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View Full Version : Help! need opinions on GPS's


Jiggin Junky
05-17-2001, 07:15 AM
Heading to Canada in a few weeks and want to get a GPS before then. Have been waiting for the newer Lowrance to come out but I don't think it's due out until July? I need some input on other GPS (ie. Garmin etc.) What do you think is the best GPS? We have a Lowrance fishfinder and love it but willing to try a different name for GPS as we don't know if we want to wait until July!
Any input and info appreciated!
Thanks
<')))))<

Hans
05-17-2001, 07:32 AM
Gotta say it.......

Love Lowrance! Dropped my 4-year-old-outa-warranty on the garage floor and munged it bad. Sent it back with $69.95 "repair fee", and got a new-in-the-box replacement by return fedex.

Hans
--
Avoid the Tate's Compass: "He who has a Tate's is lost!"

srj
05-17-2001, 07:37 AM
i have an old garmin 45 handheld that works very well but the screen is small. for the last 2 years i have had a lowrance 310 mounted in the boat--awesome. the plotter at the smallest display setting-1/10 mile-is a great tool for staying on fish. the price has come down too. unlike sonars, you seldom hear bad things about gps units--they all seem to function well.

Dodge1
05-17-2001, 09:04 AM
Lowrance, Garmin and Magellan all make nice units. It all depends on the amount of $'s you want to spend and the features you want.

Go visit ebay and check out the units for sale. It's fairly easy to save anywhere from 25 to 60% off MSRP for a brand new GPS. Nice thing about ebay is that you can buy one on the cheap, play with it for a couple of months and then sell it for slightly less then what you paid for it, in the first place. Great way to get familiar with GPS's.

IMHO, just make sure the sellers rating on ebay has over 5 transactions, with none being negative or even neutral. Most of the sellers will also let you pay with a credit card.

Dodge

bobalong
05-17-2001, 10:57 AM
For the money I would go with the Garmin eMap hands down.

Dave S.
05-17-2001, 08:13 PM
What features do you like about the e-map versus other models.

WALLEYE DADDY
05-18-2001, 06:22 AM
Purchased a Garmin 162 fixed mount for the boat and had it out a couple of times. Awesome-- white lit screen at night and it puts you right on the spot. Also its pretty easy to use.

doc
05-18-2001, 06:56 AM
Keep in mide that you are going to want something waterproof.
Both the Garmin eMap and the new Lowrance iFinder are not waterproof and as such are not sutible for use on a boat. I would go with the Lowrance Global Map 100 if you want a handheld unit.

Mr. Sauger
05-18-2001, 07:11 AM
JJ,
If you're looking for a handheld, you may want to consider the new Garmin Legend. I'm happy with mine. Good resolution, accurate, intuitive use of waypoints/trip etc, tons of extra features (sunrise,sunset, ETA, average/max speed, best fishing times...) waterproof and a good background map of the world - including many inland lakes.

Here a great impartial GPS info site
http://joe.mehaffey.com/
or hit www.garmin.com

moreyes
05-18-2001, 05:50 PM
I picked up Garmin 162 this spring with the internal antenna and so far it has been awsome. With the internal antenna you can set it on the dash of your car for a driving map. Reception is awsome believe it or not it will actually pick up a signal in my garage. Garmin has come out with a CD Rom of Canada Roads and Waterways, the US CD is quite acurate.

Good luck, moreyes