eXplorist 210

Magellan, $199.99

PROS

A great value. You can input up to 190,000 points of interest and waypoints, and the receiver comes with 22 megabytes of free memory for downloading Magellan MapSend programs and maps.

Easy usability. The receiver comes with a USB cable that hooks the receiver up to your computer, making it easy to download cache information directly from your computer.

Accuracy. The Magellan, like all but the most basic GPS, has WAAS technology, making it accurate to the three meters from the point of interest, aka, the cache.

Low maintenance. It’s water resistant and runs two AA batteries for a 17-hour battery life.

CONS

Limited memory. The eXplorist 400 and most of the higher-end GPS receivers now offer expandable memory through the use of SD cards, like the kind you find in a digital camera.

Geocache-centric. The receiver cannot download other points of interest that are not Geocaches.

GPSMap 60CSx

Garmin, $482.99

PROS

A bad mama jama. Yup, everything you could never really need but absolutely want. The receiver is a 256-color tech geek trophy. It offers expandable memory with 64 MB microSD card, and ultra high-tech SiRF technology, which allows for the best accuracy available in handheld GPS, even in canyons and under heavy tree cover.

Still easy. Like the eXplorist, the GPSMap comes with USB interface cable, except it is compatible to a boatload more software.

Cross use. GPSMap is made for much more than just Geocaching. The trip computer provides auto-routing and turn-by-turn directions while driving.

CONS

Price tag. Brand new, the receiver is a hefty chunk of change to drop on a weekend pastime. Even remanufactured, the price only drops about a hundred bucks. It has too much stuff for just Geocache use, so if that’s the intended use better to go for eXplorist 210, which tops out at $300 less than the GPSMap.

iQue 3600

Garmin, $399.95

PROS

Innovation. The best thing about this unit is that it’s made for two uses and it pulls them both off perfectly: a PDA and a GPS. It has all the technology of an executive use PDA (wireless capability, calendar, address book, memo pad) with the added bonus of a high-powered Garmin GPS.

Integration. The GPS and PDA uses come together in the form of the address book. The device can look up a contact and then guide you to them based on the address book entry.

Memory use. Once again, expandable memory makes an appearance in the form of an SD memory card. Except in this unit the card can store anything, not just map information or points of interests, which means you can go Geocaching with all your favorite music tapped into your ear.

CONS

Who uses it. iQue seems like a really fun piece of technology, but at the end of the day it’s really more of a PDA than a GPS. Unless, you’re planning on using it as a daily planner as well, it just makes more sense to go for a less expensive unit, albeit with less stuff.

Battery life. It’s a thirsty little guy and it sucks up all its battery in about 3-4 hours.

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This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2006.