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Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
  
Location: missouri | I would like anyones experienced opinion on GPS handheld devices... I have had a Garmin e-trex legend for a while and it eats batterys! then you know exactly where you are... up sh.. creek!!! Is there one that is simple to use and won't require a 12 volt car battery to get through a long ride? please help so I won't turn in to the female equivalent of Jerimiah Johnson.. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 474
Location: White Mills, Ky. | We have a Garmin 72. I have used it twice and it does go through the batteries pretty fast. We rode 2 days for about 5 hours each day and I had to replace the batteries about halfway through the second day. Learning to use it was the big deal for me as I am extremely techno-tarded. I have learned to make it track my path and I can put in waypoints. It helped us to find our way back to camp. When we came to a point on the trail where we had to turn left or right, I rode a few feet in one direction and it showed me that taking the left trail would take me back toward one of the waypoints I had marked earlier in the day. I made a little pouch for it which attaches to my saddle. I also carry extra batteries. Get the rechargeable batteries and charge them over night. RIDE ON! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills | I don't use GPS's. In most areas where I ride in the sierras they don't work, I know as hikers are always asking me for directions , I ask them "got a map?", "do you know the area? ", It's too funny at times, they are always saying, "we are following your horses tracks, our GPS quit..." I know my ridges, my creeks and river canyons, main points, and my east, west, north, south, and a forest service map, which isn't always right either at times, and I do fine. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 524
Location: Lone Oak, Tx | I have a Garmin Legend. Had it for a while and use it constantly. I have found that the rechargable Ni-mH (Nickle Metal Hydride) batteries work the best for these units. I use mine in my 50 mile endurance rides to keep track of our pace (and distance) and don't have any problems with the batteries running out. On the rare occasion they do, I carry spares in my pack.
Edited by maccwall 2006-11-27 3:02 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379
Location: Columbia, TN | I have been using a Garmin for about 6 years and they do like the batteries but if you use the Ultra Duracell it will last about 2 days of 6 hrs of riding. This thing has saved my rear so many times its not funny. If you have a map with the grid on it and compare it to your gps you know exactly where you are. I had a velcro pad and strap sown to my saddle pad and it sets on the neck of the horse so it gets reception. It doesn't receive as well in your saddlebag or in your pocket. I like knowing what the elevation is what direction I'm ridding how far I have been and what speed I am riding and best of all punch the Go To button and know howfar it is back to the trailer down to the hundredth of a mile and which way to go and as you get therethe milage gets smaller till you are there! Shoot I ought to sell these things. If you want to get the software it will draw a map of where you have been and put it on a map. |
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 Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Colorado | Like everyone else, we also use Garmins, ours are Rino 120s. They will eat batteries if you don't toggle off the radio when you first turn it on. When we do that, then batteries last the day easily. We also Geocache so we leave at least one unit on most all day when caching. These are also hi-range walkie talkies, so maybe that is different from the other models, not sure.
lisa. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills | OK,...........reading everyones replies, I went onto Garmin's site to see what these battery operated maps were all about, curiousity killed the cat ya know! so hunted around on the site, and question came to mind. Is there software u have to buy to get these things to map for ya? I saw some Topo software and trip planners. I thought you just turned the things on and you go for it..... I can see why hikers I run across get lost, their batteries are always dead, not smart like the horse people that use them, carry spare batteries. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | I use a Garmin. But there are other equally good products. I use my GPS in conjuntion with TOPO mapping software on my computer. I can turn on my gps and let it track my ride and when I get home I can import it into my computer and print out a map of where I really rode. I Print out a map before I go and bring it with me. If I am unsure of my location. I can turn on the GPS and get a coordinate. Look at the map and find the coordinate on the map and I know where I'm at. So yes It's important to have maps with Lat & Long grids. I also use mine as a odometer to give me an idea of how many miles I've gone and how fast I'm moving, how many culmative feet of elevation change I've climbed during a day. That way when I get back to the trailer and it says I rode 40 miles and had 16,000 feet of elevation change I know why, I'm tried. Mine is 6-8 years old. I know the newer ones have way more features. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills | I like the odometer and elevation charting you all seem to do with yours. I have a horse o meter and it doesn't work very good at keeping how many miles I rode, it's gotta be just so or it doesn't work, spend more time adjusting the darned thing than anything. The mileage and elevation would be up my alley! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560
Location: Mena, AR | I have a Garmin 301. It doesn't have fancy maps, but does have a bread crumb feature which is good enough to get me going in the right direction. It has 13 hours of battery life, and recharges off the wall. It a wrist device and also has the heart monitor, which you buy a kit to convert for your horse. A fun toy to have. Got mine off ebay.
-Betty |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 792
Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth | I use a Garmin 60CSX, and love it! I ride with 3 guys who all have GPS units and they all are impressed with my GPS unit. HA! I have never lost a signal in the thickest of woods. I carry extra batteries with me, I can usally get 15-16 hours out of one set.
I bought my unit from Darrel at www.TVNAV.com Darrel has some really good prices on GPS units. And every time I have had a question about my unit, Darrel has taken the time to help me, no matter how long it took. hehe! Great customer service. Give Darrel a call, and explain to him what your needs are and see what unit he recommends. You can always sell your E-Trex on Ebay or post it on the endurance list. Happy Trails!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 792
Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth | >>Garmin's site to see what these battery operated maps were all about, curiousity killed the cat ya know! so hunted around on the site, and question came to mind. Is there software u have to buy My Garmin 60CSX came preloaded with MapSource Topo, BlueChart marine cartography, and City Navigator street maps. You can buy other software programs for the unit, such as US Togp National Parks (different regions available). If you do a ton of riding in national parks it would come in handy. ~:0] Garmin has $50.00 rebate on this unit. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379
Location: Columbia, TN | It is great fun to ride with some of your buddies and they say it is a 25 mile ride and after you get back you tell them it is 13.6 miles . Big liars don't like them.!!! |
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Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Colorado | Heeeee, funny Ice Crm! You're right tho...
lisa. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309
Location: MO | Originally written by iCE CRM on 2006-11-30 5:43 PM
It is great fun to ride with some of your buddies and they say it is a 25 mile ride and after you get back you tell them it is 13.6 miles . Big liars don't like them.!!!
How true. We ride with several people who say that GPS isn't trustworthy 'cause they KNOW we travelled more miles than that. HA!
I use a Garmin Etrex. the key to getting the most out of your batteries is DON"T USE THE BREAD CRUMB FEATURE. That gobbles up batteries when it's on. If you do get lost you can turn it on for a moment than return to another screen.
I use the compass screen all of the time. That also has most of the other features that you need: speed, distance altitude, etc. I set a waypoint for camp when we start out so I can always get us back when needed. Oh yeah, before starting a new day, clear the old trip info, except for your waypoint.
The second key is use rechargable batteries - always start out each day with fresh batteries in the GPS and a spare set in your pocket so you're not stuck with dead batteries.
My GPS has saved my butt more times than I can tell you. BTW - I learned how to use it by taking it with us in the car on trips to town. It's a fun way to learn the features. Of course the driver can get annoyed when you announce, "You're speeding. I see you're going 45 in a 35 zone."
Have fun with it.
Edited by Cloud9 2006-12-17 9:36 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 671
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY) | The best gps unit is the one you can use easy ! if you can't figure it out it is useless. |
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Member
Posts: 29
| I am using a Gramin 60CS and I am happy with it. I does use a lot of batteries and I always have a second set with me. I also lost the signal all the time in the woods until I bought an external antenna that I attach to my saddle. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills | Ok, guess what, I went and bought on of them darned ole things to play with , it's actually been alot of fun while riding around on our ranch, seeing it track my everymove, and mileage, etc. Man I ride farther than I though! It's the Garmin 60csx and came with the US Topo, so got all my trails down and can't wait to put it to the test this summer! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309
Location: MO | I just bough a Garmin Vista CX. It's quite an upgrade from my trusty ol' e-Trex. This one can up(Down?)load maps from my PC. It will come in very handy on our July trip to Wyoming. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 209
Location: pensacola, fl | I have been looking at the Garmin Fore Trex 201. It straps to your wrist. Does anyone have one like this that they can give me an opinion about? |
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GPS handheld devices... which one is best???
