calamaridog
Expedition Leader
Which of these 5 would you pick?
Or is there another one you like?
Or is there another one you like?
Last edited:
Mobile GPS poll
- Thread starter calamaridog
- Start date
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
If I were to buy one for my jeep today, I would probably end up with the Lowrance 480c. In fact I was ready to buy one when I bought the moto...and now am rethinking the GPS due strictly to the desire to move it between bike and jeep...and the 480c is on the large side for the moto...otherwise...I'd have one already.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I use a Magellan Meridian Gold on my truck, my motorcycle, and when I hike/walk. It works very well and the software is easy to use. I would have a hard time spending big bucks on a mobile (i.e. permanently mounted in the car) unit just because I like the idea of being able to dismount the unit and use it in a variety of other settings (I'll be going canoeing this Summer and the waterproof Meridian will be going with me.)
I've never used a GPS that had the "turn by turn" driving directions, so I can't comment on that part. Usually if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I just Mapquest it and figure out driving directions on my own.
I've never used a GPS that had the "turn by turn" driving directions, so I can't comment on that part. Usually if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I just Mapquest it and figure out driving directions on my own.
Schattenjager
Expedition Leader
After scouting around for quite a while - polling my friends and watching their GPS's in action I picked what I thought to be the perfect compromise: Garmin's 60CSx. It's super fast to get a 3D fix and will hold signals even in dense cover, the screen is large enough that I can glance at it while driving and get all I need to know so as to keep my eyes on the road. The portable size saves me $ as I can un-snap it from the Rover and take it with me on the hiking trail - negating the need for a unit to serve the car and another for the backpack. This keeps the learning cruve a little flater for a dim bulb like myself. It is very precise and has numerous nav functions I have no need for. Yet.
Cheers!
Cheers!
calamaridog
Expedition Leader
Let me clear things up a bit. I'm looking for a quality unit that I can use in the car, take on a hike, mt. bike trip, or future moto.
In a perfect world I'd have one of each but due to a long list of "must haves" I'm leaning towards multi-purpose.
In a perfect world I'd have one of each but due to a long list of "must haves" I'm leaning towards multi-purpose.
crawler#976
Expedition Leader
I tried using a hand held in the truck - had a Garmin Vista. It was a very nice unit for it's intended purpose, but was damn near impossible to read while driving due to the small screen. Also, to get good reception, it had to be mounted too far away to be easily manipulated.
Sold it and bought a Lowrance 3500C (virtually identical to a 480C Baja) - huge screen, easy to use, but the maps aren't as complete as the Garmin unit. Having an external antenna allows it to be mounted anywhere space allows - the unit is pretty big with a 5" x 5" display.
Good luck on your selection!
Sold it and bought a Lowrance 3500C (virtually identical to a 480C Baja) - huge screen, easy to use, but the maps aren't as complete as the Garmin unit. Having an external antenna allows it to be mounted anywhere space allows - the unit is pretty big with a 5" x 5" display.
Good luck on your selection!
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
calamaridog said:
Then I'll renew my plug for the Magellan Meridian.
Small enough to be handy (or to fit in a chest pocket of my MC jacket) but easy to use. Mapping seems to be good, reliability has been excellent, even in heavy rain on the MC.
Re: Map detail, I think it's important to note that a GPS will never be a satisfactory substitute for a good map. There are just too many compromises to make in terms of screen size, screen resolution, power usage, etc.
Incidentally, my Meridian does not use an external antenna (like my previous Lowrance unit) and yet I have never had problems with the unit being able to grab enough satellites to be useful.
It will also run about 8 hours on two alkaline batteries and 5-6 hours on rechargeables.
Photo of the unit on my motorcycle (note the altitude: This was on top of Mt Evans!)
calamaridog
Expedition Leader
Martin,
Thanks for the feedback. I think the eXplorist is the replacement for the Meridian.
Thanks for the feedback. I think the eXplorist is the replacement for the Meridian.
offroadchef
Adventurer
I have one but mine is not on the list
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
Whichever one you get, don't waste money on the factory "cradle" or mounting system, get a RAM (Round-A-Mount) cradle and then whatever other bits you need to connect it. RAM is truly the king of multi-mounts - they make mounts for any device for any vehicle application! I got my MC handlebar mount through www.cycoactive.com but many other retailers sell the RAM gear, including Cabelas. Since I get a lot of my outdoor/hunting/reloading stuff from Cabelas, that's also where I got the rest of my RAM gear.