Choosing a handheld GPS…

Alright, I am looking into buying a handheld GPS. This will be my first GPS, and I am looking for opinions/experiences to help me make my choice. I don’t want any posts bashing other units, I’d just like to hear about your GPS experience.

Things I’m curious about:

1. Battery life
2. Mapping abilities
3. Durability
4. Ease of seeing the display
5. Advantages of either color or B&W
6. Quickness of locking onto satellites
7. Anything you feel your GPS has and does not need
8. Anything you wish was improved about your GPS

I’ve heard a lot about the Lowrance H20 and H20c, but not too much about any other models.

So, give me the lowdown, folks!

Thanks!

I just recently bought a Magellan Pro Series on ebay for about 120 bucks. I will be using it this winter for ice fishing, and maybe a little for deer hunting. I’m not an expert when it comes to GPS units, but the little messing around that i’ve done with it has got me real excited to put it to use. And it will be perfect for what i’m using it for. However, I’m sure there are many people who would not even waste their time with my basic unit. So i was wondering what you are going to be using it for, do you want to use it as a navagation system in your vehicle? Above all, what is your price range?

I’ll be mainly using it as a fishing aid. And I’d like to keep it under $300.

The lowrance units are great!! They are sharp, quick and I think fairly easy to use. I will be selling my mono and going to color soon. The H2Oc is really nice – my friend has it, but remember to bring extra batteries – they are a little harder on them.

I bought a Magellan SportTrack Map (I think that’s the name??) and it’s been great… the only drawback is that I can’t download lake maps into it. Not really too much of a problem though, unless you’re using it for navigation. I just look at a good topo map (like the HotSpots maps) and manually enter waypoints for potential hot-bite zones.

Other than that, it’s been a great unit – relatively cheap, good road-mapping capabilities (uses MapSend software to upload detailed road maps), lightweight, good battery life if truly handheld or I just plug it into the cigarette lighter plug to run it on the boat or in the truck.

Would I buy one again? Maybe but I’d rather have one that you could load lake maps into.

Ryan, You’ve probably seen that I like the H2OC. Here’s the skinny…

One of the first things I consider with the purchase of a GPS is what maps can I run on this unit? I like that the H2OC will run Navioncis maps or Lakemaster maps. I like the color and find it easier to read the mapping. I also like the fact that I can use Mapcreate on my H2OC and use it in my vehicle. Mapcreate has just about every little backroad you can imagine. Even I can’t get lost with this thing. The battery life is going to vary on all units and a GPS will consume more battery if you have the light of bright. I like the fact that the H2OC comes with the cigarette lighter adapter so I can conserve batteries whenever possible. I carry spare batteries if I am away from the truck or boat. I wish all GPS units locked on to satellites faster but the fact is it takes a little while until they warm up. My H2OC does fine as far as I’m concerned, as well as any other HH GPS.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with the H2OC in my opinion.

I have the H20 and run the Navionics Premium North chip in it. The only thing I would do different is get the H20C. The color is a huge advantage for looking at maps. The chips will display in full color (weeds are green, shore is brown etc…). On the monochrome units they show up, but it takes a bit more time to decifer what’s on the screen.

I’ve used mine in the boat, on the road, ice fishing, mushroom picking, deer hunting, and for many other things.

I carry 2 extra sets of rechargable batteries with me.

I have the Garmin E treks Vista! It does everything I want it too. And things that I do not need it to! The battery life is not that great! I probably could have gotten away with a cheaper unit and now would pick a different brand aswell! my .02

H2O & color if you can afford.

Read what Wade said twice!! I second the H2OC, they have some minor issues that I like to complain about, but the best bang for your buck

I’ve heard a lot about the Lowrance H20 and H20c, but not too much about any other models.

You got it in what you said

H2O here all the way great little units Wade is right on!!

Hey Ralph, I read on other sites that the majority of guys seem to like the h20c. I went to buy one and ended up with a ifinder expedtion C, basically the same unit with a few more bells and whistles. the main thing I like is I can swap the chip from the hand held to the boat unit. That’s great for ice fishing or if I go with a buddy in his boat I can bring the hand held and have that data in my boat the next time I go to that area. The differences between h20 and expedtion are 16 satilites instead of 12, electronic compass, barimetic pressure and trends, mp2 player. Good luck with your purchase, go to lowrance.com for differences in units, I had fun learning to use mine.

I also run the Expedition C. I use it for travel, on the bow of my boat, ice fishing, elk hunting ect. I run the lithium battries in mine and they are well worth the extra they cost, plus these units are supposed to float with the lithiums in it but I’m not testing that theory.

Wades the man to talk to great prices and faster than fast service.

I did my research last year, and love my H2O. I compared mine to the color unit, and the c is so much nicer.

I don’t think you would need the MapCreate software if you have the LakeMaster chip in it unless MapCreate gives you turn by turn directions. I use mine in my truck to find an address, and many other POI’s. It has almost all the streets in it, just like a map, but you can zoom in and out.

The thing is a phone book also…I used it to call Beanies and Pappy’s on the St. Croix along with other marina’s. I’ve used it to find out how long Hunters was open up at Mille Lacs because I was hungry, and I’ve used it to find the nearest store or highway exit.

Oh, and the H2O is really customizable. You can pick an choose what you want on the screen.

You can go to the Lowrance web site and download a product emulator so you can play with it on your computer.

Ryan, you have a lake place right? PM me the lake and I’ll let you know how the detail for that lake is.

I’ve been doing some research recently, my specific interests are in utilizing the Lakemaster Pro maps for Minnesota and Wisconsin for both open water and ice fishing. The most important thing for you to consider is how and what you plan to use the unit for.

I’ve owned 3 Garmin handheld GPS’s for the past 10 years, used them primarily for hunting. The only items I’d add to your list of features to consider are LCD size and resolution.

I’m leaning toward the Lowrance iFinder H2Oc (c = color). The color helps but I really like the high resolution screen. Compared to Garmin is seems like you get quite a bit for your money with Lowrance.

So my concerns about Lowrance handhelds…durability and reliability. I’ve heard complaints about the power cables shorting out and the LCD screens getting scratched up and difficult to read. In the store I experienced a problem with the memory card seating…hope this isn’t too much of a problem.

My current Garmin Unit is a GPS V (discontinued), while the Lakemaster maps will work with this Unit the LCD is too small for the boat and doesn’t have the resolution of the Lowrance H2Oc.

Hope this helps, good luck!