Kumapix 0 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Since this topic has taken over the altitude watch thread I thought I should make it into it's own topic to get some more opinions. Any good recommendations for a gps for the mountains? any experience with Garmin? Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 http://www.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/web...=217&smap.y=186 the japan topo 10m gets to within 100m for mountain zones Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 the garmin cx series uses sd cards but the only ones you can buy are for the us, canada or the UK Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Kumapix: Any good recommendations for a gps for the mountains? any experience with Garmin? Before you get a GPS read some good books on map reading. You'll get a lot more out of your new GPS if you really understand how to read maps. Understanding contour lines isn't enough. I've used garmin gpss quite a lot. But not in the past 3 years. I stopped using gps units just as they were coming out with the ones where you could see the topo map on the screen. Those are interesting but they don't compare to having a much larger map in front of you Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Quote: Originally posted by Kumapix: Any good recommendations for a gps for the mountains? any experience with Garmin? Before you get a GPS read some good books on map reading. You'll get a lot more out of your new GPS if you really understand how to read maps. Understanding contour lines isn't enough. I've used garmin gpss quite a lot. But not in the past 3 years. I stopped using gps units just as they were coming out with the ones where you could see the topo map on the screen. Those are interesting but they don't compare to having a much larger map in front of you You should never rely on anything battery powered in the wilderness. Always have a map and a compass if trekking off in to the unknown and know how to use them! As far as recreational GPS units go, I'm sold on the Garmin 60 series. I personally have a 60CS and love it. If I would have waited a bit longer I could have gotten the 60CSx (removable memory) and am kicking myself for not doing so. The units are virtually bulletproof. In Alaska I would strap mine on to my snowmachine to map trails when it was -35C out and it never died as long as I was using the Energizer lithium batteries. I've used a lot of different GPS units in my time and I've found the Garmins to be the best for recreational purposes. When your talking feature to feature and monetary comparison, it's hard to beat the 60CS or CSx. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 thanks plucky Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 kuma sorry been super busy at work ill do better next week. Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 no worries. I looked into them and emailed Garmin. I'm not too excited about them anymore. Looks like we'd have to bite the bullet and get Jpanese ones, which are too expensive. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 ive mailed my friend ill wait to hear what he says Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 got an email back from Garmin USA customer support: my email: Inquiry: >Hi, >I am considering buying a gps unit, namely one your etrex series. I will be >heading to Japan to do some mountaineering/skiing next winter and I am >wondering if a US model will be able to read the Japanese topo map, or do >you have a japanese topo map in english? Reply: Unfortunately, we do not have a Japanese Topo Map. We also cannot >recommend any third party software with out units, as they have not been >tested. If you purchase another company's software and load it into your >Garmin unit, you do so at your own risk, as we cannot offer any technical >support for that software. I'm sorry I don't have any better news for you. >Enjoy your trip to Japan! My reply: I have a further question. Will the Japanese language topo map work on the us model? I can read Japanese so the language is no problem. I'm just wondering if the us model will support japanese characters. Here is the link: http://www.iiyo.net/shop/shop.cgi?order=&class=1&keyword=&FF=0&price_sort=&m ode=p_wide&id=229&superkey=1 Garmin reply: I'm afraid I don't have good news for you today either! I checked with the outdoor tech specialists and your unit will not work with Japanese topo mapping. Our North American units do not support Japanese characters. Please let me know if we can be of further assistance. Thank you for using Garmin products. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 kuma send me your ketai mail please. ill talk to my friend. if actually seen him use kashimir with his gps. also rappie sells gps software for the garmin. you can use the gps with a map and just mark down the lats and longs on it. its not as nice as what you want but thats what it was made for at the start. Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 montoya just posted this link in the altitude watches thread: http://b-cliff.com/dougu/gps.html looks like the blue cliff guys use the english version. I don't have time to read that page carefully though. FT well, we'll need to decide if we want to bother making maps ourselves to upload onto the etrex vista cx or whether to just get a cheap geko for 65$ which just gives the lat & long. or, not get one at all! I'll send u my keitai mail. Hope yours is still the same Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 dont worry we have lots of time mateb Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 looks like we only need software that costs 9000yen prices: etrex vista cx 299 etrex vista c seems to be around the same price 299 etrex legend cx 240 ish etrex legend c all over the place geko 101 65$ geko 201 130$ Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 here is what the map looks like (scroll down to see screen shots) think it's good enough http://uud.info/ja/ Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 It is hard to install the very good Japanese Maps But easy for normal map like link below. http://www011.upp.so-net.ne.jp/mametaro/kanto.html you have to buy garmin gps. Rino work like walkie talkie. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 thats what my friend wrote kuma. not detailed but it works Link to post Share on other sites
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