Light-weight GPS tracking

Many people also comment that they can operate the eTrex with a single hand while they need two to use the 60 series... I do not own either unit so can not comment from personal experience. Why not consider the Dakota™ 20 , it is basically the size of the eTrex but with a screen which is similar in size to the 60 series. All other features seem the same.

Yeah I was wondering about the single-handed thing. The el-cheapo eTrex I played with today seemed okay, but there a few things that could be nicer such as how it'll only go forwards through the pages, and I was also wondering if the 60CSx is any easier for things like entering text to name waypoints, etc. It took a while and quite a few button presses on the eTrex. The Dakota looks different to me. The screen's the same size as the GPS60 series (160x240) and it has similar features, but what really puts me off even wanting to consider it is the touch-screen thing. I've yet to see a touch-screen that I actually like using. Their claim to fame is supposed to be ease of use, but it's entirely because people get to interact directly with things shown on the screen. It's probably true in that respect, but I think the Easy-To-Use label for touch-screens ignores a heap of other problems that touch screens often have.

The big plus for the touchscreen IMO is that the design is more simple with less buttons to potentially let moisture in. I have found most things easy to use after using it for a while.

Use either eTrex H or hp ipaq with a bluetooth gps at work. Only big complaint with etrex is very awkward to name waypoints: often need to differentiate between waypoints for traps, bait stations, kills & in end its easier to carry a notebook & write down what each no. is than to try & change names on the unit. Etrex H is usable in most bush (dont get other etrex models - they dont work in bush, rain, valleys). Other negatives: unable to scroll route/waypoints to other areas except where you are. Showerproof but die in heavy rain. Even when claiming 6m accuracy successive trips down same route differ by 20+m. HP PDA with external bluetooth gps superior in all ways: 100% waterproof, oziexplorer mapping, never seen it lose gps lock, ever. Easy to name waypoints, scroll maps / routes. Much more accurate in same conditions than etrex. Stylus much more easy to use than buttons especialy with wet or dirty hands. Does need 2 hands though. Horses for courses.

milatris: Ooh, I didn't think of that. I also didn't realise you already had one -- the website seems to imply they haven't been released yet. So how does the touch-screen stack up for using it? Can you use it with anything like gloves covering your fingers, or do you have to remove them? Is it easy enough to be accurate, and does it respond reliably whenever you touch the screen? And how does it handle text entry? (These are many of the kinds of problems I've had with touch screens in the past.) madpom: Thanks for the notes. I hadn't even thought about a PDA.

After quickly scanning this thread, a couple of comments. I use the 60CSX with one hand no problem. The issue with track wander only happens when travelling at low speed in bush, eg cutting bait lines. I think it is caused by multipath errors in the signal. Walking at tramping spped the GPS sorts itself out and this is no problem. The high sensitive antenna was introduced to the eTrex line after the 60CSX so may be a newer generation which addresses this issue. I think the main issue for a tramper is how you use a GPS. If you plan to just use it to transpose grid references from the map to find out where you are then an eTrex will do just fine. What I like to do is leave it on all day and log my whole track log. That is best done with something that has a card in it so you don't have to worry about running out of memory. Maps on a GPS are good but not as useful as you might think. The screen is very small and cannot replace a paper map. I will also add that, having lost one GPS in a dunking, I wouldn't trust the waterproofness one iota. Mine goes in a transparent dry bag when raining, it is still usable in there.

HP sell a waterproof case for the IPAQ: rubber corners to protect it in a fall, clamp down case to keep pressure on the rubber waterproof seals. The case has a plastic window over the screen, and the stylus works fine though the waterproof cover: so no need to take it out in the rain to use it. Have had no problems with water getting into these cases even pushing though wet Hokonui bush in a week long downpour in which our Uniden 'waterproof' radios died (they get stuck in transmit in the rain - very annoying to everyone on the channel!)

Sorry to misled you but I do not own a Dakota. Just been studying them on-line and thinking of purchasing one. I have no idea if they are available for sale let but trig Instruments has had them listed for a few days. http://www.triginstruments.co.nz/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27_83&products_id=1473

I suspect the Ipaq could work out to be a expensive option if the other features of the PDA is not required. The cheapest Ipaq sells for $460, the case could easily add $100 then atleast $200 for the GPS receiver. $760+ You have gotten me interested in getting a PDA now... Could use wifi to pick up wireless Internet on it mmmm.... Just had a crazy thought completely out of left field. Many of the high end smart phones now have GPS built in. The Nokia 85 have GPS and can be gotten for $645.00... Then there are the expensive ones like the Nokia N95, Blackberry 8900, Apple Iphone ect... Getting maps could be hard/impossible so probably a stupid suggestion really

Militaris: more expensive yes - but you get a PDA thrown in free! And yes - they're great to listen to radio over WIFI (expecially in Middlemarch where it's the only way to get most stations). The advantage of the external wireless GPS (rather than a PDA with one built in) is that it sits in the top pocket of a pack where the signal is not obstructed by the body.