Which GPS is used by the largest number of Geocachers?

[+user13371]

Not "What do you use?" or "Which brand is best?" -- but which GPSR is used by the largest number of Geocachers?

 

The Geocaching.com reviews section lists some interesting numbers. Not simply how many people have reviewed particular models and how well they rated - but also how many members overall claim to own each device.

 

Some of the numbers startled me. This is based on a quick perusal and I'd be happy to have someone re-check this for me.

 

25087 members claim to own a Garmin GPS 60csx. I think that's more than ALL of the many Magellan, Lowrance, and DeLorme models put together. I looked for other dedicated GPSR manufacturers with comparable counts and couldn't find any. And that's just one of over 200 Garmin models listed here. Several other Garmin models have ownership counts in the five figures, while no other dedicated brands do.

 

Is your mind boggled yet? Hold on to your hats...

 

One device comes close to the top Garmin model numbers, but it's not a dedicated GPSR.

 

13692 Geocachers claim to own an Apple iPhone 3G, the model introduced in the June of last year. And another 4454 have already picked up the iPhone 3GS, which has only been out since June of THIS year.

 

What is going on here? Garmin virtually owns the Geocaching device market, and everybody else -- no matter how good their product -- is far, far behind in unit sales.

 

But a SMARTPHONE maker is catching up?

Edited September 23, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+dakboy]

Some of the numbers startled me. This is based on a quick perusal and I'd be happy to have someone re-check this for me.

 

25087 members claim to own a Garmin GPS 60csx. I think that's more than ALL of the many Magellan, Lowrance, and DeLorme models put together. I looked for other dedicated GPSR manufacturers with comparable counts and couldn't find any. And that's just one of over 200 Garmin models listed here. Several other Garmin models have ownership counts in the five figures, while no other dedicated brands do.

 

One device comes close to the top Garmin model numbers, but it's not a dedicated GPSR.

 

13692 Geocachers claim to own an Apple iPhone 3G, the model introduced in the June of last year. And another 4454 have already picked up the iPhone 3GS, which has only been out since June of THIS year.

 

What is going on here? Garmin virtually owns the Geocaching device market, and everybody else -- no matter how good their product -- is far, far behind in unit sales.

 

But a SMARTPHONE maker is catching up?

You're basing your analysis on a self-selected sample group. I'm sure there are thousands of DeLorme users who haven't registered their device choice here. Same for Garmin, Magellan, etc.

 

Does this count one person owning multiple devices?

 

You're also forgetting that DeLorme GPSrs are barely seen outside the US because they only have detailed maps of North America. It's a big world out there, and if a device doesn't even service a large portion of it, of course those global usage numbers will be low.

 

iPhone users tend to be....let's say "enthusiastic about telling people that they own one" so a disproportionate percentage will report their ownership.

 

In short, whatever conclusions you're attempting to draw from those numbers are flawed by the very nature of the data source.

 

Usage reports of the Send To GPS plugin on the website, plus the APIs used by DeLorme's Cache Register and the iPhone would be slightly less misleading.

 

Besides, what does sheer number of sales really mean? I happen to believe that Apple offers a far superior product as compared to Microsoft & whatever computer vendor you buy your hardware from, but they sell only 10% of the volume of PCs - does that automatically make a Mac a lesser product simply due to sales volume?

[+user13371]

whatever conclusions you're attempting to draw from those numbers are flawed by the very nature of the data source.

Actually Dakboy, I didn't draw any conclusions. I presented data, acknoweledged the source, and asked questions. To answer your questions:

 

1) Count one person owning more? I would guess yes, whatever someone chooses to report is what GC.com will count.

2) What does sheer number of sales really mean? Absolutely nothing, but that wasn't the point of the original post.

 

As for the things you think I'm forgetting:

DeLorme ... rarely seen outside of the United States

This thread isn't about DeLorme.

 

To recap: The reported number for just the one Garmin model noted is more than the total reported numbers of all DeLorme+Lowrance+Magellan models combined. And the dozens of other brands listed on GC.com's review pages are a drop in the bucket compared to those. And while Geocaching is a worldwide sport, the majority of the geocachers are in the USA.

 

In other words, commenting that one particular brand doesn't have an international market isn't especially relevant.

 

Usage reports of the Send To GPS plugin on the website, plus the APIs used by DeLorme's Cache Register and the iPhone would be slightly less misleading.

That could be useful, I think I know who/where I can inquire about that.

 

What does sheer number of sales really mean? ... (Apple) sells only 10% of the volume of PCs - does that automatically make a Mac a lesser product simply due to sales volume?

Also irrelevant; since I never raised that question about which was better -- in fact, the opening line of the opening post streesed that:

 

"Not 'What do you use?' or 'Which brand is best?' -- but which GPSR is used by the largest number of Geocachers?"

Edited September 23, 2009 by lee_rimar

[NordicMan]

But a SMARTPHONE maker is catching up?

 

Hey I just bought a Palm Pre and added THAT to my inventory of Geocaching GPSr devices It's only been in existence since ~July of this year (to Sprint) and only just now came out here in Canada.

 

..there aren't (yet) any fully official Geocaching apps available for it, just a couple of HomeBrew's that show GREAT promise.

 

Yet already, 233 users on Geocaching.com claim to have one

[+Wogus!]

If you had asked me which brand of GPSr most 'cachers use, I would have guessed, "Garmin" and, if pressed for a model, would have guessed the 60CSx. I think most people on these forums if so questioned would say the same... So maybe I'm confused, it happens a lot, but why the thread if you answered your own question? Am I missing something here?

[+dakboy]

whatever conclusions you're attempting to draw from those numbers are flawed by the very nature of the data source.

Actually Dakboy, I didn't draw any conclusions. I presented data, acknoweledged the source, and asked questions.

What is going on here? Garmin virtually owns the Geocaching device market, and everybody else -- no matter how good their product -- is far, far behind in unit sales.

That sure looks like a conclusion to me. Reached from a rather flawed set of input data (as I noted in my post).

 

I'm with Jupiter_Jack, I don't understand the point of this exercise at all.

Edited September 23, 2009 by dakboy

[+user13371]

What is going on here? Garmin virtually owns the Geocaching device market, and everybody else -- no matter how good their product -- is far, far behind in unit sales.

That sure looks like a conclusion to me. Reached from a rather flawed set of input data (as I noted in my post).

And I also mentioned that was based on a quick persual of only GC.com's website.

 

Instead of criticizing the source, can you provide a different set of data? I've already asked the mods over here about figures for various flavors of SendToGPS usage. Any other suggestions?

 

Jack & Dak - the point of the exercise is to figure out whete the HUGE difference in numbers is coming from, and if it's reasonably accurate. I don't think anyone doubts more Geocachers use Garmin devices than others. But a single model that's only been on the market for 2 years outweighing the reported number of all models from the next three vendors combined?

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+Maingray]

.. and the other point he made was the jump in iphone usage. I'm seeing more and more geobuddies with the iphone as a means to run the geocaching app that Groundspeak built, as well as owning their 60. It's getting some very good market penetrance with cachers.

[+Red90]

It would be interesting to add up the "sub" models. i.e. all Oregons owned is around 20000. What if you could add up all Nuvis.......

[+Surferjo]

I went to a Geocaching BBQ this weekend (about 40 people in attendance) and by far the most popular GPS was the 60csx.

 

On a side note i was the only Magellan user

[+user13371]

...a rather flawed set of input data (as I noted in my post).

The more I think about this, the more I think you're too quick to insist the numbers are flawed. The input is self-reported by GC.com users, output provided by the GC.com website.

 

To show the numbers are flawed, you'd have to show one or more of the following:

 

- Users are over-reporting Garmin ownership

- Users are under-reporting usage of other brands

- GC.com is tallying and outputting the numbers incorrectly

 

I don't think users could be mis-reporting enough -- in either direction -- to account for such a large difference. Do you?

 

Do you think GC.com is simply tallying and outputting the results incorrectly?

[Grasscatcher]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

[+Rockin Roddy]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

 

Oh please. How could anything taken from that data be anything but flawed? Are we all forgetting that DeLorme only caters to the US crowd? If you want unbiased and actual FACTS, maybe trying to get data on US users only.

 

If "some people" knew how to find actual and relevant FACTS, maybe others wouldn't NEED to argue.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Rockin Roddy

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

 

To show the numbers are flawed, you'd have to show one or more of the following:

 

- Users are over-reporting Garmin ownership

- Users are under-reporting usage of other brands

- GC.com is tallying and outputting the numbers incorrectly

 

I don't think users could be mis-reporting enough -- in either direction -- to account for such a large difference. Do you?

 

We only reported 1 Magellan Meridian. We had 2 platinums and a gold (we have since given 1 platinum away) and didn't feel the need to report all 3 units at the time we listed the 1 platinum. You may add the other 2 platinums to the list if you like, but our account page will just list the one unit. Does this skew the data used?

 

John

[+TotemLake]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

I wonder which manufacturer has the most rabid users that attacks any brand that isn't Garmin?

[+bwmick]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

 

Oh please. How could anything taken from that data be anything but flawed? Are we all forgetting that DeLorme only caters to the US crowd? If you want unbiased and actual FACTS, maybe trying to get data on US users only.

 

If "some people" knew how to find actual and relevant FACTS, maybe others wouldn't NEED to argue.

 

If you take only US numbers you fall prey to the isolationist politics that have caused a lot of international heartache from all quarters of the world throughout history. My country (insert country name here) is the only one that matters.

 

I believe that in a few years the numbers may differ based on the fact that Gps devices become more activity oriented. I have decided not to upgrade my GPS60cx due to the fact that it meets my needs as well as any new gps on the market (geocaching is a small percentage of my usage) as more market specific devices become available the numbers will change. Having said that as of now the Garmin units are internationally the most predominant gps device used in the fine art of geocaching among reported users.

 

Have a great day from someone outside the contiguous united states

 

Bryan

[+Rockin Roddy]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

 

Oh please. How could anything taken from that data be anything but flawed? Are we all forgetting that DeLorme only caters to the US crowd? If you want unbiased and actual FACTS, maybe trying to get data on US users only.

 

If "some people" knew how to find actual and relevant FACTS, maybe others wouldn't NEED to argue.

 

If you take only US numbers you fall prey to the isolationist politics that have caused a lot of international heartache from all quarters of the world throughout history. My country (insert country name here) is the only one that matters.

 

I believe that in a few years the numbers may differ based on the fact that Gps devices become more activity oriented. I have decided not to upgrade my GPS60cx due to the fact that it meets my needs as well as any new gps on the market (geocaching is a small percentage of my usage) as more market specific devices become available the numbers will change. Having said that as of now the Garmin units are internationally the most predominant gps device used in the fine art of geocaching among reported users.

 

Have a great day from someone outside the contiguous united states

 

Bryan

 

Bryan, you completely misunderstand the posting.

[robertlipe]

I'm going to try to walk on a very careful line here.

 

As a geocacher that gets around and makes mental notes of what he sees on belt clips in the woods and events and as the author of a GPS program used by millions of users, both in and outside of geocaching, I have absolutely no problem believing there are a more Garmins - and X series specifically - in this market than everything else combined.

 

As moderator, I ask that cool heads, courtesy, and respect dominate this thread...exactly the way it hasn't in a couple of others recently.

[+Chi-Town Cacher]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

I wonder which manufacturer has the most rabid users that attacks any brand that isn't Garmin?

Hmm, I could take a guess, but I think the answer to that one is already pretty obvious so I'll pass on putting my guess out there.

[+user13371]

We only reported 1 Magellan Meridian. We had 2 platinums and a gold (we have since given 1 platinum away) and didn't feel the need to report all 3 units at the time we listed the 1 platinum. You may add the other 2 platinums to the list if you like, but our account page will just list the one unit. Does this skew the data used?

Sure, it could -- resulting in an under-reporting of how many Magellans are owned.

 

But you are only under-reporting one household, a couple of devices -- out of tens (or hundreds) of thousands of users self-reporting. For the numbers to be skewed so far in favor of the Garmin 60csx, you'd need tens of thousands of other users selectively over-reporting ownership of that one and under-reporting everything else.

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+Knight2000]

I rarely see anything but a Garmin. It seems like all of the religious cachers have a 60csx.

 

Personally I have an array of GPSr's. When I am alone I use an Oregon. With the family I use a Magellan Meridian.

[+Rockin Roddy]

Lee,

Very good, interesting set of FACTS. (from an impartial source)

 

Some people just don't understand, can't accept, want to argue with, Facts.

 

I wonder which manufacturer has the most sensitive users?.......Oh, never mind, that question has already been answered above.

I wonder which manufacturer has the most rabid users that attacks any brand that isn't Garmin?

Hmm, I could take a guess, but I think the answer to that one is already pretty obvious so I'll pass on putting my guess out there.

 

I laugh every time I see your tag lines, gotta love those!!

[+user13371]

How could anything taken from that data be anything but flawed?

Roddy, the only thing taken from the data is the data itself: More GC.com users claim to own a Garmin GPS 60csx than any other GPS from DeLorme, and Lowrance, and Magellan combined -- as indicated on the review page linked in the original post.

 

This is not an attack on DeLorme or any other manufacturer, nor a question of US vs international sales; it's an observation of what GC.com users put in their user profiles.

 

Do you have a reason to believe a large portion of GC.com users either under-, over-, or incorrectly report the kind of GPS they have? And that this mis-reporting is somehow skewed to inflate Garmin's numbers? Or that the numbers on the GC.com review pages are being tallied and then output incorrectly?

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[jholly]

Do you have a reason to believe that large of GC.com users either under-, over-, or incorrectly report the kind of GPS they have? And that this mis-reporting is somehow skewed to inflate Garmin's numbers? Or that the numbers on the GC.com review pages are being tallied and then output incorrectly?

 

You don't think I'll tell you what I use for a GPS do you? Man I would be the laughing stock of the community for months to come. Of course I said I have a 60CSx, safer that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim

[+user13371]

Good point, Jim! Thanks for admitting you lie to avoid ridicule or to fit in. How many finds did you say you had?

 

Kidding, of course. But do you really think that's a widespread problem here?

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[jholly]

But do you really think that's a widespread problem here.

 

not really, but I could not resist.

 

Jim

[+user13371]

Oh good, I was wondering if I should inflate my count of Finds.

[+user13371]

...I have absolutely no problem believing there are a more Garmins - and X series specifically - in this market than everything else combined.

Robert, thank you for this. I respect your experience and connections.

 

Going back to something Dakboy suggested (and I thought might be helpful also), do you know if there is a way to figure out from SendToGPS plug-in usage on the GC side how many folks are using Garmin v. other models? I'd be partiularly interested in the new APIs available for pulling down PQs to select devices, how well that's catching on.

 

As moderator, I ask that cool heads, courtesy, and respect dominate this thread...exactly the way it hasn't in a couple of others recently.

Noted, thanks. Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+Night Stalker]

I wonder how much more overwhelming the 60CSX numbers would be if the owners of 60CX units were included in this number. There are more than a few of us, me included, that couldn't quite justify the additional price for the 60CSX and purchased the 60CX instead.

[+user13371]

I wonder how much more overwhelming the 60CSX numbers would be if the owners of 60CX units were included in this number.

Would you believe... 3887?

Source http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps_garmin_p19

GPSMAP 60csx ... 25120

GPSMAP 60cx ..... 3887

Two other items of note:

 

1) The correct series name is "GPSMAP 60...", the "GPS 60" is a different, non-mapping item. My error, sorry.

2) The number reported for the 60csx today is different from yesterday. GC.com must update the stats frequently, if not in real-time. So it could change again by the time you go look.

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+teamhillside]

 

iPhone users tend to be....let's say "enthusiastic about telling people that they own one" so a disproportionate percentage will report their ownership.

 

 

From the top 10 jokes at this year's Edinburgh Festival:-

7) Marcus Brigstocke - "To the people who've got iPhones: you just bought one, you didn't invent it!"

 

Matt

[+snow_rules]

How many cachers haven't updated their device setting or never filled it out in the first place. I don't think it is a required field to access the site. I would agree there are probably more G users then any other brand but I wouldn't use the numbers posted to say there are x number of users that use x device. If anything it would be X number of users have elected to fill out the optional information with x brand.

[+user13371]

Snow_Rules:

 

Being volutarily self-reported, you're of course right that what GC can only report info that folks voluntarily provide. So the number X for any model isn't an exact count of users, it's a count of who CLAIMS to be a user of that model. In fact, that echos the wording in the original post: "...members who claim to use...".

 

But while the numbers are not an exact count of devices in use, I'd bet they're pretty close at the real proportions of brand G vs M, L, D, and other users. Though the overall numbers for EVERY brand are really under-reported (because not everyone will provide the info), I can't think of a reason why Garmin would be widely over-reported and/or every other brand selectively under-reported.

 

Can you?

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+snow_rules]

The only reason that I could think of would be when you first started caching and did fill out the information of what GPS device you had and over the years you changed units (either staying with the same manufacture or changing) and forgetting or (since it doesn't really do anything) not caring what device is showed for youself, it is still set to what was originally entered.

 

It also would be interesting since DeLorme has its own forum while (I think Garmin and Magellan) don't what impact (if any) that has on the participation of the site.

[+user13371]

Okay, that's a good possibilitty -- "switchers" might be under-reported. But again, wouldn't you expect switchers from Brand X to Y be as under-reported as Y to X? Unless there's a string migratory trend in one direction?

 

If you're talking about a few dozen or even a few hundred folks self-reporting, the sample is small enough that a few users either way can mess up the number the numbers. With hundreds of thousands, you can look at trends and porportions rather than individual users. Whether I personally add or delete a device from my profile will change the report by one unit, but the proportions won't shift by any significant amount.

 

I'm not sure about other vendors having their own forums having much impact, because it's not the FORUMS that collect/report what's in the Geocachers' profiles. That's the main www.Groundspeak.com website -- if you're into Geocaching, you fill out a profile there originally -- whether or not you ever enter these forums.

[+dakboy]

It also would be interesting since DeLorme has its own forum while (I think Garmin and Magellan) don't what impact (if any) that has on the participation of the site.

https://forums.garmin.com/

 

But you'll notice that the geocacher demographic is not well-served based upon the titles & categorization there. I see nothing about handheld (or even in-car) devices at all!

[+user13371]

A quick and polite reminder to loyalists of every brand: This is not meant as an evaluation of any brands' quality - it's an overview of their reported owenrship / market share among Geocachers.

 

Here's another way to look at the GPS info GC collects from users. It may be a better read on brands in use rather than models:

 

- Go to http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps and select a brand

- For each brand, GC.com reports the top three "most popular" devices, apparently a live tally of how many GC.com members have voluntarily reported what GPSRs they own.

- Tally those top three numbers.

 

Doing that today, I find:

GARMIN .....51162

APPLE ..... 24032

MAGELLAN ....7078

DELORME .....4569

LOWRANCE .....929

Here are some problems I recognize in this method:

 

- It favors companies having fewer models (because the "top 3" would be a bigger portion of their product line), while under-counting the overall numbers for companies having hundreds of models (like Garmin).

 

- If a company's "most popular" model is a discontinued, legacy product (like Magellan), it'll take a long time for the replacements to catch up. Should be interesting to see when the Triton 400 displaces any of the Explorists.

 

Over time, it would be more interesting to watch not the exact numbers, but the relative proportions. Even so, this method would favor companies having fewer models (because the "top 3" would be a bigger portion of their product line), while under-counting the overall numbers for companies have hundreds of models (like Garmin).

 

The only way I can think to get TOTAL counts for every brand would be to more actively data-scrape the GC pages, which is probably against the temrs of service.

Edited September 24, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+Curioddity]

I think the biggest problem with this poll is it fails to ask one of the most important questions:

 

If all these people had a choice (read: an ample supply of discretionary funds), would they keep the GPSr they have or replace it with something else?

 

Pete

[+Searching_ut]

I think the biggest problem with this poll is it fails to ask one of the most important questions:

 

If all these people had a choice (read: an ample supply of discretionary funds), would they keep the GPSr they have or replace it with something else?

 

Pete

 

For me, I just buy whatever I want, but try to keep it within reason as there are so many toys to get my hands on. Of course, life hasn't always been that way, and who knows what the future will hold. All I know is that now, thanks to being a Dave Ramsey sort for many years, and finally being an empty nester, the future looks toy filled.

 

As to what gets used most, I'm somewhat curious as to what percentage of GPS owners geocache? I know maybe a couple hundred people with handheld GPS units, of that maybe two or three cache at least occasionally. I do a fair bit of hiking, and a remarkable number of the people you see once you get a few miles back have GPS units. Of those, most seem to have eTrex units, closely followed by 60 series, with many other units thrown in the mix in lesser numbers. How many of those Geocache though?

[+user13371]

As to what gets used most, I'm somewhat curious as to what percentage of GPS owners geocache?

That is an entirely different question, but you could do a little data mining to figure it out.

 

A= How many users are registered on GC.com (I think it's around 3 million)

B= Find out how many people own GPSRs

 

Percentage of GPS owners who are MAY be geocachers = (A/:shocked:*100

 

That calculated percentage will likely be off, a bit high because register users are not necessarily active cachers. You might have to filter it by how many users who have placed or found caches -- and I'd wager that's less than half of the number of registered users.

Edited September 25, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+user13371]

I think the biggest problem with this poll is it fails to ask one of the most important questions: If all these people had a choice (read: an ample supply of discretionary funds), would they keep the GPSr they have or replace it with something else?

Pete, that's an interesting question but not really the one I was looking at originally.

 

The "If price was no object" question does get raised from time to time here.. Try the search and see what people have said.

[+Curioddity]

The "If price was no object" question does get raised from time to time here.. Try the search and see what people have said.

Not necessary. I'm quite satisfied with the GPS units I own and it doesn't matter to me how many others own the same or would if they could. My input may have looked like a question, but it was really little more than a point.

 

Pete

[+Curioddity]

For me, I just buy whatever I want, but try to keep it within reason as there are so many toys to get my hands on.

I always try to consider the ultimate cost of an item, be it a toy or a tool. By "ultimate" cost, I'm referring to how much I have to spend to be satisfied.

 

Take my R/C Transmitter for example: I recently purchased a Futaba 12FGA FASST system and I'm finally satisfied that I have the ultimate radio for all the R/C disciplines I fly. The 12FGA has a street price of around $1000, but if I amalgamate the cost of all the lesser radios I bought on my way to that satisfaction, I figure I spent about $2500 for it.

 

When I started geocaching I finally replaced my old Garmin GPS12 which I've had since around 2000, and I didn't make the same mistake I made with my R/C transmitters.

 

Pete

[+JetSkier]

If "Price were no object", I think I'd have one of each. And I'd probably use all of them!

 

JetSkier

[+Wogus!]

I do a fair bit of hiking, and a remarkable number of the people you see once you get a few miles back have GPS units. Of those, most seem to have eTrex units, closely followed by 60 series...

The eTrex series is popular with hikers/backpackers because of the outstanding battery life (20+ hours on my Legend HCx) and its relatively small form-factor.

 

The "If price was no object" question does get raised from time to time here...

Price wasn't an issue for me when I bought my bottom of the barrel eTrex Legend believe it or not. I bought it because it did/does everything I need a GPSr to do when I'm deep in the hinterlands: It keeps me on course. The PN-30 I just bought will be fun for geocaching but I don't know that I'll be letting go of my trusty eTrex just yet. That thing has been dropped, dragged and submerged; it's gotten muddy, mossy, sandy and dusty; it's been shaken, baked and almost frozen and dang if it doesn't still fire right up each and every time I need it to. I can't put a price on that...

[RenHoek]

Glad I stumbled across this post...I just realized I've never set the "My GPS" field in my profile until now.

 

Sorry to skew the numbers towards the 60CSx by 1 more though

 

-RenHoek

[+user13371]

Glad I stumbled across this post...I just realized I've never set the "My GPS" field in my profile until now.

Interesting. I wonder if the presence of this thread is impacting the the rate of folks reporting/updating devices in the profile.

 

I do know the numbers are updated live; they're different practically every time I look at them. Here's the same "Top 3" tally I mentioned last night, compared to a few minutes ago:

MAKER.......09/24 ..09/25

-------------------------

GARMIN .....51162 ..51297

APPLE ..... 24032 ..24208

MAGELLAN ....7078 ...7090

DELORME .....4569 ...4591

LOWRANCE .....929 ....929

I'm sure Lowrance would have changed also, if I was counting all of their models* instead of the top-three owned. As I mentioned yesterday the numbers are going to be way off (on the low side) if a company has lots of models and/or the majority of their users are with legacy products. The newer ones will take a while to break into the "top three" for the brand.

 

In DeLorme's case, the PN-30 just did get into their top three today, it must be selling well for them.

 

---

*Edit to add: I still don't know how to pull more numbers without data-scraping beyond the bounds of the TOS.

Edited September 25, 2009 by lee_rimar

[+hogrod]

After reading one of the reviews for the 60Cx I realized most people have no clue what GPS they have.

http://www.geocaching.com/reviews/gps_garmin_gpsmap-60cx

 

Quote

"Rugged GPS but only has 56 MB of internal memory. The new 60CSx is better, but the differences are not worth spending the extra money for us."

 

As you can see they think the 60Cx is either the older 60C or 60CS. I've seen this simple mistake all the time on here, which makes me wonder how many people that have filled this out know what they really have. I was a bit shocked that the 60Cx had so many less users than the 60CSx considering the only difference is the compass & altimeter.

[+user13371]

Hogrod: Most have no clue? Isn't that a bit of a stretch, from reading one review?

 

I'm sure there are quite a few folks who don't know all the different etrex or G*60* models though -- sometimes I have to look them up myself. But how big a portion of the folks don't really know the model they actually own?

 

Most? Really?

[+user13371]

Hogrod:

 

On second thought... I might have underestimated the level of confusion some have on the plethora of similarly named Garmin models. As I said, even I have to look them up sometimes to confirm feature sets, and then there's this thread -- so it's not just me.

 

But I still wouldn't say "most people have no clue what GPS they have."

 

Anyone reporting they own a "Garmin (mumble) 60 (mumble)" probably has that much right -- even if they get the infix and suffix wrong. Maybe the same kind of confusion exists among "Magellan 400" users -- Explorist or Triton? But I don't think anyone with a Magellan will confuse it with a Garmin, or vice versa.

 

"Whaddya mean Holux M-241?!! Semsons told me this was a Garmellan Trexploron 60000LX!"

 

-Lee