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1. Fred Jacobs says:

   December 20, 2010 at 10:38 am

   I have a TomTom One Second Edition. The maps are old and the battery does not hold a charge for long. I think that it is time to buy a new GPS. However, there are so many brands and models that it is difficult to find one that suits my needs.

   I travel to Europe often, so I need a model that I can easily install a Western Europe map. I prefer this instead of transfering my U.S. map to the computer and reloading the Europe map. I use rental cars often, so I need a portable model that does not attach permanantly to the car. I prefer a window mount which is easier for me to see. While other options are nice, these are my basic requiremets.

   Can you suggest a model(s) that fits my needs?

   Reply
   • Rich Owings says:

     December 20, 2010 at 10:58 am

     There is a TomTom XXL 540 World Traveler Edition you could look at, but I think you have to manage the maps with your PC. I don’t think you can have the US and all of Europe loaded to it at once.

     If you don’t mind switching brands, I’d look at a Garmin nuvi. The trans-Atlantic models end in 7x. Current ones include the 1370T and 275T. There is a new model that should be out in early 2011, the 2370LT.

     Another option would be a TomTom GO with an SD slot, or any nuvi, and add European maps with an SD card.

     Reply
2. chris says:

   February 7, 2011 at 6:56 am

   I am currently looking for a handheld gps that I can take hiking with me to insure I don’t get lost or back to where I want to go. Would you recommend anything specific.

   Chris

   Reply
   • Rich Owings says:

     February 7, 2011 at 9:48 am

     How much do you want to spend? The lowest end unit I recommend is the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. If you can afford it, I’d look at one of these…

     http://gpstracklog.com/2010/07/garmin-gpsmap-62s-or-oregon-450.html

     You’ll definitely get more features, and probably find them a bit more user friendly.

     Reply
3. Char says:

   December 29, 2011 at 10:38 am

   My husband has the Magellan Meridian Handheld GPS (very old). I would like to surprise him with a new hiking gps. He always talks about not getting a new one because how would he transfer all his info to the new gps. Is there a model he could get that he could move all his past hiking routes over to the new gps? He likes Magellan but I notice most people (including you) favor Garmin – would a Garmin be better? We do a lot of day hiking and he likes to take it with when we canoe, or go boating in the Florida Keys (we vacation there sometimes). Any suggestions? Would it be best to stick with a Magellan? Should I wait til later in the year when the new one’s come out? Thanks for any help.

   Reply
   • Rich Owings says:

     December 29, 2011 at 10:47 am

     I believe he can convert that data to another format using GPS Babel…

     http://www.gpsbabel.org/capabilities.html

     I prefer Garmins and would recommend that. I don’t expect to see many new handhelds from them until next summer. If you have some idea what you want to spend, I could try to make a recommendation.

     Reply
     • Char says:

       December 29, 2011 at 11:18 am

       Thank you so much for your quick response and awesome website. I would like to go top of the line because he keeps things forever so I want it to last and have all the bells and whistles. We ride bikes, hike, canoe, kayak and boat and he takes his handheld gps on all of these. Whichever one would work best with these applications. We hike in a lot of different places as that is usually one of our vacations. He goes to Boundary Waters once a year also if that would make a difference. Thanks for any recommendation and for your awesome site!

       Reply
       • Rich Owings says:

         December 29, 2011 at 11:27 am

         The top of the line right now is the Montana series. It’s got a huge touchscreen and if you add City Navigator maps and a mount, you can use it in your car too. But many folks might find it too big for handheld use. Here’s the one I reviewed…

         http://gpstracklog.com/2011/08/garmin-montana-600-review.html

         The other one you might consider is the 78 series. Since you seem to spend a lot of time on the water, this one is nice because it floats. There is a version available with some preloaded coastal charts too (the 78sc), but here is the one that I reviewed:

         http://gpstracklog.com/2010/06/garmin-gpsmap-78s-review.html

         Reply
         • Char says:

           December 29, 2011 at 1:08 pm

           Thank you – you have been a big help.