I just bought the GPSMAP 60Cx and really like it; it gets a great signal lock INSIDE the house so some tree cover shouldn’t be much of a problem. My last unit was the Garmin Vista.

It seems to me that topo really isn’t that needed (especially if you live in metro areas) and that one of the main reasons people upgrade to the Map60’s is to get the auto routing function. Ultimately you have to make up your mind but for me it is WAY more useful to have a street map-set.

Oh and the 64 card included will be enough to include the whole state and then some (granted I just picked up the 1gig card for under $20 shipped, so I can also load a bunch of the states nearest to me too).

@Team Hemisphere Dancer wrote:

Is there any particular street map software you would recommend? Ans where do the POI’s come from?

The POI’s are part of the mapping software. I’m currently using my Old Map Source MetroGuide (v6) maps on the new unit (with a little assist from another program) so I can’t speak for the new mapping software.

As a dedicated TOPO user, I think I would recommend the City Navigator software. This is assuming that you are like most geocachers and spend more time driving to/between caches then you spend hiking to them (I include myself in this category). As far as I can see, the only disadvantages to the City Navigator package are:

• No contour lines which makes hiking in mountains and hills more challenging
• Fewer physical features (swamps, power lines, etc.)
• No trails
• More expensive and more frequent updates
• Limited to 2 GPSrs (TOPO has no restriction on number of GPSrs)

On the other hand, the CN road maps have more fewer missing streets (subdivisions can be a problem with TOPO), autorouting, and bigger map segments (so you can put more in your GPS if you have the memory). City Navigator also has coverage of Canada (this is in a separate package for TOPO). I would suggest that POIs provided in CN are a little better for the average person as well(more McDonalds and Starbucks, fewer cemeteries, schools and mountain peaks)

@Team Hemisphere Dancer wrote:

What is the difference between City select and City navigator?

city select is older outdated software, it uses smaller map segements because it was designed for the old 60c/76c & 60cs/76cs models without expandable memory like the new X models. The most current version of city select is V7, where there is a version 8 of city navigator.

Also note there are two versions of city navigator, there is the standard Version 8 and the NT version. The standard version you will need a 2gb microSD card to fit the whole US, where the NT version is compressed differently and can fit the whole US on a 1gb card.

@hogrod wrote:

My one complaint is how burried switching maps option really is. from the map screen you have to press menu, select setup map, highlight the map setup-information(5th option from the left), press menu again and then show and hide the maps you choose.

I have got used to switching maps but it would be great with a few less button presses. Seems to me they could make it much easier, from the map screen hit menu, and add a swtich maps option right there.

That sounds pretty bad. With Teletype software on my Pocket PC, the map for the entire county gets loaded automatically as soon as I cross the county line.

Although I haven’t tried Garmin mapping software yet, and I’m still using the C series, not Cx, sometimes I wonder if Garmin “gets it” especially when it comes to geocaching. Things like this (why can’t they auto-load the maps?). Other things, why do they only allow a tiny number of characters for waypoint description (40?!). Their “geocaching mode” is worthless if you want to use different icons to represent different kinds of caches (multi, virtual, mystery, etc). Why limit to 1000 waypoints? How can I see how many waypoints are loaded? etc. etc.

@hogrod wrote:

@abcdmCachers wrote:

@hogrod wrote:

My one complaint is how burried switching maps option really is. from the map screen you have to press menu, select setup map, highlight the map setup-information(5th option from the left), press menu again and then show and hide the maps you choose.

I have got used to switching maps but it would be great with a few less button presses. Seems to me they could make it much easier, from the map screen hit menu, and add a swtich maps option right there.

That sounds pretty bad. With Teletype software on my Pocket PC, the map for the entire county gets loaded automatically as soon as I cross the county line.

Although I haven’t tried Garmin mapping software yet, and I’m still using the C series, not Cx, sometimes I wonder if Garmin “gets it” especially when it comes to geocaching.

when I say switching maps, I mean switching between topo and city navigator maps. with both types loaded and both set to show, the city navigator is only shown, you need to hide it to see your loaded topo maps.

I have a Lowrance PHd and the map is all in one with no switching at all. You set your preferences when creating the map on the computer. No limit other than your SD card / memory has to be large enough. I always set my maps to contain max information. That’s all POI/restraints/hotels/government blds/parks/trails/streets/topo/ and many more. Then with the GPS unit I select which features I want displayed. While driving to a cache I do not have Topo feature on but when deciding best way to approach a cache turn feature on.

I made maps that went from WI all the way to FL with all the features. This been quite nice having that ability when going on a trip. From what sounds like of the others you would be hard press to fit that much.

Lowrance not a popular brand but seems to have SOME things correct from the start.