Hunting Washington Forum
Equipment & Gear => All Other Gear => Topic started by: zackmioli on July 09, 2008, 01:12:27 PM
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What are some good models? What should I look for when checking out different models? Looking into getting one in the near future. Any help is very appreciated!
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Love my Garmin Rino! Only thingI would trade it for is a newer model with a color screen and better radio reception.
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if you have a buddy that you hunt with the Garmin GPS/Walkie talkie(Rhino versions) is nice as you can track each other and communicate. I have the Garmin 60cs which is now discontinued as they have the new 60csx which has a removable memory card. Mine has internal memory. Its nice because you can go to your computer and pick wavepoints to download to your GPS so you know where to go. I wish that Garmin would have it where you could down load GPS maps onto their GPS's. But they have their own mapping program that is downloadable. Just my :twocents:
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rino kicks butt if your buddies have them especially if you can afford the newer models
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My buddy and I bought the rino 530hcx before last years hunting season. We used the weather channel forcast, while scouting for muley dr in Chelan. The next morning the forcast was right, it snowed. I really like the two wy radio and the tracking option for your buddy. If we split up to cover more ground, I know were he is. 8) Good Luck in finding one.
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If you are using it for hunting, get the largest screen you can afford and make sure you get the topo program to go with it. Also learn how to use the UTM coordinate system it makes navigation on land much easier.
You can also get good maps with UTM Grids printed on them from www.mytopo.com
Good luck,
Scud
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thanks for all the info guys!
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I agree completely with all said about the Garmin Rhino! If you can afford it, it should be at the top of your list. If you are just looking for a basic model to give you a coordinate to help you get in, get out, to the "honey hole" you found last year, or back to camp then the Garmin Etrex base model does the job very efficiently and is very easy to use. I have had mine (yellow one for $90) for 4 years now and it has been bomb proof.
To summarize:
1. Buy Garmin
2. Rhino if you can afford it, color screen is cool, but more gadgets it has on it, in general the worse it is on batteries.
3. Buy the base model etrex if you are on a budget; it will more than get the job done but you will want a topo map of the area and a compass. You really should never be without the map and compass so the three of them combined will get you anywhere you need or want to go.
My :twocents:.
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I've got a Rhino, not sure which 1 but it's green. Seems to do everything I want. I don't think I'd own a stand alone model (one w/out the radio). IMO GPSs are purely "nice to haves" when it comes to hunting. I'd never go out w/out a compass but I often leave the Rhino behind.
In terms of hard core use, it seems to me GPS shine when it comes to fishing/boating. Hunting/hiking they're more of a luxury. :twocents:
BTW.... that brings me to a pet peeve (wrong post I know): guys that are always F***ing around with GPSs and Cell Phones when they're hunting w/ me.
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The green rino is the 120. The 520 and 530 have probably 3 times the range
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I have the Garmin 60csx. Great unit. Take a look here:
www.gpsonsale.com
