Magellan Explorist 310 vs. Garmin eTrex 20. What's better?

[Puffin2525]

HEllo everyone,

 

I am looking to start geocaching with my 10 year old. I wanted to initially get the cheapest GPS (Garmin eTrex 10) but decided to get a better one (based on the advice of one of the members here). I will be buying second hand, which is why the choices are so limited. My choices are magellan 310 versus garmin etrex 20. Any opinions on this?

 

thanks in advance.

Anna

[Puffin2525]

I also see someone is selling magallen explorist 500. I couldn't find any reviews on it, so wasn't sure if it's any good or not..

[jkhattaway]

Wish I could help you, but I don't know much about either. Hopefully someone else will speak up.

[+briansnat]

The Magellan 310 holds 10,000 geocaches and the eTrex 20 holds 5,000. Both come with base maps. They are pretty useless. Major roads and bodies of water and that is about it. Both Magellan and Garmin sell more detaled maps. Road and topo. They aren't cheap. Free Garmin maps are available at GPSfiledepot com. I don't know if Magellan has a similar free map resource. The eTrex 20 has about double the available storage for maps, so you can get far better detailed map coverage with the Garmin.

 

But where things really are different is the customer support. Magellan is awful. Garmin is pretty good. I would not buy a Magellan for that reason.

 

Also, if you go to any event and look at the GPS units that attendees carry, you will see about 80 percent Garmin. I think that says a lot.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The Magellan 310 holds 10,000 geocaches and the eTrex 20 holds 5,000. Both come with base maps. They are pretty useless. Major roads and bodies of water and that is about it. Both Magellan and Garmin sell more detaled maps. Road and topo. They aren't cheap. Free Garmin maps are available at GPSfiledepot com. I don't know if Magellan has a similar free map resource. The eTrex 20 has about double the available storage for maps, so you can get far better detailed map coverage with the Garmin.

 

But where things really are different is the customer support. Magellan is awful. Garmin is pretty good. I would not buy a Magellan for that reason.

 

Also, if you go to any event and look at the GPS units that attendees carry, you will see about 80 percent Garmin. I think that says a lot.

 

Something else worth considering is that Groundspeak is working on replacing the "Send to GPS" plugin implementation that currently does not work with most browsers. That work has required some collaboration with Garmin, but Magellan apparently was not interested in collaborating so the new plugin will only work with Garmin GPS devices.

 

Most Garmin GPS receivers can all use the free routable OSM maps which cover just about every place in the world.

 

 

[+Petey61]

I was wondering the same. What us the best hand held device for geo caching

[+briansnat]

I was wondering the same. What us the best hand held device for geo caching

 

You might get as many different answers as replies. In my opinion, it would be the Garmin 64S or 64ST.

[+cerberus1]

I was wondering the same. What us the best hand held device for geo caching

You might get as many different answers as replies. In my opinion, it would be the Garmin 64S or 64ST.

+1 You're right about that.

Touchscreen or buttons, buttons or toggle, buttons on the side or front, and on, and on, ...

 

- Though if my long-outdated (but relieble as heck) 60csx ever dies, or the other half decides she needs an upgrade (now that the new "send to gps" list set-up says we're old...), one of us would be looking at a 64s too.

[Puffin2525]

The Magellan 310 holds 10,000 geocaches and the eTrex 20 holds 5,000. Both come with base maps. They are pretty useless. Major roads and bodies of water and that is about it. Both Magellan and Garmin sell more detaled maps. Road and topo. They aren't cheap. Free Garmin maps are available at GPSfiledepot com. I don't know if Magellan has a similar free map resource. The eTrex 20 has about double the available storage for maps, so you can get far better detailed map coverage with the Garmin.

 

But where things really are different is the customer support. Magellan is awful. Garmin is pretty good. I would not buy a Magellan for that reason.

 

Also, if you go to any event and look at the GPS units that attendees carry, you will see about 80 percent Garmin. I think that says a lot.

 

Thanks! I ended up purchasing a second hand magellan 310 just b/c the seller was close to where I live and I could ensure it wasn't a scam. I am pretty happy with it for now. It's a good device to start, but certainly there are things I wish were a little different. And yes, you are right about their customer support, the agent had no idea what he was talking, and when I said to him that he doesn't seem to know the answer, he said "sorry about that." Lol, and that was that. I had to call again to get another agent.

 

I wanted to ask about the maps you mentioned, are they safe to download? (just wondering in case I ever get a garmin).

[Puffin2525]

The Magellan 310 holds 10,000 geocaches and the eTrex 20 holds 5,000. Both come with base maps. They are pretty useless. Major roads and bodies of water and that is about it. Both Magellan and Garmin sell more detaled maps. Road and topo. They aren't cheap. Free Garmin maps are available at GPSfiledepot com. I don't know if Magellan has a similar free map resource. The eTrex 20 has about double the available storage for maps, so you can get far better detailed map coverage with the Garmin.

 

But where things really are different is the customer support. Magellan is awful. Garmin is pretty good. I would not buy a Magellan for that reason.

 

Also, if you go to any event and look at the GPS units that attendees carry, you will see about 80 percent Garmin. I think that says a lot.

 

Something else worth considering is that Groundspeak is working on replacing the "Send to GPS" plugin implementation that currently does not work with most browsers. That work has required some collaboration with Garmin, but Magellan apparently was not interested in collaborating so the new plugin will only work with Garmin GPS devices.

 

Most Garmin GPS receivers can all use the free routable OSM maps which cover just about every place in the world.

 

That's really good to know, that you!