What specific features should I take into account when buying GPS device for Geocaching?

I'd say the following are important things to have:

• Good signal strength is a must - Geocaching will often take you into built up areas or wooded areas, and it's incredibly frustrating going round in circles with an inaccurate GPS when one with a better signal strength could home in on it with no problem at all.
• Good battery life, preferably with standard batteries so you can easily take extras. (Get rechargeables if you're using it with any frequency, they'll prove invaluable.)
• Waterproof. This is actually surprisingly standard on many walking GPS units, so shouldn't be an issue.
• Electronic compass. This again is a must have, especially if you're used to using a phone to navigate. Without a compass the direction needle will base it's position on your last few metres of movement, meaning you can't just stand still and let the compass needle ascertain your direction, you have to walk around a bit - this can quickly get rather annoying when you're at GZ and trying to work out precisely where the co-ords state.
• More than screen resolution, screen contrast is important. You're going to be using this (hopefully!) on sunny days, so a screen with all the contrast of a 90's LCD is going to be nigh on useless. Make sure it can be used without difficulty in bright light.
• If you're caching at night, then the opposite will also be true - make sure the screen has a backlight.

The other points I think you've covered - maps of course are very useful, as is the ability to upload photos. Bear in mind however that cost tends to rapidly rise the more "nice to have" features you add, and budget units will do the job. I've been caching with my etrex-h for the last few years now - cheap, basic, black and white screen, no maps, no electronic compass - but it still does the job and has found me a few hundred caches without issue!

posted over 10 years ago

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berry120‭

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