get a Delorme which is on the high end or any Garmin with a state name (ex. Oregon) which is also on the high end they both support the paperless caching. That is my personal preference but look around for the best buy on either one of those 2 brands. Magellan are a 2nd rate GPS (I owned one and it was junk wouldn't accept any pocket queries or anything else for that matter).
On 1/9/2013 2:57 PM, Tom Wolpert wrote:
In handheld recreational units:Basic unit = smaller black and white display, no maps (or ability to add maps), may or may not have paperless geocaching, physical buttons Midrange unit = larger color display, at least the ability to add maps, paperless geocaching, physical buttons or touch, no sensors or camera Highend unit = larger color display, maps, paperless geocaching, usually touch, includes at least electronic compass and barometer, may include camera Look for paperless geocaching if that's what you want it for. IMO, the ability to at least add maps is important. Beware of the additional cost of maps. If you don't need road routing (which is usually poor in handhelds anyway), consider the map/imagery subscription services from Garmin or DeLorme (for their own units). Sensors are a bell and whistle for most people, although the electronic compass allows you to see "direction to your target" when standing still. (They can all show you direction to your target and an on-screen compass when moving.) Touch vs. physical buttons is a matter of taste, but do be aware of possible touch difficulties when wearing gloves. Most geocachers are Garmin users. If you want to consider others, look at DeLorme and Magellan. Garmin in particular has excellent comparison capabilities on their web site. Look for "On the Trail" as a starting place for handheld recreational units. If you want to look, touch and play with a variety of units, visit REI. You might even find a knowledgable sales rep - or not. Visit during off hours if you want to play extensively. You can't beat their returns policy, but you will pay list price. Their member discounts/points did not apply to GPSrs the last time I checked. In most cases, you can buy at a discount online (for example, Amazon). Be sure to buy only from reputable sources and beware of used/refurbished/gray market sellers. Although I have not used one personally, the new (emphasize new - not to be confused with the less capable earlier eTrex models) Garmin eTrex series looks like a lot of bang for the buck. This is the eTrex 10/20/30 line. All are paperless. The 10/20/30 pretty much fit the basic/midrange/highend categories above. I wouldn't buy the 10 (no maps), but the 20 and 30 are likely OK. But these are relatively new units and are not likely to be discounted yet. If you have a specific unit in mind, post here, in the SLAGA FB group, or come to an event. Somebody who owns one will give you an earfull :-D.Tom (twolpert) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *From:* Patricia Hutchison <patriciahutchison@xxxxxxxxxxx> *To:* geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx *Sent:* Wed, January 9, 2013 2:30:32 PM *Subject:* [GeoStL] GPS unitsI'm not sure I'm doing this correctly, but here goes. I'm starting to research GPS units in preparation for attending MOGA. I don't know where to start. There are lots of units and vendors out there and I don't know what to look for. Currently, my GPS is the Geocaching app on my iPhone 4, which has a lousy battery life. Suggestions on what features I should look for in a unit would be appreciated. Thanks!Spiritwolf922
