GPS questions for low-tech guy.

[dloome]

I don't really like this techy stuff, but I'm looking to get a GPS for the CDT this Summer.

I will NOT be using it very frequently whatsoever- Just as a back-up for paper maps and to find some very specific things like springs which are off-trail in unfeatured terrain, or where a guidebook very occasionally references a coordinate, etc.

What I want is something that I can turn on that will show my location on a digital topo map which I can cross reference with my paper topo maps. What's the best thing out there for this kind of use?

I have been looking at the Garmin Legend HCX and the DeLorme PN-40. The necessary Garmin maps on micro SD cards would be a lot more expensive vs. a subscription to the DeLorme map library with all the maps I need, BUT I have a gift certificate which would just about get me the Garmin for free, so it would be roughly equivalent in price.

Anybody who knows anything about this care to offer some input? Thanks!

[Buzz Saw]

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/ free Garmin compatible maps

[blitz1]

if you have an iPhone, just get the accuterra app and it will do this for you

[Shutterbug]

I don't really like this techy stuff, but I'm looking to get a GPS for the CDT this Summer.

I will NOT be using it very frequently whatsoever- Just as a back-up for paper maps and to find some very specific things like springs which are off-trail in unfeatured terrain, or where a guidebook very occasionally references a coordinate, etc.

What I want is something that I can turn on that will show my location on a digital topo map which I can cross reference with my paper topo maps. What's the best thing out there for this kind of use?

I have been looking at the Garmin Legend HCX and the DeLorme PN-40. The necessary Garmin maps on micro SD cards would be a lot more expensive vs. a subscription to the DeLorme map library with all the maps I need, BUT I have a gift certificate which would just about get me the Garmin for free, so it would be roughly equivalent in price.

Anybody who knows anything about this care to offer some input? Thanks!

I have a Garmin and a Delorme. I like the Delorme better, but I am "techie." If you are a "low-tech" person, you will probably like the Garmin better.

[BigHodag]

Might look into a smart phone based GPS solution.

I too have wanted (coveted) a GPS for trail use. This year I bought an unlocked LG Incite for $100 which has a GPS chip built in. I'm using TurboGPS for my digital map navigation and BasicGPS, a geocaching utility, for emergency navigation to AT shelters.

By using a phone based GPS, I eliminate an extra gadget and an extra charger. The phone also has an FM radio, still camera, video camera, and voice recorder built in. For the cost of a basic handheld GPS unit, I got even more functionality at no extra weight.

[Slosteppin]

I have both a Garmin 60C and a DeLorme PN-40. I use the PN-40 on every hike and keep it turned on all the time I'm hiking. I download both topo maps and aerial photo 'maps'. Most of the time it is the only map I carry when day hiking. When backpacking I also carry a paper map and a compass.

It is a process to get either type of maps. I must select the ones I want online then download to my computer. Then I connect the GPS and upload to the GPS. It can get confusing.

I met a guy while I was out hiking today. He was geocaching using his smartphone for a GPS. He had downloaded a topo map App. His screen was in black and white and twice the size of my PN-40 color screen.

[fiddlehead]

I hear you guys about the smartphone alternative.
But, what about the fact that the Garmin's are waterproof?
And take double AA batteries?
I would think those two items would make it a no-brainer.
Just my 2 cents.

[garlic08]

My hiking partner on the CDT carried a very small Garmin with a wrist band. It took AAA batteries, the same as his headlamp. Very basic unit, just showed coordinates and could accept some waypoints. We used it a couple of times "just to make sure" and it was OK to have.

It worked well along with the compass rose on Ley's maps. If you carry a GPS and use Ley's maps, you might want to practice using that feature in ideal conditions in case you need to for real.

[JaxHiker]

I always carry a 60CSx with me. I love having a nice mapping GPS. However, in an effort to drop a little weight I picked up a Geko 201 off eBay. It weighs about 3 oz so it's considerably lighter than the 60. The jury is still out on whether I'll actually make the switch but it's nice and small for sure. It'd certainly work for supplementing paper maps by providing you exact coordinates and the ability to store and or navigate to waypoints.

[Penguin]

Hey if you want to check out my Garmin e-Trex Vista HCX I could bring it by your office. Let me know. Heidi used it on the CDT this summer and loved it. I felt it great on the AZT. I like the fact that the battery lasts so long compared to all the fancier models and REI has had some good sales on this unit.

I didn't like the maps on the PN-60 so I returned it. The advertising made them seem cool, but I thought they sucked. I hate how it hooks up with my Mac though. Neither Garmin or DeLorme are supposed to be Mac compatible, but at least the Garmin can connect and upload/ download stuff with their BaseCamp program.

Let me know if you want to check it out sometime. [email protected]

Guino

[BigHodag]

But, what about the fact that the Garmin's are waterproof?
And take double AA batteries?
I would think those two items would make it a no-brainer.

My smartphone lasts about 4 days providing I turn it off when not in use. If more distance is needed between charges, an extra battery can be carried for about the same weight as your AA batts and I don't have old batts to dispose of, just recharge.

I don't understand the waterproof problem as I carry my phone in a ziplock bag, inside my pack. I don't play with electronics around creeks and water sources, so I'm not worried about dropping it in water. That leaves rain. I can manipulate my phone without taking it out of the ziplock bag and one can easily keep a smartphone inside a jacket or under a poncho if you need extra protection from driving rain.

For my last 2-week section hike I carried annotated elevation profiles instead of detailed AT maps. I did carry a photocopy of a general highway map so I knew the relative position of towns and the major roads that form the boundaries of my hiking zone. I carry a small button compass/thermometer zipper pull for emergency navigation.

My primary reason for wanting a GPS phone is to send a daily SMS to family with my coords to ease their concerns. I always know where I am (usually its where I'm standing). Secondary reasons are to document locations of water sources, resupply stores, and other locations of interest.

For me a AA battery powered, waterproof GPS is not a no brainer, but a one trick pony that is just extra weight to haul up and down mountains.

[Jnelly11]

Garmin 60CSx. If you like you can contact me threw email and I can be very helpful with the topo map information. I bought them and lost my maps ( the SD card) and I found a way to "recover them" My best advice I could give you is YouTube the units everyone here is telling you about and see what one best meets your needs. I love my 60CSx!

Josh
[email protected]