GPS - Garmin Etrex 30X or Garmin GPSMap 64

[+tab-cola]

Thinking of moving from using my iPhone to a GPS device and hoping for some guidance or feedback.

 

I'm thinking of the Garmin Etrex 30X or the GPS Map64.

 

Any suggestions of what is better, easier?

 

Do I need to buy TOPO SD cards to make them work?

 

Thanks

Scott

[insig]

GPSMAP 64 -- I find it has more oomph under the hood, and you don't have to use a clicky stick. As much as I loved my old etrex, once you go buttons or touchscreen, you never want to go back to clicky stick land (in my opinion). If physical size is a factor, then the etrex wins. You could also wait to see how the etrex touch series pans out.

[+Red90]

GPSMAP 64 -- I find it has more oomph under the hood...

 

So you have used a 30x? Or are you comparing to a 30?

 

Look at them yourself. Other people's opinions are of no use...

 

The 30X does have higher resolution, but a smaller screen. The only other real differences are battery life and button layout.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/en-CA/CA/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=140022&compareProduct=518048

[+GeoTrekker26]

Note that the eTrex has a smaller screen and yet more pixels per inch (~180 vs 111) so the display should be a lot crisper. The 64 is about 60% heavier and is larger because of the extended antenna. I suspect the 64 is a faster unit then the eTrex but at the cost of a shorter battery life.

 

You do not need Topo maps to make them work but very good free maps are available for both. You will find the base maps supplied by Garmin are virtually useless, usually showing only cities and main roads such as freeways and principle arteries.

 

I'm sure Ontario has stores the sell GPSs so your best bet is to try each and see which you like. Either unit will serve you well.

[+Red90]

I'm sure Ontario has stores the sell GPSs so your best bet is to try each and see which you like. Either unit will serve you well.

 

If you don't mind a drive into the big city... https://www.radioworld.ca/

[insig]

GPSMAP 64 -- I find it has more oomph under the hood...

 

So you have used a 30x? Or are you comparing to a 30?

 

Look at them yourself. Other people's opinions are of no use...

 

The 30X does have higher resolution, but a smaller screen. The only other real differences are battery life and button layout.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/en-CA/CA/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=140022&compareProduct=518048

 

I've seen the youtube videos and it doesn't look appreciably faster than the 20 'classic' model (with which I am initmately familiar). If you have inofrmation to the contrary, then I might have to let my buddy know it is time for an upgrade.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I would go with the 64....better antenna and no joystick for openers.

[+GeoTrekker26]

GPSMAP 64 -- I find it has more oomph under the hood...

 

So you have used a 30x? Or are you comparing to a 30?

 

Look at them yourself. Other people's opinions are of no use...

 

The 30X does have higher resolution, but a smaller screen. The only other real differences are battery life and button layout.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/en-CA/CA/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=140022&compareProduct=518048

 

I've seen the youtube videos and it doesn't look appreciably faster than the 20 'classic' model (with which I am initmately familiar). If you have inofrmation to the contrary, then I might have to let my buddy know it is time for an upgrade.

 

Do you have a link to a video that shows the map being updated on a 64? I didn't find one when I did a quick scan. I would think that the map updating on the 64 would be better than the eTrex line, so I would like to see such a video. Thanks!

[insig]

Do you have a link to a video that shows the map being updated on a 64? I didn't find one when I did a quick scan. I would think that the map updating on the 64 would be better than the eTrex line, so I would like to see such a video. Thanks!

 

shows 30 vs 30x. I don't see a 64 vs. etrex one. But I know the 62 camera and 64 are faster than the 62 (I've had them all side by side before). The 62 is faster than the etrex fron what I remember. It's been awhile since I've compared them all, but I'm positive the 64 is faster than the 62.

[+JohnCNA]

Do you have a link to a video that shows the map being updated on a 64? I didn't find one when I did a quick scan. I would think that the map updating on the 64 would be better than the eTrex line, so I would like to see such a video. Thanks!

 

shows 30 vs 30x. I don't see a 64 vs. etrex one. But I know the 62 camera and 64 are faster than the 62 (I've had them all side by side before). The 62 is faster than the etrex fron what I remember. It's been awhile since I've compared them all, but I'm positive the 64 is faster than the 62.

 

Interesting video. I would say from watching that, the 30X is slightly faster than the 30.

 

As for the 30 vs the 64s, I can speak to that myself, as I upgraded from an eTrex 30 to the GPSMAP 64s. The 64s is MANY MANY times faster in screen redraws than the eTrex 30 was. This is precisely what sold me on the need to upgrade. I saw a 64s on display at REI and played with it. Panning the basemap and it redrew the screen in real time. I came back the next day with my eTrex 30, pulled the SD card with all my maps on it and stuck it in the 64s and tried it with my own maps.

 

The most detailed map I have is the Garmin 24k Topo map with 3D shading. Plus, I was using a transparent trails overlay map from gpsfiledepot. In addition to that, I also had turned on track displays and had many saved tracks that were being drawn on top of the two maps. That's a lot of processor-intensive stuff going on. Panning (or zooming one or two levels) could sometimes take the eTrex 30 up to ten seconds to completely redraw the screen, including the overlays. The 64s does that in less than one second. Naturally, with more typical maps and setup, the differences are not that dramatic. But still VERY noticeable.