GPS for the over 50's

PopChart said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such things as fine detail on maps but not
general use. I am minded to buy a GPS such as Garmin Etrex
Legend but am concerned that the screen will be impossible
to read without glasses.

Use the magnifying glass on your compass?

</irony>

;-)

Other than that I don't think there is a work-around, sorry.

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
thenmc.org.ukindex.phpOpen ↗

NMC website: thenmc.org.ukthenmc.org.ukOpen ↗

Hi Chris ..

Also just over 50 and have similar vision problems. Surveyed
the GPS market about 6 months ago and opted for Magellan
Sport Track Pro, it has a nice large screen but I still
found that I needed to wear glasses so opted for a very
niffty pair of half glasses which I wear all the time whilst
walking, after a while you do not realise that you are
wearing them! Good Luck. Ted

"PopChart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such

things

Quoted message said:

as fine detail on maps but not general use. I am minded to
buy a GPS such

as

Quoted message said:

Garmin Etrex Legend but am concerned that the screen will
be impossible to read without glasses. Is there anyone
(perhaps, similarly, visually challenged )who can comment

on

Quoted message said:

this problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I
must put the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then
so be it

but

Quoted message said:

if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

Thanks in advance for any offerings. Chris

"PopChart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such

things

Quoted message said:

as fine detail on maps but not general use. I am minded to
buy a GPS such

as

Quoted message said:

Garmin Etrex Legend but am concerned that the screen will
be impossible to read without glasses. Is there anyone
(perhaps, similarly, visually challenged )who can comment

on

Quoted message said:

this problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I
must put the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then
so be it

but

Quoted message said:

if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

Thanks in advance for any offerings. Chris

Hi, I am in the same position. I sold my Etrex Summit and
bough a Vista

(same screen as Legend), which has a greater screen
resolution (smaller text) and I could not read it. I sold
that on eBay after 3 months and bought a GPSMap 60c which is
excellent for my eyes, as well as having much better battery
life and signal reception. You will note that the etrex
range are getting cheaper now and are thought to be getting
to the end of the range life. Good luck Joe

In message <[email hidden]>,
EddySon <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi Chris ..

Also just over 50 and have similar vision problems.
Surveyed the GPS market about 6 months ago and opted for
Magellan Sport Track Pro, it has a nice large screen but I
still found that I needed to wear glasses so opted for a
very niffty pair of half glasses which I wear all the time
whilst walking, after a while you do not realise that you
are wearing them! Good Luck. Ted

"PopChart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such

things

Quoted message said:

as fine detail on maps but not general use. I am minded
to buy a GPS such

as

Quoted message said:

Garmin Etrex Legend but am concerned that the screen will
be impossible to read without glasses. Is there anyone
(perhaps, similarly, visually challenged )who can comment

on

Quoted message said:

this problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I
must put the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then
so be it

but

Quoted message said:

if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

My Etrex Vista has 'big numbers' options on some of the
screens - not that I ever bother to use them. I just keep a
pair of glasses in a handy pocket - and I've learnt from
experience not to use my main pair - just the spare pair.
Can be a battle to get the glasses on when head is
surroiunded by hats, hoods and even goggles at times.

I first realised I needed reading glasses when I couldn't
read the map on Carnedd Llewellyn and was puzzled as to why
the hell not - even with the magnifying glass on my compass.

--
Martin Richardson
239/284 Munros - 15% to go 34/34 'Furths' & 439/439 Nuttalls
- 0% to go
240/89 Donalds - 53% to go 0/? Himalayans - 100% to go
241/1552 Marilyns - 72% to go

PopChart said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such things as fine detail on maps but not
general use. I am minded to buy a GPS such as Garmin Etrex
Legend but am concerned that the screen will be impossible
to read without glasses. Is there anyone (perhaps,
similarly, visually challenged )who can comment on this
problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I must put
the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then so be it
but if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

Thanks in advance for any offerings. Chris

I have a Vista, which has a similar screen - very clear but
very small. I changed over to vari-focals and now have no
problem seeing the screen as well as the scenery.

Ask your optician ?

Jim Hutton

Bitstring <[email hidden]>,
from the wonderful person Jim Hutton
<[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

PopChart said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such things as fine detail on maps but not
general use. I am minded to buy a GPS such as Garmin Etrex
Legend but am concerned that the screen will be impossible
to read without glasses. Is there anyone (perhaps,
similarly, visually challenged )who can comment on this
problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I must put
the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then so be it
but if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

Thanks in advance for any offerings. Chris

I have a Vista, which has a similar screen - very clear but
very small. I changed over to vari-focals and now have no
problem seeing the screen as well as the scenery.

Ask your optician ?

Varifocals excellent once you get used to them. eTrex
'large numbers' option OK too, but only applies in a few
places (maybe only Trip Computer screen?) so no use with
the map display.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and
indistinguishable from human typing.

Thanks for all of the useful replies. As any person who
wears glasses will tell you it is something to be avoided if
possible as they are a wretched nuisance particularly in
adverse weather conditions.

I believe I am persuaded to avoid the eTrex range and go for
something with a better display such as the Garmin 60C

Regards, Chris

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person PopChart <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

Thanks for all of the useful replies. As any person who
wears glasses will tell you it is something to be avoided
if possible as they are a wretched nuisance particularly in
adverse weather conditions.

Depends when they started. having worn them for 40+ years, I
am quite happy with them. Tried contacts for a while, and
went back to glasses - without glasses the wind, dust, rain,
snow and suchlike cr&p went straight into my eyes ..
miserable. Plus in any lab, you take off your glasses and
the first thing you have to do it put safety specs on ..
rather have the real thing.

Quoted message said:

I believe I am persuaded to avoid the eTrex range and go
for something with a better display such as the Garmin 60C

A good choice, if you ignore the 2x price increase. However
check before you buy - the lines on the map display are
probably still going to look thin, since all they usually do
with a better display is try to show you more detail.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and
indistinguishable from human typing.

As an over 50 myself I realised last year that I needed to
have the glasses on for map-reading and micronavigation,
particularly on 1:25,000 maps. I bought a glasses cord for
use when outside, and have managed well since then.

I also have a Garmin Etrek Summit, which I can read without
the glasses if I need to, but since I'm wearing them most of
the time anyway it's not a big issue for me.

Hope this helps.

Nick Andrews

"PopChart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such

things

Quoted message said:

as fine detail on maps but not general use. I am minded to
buy a GPS such

as

Quoted message said:

Garmin Etrex Legend but am concerned that the screen will
be impossible to read without glasses. Is there anyone
(perhaps, similarly, visually challenged )who can comment

on

Quoted message said:

this problem and has anyone any recommendations? If I
must put the glasses on each time to consult any GPS then
so be it

but

Quoted message said:

if I can avoid this problem then all well and good.

Thanks in advance for any offerings. Chris

Get a Magellan from the meridian range. Whilst lower
resolution they have larger screens.

Jon

<Steve Orrell> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

PopChart said:

I have now reached that age where reading glasses are
needed for such

things

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

as fine detail on maps but not general use. I am minded
to buy a GPS such

as

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Garmin Etrex Legend but am concerned that the screen will
be impossible

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

read without glasses.

Use the magnifying glass on your compass?

</irony>

;-)

Other than that I don't think there is a work-
around, sorry.

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
thenmc.org.ukindex.phpOpen ↗

NMC website: thenmc.org.ukthenmc.org.ukOpen ↗

PopChart said:

Thanks for all of the useful replies. As any person who
wears glasses will tell you it is something to be avoided
if possible as they are a wretched nuisance particularly in
adverse weather conditions.

Not anyone. As someone who has been wearing glasses for more
than 50 years I'd say get used to it. Your close focus is
only going to get worse. Instead of buying bigger GPSRs,
watches, diaries, dictionaries, etc., I'd say bite the
bullet and either carry an easily accessible pair of glasses
or a magnifying glass. You'll need them next time you get a
splinter in your finger.

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
["]http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

How about using a micro-prism magnifyer which is like a
sheet of plastic attached to the GPS. The sheet has to be
held away from the screen but it is easier than a pair of
glasses hanging around your neck

Brian
PS digital mapping enables 1:50,000 maps to be printed at a
larger scale to be able to see the detail. Try Tracklogs
for example.