Which GPS

brindlescoops

I have been looking at getting a portable GPS device but its difficult from the websites I have looked at and reviews I have read to see if there is one that does all I need.

I am looking for a unit that:

1 Has good GPS strength so that it can keep position thought trees etc

2 Does what endomondo does (track ride / elevation etc, works out calories burnt, keeps a tab of distance travelled since whenever etc, allows you to look at your routes on a PC)

3 Has OS Maps on it so I can just go off mooching through the countryside and find Bridleways, cycle routes etc

4 It waterproof & Handlebar Mountable

5 tracks where you travel and allows you to store locations so I can store the start of a nice trail for example and then use the unit as an off road sat nav to find it again.


Now, they may all do this, or none of them may do all of this, but I just cant seem to find for example anywhere even on the OS site that says I can add OS maps to it. If you have one and it does all / most of this please advise, as it appears I am a GPS wannabe living in a AA GB 2001 Paper map world...

felix.london

By no means an expert on GPS as I use Endomondo & Strava but I also want something so I can upload maps and find trails etc.

I'm going for a Garmin eTrax 20 (about £140) which seems like it's just for mapping/following/finding routes - which is all I'm after. I'm happy for Endomondo to tell me how many burgers I've burnt! I bought the Garmin maps on MicroSD card (that you can plug straight into the unit) for the South-West of France for €20

If you're after stats I'd say you wanna go for something like a Garmin Edge, like the 800 (about £270)

alfablue

The Garmin Edge does all this apart from calories (which is notoriously inaccurate anyway), you have to buy GB Discoverer maps to go with it (they are OS, cost about £140).

Alternatively, and possibly better by virtue of price and use of AA batteries (so good for multi-day trips when you can't access mains power for a recharge) is the Garmin Dakota.

I use the latter and use OSM (open street maps) for which many versions including mtb specific maps are available free of charge.

felix.london

Yeah - looked at those too. I think the eTrax use AA batteries and apparently lock on to GLONASS satellites as well as GPS giving a faster lock more accurate data (but maybe that BS)

Also - that 'Topo' maps I got of SW France (delivered for €20) are listed on Garmin's site at £120 (or something) - I got them off Amazon.fr so do your research

YeehaaMcgee

Can I just chime in and ask if maybe someone with some knowledge of these things can give us a clear rundown of what various Garmin units do, and don't do?
I'm interested in buying a general purpose garmin GPS unit, preferably with mapping, but for use whilst hiking and snowboarding, as well as for use when riding.
Not too bothered about a handlebar mount. If it can survive being kept in a pocket, that'll do me.

One of our crew had some Garmin unit when we were snowboarding, and the touchscreen appeared to not have a "lock" function, so it kept being stopped and so on whilst boarding.

felix.london

...although the £11 bike mount looks p1$$ poor - basically a couple of cable ties :?

felix.london

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Can I just chime in and ask if maybe someone with some knowledge of these things can give us a clear rundown of what various Garmin units do, and don't do?
I'm interested in buying a general purpose garmin GPS unit, preferably with mapping, but for use whilst hiking and snowboarding, as well as for use when riding.
Not too bothered about a handlebar mount. If it can survive being kept in a pocket, that'll do me.

One of our crew had some Garmin unit when we were snowboarding, and the touchscreen appeared to not have a "lock" function, so it kept being stopped and so on whilst boarding.

hmmm, good point re. screen lock. Yeah - I'd be up for some more info from someone with a bit of knowledge on the subject..although I've already bought the Garmin maps so guess my choice might be a bit limited

alfablue

I found the bike mount fine, completely reliable.

I don't know all the details on what model does what, however the Dakota and Oregon (bigger) both have AA batteries (I get about 15 hours from 2 NiMH 2900mah AA's). They both have a touch screen, and there is a screen lock. The Edge 805 has a touch screen, don't know if it has a screen lock. I think a big difference is that the Edge series may not be able to use 3rd party (OSM) mapping whilst the Dakota, Oregon, and other non bike-specific Garmins can.

YeehaaMcgee

Frankly, I've played with OpenMaps (OpenStreetMaps, OpenHiking, and OpenMTB), and whilst they're free, and will do as a "get you by" mostly, I'm not overly impressed.

Briggo

alfablue wrote:

The Garmin Edge does all this apart from calories (which is notoriously inaccurate anyway), you have to buy GB Discoverer maps to go with it (they are OS, cost about £140).

Alternatively, and possibly better by virtue of price and use of AA batteries (so good for multi-day trips when you can't access mains power for a recharge) is the Garmin Dakota.

I use the latter and use OSM (open street maps) for which many versions including mtb specific maps are available free of charge.

Erm, the Edge 800 does calculate calories, it calculates with or without HRM. You also say you have to buy OS mapping which is extra, its also extra for all the other Garmin units.

There is the likes of the Garmin Dakota/Oregon or Satmap that does the mapping but doesn't have half the stats the Edge does which also has the OS mapping too.

In regards to charging, my battery lasts usually 15hrs which I've tested a few times. How often would you be away from some form of charging point i.e. car charger or mains, unless you are on some very long ride like a C2C and camping in between, and even then you might be able to get hold of a mains from the likes of a pub or campsite.

There is the OSM, some hate it some love it, I tried it and didn't get on with it but it's always updated I guess so I won't dismiss it. You just have to be aware it is mapping thats made by people uploading stuff to it so the accuracy can be questionable or missing entirely.

For me its a no brainer, the Edge 800 does what the others do and more.

Briggo

alfablue wrote:

I found the bike mount fine, completely reliable.

I don't know all the details on what model does what, however the Dakota and Oregon (bigger) both have AA batteries (I get about 15 hours from 2 NiMH 2900mah AA's). They both have a touch screen, and there is a screen lock. The Edge 805 has a touch screen, don't know if it has a screen lock. I think a big difference is that the Edge series may not be able to use 3rd party (OSM) mapping whilst the Dakota, Oregon, and other non bike-specific Garmins can.

Yes the 800, (theres no such thing as the 805) can use OSM.

felix.london

Oh - the eTrex (20) has no touch screen just manly, rubberised buttons. Much better for snowboard mitts anyway Yeehaa

YeehaaMcgee

Can you lock the screen on the 800? So that if it's in a pocket or somesuch it doesn't stop the tracking or whatever?
I'm not overly interested in stats. I use Endomondo to keep track of miles done, and I'd more than likely still do the same even with a Garmin.

felix.london wrote:

Oh - the eTrex (20) has no touch screen just manly, rubberised buttons. Much better for snowboard mitts anyway Yeehaa

Ah - that might be just what I've been looking for.

Still not quite sure how these different units compare to each other.

alfablue

Regards charging, I have done various camping tours around Europe, yes there are ofen mains facilities, sometimes not, but definitely not mid ride if the battery runs out. Another advantage of AA batteries is that when the built-in Lithium battery dies (as it will eventually) or the battery loses capicity to a low level you unit needs replacing (unless you dismantle it and replace the battery yourself; not easy I gather).

As for statistics, the Dakota has more statistics than I would want (as I recall there are about 30 options you can choose for the data screen, with 7 fields at a time showing, including HR and Cadence). It doesn't do calories, but those that have colries on their Garmins will testify to the overoptimistic numbers it produces. The data is uploadable to Garmin Connect where you can analyse various stats such as HR zones etc.

As for OSM, I can only say in the last 12 months I have navigated entirely with those in UK, Greece (on land and a week at sea), Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain during the last 12 months, both on and off road, and I have found them completely satisfactory.

I would like an Edge for my UK day rides, it would be my first choice, but given far greater cost and the battery issue, the Dakota wins for my uses. If you only do day rides and have the money, the Edge would be great.

felix.london

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Can you lock the screen on the 800? So that if it's in a pocket or somesuch it doesn't stop the tracking or whatever?
I'm not overly interested in stats. I use Endomondo to keep track of miles done, and I'd more than likely still do the same even with a Garmin.

felix.london wrote:

Oh - the eTrex (20) has no touch screen just manly, rubberised buttons. Much better for snowboard mitts anyway Yeehaa

Ah - that might be just what I've been looking for.

Still not quite sure how these different units compare to each other.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00542NVDW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_10?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Briggo

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Can you lock the screen on the 800?

Yes you can, hold the power button and an options page appears with a 'lock' facility.

felix.london

alfablue wrote:

Regards charging, I have done various camping tours around Europe, yes there are ofen mains facilities, sometimes not, but definitely not mid ride if the battery runs out. Another advantage of AA batteries is that when the built-in Lithium battery dies (as it will eventually) or the battery loses capicity to a low level you unit needs replacing (unless you dismantle it and replace the battery yourself; not easy I gather).

Would agree with this for sure. If it's something I am to rely on up in the mountains I'd feel much better having a spare set (or two) of AA's in my pack (This goes for my avalanche transceiver and torch as well)

Briggo

Not that I would get it as I just have no need, as said with 15hrs of life it'd have to be one hell of a ride to run out but there are such things as portable USB battery chargers which provide an extra 5+ hours of life which are rechargeable and cost about £25, then there are more expensive ones that last lots longer.

Know Duracell do them, just an alternative to batteries

YeehaaMcgee

Briggo wrote:

Not that I would get it as I just have no need, as said with 15hrs of life it'd have to be one hell of a ride to run out but there are such things as portable USB battery chargers which provide an extra 5+ hours of life which are rechargeable and cost about £25, then there are more expensive ones that last lots longer.

Know Duracell do them, just an alternative to batteries

Yeah, but how much does a stock of AA batteries cost?

felix.london

Bought a 6-pack of Rechargeable Lithium Energizer AA batteries the other week for €17

felix.london

...tell a lie they were NiMH not Lithium

alfablue

I use Vapextech NiMH 2900mah NiMH batteries, they cost £5.50 for 4 delivered. I have a stock of about 20, use them daily for various devices (eg, GPS, Camera, DAB radio) and bike lights, I generally buy a further 8 each year as older ones start to tire. So £11 a year on batteries, not bad. On a week long tour I take most of them and don't usually run out.

Briggo

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Briggo wrote:

Not that I would get it as I just have no need, as said with 15hrs of life it'd have to be one hell of a ride to run out but there are such things as portable USB battery chargers which provide an extra 5+ hours of life which are rechargeable and cost about £25, then there are more expensive ones that last lots longer.

Know Duracell do them, just an alternative to batteries

Yeah, but how much does a stock of AA batteries cost?

True, rechargable AA's (decent ones like 2800mah) would be slightly cheaper but its just an alternative, it does a different job entirely as well i.e. it'll power your ipod when AA's wont.

Swings and roundabouts.

brindlescoops

Hmm lots of good points, as YHM says it would be good to get a GPS anorak to give us a compare the meerkat style rundown of whats what.

Its one of those things I am not sure as to whether it would get used once and then live forever in a cupboard drawer, or be an essential bit of kit used every time I leave the house. If the OS maps are £140 plus the price of the unit, its not something you would want to leave in the drawer.

Be great if you could hire or demo a unit for a day to suss out whats what.

YeehaaMcgee

As much as I am not a fan of the OpenMaps - they would be fine for 90% of my use, I suspect. I mostly use the GPS on my phone to mark out trails, which I then follow whilst out in the hills. I know the hills well enough to not get truly lost, but some less-travelled paths are sometimes hard to see on the ground.
Given that use, I'm not sure how much map detail I need, really.

pilch

How about a 705, i've had one for 3 years now, I use it all the time... it only has 'basic' mapping, contours, roads etc, but you can upload gpx routes and it has the majority of the features of the 800 without the OS mapping or touchscreen stuff.

The handlebar mount looks basic but between my other half & me we have 6 bikes with them on and not one of them has failed.

I bought a 'reconditioned' NOH unit for my mrs, came with all the original packaging and if you didn't know you would think it was brand new, also had 12 months guarantee - £179

http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/6399/garmin-edge-705-heart-rate-monitor-noh