Best Handheld mapping Unit

[Fishnut]

Has any buddy have any experiance with the hand held mapping units, and which one would you recomend

[Suzuki]

I have a Garmin Map 76 GPS. Is that what you mean by mapping unit?

[Airwave(OH)]

Garmin has a great unit called the Garmin 176C. Mapp with Waaz Tech. and portable. Sells for about $499.00 I think. You can get in in B/W for 100.00 less but the color is the way to go.

[Fish-on]

Did a lot of research before I bought mine and I got the Garmin GPSmap 76. It's awesome, I love it. With the map software from Garmin I have about $500 in it. The detail is really amazing, it even has many of the logging roads in the state forest and many small ponds.

[Fish-on]

I should clarify, the $500 includes a RAM mount, 12V cable, Map CD, Computer cable and case.

[Bad Finger]

I like the Lowrance GLOBALMAP® 100. Get the "Plus" unit. The CD adds specific detail to selected areas of the country/world. Plus you can upload data back to your computer. Not bad for a handheld. I paid a lot more than they are going for now.

link to our friends at Reeds


http://www.reedssports.com/Cgi-Bin/Webc.exe/Catalog/st_prod.html?p_prodid=17&p_catid=14&sid=1m3TRMYj

[Airwave(OH)]

I apologize : the B/w unit runs about 499.00 and the color is 599.00. Plus there is a bluechip of the area you can buy that details dockage, fuel, resturants, hotspots etc. This is a sweet little unit, Played with it yesterday.

[Chad C.]

I second the Lowrance Global map 100. This unit has much better detail without the upgrade software than the Garmin units. If you look at shoreline detail of a Garmin without the software bays and points are really squared off and don't provide much detail. The Lowrance unit is much better for that kind of detail and a lot less expensive. I guess it also depends what you're going to be using it for. For me the streets, highways and backroads don't do me a lot of good so I don't even look at those details.

Tell us what you're main uses will be and I can give you some more info, I work at a sporting goods store and get to play with a lot of them.

[jolleye]

If your looking for a unit for strictly hunting and fishing the Garmin GPS 12 is the way to go. It is reasonably priced(149.99), easy to use, and has all the necessary features for hunting and fishing. Unless you spend close to 500.00 dollars a handheld mapping unit is somewhat useless in my opinion. The maps don't give hardly any detail of lakes, unless you download from a CD-ROM which costs another $100.00+, even then all you get is shoreline detail, no topo.
I have a GPS 12 for 2 years now and love it, it does everything I need it to. I have used in the woods on small lakes and even the great lakes with no problems. It is definitly the way to go if you want to save a few bucks and still get a great unit.

[foreyes]

I'd have to agree with Jolleye. I have only seen a couple of hand held units, but Garmin's GPS 12 is simple and effective. Lowrance hand held is a joke- much too confusing. I mount it to my boat and stick it in my pocket.
-- foreyes
"NaNa NaNa NaNa NaNa--FISHING"

[JasonMN]

If you are buying a new unit, Ebay is the way to go. I just picked up a brand new Garmin GPSMAP76 including a marine mount for $260 plus $10 for shipping. Just make sure the seller has plenty of positive feedback and you should be fine.

Airwave - Are you sure the 176 is portable??