I don't hike, backpack, hunt, or geocache......just river running and kayak touring. Would the Etrex 10 work well enough for my needs, or would I be best with the Etrex 20? I don't want to spend a ton of money on a GPS, but want one that works for my needs and is simple to use. Got that 20% off REI coupon sitting here staring at meI'll second the e-trex series, the 20 works well for my backpacking, hunting, geocaching and boating needs. For the same price range as the oregon sale, the etrex bundle comes with maps. I also recomend using the garmin base camp software and the caribiner clip accessory.
Thanks. Great info for comparison. Looks like the 20 has a lot more capabilities that I may use a some point.Hey Cataraftgirl,
Try this link for a comparison of features between the different models. Garmin eTrex GPS Comparison | Differnces between eTrex GPS units - GPS Central Canada
Besides the difference between being black and white or color, the ability to download maps and add an sds card is enough for me to go with the 20 over the 10. If you are not going to use that feature, then I'd go with the 10..... due to my luck with electronics in the wilderness. The 10 would be more for following your progress, speed and such on the river. The 20 you could set up the trip before you go....in color.....and track your progress more accurately with maps that don't come preloaded.
Jim, I have a Garmin Montana 650T, the big brother to the Oregon and I like it a lot. I don't use it a ton because like mikeslc I use my phone about 90% of the time, off the river. I do use the GPS on the river because it's truly waterproof (mine spent about 15 minutes bouncing down the John Day this spring) and my phone is potentially a more valuable piece of emergency technology (having gps and communications abilities, I'd rather save it for emergency use). I bought mine for work (actually they bought it) but rarely use it anymore for that purpose. I ended up getting a resource grade gps for field work (nothing against the Montana, just needed better accuracy) and now just use the Garmin for personal trips (as a GPS) and as a camera for work. It does has a fair camera which is beyond useful to me, that's actually most of it's life right now, my geotagging camera. It doesn't take gallery quality photos buy any means but does perfect for project documentation. I don't think the Oregon 600 has a camera, maybe the 650 does?REI has a pretty good price on the Garmin Oregon 600 GPS ($250.00). The most recent Amazon reviews are not that good. Just wondering if any of you have experience with this device or maybe can recommend a better unit.
Yes I did use the search bar but all that info is fairly old now as it seems opinions change rapidly with tech stuff. Thanks for any help.
Jim
I guess I should clarify my usage as well, On the river I leave it on all day and often check float distances and average speeds.I typically bring 2 rechargeable AAs per day with two extra just in case.I'm not sure about the Oregon series but my Montana batteries last forever. I have gotten two full days of field use with it (on about 8 hours a day) on one charge and on our Oregon trip this year I used it for 4 days on the JD (on and off) and still had half battery life. It boots up really fast so turning it off in between uses is fine. On the river I'd typically turn it on every few hours to check location and progress, then leave it on for the last few miles while searching for camps. Mine has the rechargeable battery pack but can take three AA's. It lasts half as long with the AA's.
