Shopping for a new GPS

[+HoneyBeeTree-O]

I am shopping for a new GPS. I had a GPSMAPS 60CSx and they discontinued it so I am unable to download caches from the computer to the unit. What would be a great unit to purchase? What is anyone's thoughts about a paperless GPS?

[+Timpat]

I'll jump in. I also came from the gold standard 60cx that I loved. One day the power button failed and I bought my 62s. You will love it!

[+ecanderson]

Since you'll likely be going to a 'paperless' unit, one thing you will want to consider is the entry of 'field notes'. At the end of each find, you will have an opportunity to enter things about the location and cache to jog your memory later as you log your finds online. The logs can be uploaded to gc.com directly from your new unit, showing each found, DNF, or write note in the order in which you encountered each during your caching run(s). It's a great feature. That said, and I'll take on ANY challenger - it's a lot easier to enter field notes on a touchscreen model than it is on a 'joystick' model. I've owned both, and for field notes, you cannot beat a touch screen.

 

Something else you had on your 60CSx was a magnetic compass. With that, you were accustomed to being able to stand in one place and evaluate the situation. SOME models built since do NOT include that feature. So IF you are accustomed to being able to move very slowly, or not at all, and maintain a compass bearing to a cache on the face of your 60CSx, you will be disappointed if your new unit does not include this feature. The '62s' mentioned by the previous poster DOES have that feature. The '62' does NOT, so pay attention to any suffix you encounter in your searches! You should like it even better than the compass on your 60CSx since holding the unit level isn't as much of an issue as it once was.

 

The 'current' model is the 64s and runs about $290 (the 62s has been discontinued, but is still relatively available at ~$250). Basic difference isn't huge. I'll leave it to the others to duke that one out.

 

If looking for a touchscreen model with otherwise similar features, the price goes up to $350 for an Oregon 600 ... unless you can find the discontinued Oregon 450 somewhere. They run closer to $180 for a good quality refurb to $250 for one of the few new ones still available. I just picked up a spare on eBay with VERY low mileage (looks like brand new) for $130.

[+Cardinal Red]

I am shopping for a new GPS. I had a GPSMAPS 60CSx and they discontinued it so I am unable to download caches from the computer to the unit. What would be a great unit to purchase? What is anyone's thoughts about a paperless GPS?

 

As a Premium Member you absolutely can still load a Pocket Query (or Queries) to put caches on the 60CSx (if your computer is a PC - though I am told there are ways to run PC software on a MAC).

 

It will require third party software, but here is a link to the FREE one that I used, and it works very well: http://easygps.com/

 

There is a pay version "upgrade" available that can do a few very nice extra tricks, but there is no question that with just that 100% FREE download (no ads - not shareware) you can still use that 60CSx as your only, as a second, or as a backup unit.

 

That being said, there is so much more information available by way of a new Paperless unit. Several friends were using an Oregon 450t, so I got one as well. After as least three previous similar Garmin model upgrades, I was certain I would not even need to read the manual. Wow, was I wrong about that. It took that manual, all my friends, and about a month of side by side 450t / 60CSx caching use before I was comfortable leaving the 60CSx at home.

 

I don't say that to discourage you in any way about moving to a paperless unit. But just because it is so easy to use now, doesn't mean that it was simply intuitive for me.

 

If you do decide to try that software, and get stuck on anything, feel free to contact me.

 

Assuming that you do want to stay with the Garmin brand, do you want the Sensors, do you want a Camera, do you want Push Buttons or Touch Screen. And as pointed out, some of the Paperless units have already been discontinued, and can be had for a much better price than the latest and greatest. But a used fully functional discontinued Oregon 450 (or 450t) will blow the doors off of a 60CSx .......... when you learn how to use it. And you can get a lot of help with that here as well.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I'll jump in. I also came from the gold standard 60cx that I loved. One day the power button failed and I bought my 62s. You will love it!

 

+ 1......we also used the CSx among others and now I have 3- 62S units......they are the best units we have used for geocaching and I highly recommend them.