GPS info needed!

[Double Bow]

So I'm working on my Christmas list and I've been extra goodthis year so, I might just get that GPS I've been wanting for years (never owned one). The problem is figuring out which one it is that I'm wanting. It's got to be well under the $400+ that the top of line ones.

My research suggests that I should ask for the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. Does anyone have any thoughts, suggestions, or experience with this?

I will primarily be using it for bushwhacking in the Whites and am hoping to use it in conjuction w/my NG Topo! software.

 

[psmart]

How about a Garmin 60csx for $300 after rebate:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CSOXTO

It really does seem to hold a fix better than anything else. I've used it in dense tree cover and box canyons with no loss of signal. Highly recommended.

 

[cbcbd]

How about a Garmin 60csx for $300 after rebate:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CSOXTO

It really does seem to hold a fix better than anything else. I've used it in dense tree cover and box canyons with no loss of signal. Highly recommended.

Ditto, got mine from here, $277 after rebate.

 

[MichaelJ]

60csx is the best one out there right now, IMO. $300 is an excellent price for it. Only one caveat ... if you want more than the limited base mapping that's included, it's another $100 either for topo, or for routable street maps.

You can certainly get both, though tack on another $20-$30 for a 1GB MicroSD card to hold them in the GPS.

You only need the mapping if you want to see it on the GPS, or you want the GPS to calculate driving directions for you. Otherwise, you'll still see your track and waypoints and be able to do all sorts of things with them on both the GPS and the computer, you just won't have minor roads, routability (generating driving directions), or topo lines.

And you can always add all that later...

 

[DougPaul]

The 60CSx will do the job and the prices and rebate are pretty good right now. (I have and am happy with the 60CSx.) US$294 with the rebate. http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-GPSMap...3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196965570&sr=8-3

The eTrex Vista HCx will probably work pretty well too. The display on the 60CSx is a bit better.

BTW, you can get a 2GB microSD card for US$16 right now. (Get a standard speed Sandisk.) http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Secur...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196965570&sr=8-2

BTW2, you can get Garmin Topo US 2008 for US$78. http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-MapSou...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196965570&sr=8-1

So there you go--a top-of-the-line GPS with topo maps for under US$400.

#include "standard caveat": I have no connection with Amazon--it just has some of the better prices and I'm too lazy to search around.

Doug

 

[sardog1]

The display on the 60csx is worth the additional $$$ (not to mention the other salutary features), if the price is within your budget.

Signed,
ex-Vista user. (No, not that Vista. )

 

[DougPaul]

The display on the 60csx is worth the additional $$$ (not to mention the other salutary features), if the price is within your budget.

Signed,
ex-Vista user. (No, not that Vista. )

There have been 3 old Vistas:
1. "eTrex Vista" (old top of the line, B&W, now way behind the 60CSx. I have one--it was fine for its time, but its time has passed.)
2. "eTrex Vista C" (Color update of #1)
3. "eTrex Vista Cx (add memory card to #2)

The eTrex Vista HCx is probably signifcantly better than any of the old ones. (I wouldn't consider any of the old ones.)

I'd still suggest the 60CSx if you can afford it--the extra features are, IMO, worth the extra cost.

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The eTrex Vista HCx is probably signifcantly better than any of the old ones. (I wouldn't consider any of the old ones.)
Doug

Currently $238 on Amazon, which includes tax & shipping.

 

[michaelb]

triton

The new vista is probably a great choice. To get topo maps onboard, you will still have to buy the garmin map set.

I am not recommending this option and I haven't seen one or read a review of one yet, but you should probably research the magellan triton line of GPS. They have the new chipset, and are the first GPS units to store the NG topo maps on the unit. You have those maps already, and they are much better and more detailed then the garmin maps.

There was some critical talk about the triton at the groundspeak forum, and there had been a long delay in shipping (they are maybe shipping now). They don't support macs, so it won't work for me, and they run a version of windows mobile, so my concern there is that they will be bug filled and crash prone.

But for the price and the maps they have reset the bar for Garmin to match.

 

[Peakbagr]

I use a 60CSx on a weekly basis. In my opinion, none better. Just picked up a 2Gb micro card last week. I saved a group of mapsets to my hard drive, each between 1,800 and 2,100 full USGS topos and +/- 1Gb each. One set has all the topos in the eastern US as far west as Indiana. Another for the midwest, and one for the western US. Covered the entire continental US. Also saved another with the Northeastern US, PLUS Garmin's US Topo 24K for the eastern US parks covering the Whites, Greens, ADKs and ME.

With the removable memory card I then transferred the Northeastern US mapset. Took about 2 hrs to move the maps from the folder where I'd saved it on the PC to the card in the GPS.< EDIT - I find that a card reader makes for a faster data transfer than the Garmin's USB connection> If I take a trip outside of the geographic area, all I need do is move the new mapset onto the card, replacing the existing one and I'm back in business. Or, with the cheap cost of memory, put each on a separate memory card.
With the sensitive antenna and removable memory cards, the 60CSx is the best of the best right now.

 

[Stan]

No one mentions Magellan. Anyone here with experience with that or the software?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

With the sensitive antenna and removable memory cards, the 60CSx is the best of the best right now.

Garmin has recently released an "H" series chip which is in the Vista HCx model. For the accounts I've read, it is has the same performance as the chip used in the 60CSx model. And when you do a side by side comparison of the Vista HCx model and the 60CSx it is tough to see what extras are worth the additional $80 or so for the 60CSx. Aside from a slightly larger screen, and that it includes a 64 MB microSD card (maybe worth $10, and the HCx now has external card capability), and USB and serial (HCX has only USB) can anyone list reasons why the 60CSx is worth extra $$? I realize for some, like Doug, an RS232 interface is important.

I realize 60CSx owners seem like a very loyal group, but can anyone list the actual features which distinguish these two models? The Garmin website doesn't help much, and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the HCx is the GPS to buy.

 

[Double Bow]

So now I'm looking at the Garmin eTrex Vista HCX, the Garmin 60CSX, and the Magellan Triton 500...

This isn't getting any easier!! though please keep the information coming.

 

[DougPaul]

Garmin has recently released an "H" series chip which is in the Vista HCx model. For the accounts I've read, it is has the same performance as the chip used in the 60CSx model. And when you do a side by side comparison of the Vista HCx model and the 60CSx it is tough to see what extras are worth the additional $80 or so for the 60CSx. Aside from a slightly larger screen, and that it includes a 64 MB microSD card (maybe worth $10, and the HCx now has external card capability), and USB and serial (HCX has only USB) can anyone list reasons why the 60CSx is worth extra $$? I realize for some, like Doug, an RS232 interface is important.

I realize 60CSx owners seem like a very loyal group, but can anyone list the actual features which distinguish these two models? The Garmin website doesn't help much, and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the HCx is the GPS to buy.

A few differences off the top of my head (the Garmin online comparison is pretty sparse):
* The rocker switch on the 60CSx is easier to use than the click stick on the Vista-HCx. The click stick has also been unreliable on some of the past Vista models.
* The 60CSx has a jack for an external antenna, the Vista does not. (An external antenna can make a significant difference in some situations.)
* The 60CSx can be powered from the USB jack, don't know about the Vista.
* The 60CSx accepts 8-32V ext power (I think those are the numbers), the Vista requires an external regulator to supply a specific voltage (3 or 5 V, IIRC).

You can download the manuals from the Garmin website if you wish to make a detailed comparison.

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

No one mentions Magellan. Anyone here with experience with that or the software?

I haven't used a Magellan, but I have been watching reports on sci.geo.satellite-nav. Up to 1 or 2 years ago, the Magellan hardware has not been as good. The topo maps were also inferior.

There is a long-time GPS user (Jack Erbes from Maine, owner of ~8GPSes) who used to favor Magellan:

Magellan's failure to compete on hardware development and software features resulted in their losing me to Garmin last year. I moved on to a Garmin 76Cx because of it's SiRF III chip set and the other hardware and software features. I'm very happy with the 76Cx and the performance of the SiRF III chip set is simply wonderful.

I don't know about their current offerings, but it looks like they have been behind the curve in the past.

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

A few differences off the top of my head (the Garmin online comparison is pretty sparse):
* The rocker switch on the 60CSx is easier to use than the click stick on the Vista-HCx. The click stick has also been unreliable on some of the past Vista models.
* The 60CSx has a jack for an external antenna, the Vista does not. (An external antenna can make a significant difference in some situations.)
* The 60CSx can be powered from the USB jack, don't know about the Vista.
* The 60CSx accepts 8-32V ext power (I think those are the numbers), the Vista requires an external regulator to supply a specific voltage (3 or 5 V, IIRC).

You can download the manuals from the Garmin website if you wish to make a detailed comparison.

Doug

Thanks, Doug.

As for powering the Vista via the USB port - I read a review today that mentioned it did. As for rocker vs. click - I guess that depends upon what you've used in the past and personal preference.

As for the Magellan - I've read some buzz about their Triton series, but also understand it's vaporware still at this time.

 

[MikeM]

Another vote for the Garmin 60CSX. I have a 10 year old magellan and just upgraded. The new garmin locks onto satellites quickly and in difficult conditions. It had no trouble picking up satellites in thick softwoods that were loaded with snow. I almost bought a cheaper vista model but went with the 60CSX for the bigger screen. I'm really impressed with this unit.

 

[sardog1]

With long term use, our Vistas started failing at the toggle switch. I'm skeptical that the flaw can ever really be fixed so long as the toggle design is kept. There's just so much pressure, applied so many times, from so many directions, to that tiny lever.

 

[DougPaul]

As for rocker vs. click - I guess that depends upon what you've used in the past and personal preference.

With long term use, our Vistas started failing at the toggle switch. I'm skeptical that the flaw can ever really be fixed so long as the toggle design is kept. There's just so much pressure, applied so many times, from so many directions, to that tiny lever.

It is more than personal preference--there have been a number of click stick failures reported. Mine is none to reliable either...

The glue holding the rubber strip on the Vista also turns gooey after a year or two. The strip then slides around.

If you have either of these problems, contact Garmin. They send you a new rubber strip and glue and may do the click stick repair at reduced cost because it is a design weakness.

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

It is more than personal preference--there have been a number of click stick failures reported. Mine is none to reliable either...

The glue holding the rubber strip on the Vista also turns gooey after a year or two. The strip then slides around.

If you have either of these problems, contact Garmin. They send you a new rubber strip and glue and may do the click stick repair at reduced cost because it is a design weakness.

Doug

You boys are hard on your toys. I've been using my Vista about twice a week for 5 or 6 years - no complaints. Clicker stick works fine, and I have no idea what rubber strip you're referring to.

I am quite satisfied with the Vistas ability to maintain satellite lock - no complaints there. Occasionally in a narrow canyon I lose contact, but ... you already know where you are so you don't need it for navigation. My primary reason for upgrading is a better screen in bright and dim light.