[Closed] Best GPS Unit for MTB?

Garmin eTrex.

Reason and any specific model?

Almost any of them (depends how much you want it to do), although if I where changing my Vista I'd go for an HCX or similar with mini sd card slot).
Reasons: They can be bought fairly cheap, rugged, waterproof, can be mounted on the bars without fear of breaking it, can simply record where you've been or can be loaded with a predefined route so it will literally point you inthe right direction ........ oh and they and seem to have a good resale value (especially if you bought used in the first place).

Also build in the cost of software or decide how you will load routes etc and if you like using the software.

I use a garmin Extrex Legend and Memory Map (I'd seem them used before and I got them secondhand).

Pros - cheap about £120 all in, nearly good enough to ride by. (Route, direction arrow, pretty accurate and if you build the 'route' to the route can be very good), also tracks, avg speed etc doesn't do altitude but you get thta bia MM.

Cons - no rolling OS map, batteries can shake lose (etrex fault - blutack etc fix), loses fix under trees.

If money were no object I'd get one that displayed as rolling OS50,000 as I've used them for 35 years ...

loses fix under trees.

The "H" models don't.

Do you use those liney GPS's with a map or on its own. Is it just a geek thing if you have to use with a map or is it any use? I can't work out how the ones with just a line would be very useful unless you were up the creek and it was 0 visibility or were rubbish at reading maps. I would like one that showed a full OS map though. Do you have to pay a lot for them?

I've been using the Samap Active 10 and been really impressed with it.

I've used the etrex family/memory map combo before and got on ok with them, but for ease of use, it knocks spots off them.
It is pricey in comparison, however £380 gets you the unit, leads,rechargeable battery (you can use AA's as well) and on-line planning, but you do need to buy mapping on top of that. How much that costs, depends on how much mapping you want - full uk at 1:50,000 is £200

Think the eTrex is what i'm looking for, any models to avoid andy pitfalls with them?

oh, and cheers for the responses, very helpful!

Stew - page 5 of [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-fancy-a-tweed-valley-stw-meet-type-thing/page/5 ]this recent thread[/url] has some info that the venerable HouseHusband put up, via his etrex H; enough to convince me to have one winging its way right now (£65 off Amazon, + usb cable + bike mount, + map software yet to be decided. Look down below the photos). At the mo' I'm only really looking for recording-type info, & not so much planning routes. I found the [url= http://www.tracklogs.co.uk/cgi-bin/publ/user.cgi?obj=gps ]Tracklogs[/url] website quite helpful.
(look down below the photos!)

If you're dead keen on using a GPS with an OS map system you could also get an old windows mobile smartphone (like the C500 or C550) of ebay for very little money.
These can be loaded with the mobile version of memory map and the OS maps of your choice. All you need then is a little bluetooth gps and away you go. You get a small, light phone and a moving map with your location pinpointed at all times.
I used this system (all old gear that I already had in a drawer so no cost involved) last winter when night riding in Delamere as a back up in case we got lost amongst the hundreds of trails. Worked well but not in the same league as an eTrex.

Think the eTrex is what i'm looking for, any models to avoid andy pitfalls with them?

If you can, go for an H model (better reception) with a memory card slot to chuck the maps onto.

eTrex do have a habit of switching themselves off but this is due to the batteries moving slightly on rocky ground and losing their connection. Easy fix is to add some tape to the inside of the battery lid to make up the slack - or use high capacity rechargeables which seem to be a little bigger than your average duracells.

Anyone know which Etrex is best for MTB?

Vista, legend or Summit? can't work out which is gonna be Best

The Etrex H is a good basic unit but does not do mapping. If you want mapping you need the Etrex Legend HCx then you can spend a fortune on garmin mapsource products or get the free open source maps. The maps will be vector graphics not OS 50k or 25k bitmaps.

If you want OS bitmaps then you will need to get a Satmap Active 10 or a garmin dakota 20 or oregon 200 with Garmin GB Discoverer 1:50K map

If you want more than just navigation (cadence and heart rate and training profiles) then look at the gamin edge range.

If you don't want navigation at all and want to find out where you/your spouse has been then look at the i-gotU GPS Travel Tracker V2
£39.99 at maplin

Price difference between the Legend HCx and Vista HCx was minimal when I bought mine, and in fact due to special offer, the Vista was actually cheaper. Think the Summit doesn't have an "x" version (ie no microSD slot) so no real ability to add maps?

I got the Vista HCx because it's a breeze to add OpenStreetMap maps onto microSD card, and the unit just sits in the back pocket. OS maps are not so useful here, but OSM ones are 95%+ complete around here.

If you are after cheap mapping and just want contour mapping on your etrex then the SMC have links [URL] http://www.smc.org.uk/ContourMaps.php [/URL] to good quality free contour maps of the UK based on data from space shuttle radar mapping.

I'll keep quiet about the three replacement HCx's I've had in 4 months shall I? Or the 3 week wait from raising a call on their Garmin website (which is the official path for raising support calls), to getting a response. Yes, I'll not mention any of that, I was beaten down quite heavily last time if I remember rightly.

no other GPS experience but i like my etrex venture hc. dont know why you need a card slot, the basic memory can hold most of the memory maps for scotland with no probs. i use the usb to load maps onto it not sure what everyone else is doing?
no prob with batteries coming loose and reception is always perfect as long as you are outdoors, waterproof, takes knocks with no probs and has more functions than ill ever need. honestly cant fault it i always have it with me when im on the bike.

I had the venture also, but I fall down and broke it. In meantime till I don't buy anything new, or even used venture because they are pretty cheap, i'm using the GPS unit on my mobile phone with proper applications for this like [url= http://www.sportypal.com ]sportypal[/url], or [url= http://nokia.sportstracker.com ]nokia sportstracker[/url]. They have all the basic mapping functions and the usual speed, altitude, climbing,etc. plus sporty has some other features on their site. And even i was able to upload the GPX tracks from before.