Recommended GPS Systems

Sundog33 said:

I am working in Lome, Togo and just started doing some trail riding. After a few anxious hours peddling aimlessly in the bush I have come to the conclusion that a GPS system may come in handy. Never used one before. Does anyone have any recommendations......

There is a lot you can do with a basic unit. I started out with a Garmin eTrex Venture. Then I moved up to a mapping unit, a Garmin GPSMap 60CS, which I love. Mapping units cost more, but you can see a map on your screen. You have to pay for the mapping software too, that is, if there is any available for your area. HTH

Rich Owings

www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

Sundog33 said:

I am working in Lome, Togo and just started doing some trail riding. After a few anxious hours peddling aimlessly in the bush I have come to the conclusion that a GPS system may come in handy. Never used one before. Does anyone have any recommendations......

Recommend a basic unit also. I have the Garmin Etrex, and believe it would work great for your use. You just turn it on, ride out into the bush, and always have a "breadcrumb" trail to follow home. Or, you can set a waypoint at the trailhead, and have a steering arrow with distance to point the way back. Believe they are selling for around $100 USD now; well worth having IMO.

Do the roads and traffic allow any road riding? Assume traffic in and around the capital would be pretty crazy. Off topic, but how are the beaches there?

dhk said:

Recommend a basic unit also. I have the Garmin Etrex, and believe it would work great for your use.

Good suggestion. The basic yellow eTrex doesn't come with a cable though, so buy one to go with it, or go up one step to the eTrex Venture, which has a little more memory and comes with the cable. The cable will allow you to transfer waypoints, etc., between your GPSr and computer.

Rich Owings

www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

RedwoodsMtBiker said:

Good suggestion. The basic yellow eTrex doesn't come with a cable though, so buy one to go with it, or go up one step to the eTrex Venture, which has a little more memory and comes with the cable. The cable will allow you to transfer waypoints, etc., between your GPSr and computer.

Rich Owings

www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

Thanks for the fast and informative responses........

Sundog33 said:

I am working in Lome, Togo and just started doing some trail riding. After a few anxious hours peddling aimlessly in the bush I have come to the conclusion that a GPS system may come in handy. Never used one before. Does anyone have any recommendations......

I'm on my 2nd & 3rd Magellan units, the better is a SporTrak Map, with downloadable map detail (I use Topo maps for my use) for hiking, snowshoeing & mostly for sea kayaking. I have a handlebar mount, but never used it yet.

General observations for you - I'd guess you won;t be able to get maps for Togo, so a basic unit with basemaps should be ok. GPS units draw pretty heavy battery power; NiMH batteries will give you the best economy with pretty good life. And all units tend to "fade" in picking up reception under more than light treecover. Never ever rely on a GPS to get you home safely, you could have a failure and be in trouble; but used in conjunction with a good map & a basic compass is a great resource

Good luck - Peter

If i were you I wait til Garmin's new Edge 205 and 305 came out. Both contain technology that makes GPS even more accurate, plus you can add cadence or HR to make it even more interactive.

I asked santa to bring me an Edge 305 w/HR and Cadence as I am riding primarily for fitness and my guru tells me that monitoring heart rate is very helpful in training efficiently. Not really sure if I need the cadence but it couldn't hurt. I know this is a bit OT but my .02, the GPS is primarily for measuring distance as I generally go out without a loop in mind and its great just to ride around until you hit your marks kind of like bounding through the bush without really worrying about how to get back.