it was really messed up. If I was relying on it, and followed the track back, I would have been in for a long, miserable, day/night.

Don't get a rechargeable. Just don't. It's the worst feature you could possibly have in a GPS. You might appreciate it now but you will eventually regret it, especially if you start going on longer trips. Get one that takes a couple AA's, and if you want rechargeables then buy some rechargeable AA's. Take some extra batteries with you (just throw some AA's in the bag you have the extras for your headlamp in.) If I have the thing tracking all day I usually need 2 AA's/day, depending on weather, sometimes they last over a day as well. It gets expensive, it's nice for the whole keeping logs/fucking around with google earth/that type of shit aspect when you get home. Keep in mind the real nice thing about GPS is you can just have it off in your backpack, and if you need it for whatever reason you can just turn it on then. The receiver will probably find satellites within a few minutes.

Buy/torrent the topos for basecamp. It's awesome, and you'll kill many hours planning trips/playing with tracks/etc with it. Maps for anywhere you want at the tip of your fingers...(resists urge to open it right now)

I doubt you'll have a problem with this if you're buying new, but if you're buying used make sure it's equipped with SIRF. It makes it a million times nicer.

I doubt you need anything fancy, just grab some cheap garmin legend somethingorother. Unless you're going for the wrist ones, those look rad.

Hmm, yeah...good luck, hope ya get a good deal on something.

[Socialist]

gps is fun, you can load your tracks into google earth, it plots your altitude and velocity versus time. You can use it to figure out your climb rate or descent.

Yeah, use map and compass, blah blah blah. GPS are cheap, I am a strong supporter of having one.

GPS can orientate you in a whiteout. You don't end up following the wrong valley or feature; living in a different reality than your mind.

[Socialist]

Ill also 2nd the legend. In canada you can get free maps if you search for Ibycus.

[khakis]

Any GPS you carry with you skiing is going to scatter your tracks around pretty good, especially when you're moving and under tree cover. If you mainly want to know where you went in general and have track-back/take-me-to-the-car functionality this is probably fine, but if you are trying to use your tracks to build a map that will show every switchback, I have had pretty good luck using an external antenna mounted on your hat/helmet (garmin or off-brand, but beware, not all units accept them), turn on WAAS (sucks down a lot of batteries but can really tighten up your precision), and change the tracklog settings to collect points every 10 feet or 30 seconds or something more frequent than the default setting. Also echo the other comments about spare batteries and don't be stupid. Be sure you know what drainage will take you to the main trail, or if you miss it know how to get to the closest road that you can hitch a ride. I mainly use mine for getting to something/finding something again, not for getting home. I also don't load maps onto my GPS anymore, learn to quickly plot your UTMs on a topo and you get the big picture, and it's always in a familiar scale.

[kingdom-tele]

Sol - using the garmin venture HC for hunting/ski season. no issues in eastern woods. forget marking tracks - it becomes a shit show after a while. the mapping feature is nice but not needed if your going home and downloading it. we use it to mark truck location for hunting season and the top of skiable lines in the winter - just to save the inevitable clusterfuck that occurs trying to find it the second/third time around - still orient throughout the day with the compass, way faster IMO only because we don't leave the gps on all day - the more time you spend out there you won't feel "lost", gps or not

[GeezerSteve]

I assume OP knows that map and compass should always be one's primary navigation tools. GPS is nice for whiteouts and to confirm position.

Garmin Map 60CSX, the TGR mag favorite, is on sale for $200 several places. Excellent (i.e., near 100%) coverage in dense trees and you can use NiMH rechargeable cells (be certain to set to NiMH on the setting menu). For me, a single charge has been sufficient for a couple of week-long mountaineering traverses, but note that I use a GPS unit only for getting a bearing to a waypoint (then traveling by compass), periodically confirming position and navigation in whiteout/pea soup conditions in tricky terrain, i.e., I'm not one of those geeks who has the GPS unit on all the time.

[Catdaddyxx]

I don't have experience with a bunch of them or even recent models.
I haven't needed to. I evidently got lucky the first time.

I bought an etrex legend in about 1998. yeah 12 years ago. It has a mount on my boat's dashboard, a mount on the handlebars of my quad, and normally rides in the console of my truck. I just can't get over how tough this thing is.
It's just dang near bullet proof. Not to mention ANY electronic gadget lasting 12 years is amazing. I'm sold on Garmin. They are hands down my go to for gps. I still carry it everywhere. I use it mainly now offroad on the quad and in my jacket hunting.

I even caught my now exwife running around by throwing it in her trunk and retrieving the data later.

I could list the pros/cons of mine, but it's not the same as the new ones. They have newer technology than my old one. Planning on picking up a new version of the same thing I have in the spring. Though just to get the new tech since the old one is still going stong.

.

[Yukonrider]

La la I didn't read any of the other posters responses, but I hvae been using GPS for more than 12 years.
I started with the Etrex venture, then upgraded to the Vista a while ago. Then just the other day I went and got the GPSmap 62s.

The 62 fucking rocks!
Compared the the vista, it blows it away. 1.7 GIGS of internal storage with up to 8 gigs in a Mini SD card. It will auto route from your location to an address with the metro guide software, the barry lasts a long time, 3 way compass, so you don't have to hold the unit level to get the compass to read right as you did on the vista.

I was getting 32 feet accuracy in my basement when I first got it home, and 40 feet accuracy in the middle of the store i work at. When I was outside I didn't get above 20 feet accuracy.

The map works great, the processor is fast and the color screen helps readability. I HIGHLY recommend the 62s.

[Shorty_J]

I'm pretty sure the Vista/Legend/etc. series do everything you listed above (except my model doesn't have an electronic compass, but I don't trust those anyway, so I don't care). And I'm also pretty sure the battery life on the Legend is much higher as well (which is the main reason I got mine).

Plus, I don't know about the 62s, but the Legend is waterproof.

[Yukonrider]

I'm pretty sure the Vista/Legend/etc. series do everything you listed above (except my model doesn't have an electronic compass, but I don't trust those anyway, so I don't care). And I'm also pretty sure the battery life on the Legend is much higher as well (which is the main reason I got mine).

Plus, I don't know about the 62s, but the Legend is waterproof.

The 62 is waterproof to the same standard as the Legened. The 62 Has a better antenna, the quad helix as opposed to the patch, so it will pick up more satellites in more orientations (the patch has the best reception when the screen is facing the sky (so if it is in your pocket you will get half potential reception))

The screen is bigger also, and I feel the button format is better, and it has more features.

[TAHOEDOWN]

If you carry a radio, check out the Garmin Rino 530Hcx. It has the high sensitivity gps you are looking for, a two way radio and a NOAA weather radio. It's a bit big, but definitely smaller than carrying both a gps and a radio. It is rechargable, so if you run it all the way down you're fucked. I usually just leave it off until I need it and have never come close to running it down in one day.

[Shorty_J]

I will agree that the button format on the Legend isn't great... but that's what you get for a smaller/lighter form factor.

[GeezerSteve]

Is the 62 worth 2X+ the price of the 60 (which the 62 replaces, hence the big discounts on the 60)? Note that storage is a non-issue for me. I don't rely much on the maps, which suck anyway, and I don't mind erasing and reloading for specific trips.

[wizard604]

Garmin Oregon 450 or 550 if you want lots of features & accuracy. Used to have the VistaC and the Oregon series has so many more useful features, not to mention much more accurate & sensitive. Wont lose a signal in heavy forest. I use mine mountain biking & get into dense covered forest & it seldom if ever loses a signal. It handles the weird signal bounces & reflections you sometimes get in deep ravine/valleys, etc w/out giving you crazy tracking points.

And one of the biggest pluses for me is the ability to overlay custom maps. I can take a paper map & scan it & overlay it onto the GPS. This feature alone makes it worth the price of admission. For example I can take a trail map & geo-reference it with Google Earth & overlay so that the paper map can be viewed on the GPS. You can even overlay Google Earth images.

Ability to add extra memory via SD card. I have 16gb on mine & I can hold the entire topo maps & street maps for all north america & still have tons of memory to spare. No more loading & unloading map segments, just load up everything & be done with it.

The camera on the 550 is kool as well, since it geo-tag your photos. The altimeter allows you to track your total vertical descent. The tracks can be loaded onto Google earth for reviewing. You can also map your routes in advance in Google Earth & export them to the gps to be used when you're in the field.

The more you get into it, the more you will appreciate these features. Also I forgot to mention the touchscreen which makes it alot more intuitive.

[Fenris]

Is the 62 worth 2X+ the price of the 60 (which the 62 replaces, hence the big discounts on the 60)? Note that storage is a non-issue for me. I don't rely much on the maps, which suck anyway, and I don't mind erasing and reloading for specific trips.

The 62 is the bastard offspring of a 60 and a Trimble. It's got some very nice looking features for more accurate mapping and on device computations, but unless you are going to geek out with that stuff or nicer looking maps than it's not worth it. Plus the newer 60s and 76s have a ridiculously good chipset in an of themselves and you don't have to mess around with firmware upgrades like the new ones need.

[salomonskiier12]

Yea, I mean I know where I am when I'm in the backcountry, it would just be that added sense of security. It would also just be nice to be able to track my routes and ascents and descents then be able to see them on google earth or on the computer....I'm an engineer, I love gadgets haha.

Regardless, I will continue to look into the Garmin GPSmap 60 or 62.

[Zesty Not Spicy]

I'm always surprised that DeLorme doesn't get any love on TGR. After researching I thought the PN40 was the no-brainer and so far I think mine is great. That said I don't have a lot of experience with Garmin so my opinion is somewhat lacking. If I was to get something else it would be the 60CSX.

[DownhillRider]

And one of the biggest pluses for me is the ability to overlay custom maps. I can take a paper map & scan it & overlay it onto the GPS. This feature alone makes it worth the price of admission. For example I can take a trail map & geo-reference it with Google Earth & overlay so that the paper map can be viewed on the GPS. You can even overlay Google Earth images.

The camera on the 550 is kool as well, since it geo-tag your photos.

Ok, that stuff is pretty damn awesome.

[endure]

anyone have experience with the Garmin GPSMAP 78s? just got it for christmas (including north america topo map) and wondering if it is a good one for the backcountry. Says it is for watersport, but I imagine most gps devices with the same antenna system should be pretty similar?

[BCMtnHound]

Forest technician turned professional here. Picked up the Garmin GPS 12 as soon as the military imposed Selective Availability was turned off in 2000. It paid for itself in one summer season of hipchain string (and saved many a small critter's life I'm sure). Used several recreational models since, currently packing a GSPmap 76CSx (same as the 60 in terms of internals, but different case and it floats). I once lost a 76, it survived the winter, was logged over, and then found in the spring, only to finally be destroyed by the teeth of a bear later that season.

Like previous posts, essentially, all it needs to be is rugged, quickly aquire an accurate position (12channel parallel receiver), allow me to record, review and modify tracklog (& tracklog settings) and waypoint in the field easily, take AA batteries (I like NiMH), and fit the budget. The vast majority of my use does not need the WAAS enabled - considering battery life, and the absolute field difference between 3D positioning and WAAS Differential correction, the background understanding of how GSP tech and satellites work is more important to obtaining good data. I also record only as much data as I need - I regularily toggle the tracklog on and off and record/save my tracks in segments, and then clear the log. Most waypoints (controls) I establish at home and only update their position in the field as needed.

Anything more is essentially bling. But I like bling and look forward to my next unit which will be one of the oregon models. I also like lots of additional memory as I make my own background maps in addition to uploading the topo stuff already available. I am not a fan of electronic compasses, they tend to need calibration too often for my liking. No specific reason for Garmin over other brands, Garmin just has greater selection for individual preferences, and has more 3rd party software options. Industry use of other brands have found them comparably techy and rugged. Vast majority of rec GPS (NOT cell phone and such) have similar basic GPS tech, but the later models do have smaller, lighter, and more sensitive components; they sell you different models based on the bells and whistles.

A note on the turning the unit on and off - the longer the time and distance between receiving the signals from the sats, the longer it takes to fix a current position. Within the same few 100ha area or within a couple hours, no worries. Farther or longer, then you will have to wait a moment and the greater the error will be on the very first fix (2D calculation). This is compounded by aspect, terrain, forest cover, and ambient temp of the unit, etc.