Touch screen vs. buttons

[+GeoLTL]

I'm 1 year into owning an eTrex30, and I love it. After 400 finds, I finally got around to downloading better maps, so I'm now enjoying the functionality of knowing where the trail actually is. Ha! However, I'm considering buying a new device for 2 reasons: Since we really do cache (i.e. not a passing fad for us) I want to buy something for my kids to use when we all go out together, and I'd like something easier to enter field notes with.

 

As far as the kids go, I could get an eTrex10 and probably they'd be happy.

 

BUT, I tried using the Garmin solo a few days ago (i.e. no iPhone) and while the new maps are a big improvement, typing field notes is beyond painful. I ended up typing cryptic things like "found TB", "wet log", "two deer", etc., instead of more complete logs like I do with the iPhone. Mostly I remembered what I wanted to say when I uploaded the field notes later, but not always, and, what a pain!

 

Question: does the typing on the touch screen GPSrs work more like typing on a smart phone? Is it fairly easy to enter a detailed log using them? I hear some people complain about things shifting in a pocket on those models, but it might be worth figuring that out so I could go out without my phone.

 

If this has been discussed, please point me to the thread. Sometimes my eyes cross reading all the similar threads that come following a search…

 

Any opinions welcome. Thanks!

[+Walts Hunting]

For me yes. I would never buy another GPS without touchscreen.

[+Jbaeb]

For me yes. I would never buy another GPS without touchscreen.

 

I purchased the 64s in January and about a month ago picked up the Oregon 650 for the touch screen. The 64s was great, but the buttons made geocaching "less enjoyable" for me. Touchscreen is definitely the way to go, in my opinion.

[+msrubble]

There is a 51-character limit on comments on geocaches (field notes) on my Garmin Oregon 450t.

 

The letters are laid out in alphabetical order, not QWERTY style. Other pages for numbers and punctuation.

[+gpsblake]

If you are going to type field notes, yes a touch screen is much preferred. And it's not really more expensive then a non-touch screen, the Dakota 20 for example is touch screen and is the cheapest GPS on the market with a electronic compass. The Oregon 600 right now at Rei is cheaper then a Etrex 30 at the moment.

[+Team Microdot]

I have Dakota 10's and while they are great little touch-screen units I would never try to type field notes on them - the characters are fairly tiny and I have fat fingers and it's a one-handed operation with no predictive text

 

You know what works for me? A good old-fashioned notebook and pen. Scribbling down exactly what I need in note-form for logging back home is a breeze

[snakyjake]

Creating notes is what my PC is for. Before a trip I research and plan. Pre/Post trip I add notes, add photos or landmarks. PC software is the most important feature for me.

[+coachstahly]

I don't take copious notes, but I do like to tap in some short cue words/phrases that will help me remember some things about each cache - full log, great view, pic, trackable, deer, PI, etc... I don't tap in everything that happened (I rarely use up all the allotted space), just some things to help remind me of points I want to make in my log. Touchscreen is much easier than buttons for that.

[+ArtieD]

After going from a 60CSx to an Oregon 450 and then to a 62s, I have firmly decided that buttons are far nicer for me...

[+cerberus1]

I've tried touchscreens (friends and REI) and my fat fingers didn't do well.

I prefer buttons, which seem to work better in the conditions I find myself in.

Similar to Team Microdot, a mini composition book goes along for notes and pic references, so we're also never without a pen or two.

[+BlackRose67]

I've used an eTrex 20 and GPSMAP 62s.

 

Between those two, I prefer the rocker button/Enter button combo on the 62s for entering brief notes (NO TB, WET LOG, # metres off, etc.).

If something is really messed up with the cache, I'll log something with my smartphone and post it right away.

[+Ringrat]

I prefer buttons. All I ever write for field notes are things to prompt maintenance notes later, things like "wet" or "full". Yes, entering coords or a waypoint name can be slightly painful, but it's not unmanageable for as often as I do it.

 

I actually waited to get a new GPS for the eTrex30 to come out, because I didn't want a touchscreen. I spend 8 months of the year in gloves or mittens, no way!!

[+Mineral2]

I love the touch interface. I find it faster and easier to use than the buttons. I just replaced my Oregon 450 with an Oregon 600 this week, and I'm super impressed with the touch screen on the 600 as well as the many features that make using it more efficient than ever (custom buttons and shortcuts). If you're thinking about an Oregon 600, you have until Sunday to get it on mega sale at REI (cheaper than you paid for your eTrex 30).

 

The keyboard on the Oregons is laid out alphabetically when held in portrait (vertical) and QWERTY when held landscape (horizontal). Regardless of what you decide, your field notes in the unit should be brief. You want just enough so that you can remember what you need to report in your log when you get home later.

 

For me, the draw of the touch screen was not about typing, but scrolling the map. I've always had much more control with the touch interface than with the buttons on the 60/62/64 series. I despise the single joystick interface of the eTrex models.

Edited May 20, 2015 by mineral2

[+JohnCNA]

I prefer the button interface of the 64s, but I never use it to enter field notes. I use my phone app to enter field notes using the voice to text feature. Then at my leisure later, compose/edit/embellish the field notes on the computer or tablet. I load the same PQ on the phone and Garmin and when in the boonies the phone stays in airplane mode and in my pocket most of the time.

[+ecanderson]

The ROI for any use model is when the owner plans to enter a lot of field notes. If that will be the primary reason for data entry, then the touchscreen is a great deal faster. If you're one of those that includes cache description and location information in your notes, the time saving is substantial.

[+Mineral2]

The ROI for any use model is when the owner plans to enter a lot of field notes. If that will be the primary reason for data entry, then the touchscreen is a great deal faster. If you're one of those that includes cache description and location information in your notes, the time saving is substantial.

 

Not just geocaching. If you do field work and need to save your locations and name them on the spot, it'll save you time. If you like to save the tracks of your hikes, bike rides, etc. and save them on the spot, or if you need to search for waypoints by name. Granted, it wasn't much faster on the Oregon 450, but the 600's QWERTY keyboard is much faster for me. Plus I really like the touch screen for scrolling, zooming, and rotating the map.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

When I'm out caching the last thing I want to be doing is type copious notes, so to me there is no driver in that area. I prefer buttons to touchscreens as I find them easier to operate in the environments I walk/cache. Your mileage may vary

 

+1......I much prefer buttons esp. for one hand operation when panning the map.

I do data entry using my home computer.

[+ecanderson]

You don't ever use your unit for 'field notes' (data entry), bamboozle? Eidetic memory, or lots of handwritten notes instead? If we're out for a full day, we are glad to have the unit's field notes information available for use on the 'upload field notes' portion of gc.com when composing our logs. Great place to jot down TB and coin numbers, too.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

You don't ever use your unit for 'field notes' (data entry), bamboozle? Eidetic memory, or lots of handwritten notes instead? If we're out for a full day, we are glad to have the unit's field notes information available for use on the 'upload field notes' portion of gc.com when composing our logs. Great place to jot down TB and coin numbers, too.

 

No, my wife does it the old fashion way....a pad. Despite using 2-62S units she writes down all finds and unique things about each cache. Actually before leaving home I usually have a hit list of 30 or so caches in the order in which we'll find them so she just edits that as we go.....its nice to use the big computer map to see the best route to get at the caches.

[+Mineral2]

With two GPS units, you could set up an auto route in Basecamp and follow that on one and make your finds with the other.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

With two GPS units, you could set up an auto route in Basecamp and follow that on one and make your finds with the other.

 

I would need to take a taxi to find Basecamp.