Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

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Pink Sapphire
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Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Pink Sapphire » 01 August 10 11:11 am

Hi :)

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this model of GPS for geocaching? https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=13424

I'm new to geocaching and trying to decide which model of GPS to purchase. This one looks good to me because the information about it says it can be used in the car as well as for geocaching.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you :)

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funkydan2
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by funkydan2 » 02 August 10 10:13 am

Hey Sapphire,

Yep, that's our new caching device. Here's some quick pros/cons.

Pro:
  • Does driving really well. With the latest updates you get road names read out to you and the directions are fine (with all the normal caveats for gps navigation).
    The interface/touch screen is very easy to navigate.
    If you've got caches loaded up onto the device, you can see icons on the map for them as your driving around (constant temptation).
    It's fairly accurate - better than my Nokia N95 anyway.
    Battery life is good
    Does paperless caching well.
Cons:
  • It's not really designed well for using out and about. It's a bit big in your hands and doesn't have a lanyard attachment
    No electronic compass. That means that for it to give you a bearing, you need to be moving.
I reckon it's a winner for a new person getting into caching.

Daniel

Pink Sapphire
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Pink Sapphire » 02 August 10 7:59 pm

Hi funkydan2,

Thanks heaps for all that info! Those are exactly the kinds of things I wanted to know.

It does sound like it's a great all rounder, apart from being a bit big to carry while out and about (and that wouldn't really bother me!)

It sounds like it's very versatile with the different modes it has.

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Kaisho53
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Kaisho53 » 05 August 10 11:18 pm

Hi Sapphire....

Started out with a Nuvi 500 - probably racked up my 1st 50 or so caches with it..

As Funkydan said main dissadvantage is it's not so easy to hold securely when scrambling around.

Found/find it quite accurate enough to find caches fairly easily...

Easy to load .gpx files either direct from site/pocket query of GSAK..
Simple to set up custom routes for those well planned caching days

Now just use it in car as also have oregon hand held that is just so much easier to hold securely when hopping over rocks & logs etc...

BTW - welcome to our addiction :D

Pink Sapphire
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Pink Sapphire » 06 August 10 1:37 am

Hi Kaisho53, thanks for the info :)

I still haven't decided what to do about a GPS. We have one for the car now, but it's not designed for geocaching. It works ok if I type the coordinates in though.

Apart from being able to hold the Oregon easier because it's a different shape, do you find it more user friendly for geocaching than the nuvi 500? Is the software similar and are the maps similar or easier to read on the Oregon? Does the battery on the Oregon last longer?

Also I'm wondering how the nuvi 500 and Oregon compare when you're not geocaching and if you're walking in a city and put an address in (say you're looking for a shop.)

I won't be going to find geocaches where I have to do a lot of hiking or climbing.

Thanks again for the info :)

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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Dooghan » 06 August 10 8:43 am

Pink Sapphire wrote:I still haven't decided what to do about a GPS. We have one for the car now, but it's not designed for geocaching. It works ok if I type the coordinates in though.
When I started Geocaching 9 years ago no GPS was designed for Geocaching. Any GPS that you could enter coordinates into it could be used for caching. That is still the case today. By adding a Goecaching mode to the GPS it has made it easier for people to get into Geocaching and do PAPERLESS caching.
Pink Sapphire wrote:Apart from being able to hold the Oregon easier because it's a different shape, do you find it more user friendly for geocaching than the nuvi 500? Is the software similar and are the maps similar or easier to read on the Oregon? Does the battery on the Oregon last longer?

Also I'm wondering how the nuvi 500 and Oregon compare when you're not geocaching and if you're walking in a city and put an address in (say you're looking for a shop.)
The Nuvi 500 and Oregon can use the same maps. The Nuvi 500 will come with the City Nav maps where as (depending on what package you select) the Oregon may not. You can buy the Oregon without maps, with City Nav map or with topo maps. You could also download some of the free maps and put on both GPS's. You could also put the same free maps on the Nuvi 255 which you have already got :-k . Maybe something else that maybe important is what sort of batteries does the Nuvi 500 and Oregon use? I take a digital camera with me while caching. It uses AA batteries. My Garmin 60CSx uses the same batteries. They are cheap, you can buy them from a lot of shops and I carry number of spare sets both devices. If need be I can use the camera batteries in the Gps and vice-versa :-k
Pink Sapphire wrote:I won't be going to find geocaches where I have to do a lot of hiking or climbing.

Thanks again for the info :)
There are a large number of cachers within meters of roads. That doesn't mean you wont slip on wet grass, loose rocks or cross some sort of drain etc to get to the cache.
Last edited by Dooghan on 08 August 10 11:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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funkydan2
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by funkydan2 » 06 August 10 10:05 am

If you already have an in car GPS that you're happy with, I don't think I'd recommend the Nuvi 500 - got for a proper hand held GPS. Not only for it being tougher when you're out and about and easier to hold, but because the same price as a Nuvi you should be able to get a unit with a built in electronic compass, which will make it much easier to get your bearings.

Pink Sapphire
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Re: Garmin Nuvi 500 GPS

Post by Pink Sapphire » 08 August 10 3:34 am

So much to think about. Thanks guys :)

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