Figured now was a good time to ask about this... and hopefully some of you have some recommendations.

Back in 2004 (when GPS was still catching on) Natasha and I acquired a nice little Garmin etrex GPS unit. It was OK as far as GPS units go for the time, but it's always been a bugger to operate and I can't seem to get data out of it when I do hike. Plus, it seems to loose it's signal under trees and such.

What I really want is a GPS unit I can cut on when I start a hike, it track our movements (attached to my pack) and then later I can pull the data off it and put it in my PC... in a GPS program or whatever. If it can tell me distances, etc that'd be great too. Don't really care about roads as much... just want something that can track our path.

Any ideas what is good?

Garmin Forerunner 205

Been drooling over this baby for the last few months, but for your uses (as much as I want someone to buy this so I can ask a bunch of questions) the- Garmin GPS 60

REI
Ideal for adventurers on a budget, this compact navigator features an easy-to-read display and a highly accurate, WAAS-enabled Quad Helix antenna.

* Large, monochrome, sunlight-readable, four-level grayscale screen with a bright LED backlight makes it easy to find your way, day or night
* State-of-the-art Quadhelix antenna improves satellite lock even in dense cover or mountainous terrain; accepts external antenna hook-up
* Connect to your computer through the USB or serial connections for fast data transfer; cable included
* Standard basemaps cover worldwide cities with populations of 200K and above, plus nautical navaids for North and South America
* 1-MB of internal memory and MapSource® Trip and Waypoint Manager software (included) organizes and downloads data
* Travel and save up to 50 routes, stores up to 500 customized waypoints
* Innovative rocker switch allows quick, accurate panning
* Trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed and more
* Proximity alerts for anchor drag, arrival, off-course, proximity waypoint; built-in alarm clock
* Includes geolocation games, such as Virtual Maze, Nibbons, Geko® Smak, and Memory Race
* Batteries last up to 28 hours for extra outdoor enjoyment
* Waterproof construction keeps unit functioning; meets IEC 60529 lPX7 standards (submerge 1-meter for 30 minutes)
* USB PC-interface cable, belt clip, lanyard, Waypoint Manager CD-Rom software, manual and quick start guide included

Nice. I like the USB option, and the waterproof is a must. And that's a good price.

I'll have to check this out... maybe I can find one locally. Thanks Dave

Im a big fan of theirs, guy I do most of my backpacking with use one, he loves his. Me I aim to get the Forerunner 305, will do all this.....

# Wireless heart rate transmitting chest strap has a soft, comfortable strap; digitally transmits to the wrist unit
# Navigation capabilities let you mark locations, find locations or navigate back to the starting point
# Calculates calorie consumption based on user's weight, distance traveled and hills climbed
# Records lap history by day and week, stores up to 200 workouts in its memory
# Online training log, interactive mapping and performance analysis at www.MotionBased.com, available for FREE or upgrade to the pay subscription
# Pace alarm sounds if you're running either faster or slower than your programmed pace
# Time/distance alarm alerts when you've reached a desired time or distance
# Display is backlit for easy viewing in low light
# Water-resistant construction meets IPX7 standards (submersible 1-meter for 30 minutes)
# Operates approximately 10 hours on its rechargeable lithium ion battery; A/C charger included

Still not sure, they also have some 'bike specific', however at their site it is claimed that the 305 has the same functions. Just got to sucker someone into getting one so I can find out for sure . LOL

Dave do you think the Garmin GPS60 could do maps like this guy did?

http://great-hikes.com/blog/kalalau-trail-map/

I haven't worked with these in a number of years. I assume it tracks your path, but that you have to manually set way points as you go.

Also, any idea how he put this into Google earth?

kanaloa wrote:

Dave do you think the Garmin GPS60 could do maps like this guy did? http://great-hikes.com/blog/kalalau-trail-map/ I haven't worked with these in a number of years. I assume it tracks your path, but that you have to manually set way points as you go. Also, any idea how he put this into Google earth?

Well I found these, but I have no personal experience (Im still saving for my first Garmin, heck this year my big move is to a 'cadence' meter added to my cycle computer).
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2005/10/converting_goog.html
http://www.marengo-ltd.com/gps/
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=forerunner
http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2005/09/garmin_supports.html

I listen to a cycling podcast when i travel, and he was mentioning doing this (with also tracking other factors, like cadence, heart rate, calories burned, power out put and so i figure if an Garmin can do all that, surely one of those will). But as for which software or group offers the best solution, sorry I dont have any experience...yet. But as soon as I do, I will post. but that is no help now, I know.

Thanks Dave. I guess we are looking for different kinds of devices in a way too. I guess I'm still paranoid bc of how "simple" (features wise) my other GPS was. Ironically it was incredibly complex to use though. It didn't do much for me and had issues connecting in heavy brush. My TomTom on the other hand connects in anything and is extremely easy to use. So if I can find a handheld unit that is easy enough to use and can import data in to my PC... I'm all for it.

Will check those links out. I've still got three months from today to decide.

Hi!
Do you know how much does this cost, a normal one? It is possible that these devices are sold in vietnam too. But I have not found any dealer yet.

thanks,

I didn't know that ASUS had a GPS unit much less several. I am getting the R300 for my bike

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=21