Time to replace my dead GPS unit

[mastacox]

Well, my Magellan Meridian Platinum finally gave up on me, after almost 8 years of faithful service. That's not too bad a run for a GPS, but it's been showing its age lately and finally the buttons stopped working after a battery leaked acid inside the unit.

SO, time for an upgrade for Christmas :lol: Basically I have some very strict requirements I'm looking for in a GPS unit:


This GPS will serve double duty as a hiking/camping/backpacking GPS, and an in-car GPS for off-roading in the 4Runner.
MUST be able to run on AA batteries, so I can carry extras for emergencies. I want it to be able to run for around 10 hours on a set of Lithium AA's.
Must have a large, good resolution screen. I'm sick of my old GPS unit's slow refreshing, hard to read display.
Must of course support downloadable topo maps. I think most gps units support this these days anyway, but I want the hi-resolution (1:24,000) topo maps like the ones that are available in National Geographic TOPO! software. SD card or micro-SD card doesn't realy matter to me, but I do have lots of SD cards lying around.
Must be relatively "rugged" and waterproof, like my Meridian was.
I want it to have a built-in 3-axis electronic compass like my Meridian had, it's much nicer for taking bearings and finding what direction you're pointing.


So, the two units that I'm looking at very closely are the Garmin Oregon 300 (http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Oregon-300-Portable-System/dp/B001B19XMS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1228320269&sr=1-2),
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NoHY-4FAL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

and the Magellan Triton 2000 (http://www.amazon.com/Magellan-Triton-2000-Handheld-Navigation/dp/B000V4VGAI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top).
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-MWto9IKL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Both have similar feature sets, are similarly priced, and meet my requirements as far as I can tell. I'm leaning towards the Garmin because the Magellan is getting some pretty poor reviews on Amazon, and I don't really like all the extra "crap" the Magellan has like a built-in camera and flashlight.

Any one have any other possible suggestions? Any other GPS makers i haven't considered that have excellent performing alternatives? Lemme know.

[jrallan26]

I have a brand new Garmin GPS60. The 60 met it's doom last summer, when the mount lost suction. The Garmin was replaced by Garmin. I haven't used it all.

I have been using a Nuvi 760 with great happiness.

Let me know if you are interested.

[mastacox]

Thanks for the offer, but the GPS 60 (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=6446#specsTab) can't use downloaded topo maps, doesn't have a compass, and uses a low-res display. All are dealbreakers for me I'm afraid.

[paddlenbike]

I can't see where the Oregon 300 supports downloadable 1:24k maps. You can buy each state series from Garmin for $99 each, but it does not appear to use free seamless 1:24k USGS quads that work so well on Windows Mobile devices. The only ruggedized GPS I am aware of that allow use of TIF 1:24k maps is the Delorme PN20.

Also, according to the Amazon.com specs, this unit is really heavy!
Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.3 x 1.4 inches ; 424.8 pounds

[mastacox]

I can't see where the Oregon 300 supports downloadable 1:24k maps. You can buy each state series from Garmin for $99 each, but it does not appear to use free seamless 1:24k USGS quads that work so well on Windows Mobile devices. The only ruggedized GPS I am aware of that allow use of TIF 1:24k maps is the Delorme PN20.


Yeah, I overlooked that fact because apparently support 3rd party maps is still a somewhat rare option. You can get the Garmin Topo maps package for $100, that has topo maps of all of the US at about 1:100k res.

There is also a set of micro-SD cards Garmin sells that has 1:24k maps for most of the west & southwest, each chip has two states on it for about $100. TOPO U.S. 24K - Mountain South for example (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=27612&pvID=28989#overviewTab)

It looks to me like the Magellan Triton may actually direclty support NatGeo Topo! software, or at least a Magellan version of it, that includes available 1:24k maps.

[paddlenbike]

There is no perfect device, as far as I am concerned. I think Delorme comes the closest with the PN20/PN40, since it allows use of seamless USGS quads at 1:24k, 1:100k and 1:250k available for free for each state in the U.S. It also supports aerial imagery. The screen size is way too small for my needs though.

I love my Dell Axim PDA because I can use one device with iGuidance for voice-guided street guidance (just like TomTom, Garmin, etc.), but I can also switch over and use another piece of software for using quad maps and aerials that I mentioned above. You literally cannot beat a 1:24k quad map for detail. Problem with the PDA is battery life and lack of ruggedness. If someone made a device that combined all these features, they would have a winner.

[mastacox]

There is no perfect device, as far as I am concerned.


That is the absolute truth. All I can do is optimize my choices.



I think Delorme comes the closest with the PN20/PN40, since it allows use of seamless USGS quads at 1:24k, 1:100k and 1:250k available for free for each state in the U.S. It also supports aerial imagery. The screen size is way too small for my needs though.


Yeah, I've definitely learned through my Magellan Meridian that screen size and resolution is king in a nice GPS, especially for big, detailed maps. Otherwise you have to zoom out, scroll, zoom in, scroll, zoom out... etc.

[Robinhood4x4]

Here's a link to free topo maps and street maps. The couple of topo's I looked at are 24k. http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/

I just picked up a new legend HCX and my friend has the 60CSX and the maps work with the garmin software pretty well. The only problem with the street maps is they're a little out of date and they don't have points of interest like restaurants and such.

You might want to check the limitations on the garmin maps preloaded on the SD cards. You might not be able to upload those maps to your computer. I know the street maps you can't, at least according to the garmin website.

[mastacox]

Here's a link to free topo maps and street maps. The couple of topo's I looked at are 24k. http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/

That is a REALLY cool website I had never heard of! Thanks for the link.



You might want to check the limitations on the garmin maps preloaded on the SD cards. You might not be able to upload those maps to your computer. I know the street maps you can't, at least according to the garmin website.


Yeah I was thinking about that, not only because you can't back up the data YOU paid for, but it's pretty frickin' easy to lose a micro-SD chip...

The Garmin has "better" reviews, and a larger screen; the Magellan has better available Topo software, and uses an SD card which is nice because I have several already. It makes the decision kind of tough actually.

I'm planning to go to REI and/or Sportsman's Warehouse on Friday to play with each unit in-person. I think seeing how their user interfaces are laid out and how "fast" they are in map refresh rates will be the deciding factor for me, but we'll see what happens.

[Robinhood4x4]

The refresh rate on my legend is light years ahead of my old legend.

It picks up satellites in seconds and even inside some buildings.

[paddlenbike]

Yeah, I've definitely learned through my Magellan Meridian that screen size and resolution is king in a nice GPS, especially for big, detailed maps. Otherwise you have to zoom out, scroll, zoom in, scroll, zoom out... etc.


Screen size is key. One feature I really like on mine is called "alternate view." By hitting one button I can toggle between a zoomed-in 1:24k quadmap for detail and say a zoomed-out 1:250k quadmap. Keep it on the 1:24k for detail and use the alternate view button to see "the big picture" of where you are.