Which Garmin unit is best for hiking?

Lane Harrison

Lane Harrison

Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Ozark, MO
I am researching for a new hiking gps unit. and am wondering about the following questions.

1. recommend Oregon 6xx series (prob 600, I don't care about the camera) VS eTrex 30 series VS 64 series?

2. Should I get the "t" (Topo maps part, or just download maps as I want them)? I've read a lot about gpsfiledepot but never used it.

Thanks for any help you can give.
 
I have a 62ST. Should have opted for the 64 (for GLONAS).
Am currently wondering where Garmin is going with Handheld units next!
. I just don't see anything coming in the development pipeline for GPSRs.
To choose which one to use I go by memory - internal size and SD card and screen size and function.
The Garmin firmware has had something of an evil reputation, bugs and hangs, but will function, it's just not as smooth as it should be.
If I was king-of-the-world I'd use my Samsung Note with GAIA app. That combination gives me a screen I can see (!), I can load tops at home before I start, I can zoom the maps and it records where I've been and how long I travel. I just get lousy battery mileage☺.
If you can tolerate Garmin's user interface that's how I'd decide screen and memory.
 
Thanks ChuckT, that's all very helpful. I looked at the 62st and 64 as well. I ended up choosing the Oregon600. so far, I like it. I am learning how to use it now, and that seems a bit of a challenge, especially finding free maps and figuring out how to put them on the unit.

Appreciate the advice.
 
I use my Nuvey 3490LMT for all my nav activities, including hiking. Just load a topo map (such as OSM) and you are ready to go. A Nuvey flaw is its short internal battery life, however.

IF / FF / HF
 
Because Nuvis are intended to be used in vehicles with an inexhaustible external power supply, they use an LCD display with a permanent back-light which take lots of power, the battery is only used to back-up the almanac, time / date etc. so that the unit can get a quicker satellite fix. You will be lucky to get a couple of hour use from it on batteries, where-as a hand held GPS has an LCD display that can be used without turning on the back-light (except in the dark) and runs on batteries for 18 hours or more
 
My Nuvey 3490 has about 2,5 hours of internal battery life. Normally that's ok for my hiking.
Question: are there external batteries available for Nuveys? I would like to walk more than 2,5 hours with my Nuvey already. Thanks.

IF / FF / HF
 
You could always use a Power Bank, which is basically a rechargeable battery in a box with a USB connector on it, there is one available from amazon (Link HERE)
 
Thanks for the clue. But .. is this Power Bank only for recharging the internal battery? Or can I use the Nuvey for navigating while connected to the Power Bank?

IF / FF/ HF
 
There is no simple answer to that i'm afraid. When a Nuvi is connected to a USB power source it can use it in different ways, if the Nuvi determines that there is enough power available to charge the battery AND supply the Nuvi it will do so, if it finds less power is available it will only charge the battery. I have a Power Bank that has two USB sockets on it, marked as 1.0 Amp and 2.1 Amp, if I use the first one it only charges the unit, if I use the second socket, the unit powers up and navigates as normal. The Nuvi requires more than 1 Amp to work in navigation mode
 
The internal battery of your Nuvi 3490 is 1000mAH, so to work out how long a Power Bank would last you divide the capacity of it by 1000, for example I have a Power Bank rated at 7500mAH, this would last 7.5 times longer than the internal battery. If the internal battery is also fully charged you should expect to get 2.5 hours (for the internal battery) + (7.5 X 2.5 hours) for the Power Bank, a total of 21.25 hours
 
Hi Lane,
I have a bias that maybe you share, but hiking infers:
1) your out of cell tower range
2) want long battery life and easy to swap batteries (AA)
3) want GLONASS, or as many satellites to fix anywhere
4) rugged as hell
5) No real need to have the navigation device on all the time. You want to go somewhere, drop a waypoint, nav to it. turn off, and when needed, turn back on to fix your nav to the position.
6) Floats?
7) Barometer, electronic compass.
8) Buttons. I'm in cold areas. gloves with touch screens don't cut it. Muscle memory, hitting the button in the same location is incredibly powerful (find Goto) and hit enter button. Try that on a touch screen.

In my opinion, this puts you solidly in the PND (personal navigation device) arena like the Garmin. Garmin is still world leader in this, and a huge support network.
Maps for free come with their own issue, so the 99$ or so TOPOS from Garmin are a huge cost savings (time to find a map, download it, connect to device, yadayada.
A Garmin with map space to hold the entire US on a 4GIG disk is possible. A topo is certified correct by USGS. They have issues too, no doubt, but contours, peak heights, etc all baked into the TOPO is undeniably the easiest.

New Garmins have the Imagery subscription for 20$ per year, but really, is staring at an image taken from space get you anywhere?
Go Garmin. My favorite is the 76CSx (floats, discontinued, but incredible). Modern equivalent - 64.
 


Write your reply...

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 41 (members: 1, guests: 40)
Back
Top