Since the GPS is the most important piece of equipment needed for the enormously popular game of geocaching, even the novice geocacher wants to know what is the best GPS for geocaching.
The beginning enthusiast was probably introduced to the outdoor adventure treasure hunting sport by a friend or maybe a group of friends, and they probably all have differing opinions about what a good GPS system for geocaching should be.
Some of them are probably using devices that were not necessary purchased with geocaching in mind, but nevertheless it’s worth asking them about their various units just to get an idea about what they like or don’t like about their particular GPS gadget.
Here are some attributes of what most avid geocachers would consider important in a system purchased strictly for tracking down caches:
1. Since geocaching is primarily an outdoor activity, the unit should be sturdy enough to get banged around a lot, and it should be waterproof, or at least get one that is water resistant. If you become a regular participant, you can be pretty sure that your GPS will get dropped in puddles or streams, and it will get banged around on rocks, brush and trees.
2. You will be conducting your hunts outside, and most of the time you’ll be in bright sunlight so make sure that the display screen has good contrast and is easy to read in intense sun as well as the shade.
3. Geocaching sometimes involves miles of hiking through rough areas including exhausting underbrush, mountains, and canyons. For this reason, it’s a good idea to buy a GPS that is lightweight and small enough to fit most clothing pockets. With all the advancements in GPS technology, you can get a really good one from Garmin that weighs less than seven ounces.
4. If young members of your family will be joining in the fun, get a unit that is easy -to-read and understand. Just a basic one will do, it doesn’t have to have all the bells and whistles. Geocaching is an activity that the entire family can really enjoy together.
5. Any geocaching GPS should have a descent battery life, at least ten hours. If you select one with less battery life, be sure to take extra batteries, you do want to make sure that the GPS stays up and running to guide you back to your car.
6. Get one that will continue to receive signals from satellites even under heavy cloud cover, high trees and buildings, or in deep canyons.
GPS best prices can usually be found by shopping around on the Web. There are numerous pages of online sources listed for these popular gadgets. You can also sometimes find them on sale at local sports and department stores.
While selecting the best GPS for geocaching is mostly an individual matter, following the attribute tips in this article will help you select one that will be ideally suited for your geocaching expeditions.
Comments on this entry are closed.