Is a GPS Map 76S too limited by memory

[IainMac]

I'm considering purchasing a GPS I can use both on my Bike for touring (UK/europe/Med Areas) and for hacking about on green lanes, hiking etc. I was thinking about a GPS MAP 76S but as this has a fixed memory size of 23?MB would this be too limiting in the maps I could load for touring (ie would I forever have to download a new map for each area? and how big an area can u load when all u need are the roads?. For hiking & greenlane stuff more detailed topo type maps would be needed but if one detailed area is downloaded for that it would hopefully be sufficent.
Would I be better off with a Magellan Meridian Gold/Platinum with a 128/256MB data card, or multiple data cards all pre loaded with the areas needed?

Iain Mac

 

[boxer]

Iain.

I'm considering purchasing a GPS I can use both on my Bike for touring (UK/europe/Med Areas) and for hacking about on green lanes, hiking etc.

Looks like you need a GPS for just about everything

I was thinking about a GPS MAP 76S but as this has a fixed memory size of 23?MB would this be too limiting in the maps I could load for touring (ie would I forever have to download a new map for each area? and how big an area can u load when all u need are the roads?

Ain't the 76 got a memory capacity of 8Mb? Even if it is 23Mb it'd be too small considering you wish to Euro tour, unless you take a laptop.

You could [maybe] download large areas of N.Wales into a 8Mb memory but only a small part of Manchester.

For hiking & greenlane stuff more detailed topo type maps would be needed but if one detailed area is downloaded for that it would hopefully be sufficent.

I'm not aware of any other type of map that can be loaded other than road maps. Could be wrong though, I think clever windows users can do something like download their own maps but I ain't to sure about that.

Would I be better off with a Magellan Meridian Gold/Platinum with a 128/256MB data card, or multiple data cards all pre loaded with the areas needed?
IMO, memory is rather like breast size........you can never get too big.

You don't mention autorouting so I would recommend you look at the Garmin 176. It's got a large screen and will take datacards upto 128mb.
If hiking is important to you the size of the 176 my be a disadvantage, I think Garmin do some Etex models that'll except datacards.

A lot of good prices and info, along with a private sellers section can be found
at http://www.gpsw.co.uk/