Quest the one for me?

[Warthog]

I'm not going to use a GPS extensively. I've managed without up until now and I'm only considering it now beacause of a trip to Argentina next year.

If I get one, I want smallish (not a brick), a good memory (as once we're in Argentina, there's no updating it half way round the country...), in-built battery and power lead options, and should be programmable with routes etc. If I'm getting one ofthesegizmos, I would also like it to be useable off the bike as so we can use it for trekking too.

Finally I want it cheap!!

I've seen a few posts that point to the Garmin Quest. Is this my best bet? Any real flaw I should know about? I noticed that folks mentioned a deal at Dixons. Is this deal ongoing/ while stocks last/ discontinued line?

 

[Llama]

Warthog
I have used my quest for a month now and I reckon it will fit your needs exactly with possibly one exception: maps of Argentina.
Normally the quest ships with either the european or north american base map which I'm not certain covers south america.
This will be a problem for all units not just the quest.
If you can get routable maps for this area then I reckon you wont be able to beat it for cost.

As for the deals a dixons looking on this site I think you will be incredibly lucky to find any in stock.

Do a search of 'dixons quest' and see what you can find..

 

[HMR]

Garmin Quest. Is this my best bet?

Yes probably.

But I don't know how detailed the South American maps are. If they don't require more than 56 MB memory the Garmin 60CS may be a better choise.

Whatever you choose to buy, check availability of maps first. A GPS bought in Europe will have only the european basemaps installed so you must have additional maps for Argentina.

 

[Llama]

Just an extra point on the quest. The american version has less memory so beware if you go that route.

Quest 2 is due soon which I believe has twice the memory of quest 1 (in europe and US versions).

 

[Mzokk]

I have a 2610 but if I was to chose again I'd go the quest route. Why? It has some disadvantages in terms of map capacity (cured if you bring a laptop on a long trip) and no touch screen. But has lots of advantages. The main one it has many of the worlds transverse mercator grids built in. So if the digital mapping for Argentina is crap ( I don't know) the unit may be capable of giving you a grid ref (rather than just longitude and latitude as the 2610 does) in the format of the paper map you are using so at least if your lost you'll know were you are.......if you know what i mean. Also it has an internal battery so you can use it on foot and seems to have enough features to make it a reasonable tool for hillwalking again in combination with maps. 2610 needs a power supply.

 

[Warthog]

Just had a look at the Garmin web-site: S America is only available on the World Map and details is no better, nay worse, than a paper map.

Decisions. Could be handy for showing you where you are, but not that crucial in Argentina: its not the third world...
AmI wasting my money? I would use it here and on holidays, but I've always managed so far without.

Having said that it is a damn good toy

 

[Taff]

If the World Map quality is poor, it may be worth you having a look at THIS from the Garmin website - the most relevant one to you will probably be at the bottom of the page. It looks like this company produces Garmin compatible maps of Argentia.

I asked a question about cartography for Poland (the City Navigator coverage is poor) and PanEuropean pointed me in the direction of companies who produce Garmin compatible maps. It'll only cost you an e-mail to find out the information you need.

 

[Kropotkin]

You can check the quality of the WorldMap here:

http://www.garmin.com/cgi-bin/mapgen/webmap.cgi?p=5&z=0&w=480&h=360&rz=0&k=1&sc=1

That should open a window with the Garmin WorldMap viewer, so you can click around to get an idea of what the coverage is like.

The main one it has many of the worlds transverse mercator grids built in. So if the digital mapping for Argentina is crap ( I don't know) the unit may be capable of giving you a grid ref (rather than just longitude and latitude as the 2610 does) in the format of the paper map you are using so at least if your lost you'll know were you are.......if you know what i mean. Also it has an internal battery so you can use it on foot and seems to have enough features to make it a reasonable tool for hillwalking again in combination with maps. 2610 needs a power supply.

I bought a 276C, because I wanted to use it without a power supply, to plan routes while sitting in the tent, etc. The alternative grids built in turned out to be a real bonus. On the maps we had while walking in the Picos de Europa (Spain), I could set the unit to show the appropriate grid ref (UMT? UTM?), which I could use to locate our position on the map. It really helped a couple of times (especially as my map reading is crap).

The 276C is a much bigger unit than the quest (slightly larger than the 2610), and fractionally too large to be holding in your hand while you walk. If you don't need voice guidance, and can live with reduced memory, then you could also try the 60CS. Instead of a laptop, you could take mapsource, and the worldmap CDs, with a USB cable, and load the bits of maps as and when you need them.

 

[Llama]

There may be some other companies that offer maps which can be downloaded.

Such as TT

I dont intend to go to argentina but I do intend to travel to north africa (ether morrocco or tunisia). Neither of these are covered by the standar quest map set. However I did manage to download some more detailed maps off a website i found. To be honest I cant remember the site but I just did a google for "free downlad garmin maps" to find it.

There might also be something here:

http://www.elsinga.org/links.html

I'll search back though my history to see if I can find it for you.

Of course I was being cheap and looking fro free maps you might find some elsewhere.

Hope this helps

Ralph

 

[Warthog]

A genuine big thank you to all those who posted as I have now bought one of a dwindling number of £199 Garmin Quests from the dixons group (PC world in this case: I saw on their screen theat the Dixons in Edgeware had about 3 on screen) which does look to be a good deal. Also a very sarcastic thank you to all those who posted as I have now spent £199 that I don't have and I going to get verbally castrated by my girlfriend for the expense!

Still what is done is done and now to see if I can get the two maps that I'll use most and yet do not appear to be on sale : Argentina and Estonia: hope this wasn't a waste of cash, or you may well see and "as new Garmin Quest" for sale on ebay!!

Cheers