MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Had an email through today from memory map offering £75 trade in on any old GPS for a Adventurer 3500. I'm very tempted (its my birthday soon) but I've heard very good things about the satmap too. Any experieces with either, or Garmin etc equivalent? What's best value for money? I already have a (legal) copy of mem map so I think there's a bit of discount available there.
Satmap works fine. Bit bulky on the bars. Screen is good size. Easy to navigate with. Reasonable robust and weatherproof. Decent customer service.
New Garmin screen looks smaller - don't know if this adversely affects viewing of OS maps. Appears to sit better on the bars. Read about some screen cracking that was not supported by warranty.
I found the MM - the older one - really clunky in use, but it may be easier if you're used to MM software already. And if your original mapping is transferrable, you'll save money there too.
I think the Satmap works really well - best of the bunch if you want OS mapping on a GPS - more intuitive, big, clear screen.
Garmin technically does it all too, but the screens are a tad small and OS maps don't seem to display well compared to other options and some of the menu nesting arrangements are just plain annoying, like the trip computer re-set.
If you have a smartphone, have a look at ViewRanger software as well, which would probably be a winner on value for money, since you don't have to buy new hardware. It works really well too.
Overall, they'll all do the job and I suspect you'll get used to working with any software with experience, a bit like a computer OS, the human brain is pretty adaptable, so it'll eventually work out how things function, but for me anyway, the Satmap is significantly better than owt else displaying OS mapping, but it's not the cheapest option out there.
There's a Lowrance thing out there as well, runs Quo, again doesn't seem very intuitive in use, like the MM it's kind of computer software ported to a GPS unit rather than designed from the ground up to work with one like the Satmap or Garmin.
I recently downloaded the memory map app to my iphone and transferred all my memory map OS mapping over to the phone
I know is no real comparison to a standalone GPS unit but if the MM app is anything to go by the user interface is quite user unfriendly and not the easiest to navigate round. I would hope their GPS units are easier to use as I also got that email and was tempted to trade in the old Garmin Edge 205 as I would get £85 off, which is way more than the Edge is worth secondhand
SatMap for me. Great bit of kit and good large bright screen.
cheers.
found a couple of reviews of the 3500 and it looks like they had teething problems when it was released. I need to look into it more to see if they've been fixed.
Don't have a smartphone, and don't really want one as they're not as robust as a dedicated GPS (my phone is a Nokia 3720 Classic, so it is sturdy)
satmap does look good, but costs more than the Mem Map
Garmin Oregon with OS 1:50 maps here & I find it very good after a firmware update from Garmin, OS screen shots [url= http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=73252&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60 ]Here[/url]
I have the Dakota 20 and it fits the bill for me, the screen is small but it's easy to use even with gloves on, does everything I need it for.
I use a Satmap - superb bit of kit
Decent size screen, straight forward menus, seems tough (mines been on the bars in a few crashes and is still working)