GPS Recommendations

[Miller]

I tried doing a search but "gps" is too short of a term to search for and so I didn't come up with much. That being said, here's my question...

I'm looking for a gps for disc golf. I would like one that is easy to mark with custom waypoints. I would like to mark pin and basket, but I would also like to mark my throws with the different discs I used and I thought it would be easier if I could just use a custom icon for the waypoint as I mark it.

Then I could use it for distances while I play, but I could also use it afterwards to look at my throws and see how they compare easier.

I would like it to be the size of an eTrex, but if I could use it for my car too that would be a cool perk. My best thought it maybe use a phone with gps and a custom app, but I haven't found one I really like that does everything yet. So I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience with a gps they really liked that maybe could do these things.

 

[ERicJ]

I've used the eTrex Vista HCx pretty extensively for mapping courses. Marking a waypoint is really easy, hold one button to bring up the mark-point menu then press again to confirm. Labeling them on the eTrex is much clunkier. By default the eTrex just numbers the waypoints and increments for each new one. If you were marking Tee's and Baskets as well as throws, I'd recommend you do something simple like edit the label to put a "t" or "b" in front of the label number so when you look at them later on the PC you know which is which. I've never tried to change the icons on the eTrex itself. When I get home I download the waypoints to the Mapsource program on the PC and do any labeling and icon changing there. Then I re-upload all the waypoints back to the eTrex. Much easier to do that editing on the PC side. The eTrex Vista HCx will get you about +/- 8' accuracy with WAAS enabled and mostly open view of the sky. If you're covered by thick trees that can drop to +/-20'.

As far as in-car use for navigation... I'd say the eTrex is really only usuable if you have a co-pilot who can watch the eTrex for the driver. In that scenario it's workable. But for a single driver in the car it's not. The screen is too small and there's no text-to-speech, so all you get is a series of beeps. For in-car use the Nuvi's rule.

ERic

 

[Lewis]

Yes Eric's got it figured out. Everything I learned about GPS units while working at REI agrees with what Eric says. The Vista HCx is a good model. If you want to go higher-end than that, there are nicer models out there, but you're going to double the price or more. You can't beat the Vista HCx's bang-for-the-buck. Either way, Garmin is still the leader in handheld GPS units.

 

[geocachenut]

I use a garmin 60CS...can use it for dg and also purchased the mapping software for the car...doesn't talk but beeps for each turn and upcoming turn...also, very accurate, and has an application for Geocaching (if you've never tried it, it's a blast)...

 

[ERicJ]

... Geocaching (if you've never tried it, it's a blast)...

Would have never guessed that you were into that...