I'll be in the market for a GPS unit soon. Want to keep my budget around $400-500. For those of you that already own one or more, which company have you found or believe to have better customer support and software?

Garmin?
or
Magellan?

 

i have used both and garmin is far better in my opinion.

i own a garmin ique 3200 and it is great, easy to use software too.

 

Garmin is very good. i use alot of topo software with it...

 

I have owned both, and LOVE the way a Garmin operates. Magellin makes a good product, but the Garmin software is what sets it apart. MapSource and nRoute are easy to use and very helpful.

If you do any hiking/biking I suggest the eTrex series, specifically the Vista C or Vista Cx. Personally I dont see the need for the Cx, the only difference in the Cx has more memory, but I have never filled mine with maps, even on long road trips. But if you dont have a laptop I reccoment the Cx. I usually load a days worth of maps the night before, as I have a laptop.

If you are only looking for a hard mount in your rig, which you might use on a hike occasionally then I reccommend something like the GPSMap 76CS, it can take an external antenna which would be nice, though my Vista C gets great reception. THe 76 CS and the Vista C have almost identical features, but the 76CS has a slighty larger screen and bigger buttons.

If you dont want to spend more than 500 I reccommend the Vista C, got mine for 277, MapSourse Topo about 100, and a 12v plug and suction mount, about 50 for both. The 76CS is about 100-150 more.

Here is a very SMALL example of what you can do with the MapSource program.

Topo, it shows almost all FS roads, with I would say 95% accuracy.



Profile View.. Fun for hiking and wheeling




City software. Provides business info, address, phone number, and routing.




In addition the GPS will come with the MapSource software and a base map that has major hwys on it, as well as cities. No routing. but the software itself allows for desktop managment of routes, waypoints, poop trails (tracks).

I also reccoment buying online, I saved 75 on my GPS, thats a huge percentage when MSRP is like 350 and I pay 275.

 

Lowrance, sorry, had to be the oddball.

Lamm

 

Personally, I like the looks of the Magellan eXplorist XL. When it comes to GPS units, no matter what the brand, the bigger the display the better as long as it still has ok battery life.

I might also consider the eXplorist 600 as well, just because I have the Meridian Platinum right now, and a built-in compass is a great thing to have when trying to determine direction to a waypoint. Also, the 600 uses Li-Ion rechargable battery, the XL uses 4 AA's (ouch).

Also, I have the Magellan MapSend Topo software for my GPS, it is an excellent resource, showing you forest roads, mines, points of interest, etc. Plus it has good road maps of the entire U.S. You will want to buy an SD card for the unit though, to hold lots of maps.

 

If this was for aviation [handheld] I'd go with Lowrance nice product/price good size, not bulky like garmin, but you want to use it on the ground don't you... 'cept when you catch air going over a dune right?... haha... I think Lawrence makes road database one that will allow you to install a marine database also... make sure what ever you get you get one with the most memory you can afford... some of the ones on the market now will allow you to expand the memory with SD cards... you could download a huge database and by segmenting it carry it all with you on a few cards...
The Lawrence 600[c?] is the colour screen aviation model and it retails for @600.00 CAD so the road model should about 450.00 CAD...[as soon as you put aviation in the name the price usually doubles...

 

These units aren't legal in aircraft. I know you pilots use them, don't let your fed see it....

 

Actually the handheld ones intended for Aviation use are perfectly acceptable and legal you just can't use them to fly a GPS IFR approach but for enroute stuff as long as the database is current no problemo...

 

Agree....

 

Some of the old Acft I worked on had INS and I always seen pilots with their handheld Gizmo. They didn't like INS, and said the hand held was more accurate than the INS. Also every time the feds came around they hid it. The fed would see suction cup marks (where they placed there antenna) on the windscreen and ask them 20?'s about it. The planes I work on now have GPS coupled into the FMC making it very easy to navigate.

 

garmin all the way

 

i have a magellan meridian, rubberized armor,waterproof,floats, takes SD cards, the software is easy to use too. i had a garmin in the army, and liked it ok, but that was when the small hand held units were first coming into action. i like the meridian better, but i'm sure that the garmin is more user friendly. i'm clumsy, so the meridian fits me better.

meridian gold-$140 shipped GPSSTORE.com
mapsend software-$60
1 gig SD card-$40

 

I also have the Garmin Vista C. I have really learned to like the thing, simple to use, can do loads of stuff. When I first bought it my wife didn't care for it too much. I think more because she didn't understand it and what it can do. Now she reminds me to grab it.

I have filled two tracks up to 99% full, both are just over 1,000 miles long.

One thing to be aware of, GPS's don't get a real strong signal, you will loose signal in deep woods or if you walk into a house with it on. At least mine does.

 

i was lookin at some units over the past weekend and garmin has a new chipset in them, well some models. from what i understood and was shown, the same units, one with the new chip and one without, the new one picked up 6-8 more sats within about 15 seconds while the other timed out. i think they averaged around 500 per unit...just an FYI

 

i have a garmin street pilot c 320. its awesome and is perfect for road driving. i'm pretty sure you can't add a point of interest, but you might be able to. It came with a 128mb SD card, but i want to upgrade. It fit all of new england, new york, new jersey and Deleware on the card. PA was too big to fit so i put Deleware on instead. you can plug it back into your computer and swich the states you store if you're traveling further. I went with Garmin because i don't like the view on the Magellans.

Dont buy from Fotoconnection.com. they are liers, dirtbags, and their management doesnt' care if that their employees lie and try to get more money out of you for nothing. If you google the unit you decide to get, you will get tons of sites and can shop around for the best price.

 

Absolutley right. The models with the small x at the end have the newer SRIF GPS chipset. I have the Garmin Map76CSx which technically is identical to their Map60CSx, just different packaging. The reception is nothing short of amazing. I have never lost signal even in heavy woods or deep canyons. It even gets a full position lock inside my house. Mine has 1GB micro SD card which is currently holding all the US street maps and all of the western US topo maps. I just switch back and forth depending on my needs. With a dash mount it works fine in the truck and is easliy removed if you want a handheld for hiking, climbing, whatever. I can't say enough about how impressed I am with this GPS.

 

At least from the eTrex Vista C to Vista Cx, and 76CS to 76Cx the only difference is the removable memory card. All other otptions are the same.

 

Topcon

 

Thanks for all the replies and photos! Garmin it is....now i just need to decide between a Nuvi or StreetPilot model.