I’m looking into getting a new handheld GPS unit, what do you guys use most & like the best? I’m primarily doing some day hikes with a few overnight or weekend hikes. But i’ve been known to wander off the trail. I’d also like to start geocaching with my kids as it looks like a fun activitiy to get them out of the house and into the woods, while teaching them about navigation. I’m looking at the Garmin 60csx and it looks great. I started looking at the Triton series from magellan but everything I read about them is bad. What do you guys think?

If you already own a TOPO! software product, the GPS Compatibility list may aid your decision making process. http://www.natgeomaps.com/gps.html

Currently, the Magellan Triton units are the only GPS units on the market that allow our topographic maps to transfer over.

*All know errors have been acknowledged and remedied with GPS firmware and TOPO! software updates.

I currently own 24 GPS units and would highly recommend either the Garmin 60CSx, Triton 2000 or Triton 1500 all of which I own. All of the issues that you read about with the Tritons have been resolved with firmware fixes. The major advantage to the Tritons is you can put a “true” 24K USGS quad on them by using NG Maps TOPO! software.

When looking at a GPS units specs, I would make sure that you purchase a unit with a Sirf Star III chipset, since it is currently the best avail, which the 3 above include.

I currently own a Triton 1500 and a Delorme Pn-20. After using both I have found the resolution and maps included on the Triton falling way behind the Pn-20. I have not seen the Topo explorer maps on the Triton as of yet but the state are blurry at zoom. If you plan on using your GPS in many states the Pn-20 has the Triton beat hands down. We will see if the National Geo Explorer maps change my mind.

DS, I would recommend the 60CSx as a first unit and at this time you can’t beat the price. I know the Tritons are able to load and display TOPO! maps but I did a lot of reseach and here was how I went. I myself am a paper map person, I have quite a collection of USGS topo on paper. While it would be nice to have them in my GPS the screen size doesn’t allow you to see the big picture, no pun intended. By the time you zoom out enough to see what you are headed into you lose detail. If you are not already using it try the NG Adventure Paper. This is great stuff when combined with your TOPO! software. You use this in your regular ink-jet printer and it is completely waterproof and very durable. If you set-up your map grids in TOPO! to match your datum and coord settings in your GPS it is very easy to look at one and know where you are on the other. If you happen to be a Palm user like I am, or a pocket PC user you can still take your TOPO! maps with you on either of these. And if you want to get into caching either of these handhelds will let you store the info for hundreds of caches also. Just my two cents, hope it helps.

I do have to agree with Mr. Coz, the most important thing is to have a paper map to use with your GPS unit, as well as a magnetic compass. TOPO! does give you the ability to print out a custom map for the area that you need.

I have been using the Garmin 60CSx for about 3 years now, for both hiking, car navigating, and geocaching. It would be nice if Garmin’s Mapsource Topo software replicated the USGS maps as NG’s TOPO! does, but in practice, it doesn’t matter.

Even though you are looking at a non-USGS topo map on Garmin, I find I have plenty of the detail, and maybe just as much, as the USGS maps. Plus, you can co-load the Mapsource City Navigator North America software along with the Topo software, and the CN allows you to auto-route—that is, it will create routes from point A to B, very helpful for geocaching or for just driving outside your home territory. It also has a database of restaurants, gas stations, motels, etc.

I use the 60 CSx along with a Palm TX for geocaching. I haven’t loaded the NG maps onto the Palm; really haven’t needed to. But of course I load all the cache text data onto the Palm.

I recently purchased a Garmin Venture HC and am very pleased with it!
The HC is a new line of “High Sensitivity” GPS Units from Garmin. Mine was the same price as the non-HC version.

And —

If you purchase a Garmin GPS that allows for uploading of maps (from your computer), you can check out the following web site:

http://home.cinci.rr.com/creek/garmin.htm

This site is titled “How to Make Custom TOPO Maps for Your Garmin Mapping GPS:.

It steps you though how to make customized topographic maps to upload to your Garmin GPS in spite of the fact that Garmin uses proprietary maps!

Be forewarned the steps are a bit long, but the end result is awesome!

You will end up with background USGS topographic maps as well as trails/waypoints customized how you want them!

Although I haven’t completed all the steps just yet, I have played around with various map products and have already created customized topo maps for my computer. Just haven’t gotten around to uploading them to my GPS!

You can find a lot of customized data out there! I’ve found all the USFS GIS data (both maps and routes/trails/etc. and downloaded them to my computer.

Paul

My first GPSr is a Triton 300. I got it because I wanted to use the USGS topo maps on it. I was a little disappointed that the refresh on the screen happens alot. And it forces a refresh fairly quickly for short distances traveled. I am also disappointed that you lose the image when you zoom past 300 yds range.

I am now looking at other GPSr to see if there is something better out there or if even its because the model is basic and not a 1500 or 2000 unit.

Another vote for the 60CSx. I’ve been using mine for horseback riding and limited auto navigation for the past few years. I’ve had it lose satellite reception exactly once, on a day and at the same time as several other people reported strange behavior with their gps’s as well. Otherwise it has tracked well under heavy tree cover and in narrow valleys.

I do use NG to make pretty trail maps from my rides, but am limited to only printing them. The maps do not transfer to the unit but that’s ok with me.

I’ve not made custom topo maps, but I have made custom trail maps with a transparent background that overlay the Mapsource Topo maps I have on the gps. Using a few freeware tools, I’ve been able to create trail maps where the trails are colored the same as on the trail maps, trail names display, and I can control line thickness and even add directional arrows if I desire. It’s a bit time consuming but I’m very pleased with the results.

Lalita

I guess that I am a bit of a minimalist. I use a Garmin GPS 60 without the aid of topo map views. Even though I use it for mapping trails and navigation, I find it easier to just use it with a paper map because I can see a much wider view with more visible land marks. I suppose that I would change my mind as soon as the GPS world offers large format high res screens that roll up when done looking (as if it were a map).