A GPS for geocaching.

woodsman

New Member
Messages
322
Points
0
My girlfriend wants to try this out, she says it will make our outdoor trips more fun, whatever that means. Anyway, does anybody have any recommendations for an ok GPS device.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
I started with Magellans, but moved onto Garmin's. Magellan has the worst customer service. The GPS units worked but any service that was needed was a real PITA! The Garmin eTrex series are reliable and inexpensive GPS units. I don't care for having my phone and GPS all in one unit so I never tried the phone apps that allow for geocaching. I do hear that they work well.

DeLorme is another good GPS. Most GPS handhelds have paperless caching apps built in which comes in handy if you are a premium member of GC.com.

I'd like to add that if you are in the market for something you'll be using on the trail for hiking and general navigation besides Geocaching. I'g suggest getting a higher end model that allows for downloading of maps. Handheld units have more options than you'll use, so you get your money's worth.

I know of folks who use dash mounted GPS units for caching also. I don't own a dash mounted unit. I prefer the handhelds. I own an older Garmin Colorado 300. I have the City Navigator installed on it which not only gives me street by street directions, but also topo features of my off road journeys. I also have an eTrex Legend and a Magellan Explorist 500LE. I've used them all for caching and I have around 1700 finds. Not many finds now a days. I don't cache like I used to. Lost interest I guess.

If you want a real challenge, use a map and compass to cache with. Try to look for regular size caches and not Micros or Nano's. Once you get the hang of caching and know what you will be looking for, the map and compass makes this activity so much more fun and trules helps keeps those land nav skills honed. Good luck and have fun...oh yeah, stay safe!
 
Last edited:

Barney

New Member
Messages
1,044
Points
0
Any Garmin device will do. I'm thinking about buying eTrex 20 because it is a compromise between 10 and 30 version. I also want to try geocaching.
 

jason

fear no beer
Messages
4,334
Points
83
Location
florida
I have an old Garmin 60CSX. I'm talking 2010 or so. Not the fancy new GPSMAP one. However it works and it works well. I've had a few Garmins, typically for the car and they have always worked well for me.

If someone wants to donate the newer GPSMAP one I will gladly test drive it.
 

woodsman

New Member
Messages
322
Points
0
Thanks for the advice, other people have also recommended Garmins, it seems like they make a decent unit for the price. I'll have to check out the eTrex series in more detail.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
The 60CSX that Jason mentioned was a very popular model back in the day, I forgot about that one! That would be a great buy! I think the way GPS's have been evolving, you'd be hard pressed to find one that doesn't do a good job. I would however stay away from the Bushnell Backtrack series of GPS's. I know of folks who bought them and were mislead on what they really do. A lot of people are a hard sell on Mapping GPS units. Having a GPS that tells you to go "that way" to get home is one thing. Having one that shows you what in between you and home is another. My first GPS was a Magellan 315, it had no map at all except for the base map of major cities. Great if I'm re-entering earths atmosphere and want to land close to home. My first major hike was off trail and when I went to follow the straight line back to my Jeep, I was running into all kinds of rough terrain and creeks that I didn't know where there. A map would have been nice! Sure I could have used the track back feature and followed my previous route back, but I was trying to save time and distance and get back quicker. Figure the odd on that!

The best advice I can give you about owning a GPS is always have a compass and paper map with you.
 
Last edited:

jbuffethed

New Member
Messages
10
Points
1
I've been using a Garmin Colorado for several years. One feature i like is the external antenna. I am also a premium GC.com member and love the paperless caching. I also search for NGS benchmarks. Too bad they discontinued it.

The new eTrex line is nice. The screen is a little small for me, but it has better battery life and also uses the GLONASS satellites.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
Geocaching is a simple use for a GPS. Any of them would work. I don't get the challenge.
Just sharing some experience I've had throughout my years of using GPS's. Some have apps for paperless caching, others will accommodate "Where I go", some allow the "Chirp" feature. You're partially correct, it can be an easy job for any GPS. But I know people who bought the cheapest GPS they can find and after getting involved in Geocaching wished they had bought a better model.I wouldn't buy a GPS unit just for Geocaching. I buy a GPS unit for a navigational aid. I'm not a geo-nut who lives to cache. Caching is just something I like to do if I'm out in the woods hiking around and there happens to be a cache around. If there's a cache I'll grab it, if not, I'll enjoy the woods all the same. But having a good GPS unit with some of the bells and whistles will last you a long time and prevent you from having to get rid of the cheapo you opted for in the beginning.
 

Theosus

Backpacking Noob
Messages
722
Points
18
Location
Near Columbia SC
I started geocaching in 2002, when the closest cache to my house was 30 miles away. There are now literally hundreds within the same distance. I used a magellan sporTrak map until until x-mass 2012, when it died. It was a very simple GPS, easy to use, without a lot of frills. I had a garmin eTrex at work I played with around 2006, I hated the little joystick thing, what a pain in the butt. I used my iphone for a while. The iphone Geocaching app is pretty nice. I would suggest spending the ten bucks for it and trying out some urban caches. There are enough geocaches around towns and such, that you should get a good idea if it is for you or not. Plus - the ability to log on-the-go is pretty nice, especially during a long caching day. If you travel interstates much, there's a cache at just about every rest stop (at least in the southeast...), and looking up where one is on the phone, on the fly, is pretty cool.
Check the forums on geocaching.com. They have a "garage sale" area there where people are constantly selling GPS units. I sold an etrex (won it at a conference) for $50.
I have a delorme pn-60 now. I bought it for backpacking, but it makes a fine geocaching GPS. I found six around my area the other day. Drove a total of 80 miles, and it gave driving directions as well as walking to the cache directions. Warning about the delorme software - it has a steep learning curve, and only works on windows. BUT - you get 1:24000 topo maps of the whole country for no extra charge. Some companies maps can cost you hundreds more after you buy the GPS.
I would suggest going to REI if there is one near you. Get them to show you a few units. If you get one and hate it, their return policy is pretty awesome. Whatever you choose, make sure it is supported by geocaching.com's "send to GPS" web app. That is a really nice feature. Also, being able to do pocket queries is good as well, if you plan to go to an area on vacation, or even just drive a long way, you can grab all the caches in the area or on your route, and store them for later use.
 

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
I started geocaching in 2002, when the closest cache to my house was 30 miles away. There are now literally hundreds within the same distance.


Isn't that the truth! I started around the same time and remember my goal was to get my first 100 that year. Within three years time you could get 100 in a few weeks. Now you can easily get 100+ on the weekend. Well at least when I live. My old caching buddy (Salz69) who has well over 27,000 finds now, did the Alien Highway series in Nevada. 1000 caches along one road, the one that leads to Groom Lake, area 51.Took him 18 hours. At one time I had around 80 caches placed in a radius of about 5 miles from my home.
 
Last edited:

Reed

New Member
Messages
100
Points
0
Garmin is the best brand I've tried. I've been through some rugged terrain in my day and that brand has never let me down yet.
 

briansnat

Platnium Member
Messages
514
Points
28
Location
Morris County, NJ
I started geocaching in 2002, when the closest cache to my house was 30 miles away. There are now literally hundreds within the same distance.
Isn't that the truth! I started around the same time and remember my goal was to get my first 100 that year. Within three years time you could get 100 in a few weeks. Now you can easily get 100+ on the weekend. Well at least when I live. My old caching buddy (Salz69) who has well over 27,000 finds now, did the Alien Highway series in Nevada. 1000 caches along one road, the one that leads to Groom Lake, area 51.Took him 18 hours. At one time I had around 80 caches placed in a radius of about 5 miles from my home.
Started in 2001 myself. I remember reaching 100 finds was a big deal. If a new cache was listed people would drive from other states to hunt it. Now you can get 100 in a few hours, never mind a weekend.

Anyway, to answer the OP, Garmin makes some good units, but don't ignore the DeLorme PN60, it's a great geocaching unit. I've been using the PN60's predecessor, the PN40, for a few years now and like it a lot other than the crappy battery life. The improved battery life with the 60, My friend has the PN60 and I'm jealous.
 
Last edited:

oldsarge

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,764
Points
63
Started in 2001 myself. I remember reaching 100 finds was a big deal. If a new cache was listed people would drive from other states to hunt it. Now you can get 100 in a few hours, never mind a weekend.

Anyway, to answer the OP, Garmin makes some good units, but don't ignore the DeLorme PN60, it's a great geocaching unit. I've been using the PN60's predecessor, the PN40, for a few years now and like it a lot other than the crappy battery life. The improved battery life with the 60, My friend has the PN60 and I'm jealous.
I like DeLorme GPS units. They lock onto satellites great! A Delorme was going to be my next GPS purchase until I decided to give up Geocaching. They also make one with a SPOT link up.
 

Theosus

Backpacking Noob
Messages
722
Points
18
Location
Near Columbia SC
The delorme pn-60w will link to their inReach device, so you can use its keyboard to send and receive satellite messages in the middle of BFE.
 

NicholasDuMonde

New Member
Messages
36
Points
0
Location
Rhode Island
Suunto Ambit. A multitude of GPS functions that can be used to navigating to any POI, saving your current position so you can navigate back, and also use its different "sports" features for tracking my runs, hikes/climbs, and whenever I cycle. A truly amazing watch!!!
 

onlightgear

New Member
Messages
16
Points
0
If you want it in the wrist of your hand then i suggest the new Suunto Ambit2 which is better than the simple Ambit (but more expensive also)... Good luck, i used to geocache but it takes time which i dont have now...
 

NorthMan

New Member
Messages
2
Points
1
I'm using a navigation iOS app Spyglass that supports different maps, depending on my current needs: google maps, apple maps, open street map and open cycle map. It's also very important that the app can read pre-downloaded maps when offline.
It also has many useful features, such as marking waypoints, saving spots, measuring your speed and distance to the target, sharing locations with friends and much more.
https://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass/id332639548?mt=8&at=11lLc7&ct=fs
 

Diver97

Member
Messages
47
Points
8
Location
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
A lot depends on what type of geocaching you plan on doing. If you will be doing park and grab ones where you pull up in a parking lot, walk twenty feet and find it under a tree than about and GPS unit or phone app will do. I prefer caches that involve a one to five mile hike to find. If you will be doing this type I recommend a higher end unit with topographical maps or at least have a set of paper ones. Nothing like walking a couple of miles only to find a river or some thing else in your way.
 
Top