Hand held GPS

[jdmack]

Hello my first time here. I'm looking to buy a GPS and I'm not real sure what to get,as long as it is easy to operate.I want to plot out some of the trees and rock pile that I have found.Hope to gets some help.thanks

[muc33]

jdmack, welcome to FM! I just went from a basic etrex legend to a Lowrance H20c this season and got the Lakemaster MN chip for contours. I love it. I could tell you all kinds of stuff that people told me here on FM, but your best bet would be to sit back and read it for yourself!!! Go to the search option above and search away, you will find HOURS of reading about this very subject and it is all recent enough to be totally up to date!!!

Have fun, enjoy your decision and let us know by posting all about your adventures!

[Jim Almquist]

I have the Lowrance H2O and I really like it cause it is easy for me to move waypoints between my locator in my boat and the H2O which has a mount for my handles bars so it is easy moved between the snowmobile or the 4 wheeler. By having a locator made by lowrance with a gps the terminology is the same for both. You can also add the chip with the lake maps and still see your waypoints on the lake map. If you look around you can find some deals on the grayscale version when some one wants to upgrade to color. I have the grayscale and don't mind it but in the boat I have color and it is very nice.

[BobT]

That's a good point you make regarding passing waypoints from GPS to boat sonar. I know I have pretty much supported the Garmin lines and I still do but when it comes to sonar I'm sure the Lowrance will have the edge and this can be beneficial to have Lowrance GPS as well, if not now maybe in the future.

Bob

Edit: Don't worry. I'm not turning into a convert.

[Hills]

JDMACK,

I too am looking for a hand held unit. I was wondering what the difference is between the H20 and the HUNT version in the Lowrance brand . I want mine for fishing and hunting use. Which one would be best. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Northlander]

Do a search on hand held GPS or Lowrance H20 and you will get a ton of info. There is years of info on the same question.

For fishing I recomend the H20C and for hunting the Expedition or Hunt model.

[Tom7227]

Go to the Cabelas HSOforum and click on any handheld GPS they sell. Down a bit there is a link to a page that says "Additional Info Compare Handheld GPS Models" Click on it and you will find comparisons of several dozen different units.

[jdmack]

I want to thank every one for the help. I have a lot of reading to do thx

[BobT]

Why do I support Garmin GPS products?

Three years ago I purchased my first handheld GPS, a Garmin Rino120 GPS/FRS/GMRS Radio. Because it was so user-friendly I was able to navigate my way through the menus and learn to use the unit without referring to the user manual.

Over the course of the next couple years I dropped it a lake, knocked it off my belt into a mud hole while ATV riding, and dropped it 16 feet onto a rock pile from my deerstand with nothing more than a little scratch in the display. Last winter while ice fishing I slipped and fell. I had my Rino clipped to my belt and I landed directly on it with my hip. The crushing blow damaged the mother board. I paid Garmin's flat service fee, sent it in for repair, and I received a replacement.

The replacement arrived preloaded with all of the data that I had on my damaged unit. They somehow managed to extract that data from the memory and install it on the new replacement. I used that replacement for the past year without problems until about a month ago when it began experiencing intermittent power problems. I figured it was probably a cold solder connection in the unit and so I figured I'd send it in and pay the flat service rate (it only had a 90-day warranty). I sent in in last Tuesday.

Today I received a brand new replacement and the repairs were done at no charge!

Not only has my Garmin proved to be rugged, dependable, accurate, user-friendly, and a joy to use, but Garmin International's service has proven excellent! I am one happy customer.

Bob

[Macgyver55]

I agree Bob, I've had Garmins for over 10 years. Never had a problem with any of them. I too use it on my ATV, boat, and snowmobile. Its been through a lot and brought me home everytime. The main thing I have always liked about them is the ease of use. When you need to do something, it is always a simple, logical step, not something you have to try hard to figure out.

[Tom7227]

BobT

Sounds like you need to duct tape that thing to your forhead or something.

[BobT]

You just might be right. It comes with a wrist lanyard. Maybe I should make something long enough to go around my neck. Maybe not. That might be too dangerous for me.

Thanks for the laugh. My wife was wondering why I was laughing and she's in a different room in the house. Guess I got a little loud.

Bob

[bassNspear]

garmin makes great product, theres no doubt about it. I love my H2Oc. I have had nothing wrong with it, along with the unit itself helping me on different lakes. The Lakemaster Chip helps as well, to be able to read the lake alot better. Great product to have in the boat or on the ice.

[raymondk]

If you are going to buy an h2o and a lakemaster chip go right to lakemasters site they have nice prices if you get both.