GPS: Need help deciding

[seth_js]

Alright, so I think I've narrowed it down to three units. I basically want a color handheld with topo capabilites, SD card expandability, compass and altimeter, water resistant, and available suction cup swivel mount for my truck. I will also use it for basic city navigating from time to time as well. Looking to spend no more than $300 for the unit. Here's what I'm looking at (if you are thinking of something other than these three, lemme know).

Magellan eXplorist 500
http://www.magellangps.com/products/product.asp?segID=355&prodID=1250


Garmin eTrex Vista Cx
http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexVistacx


Lowrance iFinder Expedition C
http://www.lowrance.com/Outdoor/Products/iFINDERExpeditionC.asp


They all look very similar. One advantage I see to the Lowrance is an external antenna port.

 

[Brian McVickers]

Seth,
Looks like the Magellan can be had for less than $200 on Ebay.

 

[perterra]

Six of one, half dozen of the other. Doesnt really matter as they all will do the same. Check in to your software expense and user friendly it is.

The only benifit I have found with the compass is sitting still, the second you start moving it tells you anyway, and the altimeter is more accurate than what it normally gives you. My GPS without the alt normally is within a hundred feet with good sat lock.

 

[HenryJ]

I would suggest focusing on a unit with the quad helix antenna. The patch antenna don't seem to do as well in tree cover. Also check out available maps.

I am a Magellan user and really like the SporTrak Pro. The new Explorist units will not use older mapping programs. You can only use the new version, and this program requires the disc to be in the drive while in use. I don't like that part.
(probably some sort of piracy prevention feature).
I have no idea what maps might be compatible for the Garmin units or their cost.

 

[seth_js]

I am a Magellan user and really like the SporTrak Pro

A year or two ago when I first researched them the SporTrak Pro is what I wanted. I haven't had the money for it though. Now I think I've got a couple extra bucks, but it looks like they don't produce it any more.

 

[HenryJ]

A year or two ago when I first researched them the SporTrak Pro is what I wanted. I haven't had the money for it though. Now I think I've got a couple extra bucks, but it looks like they don't produce it any more.

You are correct. I have played with an Explorist. The screen is a little bigger which is nice. I like the removable memory. It feels good and fits in a pocket good.

The menu system takes a little getting used to, but not strange, just different from mine. It did not seem to pick up satellites as quickly or well. I had to hold it exposed to sky to get a fix, whereas the SporTrak did pretty good with all positions in a vehicle and pretty good inside structures.
The maps were most frustrating. I have the older Mapsend topo and streets. Neither could be converted (GPSBabel) to or would work with the Explorist. It was set up to upload geocaching .loc files and may have been geared toward that sport.

You do need more information on the Garmin units. I have heard that they have closed the gap, and may even be better now.

 

[perterra]

I didnt like the highway maps on magellan as well, and I wasnt as impressed with the repair service. I went thru 2 magellans in 4 years and when they quit, they just no longer received any signal. If you called San Dimas they just siad we dont repair them, just send it in and we will credit you $100 towards a new one that they wanted to sell you for list price.....

Garmin has repair prices listed and what models they repair. So far my 2 Garmins have worked pretty good, no issues (streetpilot & streetpilot III) But I dont really think Garmin is any better, just easier for me to navigate the software. I'm thinking Lowrance Global Map Baja for my next purchase. Mind you its a fixed mount and not portable, neither of my others are either.

 

[Ursidae69]

I have the eXploist 600 and for hiking and backpacking I love it due to the small size, long battery life, color screen, etc., but in the car it doesn't refresh fast enough and the street coverages aren't that great. It also is very quirky with the USB connection and the MapSend software is not as good as other similar stuff from DeLorme. It took me forever to figure out how to use my saved track logs in DeLorme Topo using GPSBabel. Had I to to do over, I'd probably find a comperable Garmin unit. I do like the removable SD cards though, maybe it is more of a toss up for me.

Just my 2 cents.

Chuck...

 

[Dave]

I like my eXplorist 600, but Magellan's tech. support is worthless. They were recently bought out, so hopefully some things that need to change will. It might be worth your time to seek out some user group forums (I'd start on http://groups.yahoo.com or http://groups.google.com) for the specific models you're looking at and read through the archives to see what kind of problems people are having.

The 600 is basically a small upgrade to the 500, I think the only signfiicant "extra" is the electronic compass. I mainly use my eXplorist when hiking, paddling and when doing a combination of the two when wading through our cypress swamp. Not so much in the car since I have an iPaq based unit that is much more suited for road travel IMO. I have the topo maps for the eXplorist (MapSend Topo 3D). I've been able to convert data from a few different formats using GPSBabel to something that MapSend can read, it can take some trial and error though.

A few problems I've had with my 600:
-Slow redraw with a large map loaded
-Locked up a few times, requiring a hard restart (not cool when in the field)
-Seems to take a while to get a lock (I think this was fixed with a firmware update that I haven't installed yet)
-Finicky when hooking up to the laptop via USB, for some reason it only works with one particular USB port.

Overall, I do like the unit. It has it's quirks, but it gets the job done and has some nifty bells and whistles.

The iPaq based GPS I use has a port for an external antenna. I really think it helps in the truck. It locks in faster and holds a lock better under dense cover. It can also come in handy if you want to mount the GPS somewhere that doesn't have a clear view of the sky.

 

[BajaTaco]

Is the micro-SD card on the Vista a proprietery card? Just curious, I can't recall. The thing that turns me off about the Vista is the tiny screen - it is the smallest of your 3 choices. A pain in the butt when you are using it in the truck.

If it were me, I'd be researching the Lowrance more (I'd need to find some reviews of it) but that is probably the one I'd go with. It has the largest/highest res. screen, and says it updates fast. I bet it's a very cool unit.

 

[perterra]

No, they dropped the proprietary stuff with the exception being the 376 series. My SP III uses the Garmin card but the new ones use SD. Just make sure you dont get the SD deluxe or whatever its called. They cause the unit to crash.

 

[seth_js]

Is the micro-SD card on the Vista a proprietery card? Just curious, I can't recall. The thing that turns me off about the Vista is the tiny screen - it is the smallest of your 3 choices. A pain in the butt when you are using it in the truck.

If it were me, I'd be researching the Lowrance more (I'd need to find some reviews of it) but that is probably the one I'd go with. It has the largest/highest res. screen, and says it updates fast. I bet it's a very cool unit.

After reading more reviews, I'm definitely leaning towards the Lowrance. The only problem is they don't offer a suction cup mount for it. The only mount they make for it is this:

"R-A-M 1" ball mounting bracket and arm with rugged craddle"

Any one know what kind of mount that is? Will I have to drill into my dash or something? I can't find a picture of it any where.

 

[perterra]

RAM makes a suction mount to fit the arm. I have a RAM connected to a touratech for the motorcycle GPS.

 

[BajaTaco]

After reading more reviews, I'm definitely leaning towards the Lowrance. The only problem is they don't offer a suction cup mount for it. The only mount they make for it is this:

"R-A-M 1" ball mounting bracket and arm with rugged craddle"

Any one know what kind of mount that is? Will I have to drill into my dash or something? I can't find a picture of it any where.

Cool, did you find some reviews/feedback on the Lowrance? Like perterra said, RAM makes a burly suction cup, and it will accept a bunch of their different device cradles.

 

[BajaXplorer]

Seth,
Garmin offers a lot more mapping options than Lowrance. LBMaps makes Baja maps that will also work in Garmin gpsrs. Lowrance does not have Baja maps.
The ram mounts come in about a gazillion different combinations. Suction cups are available as well as fixed mounts. Their mounts all have interchangeable parts which make it easy to have several combinations for mounting your gps.
Check this website. Notice the alternatives listed on the page for suction cup and for temporary mounting. There are even more configurations you can put together.
While Lowrance does make some big screens, it does not look like that is most important to you since you want a handheld.
BX