a good gps?

[Firing Pin]

Look into the Delorme PN-40.  Areal sweet GPS and they are good with the customer service and tech help.  Plus they have the capability to down load satalite imagery and layer it on top of the topo maps.  It is priced right in your range and it is available from cabelas.

[Shadow Cat]

I spent the money and got the Garmin Rino 530HCx. It has the radio built in, and you can also send your location to another user. I like the bult in altimiter and the weather radio. I use them a lot when I am out. It has a lot of features that I use at different times. I spent the money and got the street navigator and the topo maps for it as well. I can transfer info to and from my computer to the GPS and is a great aid when planning my hunts. For me, it was worth every penny I spent.

[stumprat]

I upgraded this year from a Magellan Meridian gold to a Garmin Legend hcx. The legend is a great little unit. My only complaint is that the color screen absolutely sucks in the sunlight. The black and gray screen was visible in all light on my old unit.

[SnakeEyes]

I have the Garmin 60cx. These are very good for the money. Just remember the topo map programs are extra. I use mine all the time for hunting and geocaching. The Garmin 60 csx has the electronic compass and barometric altimeter. If you do use these extra features it will shorten the battery life some. I carry a compass in my pack and felt battery life was more important. I have not researched the newer models.  

[elkspert]

I'm with shadow cat. The Rhino 530 Hcx is a nice unit. Comes in handy with the weather channel and the walkie talkies. We had them in the big horns last year elk hunting and they performed great. Get the mapping software.

[PA BEN]

You can't go wrong with a good Garmin.

[C-Money]

I like the Magellan Explorist model. I have the 100 and the 210. They work great!

[Pat/Rick]

Topo map, compass, altimiter. No batteries.

[zackmioli]

Garmin Colorado 400t, it came with the already loaded topo of the United States. It has worked flawlessly. It gets about 20 hours battery life, is easy to operate with one hand and no matter where you are in the woods will get a strong signal. It has a lot of different functions and what not. Been a good purchase so far. I think you can pick one up for $350 or so now.

i just got this gps. used it twice hiking around so far. still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles but marking way points and all that is very straight forward and easy to use. so far i really like it.

[Houndhunter]

just got back from looking around and the garmin 60csx looks pretty good. i found a bushnel to, you guys have any experience with these? its called the bushnell onix 400, its a good deal i think but no one has said anything about them so im kinda iffy. also looked at the garmin oregon 400 today, that is sweet but i just cant justify paying 500 for it

http://www.bushnell.com/gps/gps_onix400.cfm?section=GPS here is a link to the bushnell

[Houndhunter]

thanks guys for the advice on here, all this is really helpful

[HntnFsh]

Are the maps for the Garmin Rhinos fairly recent.I think the ones I loaded on mine are old.Would like to get newer ones if possible.

[RUTNBULL1]

just got back from looking around and the garmin 60csx looks pretty good. i found a bushnel to, you guys have any experience with these? its called the bushnell onix 400, its a good deal i think but no one has said anything about them so im kinda iffy. also looked at the garmin oregon 400 today, that is sweet but i just cant justify paying 500 for it

http://www.bushnell.com/gps/gps_onix400.cfm?section=GPS here is a link to the bushnell

The guys I hunted with in Wyoming last year had the Bushnell 400 and the other had the 60scx, the 60csx out performed the Bushnell in recieving and holding  sattelites in dense areas and seemed to be more user friendly.

[cully]

Rhino 530hcx... $375 walmart online   
Best unit out there and at this price.

[JBR]

After my Garmin Rino 130 finally crapped out, I began researching GPS units last year looking for a new one.  I narrowed it down to two...the Garmin 60CSX and the Delorme Earthmate PN-40. I was just about to pull the trigger on the 60CSX when I found the PN-40 and researched it.  I ended up going with the Delorme PN-40 for the following reasons...

It comes with 1 GB of internal memory and an included 1 GB SD card (which most sell seperately).  It comes PRE-loaded with Topo USA 7.0 (topo and street maps of the entire US!)  That included 3 CD's covering West, Central and East and includes a Desktop Mapping system for viewing on your computer and trasferring data.  Its rugged, waterproof, has a high sensitivity Cartesio chipset, 32 channel WAAS-enabled system with dual-core processor for quick map and satellite imagery redraws, bright color display (the screen is a bit smaller than I'd like but what's on it make all the difference for me).  It uses AA batteries that so far seem to last all day but I haven't had time to really test their range. 

One of the biggest deciding factors for me were the MAPS!  Not only does the Delorme PN-40 come pre-loaded with streets and topo maps for the whole US, Delorme (a MAP company) has a unique feature with this GPS.  Instead of purchasing a state topo mapping software (for around $100) and loading it, Delorme has a MAP LIBRARY, which you pay a $29 annual subscription fee for, and with that subscription, you can access ANY of their numerous maps for download to either the INTERAL memory of the unit or to the SD card,  and then layer those maps with the Topo USA street and topo maps already on the unit, including: USGS 7.5 minute QUADS, high-res color satellite imagery and NOAA nautical charts!!     So, you decide on an area to scout or hunt and you can go download USGS 7.5 QUAD maps and color satellite images of the area, to layer over your pre-loaded topo map.  After looking at the topo area of an area you'd like to investigate further, you can look at that bench or saddle on a satellite image and see the actual vegatation or water or meadow before you decide to go there. 

The buttons and screens are simple and easy to navigate and the unit goes for around $399 (including the 1 GB SD card and pre-loaded US topo maps), with the ability to get imagery not available on most units.  I still have a ton of experimenting to do with it and plan to get much more experience on it during scouting trips in the next few weeks, but for me, it was well worth the money! 

Check it out, you may be surprised.