Handheld GPS Recommendations?

Mine took a crap today. Anyone have one they love? I am looking for just a GPS. Not a FF combo. I need to be able to use it in my PB as well

Thx guys

I have a Garmin RIno 120, i think they are up to a 500 series now.  Handheld with a basic two way radio built in.  Mine doesn't have great range, but the one feature I like about the Rino's if some one else has one and you plug them in to your rino, you can track them if you get seperated.

I have a garmin hand held 60c. It is a great unit. the 60csx has a few more features and holds more maps. I think it is one of the best hand held units, with a great screen. u can ebay  the 60c for around 150 and the 60csx for 300.00. One thing to remember is, if u cant see the screen in bright sunlight , the GPS isn't much good. Stay away from the Colorado. The Oregon starts at 450.00 and is the BOMB!!! If you get any accessories get the garmin brand, they will last much longer than the counterfeit stuff!!

  I second the Garmin Rino 120.  Great little unit.  You can download maps, talk on the FRS, and even check hunting and fishing times/sunset and sunrise.  I use mine hunting and fishing.  It picks up signals fast and is pretty accurate, usually withing a few feet.  The upper models are very nice, but beware the higher radio powers.  More power=less battery life.  Even with mine I only get about 1 1/2 days out of a set of batteries if used a lot, or a week or more if just turned on for the UTM GPS location on the map or a bearing, and then turned back off.  You can also send waypoints to other Rino users, nice if you want to meet up. 

You can't go wrong with any of the Garmin's.

Matt

I've got a Lowrance iFinder® H20 Handheld GPS and it's served me well for a couple years now. No issues. Just make sure you rinse it off every time you take it in salt water.

-FF

I use the(cheap$) GarminGecko...no ports for info. but it is waterproof and has been put through the salt test....rinse&dry after each salt/bay trip.
It is over 5years old & still kick'n.......mtn.biking & hiking too!   

I own one of the cheap Garmin E-trex hand held models I think it was 99.00 from Cabelas and its been great for 8 yrs now and has always taken me back to camp while elk hunting and right to all of my crab pots that have been soaking for a week.It's waterproof and small enough to fit in my pocket and not limited to just the kayak

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend on which the display is getting a bit twitchy....I've been thinking of getting a replacement myself.    I'm inclined to buy the exact-same un it all over again.

There are some facts about GPS units......

The new ones cost $100 more than the same-model "old ones"....and the feature
you are paying that $100 for is greater "recieve" sensitivity.   What that "new sensitivity" gets you, is the ability to maintain contact with satellites under a leaf canopy or even when the unit is being carried in a pocket.

My old-model Garmin ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT recieve from satellites under ANY kind of leaf or conifer canopy.   In fact you kind of have to get it to some pretty-good kind of clearing before you can get more than a three-satellite fix.  My old unit won't recieve anything, if carried in a pocket.

So that-being-the-case.......I've learned to use my GPS as just a fixed-location device.   When I leave my car (on a hunt) I take a "WayPoint"....and then I turn the GPS off.    At any later time(s) when I think it might be a bright thing, to record a position-fix, I turn it on, wait for it to boot, record the position and turn it off.     You can see that this method of use guarantees that I just never have any kind of "battery issue."     And WITH this method of use, I continue to combine conventional paper, 15-minute-series USGS contour maps, and a compass.

I've never paid the $120 they want....for full Western USA contour-map software CD's.    Never found the need.        Point-to-point navigation with a handheld GPS is completely adequate......you'll never get lost using the point-to-point method.

OK....comes now.....the new sensitive GPS machines that cost you at least $100 more and with them, it only would make sense to go ahead and buy that elaborate map-software download CD for another $120....     And THEN your method-of-operation would be to turn on your GPS when you left your car and leave it on throughout your hunt or hike.   The unit is so senstive it will continue to update your position from satellites Even When You Have It In A Shirt Pocket...!!!...and when you look at the display you will be looking at a continous track of where you've walked.

Now....would that be nice?
Yeah...

But having USED the point-to-point method I've got to ask:  Do I need that?
And than add to that:   If I'm are leaving my unit on for the entire hiking day, then I'll have to be VERY aware of the "battery-issue"...yes...???...

So....my revised thinking is....that when I replace my Garmin Legend, I might just actually opt to "go backward in technology" and buy the very simplest, cheapest GPS ......one that has no on-board memory for maps......and just commit from the git-go that I'm going to STAY with point-to-point navigation.

PS.....I am absolutely committed to the "UTM" readout mode.   That's Universal Transverse Mercator Grid navigation...which reads-out your position in an accuracy down to 10-meters of:   so-many-"easting"-meters....from the western edge of the Zone you are in, and so-many-"northing"-meters....from the equator.

A UTM position-readout makes sense.    You can eyeball two readings and just immediately SEE that you are "X" meters north or south, and "Y" meters east or west....of the other reading.

Latitude and Longitude readings...???....a guy can't do anything with them.

Judd

I agree with the posters on UTM, I am an old Army trooper and all I ever learned was UTM.  It is the US GS Standard if I am not mistaken.  I can pick up a USGS map and use my Army protractor and if I am on the right scale I can plot almost anything.

If I may, I would like to point out one basic thing for everyone, don't be 100% dependent on GPS.  Knowing how to use a compass and map can make a huge difference.  I keep a simple basic compass with me, and I shoot an azimuth when I go out, if for no other reason to know what I would need for a back azimuth to get home.  I can plot where I am using intersection and resection.  It may not be the biggest deal on the water, but if you get up some where hunting/hiking or whatever it is nice to know stuff.  When that battery dies and the fog has rolled in on you, a compass heading will get you home.

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend on which the display is getting a bit twitchy....I've been thinking of getting a replacement myself.    I'm inclined to buy the exact-same un it all over again.
The new ones cost $100 more than the same-model "old ones"....and the feature
you are paying that $100 for is greater "recieve" sensitivity.   What that "new sensitivity" gets you, is the ability to maintain contact with satellites under a leaf canopy or even when the unit is being carried in a pocket.

I picked up the Legend Hcx, the high sensitivity model jwsmith mentioned, for $132.00. I don't see how it's possible but I can put this thing in a heavy nylon zipped pocket in my backpack and it tracks perfectly well. It must be witchcraft. This model also has major storage capability with an SD card slot, an improved color display, and mapping capability built in. I highly recommend the SD slot option*.

There is absolutely no sense in buying the high priced topo packages sold by Garmin. 7.5 minute, 24k quality quad maps for the entire state of California are availible for Garmin units online FOR FREE (*if you have enough storage capacity). And in a couple weeks Google Earth will offer topography of the ocean floor that can be uploaded for free to Garmin units.

Agree with other here on the importance of not relying on GPS alone. Always, always carry a compass.

Holy Toledo, Littoral......where'du get that PRICE...???...,!!!...???...

Last time I was at REI I think I saw them priced at just under $300.

Judd

Holy Toledo, Littoral......where'du get that PRICE...???...,!!!...???...
Last time I was at REI I think I saw them priced at just under $300.

Here of course. At the time I saw them listed in the $160 - $170 range at competitive stores online. REI is not competitive, at all.