GPS units

[ttommyunger]

Map v GPS

Both, if you can afford it. Bushnell makes a simple "Backtracker" for around $60 which will keep one from getting lost. I prefer Garmin for full-blown GPS on the road. Lowrance for off-road. Just me. Map (Topo) and Compass (old Army Lensatic) , my fav.

 

[oldsarge]

Both, if you can afford it. Bushnell makes a simple "Backtracker" for around $60 which will keep one from getting lost. I prefer Garmin for full-blown GPS on the road. Lowrance for off-road. Just me. Map (Topo) and Compass (old Army Lensatic) , my fav.

My sister has a Backtracker and it's a very misleading device. Yes you can mark your start point, but if you travel some odd shaped route and deviate off trail a lot, when you go to select you start point all it gives you is a straight line direction to it. Now you are going to get all of the little surprises nature has to offer in terrain you never passed through before. The Backtracker will allow up to three way-points to be loaded so you can possibly plot you route in segments. It does work though, you just need to think it through though. You can get GPS's just a bit more in cost that will at least allow you to follow your bread crumbs back or activate the backtrack feature and be taken back the exact route you just walked. I still agree with having a map and compass, even with the GPS.

 

[IndianaHiker]

For the price I still haven't found one that beats my Etrex HS. Great reception and does all the basic functions very well. Since carry a map I don't feel the need to have the fancier ones that have map functions. Biggest draw back to what I have is that it doesn't have a cable to interface with computer and you have to enter all coordinates manually.

ETrex H

 

[oldsarge]

Biggest draw back to what I have is that it doesn't have a cable to interface with computer and you have to enter all coordinates manually.

You can most likely pick up a cable really cheap on Ebay, Or contact one of the local Geocaching groups in your area, them folks are always selling, swapping and trading equipment. One of the nice things about mapping GPS's is that the software comes with options to load routes and plan way points on your computer then just shoot them into your GPS. Even if you didn't have maps on your GPS, I wonder if it would still load all the coords and just show up as icons. I'll have to experiment on my eTrex Legend, it doesn't have maps.

 

[IndianaHiker]

If I remember correctly it will put the coordinates you save onto mapping software. I think that you can also load coordinates from software as way points onto the E Trex. I hyst haven't had the change to try since I don't have the cable or any mapping software.