$200 to spend on a handheld gps with integrated topo maps. What would you buy?

[off-roader]

I have $200-250 to spend on one that I'll use mounted in my rig (it will be a secondary gps to compliment my iPad). I'm open to buying a used or refurbished unit as well as new ones.

I've been on Amazon looking at the Garmin 60 and 62 units which my friends have been using so I'm confident they should be fine albeit they have a small screen. The Garmin Colorado's with a larger screen look like they're still too expensive (~$200 w/out the 100k topo maps).

My main use is to have a secondary system to confirm the trail route since almost all trails we've done have shown up on the Garmin topo map and not always on either the Scenic Maps or Motion X maps.

Any suggestions?

 

[basecamper]

Might also want to consider the Oregon 450T it comes with Topo maps and is a discontinued model that has been on sale a lot. I just picked one up for $178 shipped from Cabela's that I plan on using for climbing as well as in my JK waiting on the mount as we speak.

 

[off-roader]

Thank you. I've added the Oregon to the list although it seems the only place I can find them at that price currently is on ebay.

 

[mdmead]

Just picked up an Oregon 450 off of Amazon for about $200 shipped. This replaced an Etrex that I somehow managed to lose (ouch!) last winter. While I haven't actually 'used' the Oregon yet, I'm sure loving the functionality of it. Seems pretty intuitive. As for maps, I had a Garmin disk to build a new set for this GPS, but if I hadn't, I'd be looking at all the free offerings I found while searching the web.

 

[JimBiram]

A great resource for everything GPS is GPS Tracklog http://gpstracklog.com/ for information and leads to well priced GPS devices. I use an Oregon 450 as my back up and thanks to that website, they directed me to http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ where you can download free maps for the Garmin devices. In Calif, the CalTopo map is really good and well detailed at 24k. I now have 3 different maps loaded into my Garmin, including a routable OpenStreetMap for California and the western us. Plus the Garmin works really will with their BaseCamp software on mac or pc, which allows you to load, store, export tracks and waypoints.

 

[off-roader]

I have ALL the GARMIN USA 24k TOPO's but there are many resources for the maps all over the net.

:Wow1::26_7_2:

 

[verdesardog]

garmin etrex 20 maps from gpsfiledepot.com

 

[off-roader]

Thanks again. Just bought a refurbished Oregon 550t for $230. Should be here by mid next week.