which handheld gps is good?

I posted this question once and didn’t get a response. Are there any suggestions for a great gps, I was looking at the Rino 655t. Thank you, Ray.

I have the Lowrance Endura Safari with a Hotspots USA lake map chip. I really like this setup.

Seems like a small screen size. I really like the Garmin Montana series.

Great Timing…. Just spent two hours looking at lower end units for ice fishing:
Garmin E-Trex 10-20-30,
Garmin Dakota,
Magellan Explorist,
Lowrance Endura Out&Back.

I know the Lowrance accepts most lake map chips, not sure of the other brands.

Any pros & cons would be appreciated.

Thanks

Pete

I had a Garmin Dakota 20 until it got ran over. I really liked it. I believe Garmin only takes Garmin lake chips now.

So how are the Garmin lake map chips?

I have a garmin Oregon 550t with lakemaster chip and I Love the setup. works great.

Do you have a smartphone?

BackCountry Navigator is an excellent gps program for iPhone or Android. I’ve been using it for 2 years. $10 to buy the full version, free to try.

Fully compatable with Google Earth so you can export your data and view it on your PC.

Grouse

I’m afraid to say that I don’t own a smart phone. I had a Lowrance Safari last year and it accidently dropped in my bucket of water and fish. Needless to say I found out it was not waterproof. It ruined my Navionics chip and the unit. I have to start over again, but this time with a waterproof unit. Ray

Quote:

---

So how are the Garmin lake map chips?

---

Garmin has these as perminant downloads that are identical to the Lakemaster chips. The Garmin lake data is top notch.

I really appreciate the great info. Thank you very much, Ray.

I have a lowrance out & back… I loved the unit until it got what some forums commonly refer to as “the white screen of death” a month after warrantee. I think I will be sticking with Garmin from here on out.

Hand held GPS are convenient, but the screen size is way too small. I have been using a Lowrance H20 for years and squinting the whole time.

I would recommend spending the money on a sonar/GPS unit and set it up in a blue box type system. I would use it as GPS only so you can get the bigger screen view. Something like the Humminbrd 500 series so you have a 5 inch screen makes life a lot easier. Buy off an auction site and not much more money invested than you would on a handheld with a 2 inch screen.

I stayed up late last night and did some serious research. I found the Garmin Oregon 650 looks to be a great fit. A fairly big 4″ screen that is waterproof, an eight megapixel camera, can be used as a flashlight and a few other great features in a Garmin.

Quote:

---

Hand held GPS are convenient, but the screen size is way too small. I have been using a Lowrance H20 for years and squinting the whole time.

I would recommend spending the money on a sonar/GPS unit and set it up in a blue box type system. I would use it as GPS only so you can get the bigger screen view. Something like the Humminbrd 500 series so you have a 5 inch screen makes life a lot easier. Buy off an auction site and not much more money invested than you would on a handheld with a 2 inch screen.

---

I second this to a large extent. I’ve run a 62st handheld with LM chip on the ice for the last four or so years and find the small screen a bit of a hindrance. I am now looking at a full sized unit that I can mount to my ATV instead. I’ve used the handheld attached to my computer for pre-planning through Basecamp software and prefer to continue pre-planning at home on my computer monitor and haven’t yet found a unit with compatible software that I’m comfortable with enough to pull the trigger.

When is Humminbird developing a handheld GPS unit? This market is all but void of what many ice fisherman and walk-in fisherman are looking for. I would be first in line if HB were to develop a handheld GPS unit that accepts LakeMaster and has terrestrial maps for hunting. The 788 is just to big to use efficiently when walking out on the ice. On the wheeler/sled/truck, that is a different story. I currently have been using my iPhone Navionics when walking out.

I’m on standby for a good hand held as well. And I need to see demonstrated with available chips in person. Luckily my H2o with LM chips is still working fine.