Garmin Handheld GPS

[loosegoose]

I'm looking at purchasing a Garmin mapping hand held GPS unit. The two models I'm looking at are the ETrex Legend Cx and the GPSMAP 76Cx. Can anyone shed some light on either of these two units? I will use the unit mainly for lake maps and for city and highway navigation.

[sparcebag]

Check the Ice fishing forum a good talk goin on about GPS

[MuskieJunkie]

I have the 76S (B/W, no lake map chips). I have had it for years, I have been happy with it, its waterproof and floats, although I have never tested that. I throw it around a lot without a case, and there is only one minor scratch on the screen and I have never had any issues with it not working properly. I really wish I had the lake map capability but it sounds like you have that covered.

My only complaint would be that the PC software it came with is pretty lame but maybe that has changed now.

[Big-Al]

Do a search on Garmin on this Forum and you will find a ton of info. Here is one link.

Garmin Info

[MN Mike]

Don't know if you have been to Garmins' site but you use to be able to do a side by side comparison.

To me I would go with the GPS Map 76, simply for the sized of the screen over the Legend.

I have a Etrex Vista, I really like the unit, just wouldn't mind having the larger screen.

Mike

[caseymcq]

Have you considered a Lowrance H2Oc? I have a couple Garmins and the H2Oc. I like all three but for the price the H2Oc is an excellent GPS. You can get the LakeMaster and Navionics chips for it or you can get the Map Create software. The H2Oc is quite a bit cheaper.

If your heart is set on a Garmin get the 76. It has a little bigger screen than the eTrex.

[Orlip]

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Have you considered a Lowrance H2Oc? I have a couple Garmins and the H2Oc. I like all three but for the price the H2Oc is an excellent GPS. You can get the LakeMaster and Navionics chips for it or you can get the Map Create software. The H2Oc is quite a bit cheaper.

If your heart is set on a Garmin get the 76. It has a little bigger screen than the eTrex.

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IMO the only and I mean only advantage the Lowrance units have over garmin is the ability to accept navionics.

If you are going to use for street navigation make sure the Garmin that you buy does turn by turn navigation, also I would recommend that you get one that has the removable chip. This will make it a lot easier to switch from lakemaps to highway maps. I have the 60 csx with lakemaster and cityselect and it is an awesome unit.

I also have the vista and that is a nice unit too, cheaper in price but not all the features of the 60 csx. I did not go with the 76 because at the time it did not have the chip capabilities. I think they do now. I would definitely go to garmin's HSOforum to do a comparison on the units you are interested in. It seems now the 76 csx has the same features as 60 csx so it boil down to which unit looks better for you as the screen size is the same.

[Big-Al]

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I did not go with the 76 because at the time it did not have the chip capabilities. I think they do now

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Any of the Garmin handhelds with an x in the model number have the chip. The Map76 or Map76CS do not. The Map76CSX does.

[loosegoose]

Thanks for the input. I'm going to choose between the Lowrance iFinder Expedition c and the Garmin GPSMAP 76Cx.

[BobT]

I don't have any experience with the Lowrance products but regarding Garmin I will say that I have been thoroughly pleased with the service they have provided for me. Any time I have emailed with questions or problems I have received a reply from a technician usually within the same day or at least within 24 hours and the person responding was very knowledgeable and helpful.

I recently fell on my Rino120 and damaged it internally to the extent that it lost all mapping capabilities. I sent it in for repair and they discovered I had also cracked the display and seals also lost integrity. They charged a flat rate fee for the repairs and in the end, I received a new unit complete with new 90-day warranty and new unlock codes for my Mapsource software. They also copied and then downloaded my waypoints, tracks, and routes to the unit so when I got it back it was as if it wasn't gone. The real surprise was that I expected it would be gone for at least two to three weeks. I had it back in my little hands in less than 6 days.

Bob