Recommendations on Garmin Handheld GPS

NDGuy

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Hi everyone,

I just picked up Traxmaps West from my local sportsman show. The chip only works in Garmin units so I am looking at purchasing a handheld GPS for hunting. What are your recommendations? Cabelas seems to have a good deal on a lot of the units.

Etrex 20x 169.99
GPSMAP 64S 299.99
GPSMAP 64 199.99
GPSMAP 78 199.99
GPSMAP 78S 299.99
Oregon 600 249.99
Oregon 650T 289.99
RINO 650 349.99

The Oregon/Montana/Rino intrigues me but not sure how I feel about the touch screen, any of you experienced issues with that?
I am definitely a bigger fan of buttons at this point so maybe save some cash and get more of the budget model.

Let me know your thoughts thank you.
 

go4thegusto

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I have used Oregon touch models for years and they are great. battery life could be better but that isn't likely to change. The more I use maps and the more I age I am looking hard at the Montana big screen. Pretty heavy though....I have been stalling hoping for a new model to come out with large screen and lighter.
 
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NDGuy

NDGuy

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I have used Oregon touch models for years and they are great. battery life could be better but that isn't likely to change. The more I use maps and the more I age I am looking hard at the Montana big screen. Pretty heavy though....I have been stalling hoping for a new model to come out with large screen and lighter.

The touch screen hasn't given you trouble? Any trouble without the external antenna with connectivity?
 
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I just bought a garmin 64s for 249.99 with free shipping. Ordered it from The GPS Store, Inc. on a Thursday evening and had it on my door step the following Monday. Free shipping and quick delivery. I haven't messed with it much but thought it was worth mentioning because of the price I got it at vs the price you listed. Good luck.
 
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I have one of the Rhinos that were made before the touch screen models were made and it has been great. I've heard of the touch screen models freezing up and not turning back on until they were warmed up in the truck.
 
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NDGuy

NDGuy

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I just bought a garmin 64s for 249.99 with free shipping. Ordered it from The GPS Store, Inc. on a Thursday evening and had it on my door step the following Monday. Free shipping and quick delivery. I haven't messed with it much but thought it was worth mentioning because of the price I got it at vs the price you listed. Good luck.

What's the difference between the S and the regular 64?


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LandYacht

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The big differences being no barometer or compass in the 64.


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NDGuy

NDGuy

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The big differences being no barometer or compass in the 64.


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Thanks my scheels has the 64 S for 299.99 but will price match. Think I'm going to pull the trigger.


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LandYacht

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I've never been sad with mine. I added an On X chip to it. You will get a year of Garmins Birdseye too.


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go4thegusto

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The touch screen hasn't given you trouble? Any trouble without the external antenna with connectivity?
No and no...been trouble free. Garmin is great. Buy at Scheels with CC and they add 1 year to warranty. I have never sent in a Garmin product however.
 
Joined
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I have a Montana and an InReach. If I were in in the position of purchasing, I would consider going with an Inreach and smartphone, since I already have the smartphone, and it will connect via Bluetooth, providing a much larger view-able screen; as long as my needs could be met. With all the mapping apps, and the fact that smartphones can accept SD, micro-SD... I would think that you could get your gps/mapping needs met with the InReach-smartphone combo, while also have slightly delayed texting communication ability, and the ability to summon emergency assistance if necessary.
 

xziang

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I'm partial to the 62 64 style ones. I'll admit I am biased for I still use my 60csx.

Will say the small screen on the later ones for satellite imagery is not very fun but does get the job done. (if needed)
 
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NDGuy

NDGuy

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I went with the 64S to go with my Traxwest map chip. I love it so far! Thanks for the suggestions!
 

JohnnyB

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Used a 64s last season with OnX. Worked great, made use of a couple of tutorials.

The only negative I experienced was that battery life seemed pretty short. I understand that by shutting down some of the apps like barometer, battery usage is improved but I never messed with it. I just planned on a new set of batteries each day.

I really enjoyed downloading the info to the Garmin software on my computer. Birdseye imagery was a great addition as well.
 

Hunter Sargent

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Used a 64s last season with OnX. Worked great, made use of a couple of tutorials.

The only negative I experienced was that battery life seemed pretty short. I understand that by shutting down some of the apps like barometer, battery usage is improved but I never messed with it. I just planned on a new set of batteries each day.

I really enjoyed downloading the info to the Garmin software on my computer. Birdseye imagery was a great addition as well.

New batteries every day?!?! I ran a Rino 530HCx for a week on the same batteries and is still showed 90% battery left at the end of the hunt. I didn't have it on the whole time, though.
 

ndbuck09

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I have an Oregon and really like it. Also, since you already have a mapping chip, buy the basic model Oregon as the more expensive one has preloaded maps, which you don't need since you already have something.

Additionally, you can get free maps to load here: GPSFileDepot - Free Custom Garmin Maps, Ximage hosting, tutorials, articles and more for your GPSr

I'm in Idaho and the Idaho topo from that site is all I ever need really, running GAIA on my phone for reference aerials on the occasions I want to look at that perspective.
 
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I have an etrex 30, which is like the 20, but altimiter-assisted elevation and a few other fancier features. Still bare bones though. I run mine whenever I'm moving and change batteries every third day. I'm generally out all day, so it's on about 14 hours. Simple to use.

I found on my last hunt where I had cell service on the ridgetops that I really liked my phone and having Google Maps open, in both the terrain map mode or satellite image mode, depending on if I wanted to see the lay of the land or the vegetation. My next purchase after I get a new phone will be the onX phone app. The GPS screen is small and the onX base map isn't that great zoomed out.
 

jaypope

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Central NC
I have a Montana and an InReach. If I were in in the position of purchasing, I would consider going with an Inreach and smartphone, since I already have the smartphone, and it will connect via Bluetooth, providing a much larger view-able screen; as long as my needs could be met. With all the mapping apps, and the fact that smartphones can accept SD, micro-SD... I would think that you could get your gps/mapping needs met with the InReach-smartphone combo, while also have slightly delayed texting communication ability, and the ability to summon emergency assistance if necessary.

Question on wireless/Bluetooth connection between a Garmin 64st (with OnXmaps Montana chip) & iPhone 7 (OnXmaps app installed)...

Will I be able to use my phone screen to see what's on my 64st even without a cell signal?

I guess my question is, do I need both a gps (with onx chip) & smartphone (with onx app)?


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