A friend of mine has the Garmin Etrex and had problems catching the satelites in the woods. Another one of my friends had an old Magellan. He was catching well when the Etrex couldn't.

Which GPS out there has the best pickup?

I'll admit, I still tend to use a Garmin E-trex, it's an "antique" in todays market. but sometimes "old" is still good. I just have a personal attachment to my old beat up E-trex. I've abused it to the point that I'm supprised it still even comes on when I push the button.

With that said,

It's all in the "sensitivity" of the unit.

I often have difficulty getting a good "fix" when I am in deep brush or surrounded by ridges.

However, I have used just about every Garmin unit that there is.(Thats what I do) With the newer models, you just turn 'em on and they get a signal, it has never been an issue....Turn 'em on and you have a signal.Period. The same statement holds true for the newer other models of Garmin...They just work.

I don't care much for magellan as purely a personal choice. BUT...If you can figure out how to use one, they have just as good a reception as a Garmin.

The key (to both) is to have something that was manufactured in the last few years. In fact, I will ammend that to say "Something that was manufactured in the last TWO years".

They both offer pretty much the same "Stuff" and they both are good units...But just like some folks prefer a Ford over a Chevy, there will always be disputes.

For what it's worth, I prefer Garmins AND Fords.

When I was looking into my GPS purchase I came across a number of messages that talked about the different antennas the Garmin and Magellan units use. The Garmin eTrex GPS' have an antenna that lies flat on the inside back of the unit. Holding the GPS in your hand the antenna would be between your palm and the screen. The Magellan GPS has the antenna on the top of the unit above the screen.

Magellan touts the type and placement of their antenna as being better at finding the satellites in the woods. Other forum members have echoed that finding, or perhaps they've accepted the marketing message as few of us have the opportunity to do a side by side comparison. It sounds like you're one of the few.

My personal experience is mixed. I have a Magellan Meridian Platinum. Powering on the unit in Colorado at the edge of the woods I could only pick up one satellite. I didn't need the thing so I powered down and we drove up higher. Trying again I powered up while standing on an overlook with no trees around. The thing found its satellites and told me I was at 20,000 feet in Wyoming doing 400 miles an hour! Turned it off, around a half hour later, back in camp, I tried again and everything was fine.

My buddy has the Garmin eTrex Vista. Standing outside of our hunting cabin one morning my Magellan powered up and located the satellites without problems. His was gaving him grief. Maybe it couldn't find the satellites in the dark. He decided on a fresh set of batteries, tried again and all was well in the world.

The better the technology the buggier the problems. Neither of us have had the things lone enough to have experienced a real failure, but a map and a compass are always good additions to the pack just in case the GPS wigs out.

I bought a Gramin not so long ago. So far so good for me.

I have not owned a Garmin so I cannot comment on them. However, I have had no problems with the Magellan locking onto satellites under tree cover with one exception. While in a pine tree grove up in the Poconos last November I repeatedly lost the signal each time I entered that particular grove. That was the only time it happened but I thought it was worthy of mentioning.

As someone mentioned above I believe antenna placement and type is the key to this issue.

CalNewbie mentioned batteries, and that is an important factor,

I have noticed that when my batteries are starting to "go", the first thing that happens is; it starts taking longer and longer to aquire a signal. From there, it will start "losing" it's signals.

A fresh set of batteries usually fixes it.

Howdy
I have a garmin legend and love it. Its my favorite hunting toy. Great for marking stand locations, trails and what not. I always carry extra batteries because when they start getting weak the system is definitely slower.

Heck this garmin can even find its way home. I've posted this story before, but its worth repeating. One fall day while bowhunting, unknownst to me, my case containing the gps slid off my fanny pack belt, while I was adjusting the belt for the fanny pack. I was hunting on public land which is 26 miles from where I live. When I got home I showered and when I got downstairs my oldest son says "somebody rang the doorbell and then put something into the mailbox." I went to the mailbox and here was my gps and its case. Somebody had found it and brought it right to my door before I actually new it was missing. I never knew who these two gentlemen were, but I'm very thankful. There were about two or three other vehicles at the parking lot that day, mostly pheasant hunters I believe.
I'd owned the unit a year prior to that, but about a week or two earlier a brother thats a lifer in the Air Force came home to visit before heading off to Iraq and showed me how to have it open up its screen with my name and address.
Those guys were some real sportsmen.
Dan

I have the etrex basically b/c I wanted a no frill navigation tool and the price was right. I have noticed on occasion it takes awhile to locate the sats. but it hasn't ever caused me any real grief. I have been very pleased with my garmin etrex and it has functioned exactly the way I had hoped and for my personal intention. Which I think lends itself to satisfaction for a lot of products to different individuals. It will never be my only navigation tool in my pack but it has become a great asset and tool for the low investment