LOOKING TO BUY NEW GPS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS???

[elkoholic1]

looking at buying new GPS would love any ideas thoughts recommendations anyone has and are willing to share!!!   thanks

[brocka]

I would highly recommend the Garmin Oregon 450. Very user friendly and a great GPS in my opinion. I have it, paired with the topo chip for Washington, Oregon & Idaho and it is easily one of my favorite pieces of equipment. There is 2 models, the 450 & the 450T. The 450T means it has built in topo. But its not as good of quality topo you will get with the extra chip. The extra chip will show what GMU you are in, boundary lines for private property, wilderness boundary & more. I believe it was cheaper to buy the 450 + topo chip then it was to buy the 450T. It goes on sale often. I paid $289 through Cabelas but I did see Sportsman's Warehouse is having a sale on them soon for $269. Battery life with lithium ion batteries was very impressive & it picks up a signal almost instantly.

[Fl0und3rz]

Get something with a larger external antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+gpsmap&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12445162836197707450&sa=X&ei=1bHgT5r1OMSD8AHcssXvCA&ved=0CJoBEPMCMAI

rather than an internal antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+hcx&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3995184301919596425&sa=X&ei=pLHgT9jWO8KL8AGNq-3vCA&ved=0CJMBEPICMAU

Side by side, the external antenna version gets better satellite reception and much quicker position fixes in dense forests.

I also link the feature of Garmin's Rhino radio and GPS combos for hunting with a partner, where you can see the other's position on your GPS.

[JCKILLSHOT]

I have the Garmin Oregon 550t and love it but I don't really use the camera that much. I  just thought it would be a cool thing to have at the time of purchase.

[elkoholic1]

brocka i see cabelas new flyer is out and they got the 550t for $349 and the 450 for $229 do you know much about the 550t???  thanks for the info i really appreciate it...

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Garmin Rhino with out a doubt... its nice to be able to see where your hunting partners are in case of injury or they get an animal down and need help. 

[hillbillyhunting]

Get something with a larger external antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+gpsmap&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12445162836197707450&sa=X&ei=1bHgT5r1OMSD8AHcssXvCA&ved=0CJoBEPMCMAI

rather than an internal antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+hcx&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3995184301919596425&sa=X&ei=pLHgT9jWO8KL8AGNq-3vCA&ved=0CJMBEPICMAU

Side by side, the external antenna version gets better satellite reception and much quicker position fixes in dense forests.

I also link the feature of Garmin's Rhino radio and GPS combos for hunting with a partner, where you can see the other's position on your GPS.

It is funny you mention this because I was doing some research yesterday about these exact handheld GPS units.  After talking with a really helpful "nerd" from garmin I actually ended up purchasing three of the etrex 20 models.  The guy from garmin explained to me that the etrex with an internal antenna is just as accurate as the 62 series with an external antenna.  Additionally, the etrex units utilize the russian satelites where the 62 series does not.  Therefore, the etrex units with the internal antenna actually acquire a fix faster than the 62 series with the external antenna. 

After I decided on the etrex models the only question was the 20 or 30.  I found that the extra $100 for the 30 only buys you an altimeter (and i was told that the altimeter only holds accuracy for minutes after calibration) and a compass.  Additionally, the 20 will tell you elevation based on satelite information and will tell you which direction you are traveling when you are moving.  Needless to say we bought the 20 model on sale for $179 from cabelas. 

SIDE NOTE!!!!!
Cabelas was charging $370 for the etrex 30... THEY ARE RIPPING PEOPLE OFF.  Garmin told me that MSRP on these is $300 and you can actually buy them from garmin directly for $300.  But, at $179 the 20 is a deal.

[brianmtsinc]

Garmin Rhino 520 has been the absolute best unit I have owned.       Great connectivity, great communication, and awesome GPS features.  And of course, always being able to know where your hunting partners are is great!!!

[brocka]

brocka i see cabelas new flyer is out and they got the 550t for $349 and the 450 for $229 do you know much about the 550t???  thanks for the info i really appreciate it...

From what I understand, the 550T just has the built in camera. My "Owners Manual" for the 450 is the is same owners manual for the 550t. Personally I cant imagine the camera being "high quality" so i opted for the camera-less version and just continue to carry my digital camera.

I am sure there are a few other differences between the two but from what I know thats it.

[brocka]

Get something with a larger external antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+gpsmap&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12445162836197707450&sa=X&ei=1bHgT5r1OMSD8AHcssXvCA&ved=0CJoBEPMCMAI

rather than an internal antenna like this

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=garmin+hcx&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3995184301919596425&sa=X&ei=pLHgT9jWO8KL8AGNq-3vCA&ved=0CJMBEPICMAU

Side by side, the external antenna version gets better satellite reception and much quicker position fixes in dense forests.

I also link the feature of Garmin's Rhino radio and GPS combos for hunting with a partner, where you can see the other's position on your GPS.

In response to your quote about the external antenna getting better satellite reception and quicker position in dense forest, I would be interested to test this in the field. The 450 had acquired my signal and was very accurate in thick trees last Saturday. I wonder how much better the external antenna really is. Selling point maybe?

I believe you can still see each other without the radio combo. There is a feature "Share Wireless" that links with your partners GPS. I haven't used it yet but I imagine that's what it does.

The downside I found to the Rhino series when researching was that the quality of radio was low. I was explained to by a GPS "guru" that the GPS unit is SWEET but its paired with a cheap radio...however I have no experience with them, that is just second hand info.

[pianoman9701]

I have the Rino 655T and the 550T is on the new Cabela's flyer, as stated before. Mine locks up instantly in any conditions. Has the camera and radio, touch screen. These are awesome GPSs.

[brocka]

I have the Rino 655T and the 550T is on the new Cabela's flyer, as stated before. Mine locks up instantly in any conditions. Has the camera and radio, touch screen. These are awesome GPSs.

How does your Rhino do on batteries?

[pianoman9701]

I have the Rino 655T and the 550T is on the new Cabela's flyer, as stated before. Mine locks up instantly in any conditions. Has the camera and radio, touch screen. These are awesome GPSs.

How does your Rhino do on batteries?

I don't leave mine on, so it lasts for days. In addition, I got the optional alkaline pack for AAs so I don't have to worry about charging in elk camp.

[Fl0und3rz]

In response to your quote about the external antenna getting better satellite reception and quicker position in dense forest, I would be interested to test this in the field. The 450 had acquired my signal and was very accurate in thick trees last Saturday. I wonder how much better the external antenna really is. Selling point maybe?

I have the internal antenna model above (older generation), and a partner has a GPSmap version (maybe a prior version than the one linked).  I get fast fixes when in the clear; not so much in heavy trees, or it loses satellites more easily in heavily forested areas.  Right alongside me, the partner's maintained satellite fix more robustly.  It's anecdotal, but my next unit, if mine ever dies (6-8 years old?), will be one of the Rhino models.

[JBR]

Here's some practical advice that you may (or may not find useful in your search).  Buy a quality NO FRILLS GPS, such as the Garmin etrex GPS (with high sensitivity receiver) for under $80, such as this:

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-Waterproof-Hiking-GPS/dp/B00003WGP5

The use the extra money to buy a high quality baseplate compass that can navigate during darkness such as this:

http://www.backcountry.com/brunton-54lu-baseplate-compass

...then buy a high quality topo mapping software that uses UTM grid scaling on the edges for ease of use, in creating your own seemless topo maps in various scales, such as this:

MapTech's Terrain Navigator ($99 per state)

and finally and most importantly, take a quality course in Backcountry Navigation to learn how to navigate in the backcountry with confidence. 

Skills covered should be things like creating/using topo maps, understanding how to read topo maps and their features, how to create routes, use map and compass to navigate (day or night - with the proper compass), integrating GPS into navigation with the map and compass, declination, the 3 norths, grid coordinate systems such as UTM vs Lat/Long.  UTM is by far easier to use for land nav in most situations, understanding how and why to take a bearing, triangulation/resectioning etc.

With the proper tools and skills, backcountry navigation will allow you to enter the backcoutry with confidence, scout, hunt, or do whatever and get out safely.

For these purposes, a quality GPS with high sensitivity receiver such as the Garmin etrex, used to VERIFY what you will already believe (based on your map and compass skills) is all you will need.   You do not need COLOR screens, cameras, touch screens, aerial images, alarms, e-compasses, etc ON YOUR GPS.  Most of us carry seperate cameras, compasses, a watch with Altimeter/Barometer etc and we can print out aerial images of our area ahead of time.  Use your topo map and compass to navigative.  Use you GPS sparingly to verify your information.  That's it.

For a GREAT series of instructional articles on what I'm talking about, check out the following link to Dick Blust's series on Backcountry Navigation, for free.

There are four inter-related articles.  Print them out and spend the time to sit down and read them, if you don't have time to take a backcountry nav course, you will likely learn a ton of great info from these essays.  For many people, this will be very eye-opening and like me, you will learn how much you never knew.  I used to carry a compass, but didn't really know how to use it.  I use to carry a GPS and just leave it on so I could follow the trail back out.  I had a map with me, but never REALLY understood how to use if effectively in conjunction with my map and GPS.  Once I did learn these skills, it opened up a whole new world to me.  Just my .2 cents.  Good luck on your adventures!

Dick Blusts Backcountry Navigation link:

http://kifaru.net/essays.html