GPS Selection

[GUGS102]

I am in the process of evaluating which handheld to get. The use will be both marine and off road. I purchased a cheap one from Costco and quickly learned that the operating system you select as well as the options greatly influences how much you use it.
Although expensive, I am currently looking at the Garmin 60c. The operating system is very intuitive and can be manipulated quickly and easily. The additional memory space ensures I can plot many off road trails and come back to them. With a neoprene cover, it floats.
So, have any of you had good/bad experiences? With which models, options etc.
Is there an option you wish you had or can not live without??
Thanks,

[Wicked Performance Boats]

The only option I can't live without in a GPS is "hold max speed" Budlight :D

[Liberator TJ1984]

I bought one with the speed feature :D
But didn't read fine print....NO MAX SPEED MEMORY :burningm: :burningm: :D

[Wicked Performance Boats]

I bought one with the speed feature :D
But didn't read fine print....NO MAX SPEED MEMORY :burningm: :burningm: :D
BUMMER! Budlight :hammerhea

[olbiezer]

bought that yellow one that said it was water ristant......thought that it would float for at least a few seconds........plop......it goes into the water and out of sight in a split second.......should have advertised it to be water ristant and a fine boat anchor all in one....... :hammerhea

[Aluminum Squirt]

The GPS 60C is great, you may want to spring for the 60CS and have a color monitor. I don't own a 60 but my old man has one and like's it alot. I've messed with it and it seems to have everything you need and then some. I believe in Garmin, I've had 3 of them and liked them all. I'm sure the Magellan's are fine but once you know a certain brand, most of the controls are the same, so its a good idea to pick a brand and stay with it.
They are just like computers, you will buy one and a month later there will be a hot new product out. Don't be alarmed, buy what you need and stick with it for a few years. Prices on new models are always high but come down pretty quickly.
Make sure there plenty of mounts out for the 60, you'll find a variety of places you want to mount it. I have a GPS V right now and I have a mount on two boats, the truck, the wife's rig and a motorcycle. It's nice because its hard wired in each place, I just pull it out, slap it in the new mount, plug it in and I'm ready to go. I got lucky because I had a GPS III+ and when I upgraded to the V, it used the same mount and had the same chasis.
I've come to rely on my GPS for many things besides tuning, so I recommend getting the best one you can afford, not some stripped out one for speed only. Garmin's website is pretty user friendly and lets you compare models against one another. Shop around on the net though, there are some pretty good deals out there that are not the Garmin website, if you look around long enough. Hope this helps-Aluminum Squirt

[Pesky Varmint]

You'll love the 60C. Color is the way to go, especially if you
order Garmins MapSource TOPO 100k and load it up with
the maps which are great for both for the lakes and off road.
I swear by Garmin, currently own 4, have owned many. I own
a StreetPilot Color, 182C Marine, eTrex Legend Color, and iQue.
Pesky Varmint

[sleekcrafter]

Give us a jingle on monday or check our online store. we sell all brands of GPS receivers a well as marine electronics. We can usually beat anyones price with no problem.
Sleek

[xs ultra]

I have a Magellan SportTrak.Don't like it.May be me ,but it hard to use and no max. speed memory.

[Aluminum Squirt]

Forgot one thing, if you hard wire it, make sure the power source is un-switched (aka always on). I have yet to find a GPS that can drain a healthy battery in any reasonable amount of time and it always happens that you want to screw around with it, check max speed, location etc when everything is shut down-Aluminum Squirt

[Captain no fun]

I borrowed a Garmin 72 from Jetster Jeff, and was foolin' around as usual, changing nozzles, in a hurry, backed down the boat launch, GPS on the trailer fender, ( I didn't know that detail at the time) off it came, ran over it, bump goes the rear axle, I'm on the brakes anyway, it hits the front tire, skids under it till the ABS sensors release it, I'm still unaware. I didn't see it till we were pulling out, and I was like, WTF is that? Looks like a GPS....Oh crap, as I realize what happened. It still works fine, although it's probably no longer water resistant. I'll replace it, cuz it WAS perfect and it's the right thing to do, then I'll own a nasty lookin' but fully functional GPS :mix:

[spectras only]

here's a link on Garmin hand held units for an easy comparo .Prices are in cdn !
http://www.prairie.mb.ca/76comp.htm