Want to buy a handheld GPS, any ideas?

[klee]

I didn't know where to put this thread nor could I find one about it. If it doesn't belong here please move it or direct me to one that has already been made. I am looking to buy a handheld GPS for ice fishing and hunting. I've looked at the Lowrance Endura but have mixed thoughts about it. I do like the Garmin 450 or 450t, but also heard theres extra money going into it like updating programs and such. I want opinions on what is good and what I should look for. I will be using it for ice fishing. I would like to use lakemaster chips, and also will be using it to mark tree stands and loading mn dnr hunting lands and boundary's. I don't understand the lingo of the gps world, so be nice. What I am looking for is easy to read maps, accuracy, detail of the maps,waterproof, good reception. And anything else I might need to know when looking or reading about these units.

[goose89]

You're in the right area. I've got an "old" Lowrance H2O, and am waiting for something to go wrong die, but it just hasn't yet. I'm also wondering what will take it's place, if & when it goes, so I'm interested in the replies as well.

[Smoker]

I got the Nuvi 500 and love it. It has been in ran storms on the 4 wheeler and in the boat. I take it out ice fishing all the time because I like moving around and it saves a lot of time because I don't have to drill a lot of holes.I got the life time updates for it so it is only one fee. I use the lakemaster chip (I got the CD so I can mark spots on the computer and transfer them to my Nuvi). Plus I use it in my truck at home and work.

[Tom7227]

I was a die hard Lowrance fan and had 4 units, but they died our got too outdated. I picked up a Garmin 78s and it is one slick rig. Locks fast, has easily downloadable maps. I didn't want a touch screen and this one was way better than the Lowrance that was available about a 8 months ago when I made the buy.

[Lund79]

I was a die hard Lowrance fan and had 4 units, but they died our got too outdated. I picked up a Garmin 78s and it is one slick rig. Locks fast, has easily downloadable maps. I didn't want a touch screen and this one was way better than the Lowrance that was available about a 8 months ago when I made the buy.

I originally purchased the 78S but ended up returning it for the 62S. Not that anything was wrong with it but the design of the buttons and external antenna are the main differences. Here is what I found are the differences between these 2 units:

78S

-buttons on the upper half of the unit

-floats (main reason I originally bought this over the 62S)

-Internal antenna

-has a small strap to attach to unit

62S

-buttons on lower half of the unit (much easier to use IMO)

-external antenna (also wanted external antenna as I hunt in SE MN where their are hills and reception should be better than an internal antenna.

-has a caribener clip that attaches to the unit (better design than strap)

Both are waterproof.

Both have same features (electronic compass, geo caching, etc)

It all comes down to your preference on the design. Can't go wrong with either one. I also did not want a touch screen.

[Hookmaster]

Before mapping chips were available I had Garmins. Then got an H2O when the mapping chips came out since the chips weren't available for the Garmin units I had. When the H2O dies I will most likely go back to Garmin.

[BobT]

I don't think you can go wrong with a Garmin when it comes to GPS technology. That's what they do. I've been using my Garmin Rino120 GPS for quite a number of years. The only complaint I would have with my Rino is that the screen is a bit small. An easy fix if I upgrade to a different unit such as the 60, 76, or 78 series.

[klee]

Does it matter if it has an antenna inside or sticking out? Will that affect the reception if I was in a wooded area or on the side of the mountain?

[MidwestArcher]

To be honest it really depends on the type of GPS and the antenna inside not whether it sticks out or not. The Garmin 78s as mentioned earlier is a very solid little gps that is awesome when it comes to locking in on satellites in heavily wooded areas and in cloudy conditions, great value as well!

[basssmasher*]

Just got my garmin Oregon 450 today, so I'm excited.. however I went to register the unit on Garmin's HSOforum and get updates and all that and the site is down for maintenance ..Anyone have one of these and if so how do you like it, or run it?? lol I'm not so technically inclined!

[Ed Carlson]

Don't worry. Garmin makes the process easy, updates, downloads, all the add on toys. They hoist a huge product line in many forms. They are introducing a lot of new avionics, marine navigation, land based GPS units of many configurations, and laptop, 4-G phones, and marine satellite network applications. With all that world wide business some big updates to there support network were inevitable. Should be up and rock'n in no time.

You may find cruising You Tube handy for now as there are many Garmin and user based tutorials and tips on there that will bring you up to speed quickly. Search Garmin Oregon 450 and you will have hours of stuff to sift through.

Key utility's like the Garmin WebUpdater would be one of my first downloads from the Garmin site.

Depending on your particular interests and needs, there are lots of other nifty free utility's to use too, like the new Garmin Base Camp program that will work well with the Oregon 450.

You have a kewl new unit there, it plays well with others.

[Whopper Stopper]

I am not fond of the touch screen on the 450 Garmin. It is ok in the warm weather but when it got cold it is a pain. You have to take your gloves off to hit the buttons. The screen gets very sluggish in the cold. I would really want to re-think it if I needed another one.

The positive side is the unit is very fast under the right conditions. I use mine daily for street use like a Nuvi. Though not maybe as friendly as a Nuvi is does the job. It sure is night and day over the I finder, H2O I had for years.

WS

[Lund79]

Does it matter if it has an antenna inside or sticking out? Will that affect the reception if I was in a wooded area or on the side of the mountain?

I was told by a Garmin rep that if in a wooded area the external helix antenna would be a little better for reception. He said the internal antenna (78S) would work but the external antenna might be a little better.

[bobbymalone]

I was told by a Garmin rep that if in a wooded area the external helix antenna would be a little better for reception. He said the internal antenna (78S) would work but the external antenna might be a little better.

I have had both and the one with "more" external antenna did seem to lock on a bit a faster and be a bit more accurate in heavy foliage, but it was all around a better, more advanced unit.

In every application I have needed a handheld GPS for, 10-20 feet of the point I am looking for was always good enough. And I do a bit of geocaching, so the closer to the target you are the better.

In the open, my cheapo old Garmin and my newer fancier Garmin both perform perfectly. If I mark a spot on the ice and come back a week later, both receivers put me within a couple feet of my old ice holes. The only difference is the older cheaper one says the accuracy is +/- 20 feet and the new one says +/- 10 feet.

[klee]

I've seen the lakemaster chip on the lowrance endura entry level. I'm wandering if anyone's used it on the garmin.Is it better? I plan to use the lakemaster chips for my gps. I've narrowed it down to the garmin 62s, oregon 450, and the lowrance safari. I like that the garmin floats, waterproof, rugged. The I like the big screen on the lowrance. I'm thinking more towards the garmin. I know that lakemaster just started making chips for the garmin units. Everytime I go to the store, the sales people always point me towards a lowrance.

[bobbymalone]

I've seen the lakemaster chip on the lowrance endura entry level. I'm wandering if anyone's used it on the garmin.Is it better? I plan to use the lakemaster chips for my gps. I've narrowed it down to the garmin 62s, oregon 450, and the lowrance safari. I like that the garmin floats, waterproof, rugged. The I like the big screen on the lowrance. I'm thinking more towards the garmin. I know that lakemaster just started making chips for the garmin units. Everytime I go to the store, the sales people always point me towards a lowrance.

I've have a lakemaster chip in my garmin 60cx. Works great, no complaints. It's nice that it comes with a good road map of MN as well.

My only complaints about my garmin are that I wish the screen was a bit bigger and the screen can be a bit hard to see when it's bright out.

My garmin 60cx has been bouncing around in the bottom of boat, the icehouse, the canoe, and all through the woods for about 4 years. Still working great. Great batt life too.

A couple things:

1. as others of said, if you are getting the LM maps get it on a CD so you can use your computer to manage maps, waypoints, etc.

2. buy a screen protector.

[Lund79]

I've narrowed it down to the garmin 62s, oregon 450, and the lowrance safari. I like that the garmin floats, waterproof, rugged.

Klee- just making sure you know that the Garmin 62S does not float but the 78S does.

[klee]

oh yes, thanks for letting me know. I thought they all did, but I did look at it again and it doesn't mention it floating. I woud be nice if it did because I like the antenna sticking out. I will go to the store and play with it soon.

[TV BOY]

I am very disappointed with my endura. You can not zoom out and see the contours very well. On Mille Lacs for example you can't drive and see any structure until you are very close to it. Especially the names of flats, reef you can't see unless zoomed way in.

I understand the older H2O model was better for that.

My iPhone with the Navionics app was easier to see the structures while driving.

I would compare models with the chips in them to see how they display. Up here in St Cloud, Scheel's has models and they will let you see the display models with lake master or garmin chips.

[croixflats]

Another nice thing about Garmin is you get software for the computer for managing waypoints and viewing maps on the computer at no extra cost also can be used with Google earth. I don't know if Lowrance offers this or not for their units.

Garmin Lakemaster 3300 lakes- Lowrance Lakemaster 1784 lakes. This may not be a big deal if you fish popular waters. You can go to Lakemaster web site to view what lakes each have to offer.

The floating factor is really nice, I have the 76 series an older version of the 78 series. Ive seen people drop theirs down the hole. Matter of fact I loaned mine out last year up on opener to a guy in another boat. Our boat had a GPS/sonar unit and the other boat did not so I tossed mine to the boat and it went overboard the guy who fumbled it eyes just about popped out of his head for second until he saw it floated. Well, I did throw it wide on purpose.

[Ed Carlson]

Another nice thing about Garmin is you get software for the computer for managing waypoints and viewing maps on the computer at no extra cost also can be used with Google earth. I don't know if Lowrance offers this or not for their units.

Garmin Lakemaster 3300 lakes- Lowrance Lakemaster 1784 lakes. This may not be a big deal if you fish popular waters. You can go to Lakemaster web site to view what lakes each have to offer.

The floating factor is really nice, I have the 76 series an older version of the 78 series. Ive seen people drop theirs down the hole. Matter of fact I loaned mine out last year up on opener to a guy in another boat. Our boat had a GPS/sonar unit and the other boat did not so I tossed mine to the boat and it went overboard the guy who fumbled it eyes just about popped out of his head for second until he saw it floated. Well, I did throw it wide on purpose.

I feel that is a fair evaluation and recommendation.

As you can also quickly see confidence is high with Garmin users.

As in that Waterproof indeed means Waterproof, as well as Floating..means..it really floats.

[bigpike]

Are there any handheld units that also do driving directions? Easier to convince the wife if it is multi purpose!

[Ed Carlson]

The Garmin Nuvi 500 will offer text-to-speech turn-by-turn directions to your destination.

It will also run LakeMaster lake maps, Garmin lake maps, and MNTRAX, NDTRAX maps.

It is also a 100% waterproof unit. Very reasonable in price too.

[Gleason]

Ed,

Do you know when the Garmin Nuvi 500 or any other road style navigational units will become Lakemaster chip ready? It would be awesome if you could get one of the bigger screen units compatable with the Lakemaster chips.

[croixflats]

The Nuvi 500 and most other Nuvi accepts the Micro SD cards so the Garmin Lakemaster does work in them.

[klee]

I currently have a Garmin 255w, instead of buying a handheld right now and wait to save up some money to buy it. Has anyone used the lakemaster chip on their garmin gps? Does it work the same as a handheld? Is it accurate? Is the Picture quality good and easy to read?