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Post by Carl McFly on Nov 13, 2009 7:51:18 GMT -5
Looking for a mapping GPS that I can use on the trails. What do you recommend? I hear good things about the Garmin eTrex H
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Post by ZAEDOCK on Nov 13, 2009 9:47:59 GMT -5
I don't what the guys had when we mapped G2, but it wasn't accurate when trying to pinpoint our position on the property. I whipped out MY gps, a TOPO map and compass, and found our location in a couple minutes. Make sure you get a good one.  |
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Post by Jon W on Nov 13, 2009 10:19:29 GMT -5
Carl -
I spent a lot of time researching trail GPS units before Moab. I didn't buy one because none of the units (and I looked at 8-10) "do it all" -- they work well on the road or well on the trail, but can't make it come together -- which is annoying because it is just software (SMOP - Simple Matter Of Programming).
The two units I liked best are Delorme PN-40 SE and the Garmin Oregon 550t...
The Delorme PN-40 (SE means an option w/ extra built-in RAM) is a nice unit... One of the best features is that, for a low annual fee ($30), Delorme will let you download unlimited content from Delorme (topo maps, ariel photography, etc...) and load it on the unit to display on the maps and it is ALL navigable. Delorme also has 24k:1 topo maps for the whole USA available. The down side is the user interface is a little clunky -- no touch screen -- and uses push-buttons. The PN-40 bundle will come with Delorme Topo 8, which is the newest version.
The other unit I looked at is the Garmin Oregon series which has a touch screen (e.g. really easy to use interface), but the main drawback is the map content -- you have to buy 24k:1 topo "region" maps for various bits of the USA (~$100 / ea) and I haven't seen one for the northeast US get released yet (NY/MA/VT/CT/RI/ME).
Price wise, the two units cost about the same.... once fully accessorized, though the Garmin costs more to add extra map content. Neither unit works particularly well (from what I've read) for general on-road navigation, but it isn't impossible. The issue with map content is common across all the Garmin models that can take additional maps and I don't think the PC side SW Garmin offers is as good. I have Delorme PC software and Garmin PC software and the Delorme is better.
When we were in Moab Kurt was using a Delorme PN-20, which is the "older brother" / previous generation of the PN-40.
Let me know what you decide... I didn't get either of these units... I have no extra $$$ to spend right now.
JW
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Post by Chris75 on Nov 15, 2009 10:30:56 GMT -5
I recently purchased the Garmin 265wt for 200$ which I have used a boat load of times now. It won't record your path but you can create saved points. Also I was able to local free TOPO maps!!!
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Post by yjdave on Nov 15, 2009 11:27:01 GMT -5
A friend uses an e-Trex for our snomobile rides all over NH, ME, and Canada - Works Great in the woods. Accuracy is pretty good and has gotten us out of a few tough spots in the past. We have used it to re-run over some old trails that had been diverted and it kept us right on course! I was looking at these a while ago also and had decided on the Oregon as well. I heard bad things about the Colorado for our type of dirty off road sports due to the thumb-wheel stop working. Some good prices here: g.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/8071/Garmin-Oregon-Handheld-GPS.html |
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Post by jpcamb on Nov 15, 2009 12:04:39 GMT -5
check out GPSfiledepot.com for lots of free topo maps for the garmin. all of New England is there for free. I just bought a nuvi 750 refurb from best buy for 135 or so. doesnt do traffic but it does keep a track log. The track log can be saved to a computer and its possible to load it as a transparent map back onto the device as a "road. "Im in the process of figuring it out still... when / if I figure it out I will let you all know. It wont be turn key to do the trail mapping but its got maps of the US for normal navigation and can show topos. its a discontiuned model but from what I found a lot of the newer garmins dont keep the track log and if they do its not advertised as such...
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Post by Jon W on Nov 22, 2009 9:12:24 GMT -5
check out GPSfiledepot.com for lots of free topo maps for the garmin. all of New England is there for free... Interesting link... I'll try it w/ my Garmin Nuvi 350 and see how it works. JW |
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Post by jpcamb on Nov 22, 2009 19:14:55 GMT -5
So this is the first time using my nuvi 750 on the tail. using www.gpsvisualizer.com to parse and process my GPX file I created this map showing the trail system we ran this weekend. I think this map is anonymous enough to post publicly. i removed the coordinates from the lower left corner. some instersting stuff with the raw data I cant share here but found where we were in relation to the hwy etc looking at these files in different map settings. Mind you this is not a map that will show up on my GPS yet, need to do some work to figure that out...  |
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