GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I’m shopping for a GPS unit and I’ve narrowed my choices to the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx and the Lowrance IFinder Hunt C. I will be using a GPS unit for highway traveling, hunting, as wildlife photographer to mark photo locations and most importantly, for my safety.

If you have one of these units, what’s your opinion? If there is one better than these, let me know and explain your reasons.

Thanks

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I've never used a Lowrance.I'm not familar with the model you're interested in. The wife and I both have Garmin's. Her's is a C330 and mine is a newer model the C530.We are very impressed with them. However they get confused when a new road isn't completed.I'm sure all of them will do the same.On the wife's modelthey updated the plug on the mounting bracket.Her's the wire was fraided from use. One email and Garmin sent a new revised bracket for it.They do stand behind their products.To me that's worth allot. Service after the sale.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I own an I finder hunt c and love it , just got done mapping all my stand locations as well as feeders. One word of advice is to buy some good quality rechargeable batterys . Check out www.digitalcarte.comthey have the i finder hunt c plus for 380.00, thats about a hundred less then anywhere else. hope this helps


Pat

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

Thanks for your feedback. Have you used it for road travel? If so, how well did it work?

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I use a Garmin eTrex Vista C, it is not too hard to operate the basic functions and theres plenty of memory. You will need to purchase the MapSource Topo for hunting, it has everything down to trails in almost every area in the US. Also for traveling the Mapsource MetroGuide is very handy, it has every street in the US as well as buisnesses and landmarks. Very simple to use, just do a search on an address and it will either guide you there or show map of route, your choice.

Your maps and waypoints can be saved by uploading onto your PC, then reload then next time you need it. Thus not using up all your memory trying to save everything on the GPS.


hope this helps......I researched for a while before purchasing and Im not sorry about my choice.

also, purchase some lithium batteries, they last much much longer than alkaline.............

Brad

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

It does road navigation fine , but its real strenth ishiking and huntinhg use

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I have a 60CSx and now I can not imagine living without it. I use it almost every week to auto route for business and it never misses a beat. Gets me to the right location and gives me alternates when traffic or other issues arise in front of me on the road. I bought it for deer hunting public land and it works flawlessly. I have gone in to stand locations and mark them under heavy canopy and can come back 6 months later and get right back to the same tree over a mile in the woods. The tracks you can laydown with the unit will allow you to walk within 6 to 10 feet of your original path. I can not say anything bad about the unit. I have the City Nav v8, with a scandisk 1 gig chip. I do not have the topo software since I feel it will do me no benefit. It has been with me in 90 degree weather to -10 degrees no issues and have tested the water tolorance and no issues. I would totally recommend it to anyone. ~Jeff

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

i got a lowrance ihunt c for x-mas. and it is the cat's meow! this thing is great, you get icons of tree stands, tree's, atv, camp, a buck scrape,rubs, droppings, with these one quick glance and you know where your camp or whatever is, no more looking around your screen and "reading" what it is.
you can download maps to it and then plot anything you need to right to the map.
as for road or for travel it is very nice, you can click on a exit and find motels, resteraunts sporting good stores gas stations.
i am going to alberta for a moose hunt this fall, i used the gps to find what exit to take and where to get gas and stay the night, and excact direction to the outfitters! man it is nice!
a very good choice for sure!

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I looked at both. The thing that sold me on the Garmin 60csx was thebetter receiver to lock on to satellites in heavy cover. In the past I have had issues locking in under a heavy canopy, not any more. Works great and I am very happy. I compared it in the field side by side with a friends 60 or 60c I don't remember whichand sure enought there was a noticable difference in the time it took to get a reading.

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

Personally I would definitely go with the garmin gps. I have never actually owned a lowrance gps, but my oppinion is based on what I have read (reviews) about garmin & lowrance. Needless to say, most people like the garmin gps's better than the lowrance, and garmin has been around for longer as well. You may have to pay a bit more for the garmin, but you will get better quality and performance in my oppinion. Just my 2 cents, for what it is worth......
_____________________________
Favorite Quote: "Love your neighbors as you love yourself"
garmin streetpilot c340

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I reasearch a lot before I bought my Lowrance Expedition C. It's the same as the Hunt C, but cheaper. The only thing is you do not get the camo. Istill have icons for tree stands and such, and you can name them anything.
just so you know, as far as traveling in the truck, you will not get a "turn-by-turn" navigation from it. i keep mine in the truck all the time, and it helps a bunch, but when you do a search and travel to that location, it just shows a 'as the crow flies" line rather than turn by turn. I have not had any issues with reception, but I did put an external antenna ($15) right when I got it. I got mine with the Mapcreate 7 software also. You can put the entire US on an SD card to have in it all the time. I also went with Lowrance because of the lakes information. They have included a bunch of topo info for many local lakes for fishing.
Good Luck
Dandbuck

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

This is a common question so here is a clip and paste response I offered some time ago.
After many years and numerous units tried maybe this info will help?
First decide what features are most important. Signal reception, electronic compass, topo maps, color, etc...
Not to bash anyone else's gear but Garmin tends to lead the pack with Delorme running a darn close second. The other brands consistently fall short withreviews. note: Lowrance has received low marks with regard to power consumption and signal lock. Most all units offer specialized iconsto include downloadable personalized icons.

If reception is your #1 concern, as with most who go off the beaten path, in deep valleys, or heavy cover the Garmins with a "H" are a must. They consistently rate top in this area.

Next you need to decide which features you want and or how much you want or don't want to spend?
The Garmin 60 series not only has a highly sensative chip set but also will hold a signal regardless of what position you hold it in. Hence the antenna sticking up. This is important is you want to maintain your signal while it is in a pocket or pack. Units with the antenna mounted flat on the face prefer to be held horizontal. Throw it in a pocket and you will typically lose the signal. Most hunters have their hands already full so the ability to drop the unitin a pocket yet continue to track tends to be important.

Other features? Topo maps are proprietary. So if you buy Garmin you will also have to buy Mapsource topos if you want detail. It comes with a basic base map but it's not much to it. Mapsource will kick it up to 1;100 scale. The Nat Parks mapsource will give you 1;24k scale.
Here is where Delorme PN-20 or PN-40 is kicking their butts. The PN-20/40 comes with topo software and it is 1;24k scale. The PN also has aerial photo overlay and comes with great software. Typically PN20 is cheaper than the higher end Garmins whitle the 40 runs about the same. But the PN prefers to be held horizontal.

The electronic compass? Pn-20 does not offer it the 40 does. The Garmins with a "X" have it. Some folks say it's not needed. However consider this. An electronic compass provides a correct direction while standing still and it sure is nice knowing from the first step that you are headed in the right direction. Finding out that you were suppose to be going the other way after climbing through 100 yards of thicket sucks. Units without an electronic compass can and will do this to you every now and then.

Color screen? Thats up to you and your eyes. Father time will help with this choice. What ever you do get the units in hand and figure out what works for you. Most folks find the color screens better, but thats no surprise I'm sure.

Battery life? This is where some of the other brands have issues. Delorme and Garmin have it figured out.

Customer Service? Both are Great!

Thats it in a nut shell. There is more info on the pros and cons of different topo software and smaller differences with units but generally speaking Garmin or Delorme will not let you down.

Back to cost. Yes the 60 will set you back a few hundred bucks. If you really don;t need the extras go with one of the H series Garmins and you will be fine.

For more info check out groundspeak.com or gpsreview.com Tons of stuff on these units can be found there.

Whatever you do once you have the unit, purchase a protective screen shield. Invisibleshield (on line) its great and will keep the screen looking like new forever.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. OH! If you haven't done it already go to the Garmin web site and you can compare their units and features side by side.. A big help when trying to sort out this stuff.

PS... I have the Garmin 60 CSx and have no regrets money well spent. If I were buying today I would have to take a close look at the
PN-40

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

If your thinking about the 60CSx you should look into the 76CSx series as well. In using both the 76 locks onto sats faster, slightly better battery life. It also has double the internal memory(will accept a 2gb sd slot card for sure, the 60 my partner has will only take a 1gb). Plusmarine speced so it isfully waterproof and floats. When Ibought my 76CSx last fall it was 50 bucks cheaper plusincluded a waterproof case and 2gb card..being I used both prior it was a no brainer for me.

I load my 76CS via mapsource topo which works for off the trail and road travel as well. I won't say it's ascool as the wife's garmin road unit but it'll help get you where you want to go on or off road for sure.

I buy garmin b/cin all the models I've owned they never gave me a reason to switch.

RE: GPS: Garmin vs. Lowrance
 

I have a Garmin etrex legend and personally i wont buy a garmin again. It takes forever to aquire satelites and then looses signal all the time. My dad and brother inlaw both use older Lowrance global map gps and they never loose signals. So my next gps will be a Lowrance. And i did do the updates off the garmin website and it didn't help much if at all.