Which GPS unit and Why?

[JMichaelsJeep]

So I'm in the process of replacing my few year old Garmin nuvi 200 (it got shoved into my console by someone in my family and now the screen is shot).

I am looking at doing a similar type unit for driving, but then buying a handheld for everything else I want to do. But first I have some questions:

If you use a handheld unit, do you like using it for driving? Is it sufficient using it for driving in cities? Turn by turn directions okay? If so, which unit do you own and would you buy it again?

Also, just out of curiosity, which GPS unit do you use?

For those of you using Fujitsu's and such with mapping software, do you also use another gps unit? do you use them together?

I'm want to do the logical thing and spend as little as possible and get the most bang for my buck. Such as using a GPS for vehicle travel, but also being able to hike, geocache, canoe, etc... What I was thinking originally was getting a cheaper Garmin like a Nuvi 255 or similar for driving, then buying a Garmin 450t for basically everything else. Is this wisdom? Or should I look at other combinations?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

 

[esh]

I use my phone for city driving. Google Navigation rocks.

 

[off-roader]

Haven't found a reasonably priced handheld that does both street & topo navigation that I like.

TomTom for street. Lifetime map updates. Decent sized 4.3" screen gps with tons of bells and whistles such as custom vehicle icons (even a pic of your own rig), custom voices, etc.

Acer one ssd netbook with nat geo hi res topo maps and a USB gps puck that came with ms streets and trips software for off road use.

 

[jph]

As for hand held I love my GPS60CSx and I use it for both Road, Water, and Trail travel. However for driving it only beeps when an action is required such as a turn... This means no voice and sometime the screen is to small to read the street names at higher speeds... I would still rate it as one of the best for both function and form factor for any off-road travel and if I could have only one GPS that would be it.

With all that said I love the nuvi line for dash mounted driving aids. Works great and I use it all the time with my work which is driving an emergency vehicle. With the nuvi line I have always found that your really get what you pay for and I think you will be really disappointed if your go with a base model. This isn't a trail hardened system, this isn't roughing it, this is driving at highway speeds or better.... Get the options that you think you will need and any you think you might need because they can't be added later. then get the external antenna and mounts that place it in a safe and easy to use location. Then, and this is the pricey part, get all the maps for your areas of travel that they offer and load them on the SD cards... you never know when that information will pay for it's self... While at work I have used my topo maps to help find a lost kid when everyone else only had the street maps of urban areas and I have used my street maps to find auto repair shops and motels on what was planed to only be a day trip off-roading in an area we knew how to get to but didn't know much about.

The most important thing to remember is that there are different tools for different jobs so using one for the other will always require a compromise and at some point, if you become a map and navigation aficionado like myself, you will have to move up to a dedicated nav system like the one I am trying to build now. Regardless of your system learn the ins and outs of it and your will always be viewed as "the guy who knows". :victory:

Hope this helps,
James

 

[hudsonhawk]

I use a Garmin Oregon 400T with City Navigator North America installed..
Nice handheld unit with built in topographic mapping capability. Lots of featurs for both on road and off-road excursions as well as hiking, boating etc.. Will run for about 16 hours on 2 AA batteries. Can use a car power supply for navigation while driving.

The City navigator software gives you all the features of the Nuvi for on-road navigation including turn by turn directions. But it does not have voice guidance.

All in all I am very happy with it.

 

[JMichaelsJeep]

Thanks for all the great feedback! I have more to process now!

I'm going to do more research on the various products you all mentioned and see where that goes.

In the mean time keep them coming!