Best GPS for caving

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Best GPS for caving

Postby cavemike » Feb 19, 2012 3:43 pm

I have a GPS Etrex ($100 yellow) that I bought about 10 or 12 years ago.

Want to buy an new GPS and curious about what other cavers are using. Likes, dislikes. Did a search and could not find the topic.

Give me your opinion. Also I have an android smart phone and wonder what GPS apps cavers are finding useful.

If these subjects are on the forum already provide a link.

Thanks,
Mike
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby NZcaver » Feb 19, 2012 4:25 pm

The only GPS units I've bought in recent years have been Garmin Nuvi models mostly for vehicle use, but here's a list of previous GPS topics from the last 6 years:

What brand/model GPS do you use??, GPS recommendations, GPS receivers, GPS questions, What to look for in a GPS?, New Garmin GPS, GPS Questions, Vehicle-mounted GPS (including poll question), GPS for Auto and Field.

FYI - the term "GPS" doesn't show up in the forum search results because our Google-driven search engine ignores queries with 3 letters or less. One way around this is to try a regular google search for "cavechat gps" or similar. Hope this helps.
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby Chads93GT » Feb 19, 2012 5:35 pm

I can't seem to get any gps to work while caving.
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby boogercaver71 » Jan 21, 2015 2:23 pm

I now use a Garmin Oregon 550t which use Basecamp as its software. I also have a Magellan Explorist 610 which uses Vantage Point. The topo maps for Garmin are OK, but I much prefer the Nat Geo maps downloaded off Magellan website in the field. In Garmin, you can manipulate waypoint symbols (size and shape) where you can't with the Magellan. Both have an electronic compass, which works pretty well, and both have cameras which are pretty average.
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby logicvortex » Jan 21, 2015 3:21 pm

I currently use Gaia GPS on my android. Check it out: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .pro&hl=en
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby Lava » Jan 21, 2015 5:49 pm

logicvortex wrote:I currently use Gaia GPS on my android. Check it out: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .pro&hl=en


Looks interesting! My experience with my handheld GPS is that it can last for a whole week in the backcountry, but with my smartphone (even in airplane mode w/GPS on) it only lasts a few hours. How do you get around this limitation?
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby Chads93GT » Jan 21, 2015 10:41 pm

Garmin GPSMAP 60csx............... lost it ridge walking this week. It was beat to death.............

so I just bought another off ebay. Why? Because its compatible with nat geo's TOPO! program and the MSS database is managed through topo, as far as sharing coordinates with contributors. Yes its only got 1000 waypoints instead of the 5000 that newer garmin's have, but the newer ones arent direct plug and play compatible with Topo!
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Re: Best GPS for caving

Postby jeffkruse » Jan 23, 2015 11:55 am

Lava wrote:
logicvortex wrote:I currently use Gaia GPS on my android. Check it out: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .pro&hl=en


Looks interesting! My experience with my handheld GPS is that it can last for a whole week in the backcountry, but with my smartphone (even in airplane mode w/GPS on) it only lasts a few hours. How do you get around this limitation?


Also, the Iphone shuts down when cold. That is why I mainly use a Garmin Oregon 450 but I to am looking for a better replacement. I don't like the size of their next model. I want bigger than a 450 but smaller than their next size up. I liked (mine is old and doesn't work like new) the touch screen on the 450. I liked (my memory card inside the unit doesn't work any more) the birdseye images which are so big you need to store them on the memory card. I liked (the switch boot tore off) the power switch. My unit still works but I have abused it over 6 years of caving in Puerto Rico.

Gaia on my Iphone works much better and is more accurate but the Garmin is what I use as a primary. It also took me hundreds of hours figuring out how to work the thing and download maps and such.
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