hand held gps???

[Norm1980]

I have some extra cash to spend on a new gadget, just looking for some suggestions on a decent hand held gps ~ which brand / chip...... I'm not looking for the cheapest unit but im not looking to spend $500.00+ either. Would be mainly fishing waters in MN.

[Ed Carlson]

Take a look at the Garmin Oregon 300, they will run Garmin, LakeMaster, and NDTRAX, MNTRAX, MTTRAX data micro-SD cards. Will also interact with Google Earth, plus it has many other new nifty features usefull to a sportsman on and off the road. Lots of memory, that is a huge plus in a GPS handheld unit.

This is a great large bright color display, with touch screen, a bargain at the price, and very user friendly.

[BobT]

If you're concerned about touchscreen durability you could also consider the Garmin GPSmap60 or 76 series or perhaps even their Etrex products. Check out their HSOforum. I and virtually all of my friends use Garmin GPS products and I am aware of no complaints.

[thedeadsea]

I have been happy with my H20, color model is about $200, black/white a bit less. Lakemaster chip.

[L_Cappo]

i am very happy with my h2oc very easy to use and i love the lake chips for it.

[Norm1980]

I like the price / looks of the Garmin Oregon 300. I really have no knowledge about the different types of available lake maps. Anyone have advice on the Garmin lake maps or would it be best to go with Lakemaster?

[Ed Carlson]

For MN, the Garmin/LakeMaster is very tough to beat for fishing. $100 to $110.

For hunting, camping, trails/hiking, and fishing, the MNTRAX is a bargain chip at $80.

[bigbad401]

The Garmin Oregon series is the way to go. It has up-to-date technology, the lakemaster chip has 3500 lakes (lowrance lakemaster has 700), and it is extremely easy to use.

[wbliceman]

H2O. With a lakemaster i would be lost with out mine!

[Rippinlip]

H2O, I would not fish without it.

Mark

[wplatehunter]

The H20 is a great unit.

[Kirsch]

If all you wish to do with the GPS is fish, then a H2Oc is nice. If you wish to have an all-around GPS that with pretty much the best antenna in the industry and most mapping options then Garmin and the Oregon series is tough to beat. If you don't have an automotive GPS, then you could consider the Garmin Nuvi 500 and you would have some automotive features and some handheld features.

For $500 though, you could get a Oregon 300 handheld and still afford a pretty decent automotive nuvi series as well and not go with a cross-over. Cross-Over is cheaper but just depends on the features you want.

[Norm1980]

I like that the lakemaster chip for the garmins offer more lake maps. Is the map detail better on the oregon series gps then the nuvi series? Do they both show the lake bottom depth lines or no? I checked on price and the nuvi would be about $100 less, however i don't want to sacrafice map detail just to save a little money.

[bigbad401]

Map detail would be the same on both. The Nuvi 500 does have a bigger screen, so that would help. I got the Oregon because I like to see and store my tracks, which the Nuvi doesn't allow. The Oregon is able to take AA batteries, the Nuvi uses a dedicate battery. The Oregon can store more waypoints. Go to Garmins and compare both.

[MN Mike]

The Nuvi's will show you your tracks, by default that is turned off. If you get into your map settings, Trip Log is where the setting is at, just set it to Show.

Mike

[GrizzlyAdams]

I have the Garmin 60csx handheld and love it. I also have a nuvi 205, I believe, which also takes the map chip but the battery doesn't last very long, especially in the cold. Less than a year later the battery in the Nuvi is no good and I can only use it when its plugged in and can't change it. The handhelds would be your best bet as you can change the batteries out in the field and not have to find a place to charge it. Handhelds are far more versatile IMO.

[Ed Carlson]

Upgrade the battery's to the Lithium Ion rechargeable, far better performance overall.

[bigbad401]

I think the Nuvi's come with the Lithium Ion battery. I guess the Nuvi can keep tracks, my bad. But like Grizzly says, the handhelds are more versatile IMO.

[McGurk]

You H2O fans can keep preaching it's abilities, but I don't know how much longer you can preach it's availability. Lowrance has discontinued them, so it's now down to available stock as far as purchasing one goes. The new line is the Lowrance Endura series, and I'd like to hear how people that own one like them. You can get a basic Lowrance Endura Out&Back for around $200, but I can't find if any of the Endura line accept LM or Navionics chips. If anyone knows for a fact please let us know.

There are all kinds of sub-$500 options out there from other companies, and I happen to be pleased with Garmin. I have no knowledge of their Oregons so I can't vouch for them, but they do sound good on paper. For example: a Garmin Oregon 400T and a lakemaster chip can be shipped to your door for less than (but close to) $500.

You can get a nuvi 500 or nuvi 550 crossover unit that will do a good job of navigating both the roads and the lakes with a Lakemaster chip, but with a much larger screen (and shorter battery life) than a handheld. I've been on the fence about one for a while as I already have a working handheld that I don't need to replace. That will also be in the $400 range with a chip.

[bigbad401]

Sounds like the Lakemaster chips for the Lowrance Endura line won't be here until March sometime. The Endura line had a lot of bugs when released, but it seems like they mostly have been fixed right now. I looked at them when I bought my Garmin, but I didn't like the size (they are bigger that the Oregon with the screen being smaller) and the hybrid interface of buttons and touchscreen (seems overkill-one or the other please).

[Norm1980]

I've decided to go with a garmin... still on the fence about which to get the oregon or nuvi. The extra inch of screen size would be nice but not necessary. The battery life would be a bigger deal, and is probably the reason for the extra $100 in cost between the two. I do most of my ice fishing from a wheelhouse so the gps would stay in the truck most of the time and battery life wouldn't be a big deal. In summer though I will not have any means of charging it while in the boat, and it will be getting used the whole time im out fishing..... so i guess for me it would be smartest to get a gps from the oregon line up. Does anyone know how much a new lithium ion battery for the nuvi would cost?

[bigbad401]

The batteries for the Nuvi are around $40. I am sure you can find cheaper generic batteries. I am getting around 13-14 hours of power with good rechargeable AA's and the unit set to battery saver.

[bak2MN]

I just bought the Garmin Colorado 400t from Reeds and it was a great price at $279 I picked up the chip last weekend and been playing with it. From what I have been around the H2o and what my garmin has and can do. The Garmin is the way to go. Just my opinion. Good luck on your decision I know pondered the same thing for a long time and I think I made a good decision and got a good price.

[GrizzlyAdams]

The batteries in my Nuvi are fixed (Nuvi 205 I believe) So I can't upgrade them. I am assuming the 500's can be changed which would not be too bad then. Still love my handheld though as I can leave it on for atleast a day and a half straight before I change batteries. May not seem like long but when you are fishing from sun up to sun down out in the boat it is used heavily.

[jimmyjames76]

I have the Nuvi 550, and the battery can be replaced (or swapped out on the ice if it goes dead). It's advertised to last 8 hours, and I believe that was accurate when it was new. I've been driving out now, so it's plugged in most of the time. It's a very nice unit, but so are the handheld models. It really depends on what's important to you.