Are new GPS units much better than older ones?

[godivatrailrider]

I have an old (like 15+ years) Garmin Oregon 450 gps. It's reliable, stable and I'm used to it. Plus it's good for Geocaching. I have a load of Eneloop batteries that work very well with it.
I have the whole of the UK on 1:25,000 which I like to have.

Am I missing out on much ?

The Wahoo (Bolt?) ones seem fairly well regarded. Not planning on forking out £550 on an Ace. How well does the route present? I'm used to just following a line on OS mapping. I trust it.
I'm not sure knowing a mahoosive hill is coming is a good or a bad thing but folks seem to like to know.

In what way are they better than what I have?

[whitestone]

The core GPS/mapping functionality hasn't changed much if at all. Newer units might be able to use Glonass and/or Galileo as well as GPS but that's not required or mandatory to get accurate location data.

Much of the extra functionality seems to be things like Bluetooth connectivity, useful if you are lazy but I tend to connect my Oregon (600) by wire so it's immaterial.

[voodoo_simon]

The core GPS/mapping functionality hasn't changed much if at all. Newer units might be able to use Glonass and/or Galileo as well as GPS but that's not required or mandatory to get accurate location data.

Much of the extra functionality seems to be things like Bluetooth connectivity, useful if you are lazy but I tend to connect my Oregon (600) by wire so it's immaterial.

Blue tooth actually makes me use my Gamrin Edge a lot and my walking GPS (etrex) without Bluetooth may make an appearance once a year if that!

Means I can plot routes in my phone when I have a spare ten minutes or so and then upload which route I fancy just before I go for a ride when my Edge is in range.

Edge has a few advances (or lots) over my etrex, will tell me how steep a hill is, how high and how long to go, so can be nice in that regards. Mapping is still a line but does show surrounding roads/paths etc which helps with navigation

[Lazarus]

Switches on quicker and finds a signal near instantly
Longer battery life but core functionality of following a trail pretty much the same.
Blue tooth is useful as I can make a route on garmin connect or memory map then connect etc to get it on to the unit if rerouting whilst out.
Also mine will take me to the start of any route or route me to a location of my choice ( on quiet roads generally ).


Dont personally rate touchscreen as can be poor with gloves or heavy rain IME .

Like 15 yr old brakes or forks that still work the neweer stuff, including GPS will be better...£500 better probably not YMMV

[fatbikephil]

It depends on how you use a GPS - if you are mainly following a GPX route then my Edge 500 was good. It's auto guidance was hopeless though, I just followed the purple line. I sold it as I more often than not make a route up as I go along so like to scroll around the map to see where I might go next. The edge was hopeless for this as it's 3 button pushes to get to the map browsing screen and browsing required switching between up/down, left/right and zoom, rather than the etrex's joystick or a touch screen where you just drag it around.

I'm back to using my Dakota which is simple but works very well. SH ones still seem to be available so if my current one breaks I'll track down another.

[errol]

As said, existing GPS availability hasn't changed fundamentally for a few years so the old Garmins (etrek, vista) etc will still provide the same level of accuracy albeit a bit slower, compared to current units, Edge etc, which have improved processing ability to acquire faster and hold the signal in degraded conditions.

Now if Musk was to get his finger out and allow full GPS availability to the masses, which i understand can be done, his satellites utilise laser crosslinks instead of radio, then the level of resolution and accuracy to the end user would be off the chart!

[Dave Barter]

From the way you describe yours they are no better. In our increasingly disposable society it’s a great thing to not cause another consumer action. I wish I could have similar restraint

[benp1]

I'm still using my oregon 550t and an original edge touring. Many many years old

I'd love to upgrade at some point but there are two problems for me
1 - both units function brilliantly still
2 - both work fine in the rain and dry, with gloves on or not

Point 1 means it would just be an upgrade, which in itself is fine. But I've heard mixed views on point 2, I'm not sure they work as well

But both my units are noticeably slow compared with current GPS units, not slower than they were, just not as quick as current devices

[riderdown]

Now if Musk was to get his finger out and allow full GPS availability to the masses, which i understand can be done, his satellites utilise laser crosslinks instead of radio, then the level of resolution and accuracy to the end user would be off the chart!

Can't think of many reasons why that would be a bad idea

[riderdown]

Now if Musk was to get his finger out and allow full GPS availability to the masses, which i understand can be done, his satellites utilise laser crosslinks instead of radio, then the level of resolution and accuracy to the end user would be off the chart!

Can't think of many reasons why that would be a bad idea

[whitestone]

I've updated my Edge unit twice now but it's been because the existing unit went a bit odd - I was suddenly a 320lb 6yr old!; the unit wouldn't save a ride; etc. Currently got the 530 and it's been fine for a couple of years but still suffers from the problems Phil notes, just the nature of button driven maps. Does connect with my phone for uploading rides but it's a bit flakey at times and I plug the unit into the computer to charge it anyway so hardly a deal breaker. The auto-routing can be amusing - if you overshoot a junction when you turn round it still tells you to turn in the original direction Probably true for all auto-routing.

I've had the Oregon 600 for eight or nine years (possibly longer) now, still works fine.

[errol]

Other than his bank balance!

[godivatrailrider]

From the way you describe yours they are no better. In our increasingly disposable society it’s a great thing to not cause another consumer action. I wish I could have similar restraint

Thanks for this Dave.... I'm not much of a 'consumer' ( apart from beer ) and while the Oregon continues to work, I see no reason to change it, certainly not just for the sake of change.
I like the mapping, it's OS which are my favourite maps. The line could be clearer sometimes but... it's a bit clunky to use maybe but I'm used to it and it does everything I want it to... and the geocaching info it can hold is brilliant.

[godivatrailrider]

Plus I ALWAYS have my 3 month old iPhone 15Pro with me which is also pretty good in the GPS department .... I'll not be 'upgrading'.

Thank you everyone :)

[benp1]

Can I ask how/why you use it for geocaching?

I used to use my oregon 550t and previous my extrex legend hcx for geocaching with a pda for paperless caching, and then synchronise everything when I got home. But I now just use the app on my phone which I find to be excellent and really easy to use

Just wondering if I'm missing something!

(I do it less these days but it's arguably more fun now as the kids are involved)

[godivatrailrider]

Can I ask how/why you use it for geocaching?

I used to use my oregon 550t and previous my extrex legend hcx for geocaching with a pda for paperless caching, and then synchronise everything when I got home. But I now just use the app on my phone which I find to be excellent and really easy to use

Just wondering if I'm missing something!

(I do it less these days but it's arguably more fun now as the kids are involved)

I'd assume that whilst it's old, (we ascertained the tech hasn't improved much ) the GPS on a dedicated GPS unit might be stronger/better/more accurate than a Jack of All Trades smartphone.... like a proper camera is sometimes better than a phone camera...
With the Oregon I can upload GC's onto it and it holds all the info etc.... in reality it's possibly better on the phone, but the Oregon is certainly more robust & waterproof...

I got into it because it gave the kids something to do .... then after about a week they got bored and I continued ...

[godivatrailrider]

Ffs me and my big flappy mouth!
Oregon has gone a bollock.
Powers on then I get a line across the screen , and the screen fades to grey.
It needs a new power button but it’s not that as I’ve removed the rubber button and can see the microswitch it activates.
I can activate the micro switch, which starts the power on process … line, fades to grey…
Arrrrgggghhhhh
Guess I need to start looking at either getting it repaired or invest in a new one….

[belugabob]

Ffs me and my big flappy mouth!
Oregon has gone a bollock.
Powers on then I get a line across the screen , and the screen fades to grey.
It needs a new power button but it’s not that as I’ve removed the rubber button and can see the micros with it activates.
I can activate the micro switch, which starts the power on process … line, fades to grey…
Arrrrgggghhhhh
Guess I need to start looking at either getting it repaired or invest in a new one….

Contact Garmin, to see they can can offer some kind of out-of-warranty replacement. They did , for my dead Etrex 35, about 6 months ago

[godivatrailrider]

Arrrggghhhh what a minefield! I’m used to the Oregon 450… it’s not bike specific but it suits me … cos whilst I am a knob, I’m not a complete knob needing to know my wattage, hill climb reps, and the gazillion other shizz things the Edge type ‘bike computer’ ones seem to baffle you with… I’m not interested in all that stuff
The old Extrex 22x look like what I need but it’s not touch screen … 32x has altimeter & compass but so does my garmin forerunner watch which tbh records everything I need to know about a ride. So the Etrex 22x is still winning.
A big thing would be if I could use the OS mapping micro as card from the Oregon in the Etrex…. That’d be a BIG win.
And it uses the 2x AA batteries of which I have loads.

And I can’t quite tell if the Etrex & Oregon use the same mount … again this’d be good as I have them fitted on all my bikes… I can easily google this.

I was leaning towards the Bolt but frankly the mapping looks naff.

But I also have full OS mapping on my iPhone should I need to clarify a situation….

I guess I could just use the iPhone… but not sure I’m keen on having it mounted on the bike…. Out in all weathers and prone to breakage… it was £900…

Any furrher thoughts/ experience/ recommendations folks?

[belugabob]

Arrrggghhhh what a minefield! I’m used to the Oregon 450… it’s not bike specific but it suits me … cos whilst I am a knob, I’m not a complete knob needing to know my wattage, hill climb reps, and the gazillion other shizz things the Edge type ‘bike computer’ ones seem to baffle you with… I’m not interested in all that stuff
The old Extrex 22x look like what I need but it’s not touch screen … 32x has altimeter & compass but so does my garmin forerunner watch which tbh records everything I need to know about a ride. So the Etrex 22x is still winning.
A big thing would be if I could use the OS mapping micro as card from the Oregon in the Etrex…. That’d be a BIG win.
And it uses the 2x AA batteries of which I have loads.

And I can’t quite tell if the Etrex & Oregon use the same mount … again this’d be good as I have them fitted on all my bikes… I can easily google this.

I was leaning towards the Bolt but frankly the mapping looks naff.

But I also have full OS mapping on my iPhone should I need to clarify a situation….

I guess I could just use the iPhone… but not sure I’m keen on having it mounted on the bike…. Out in all weathers and prone to breakage… it was £900…

Any furrher thoughts/ experience/ recommendations folks?

Sell the iPhone, buy whatever Garmin you feel like, spend the rest on tents...

[Lazarus]

Using a phone is not that practical as they use a lot of power and need daily charging. Handy for having.maps on if you want a proper screen.

Waterproof phones can be had for about £100 might be cheaper now

Dont know about legit garmin OS Mapping but mine is copyable but its such a small screen its not really worth bothering with imho

[godivatrailrider]

I think it’s between the Etrex 22x or the Wahoo Roam v2 … like I said I can use the phone to zoom in to 1:25000 on the odd occasion I need to clarify … just not sure how good the trail is to follow when offroad on the Roam

[fatbikephil]

I've not looked for a while but Dakotas were a lot cheaper than Etrex's on ebay. I also got an oregon for my motorbike off CEX - https://uk.webuy.com/search?productLine ... ame=Oregon

[Hyppy]

I think it’s between the Etrex 22x or the Wahoo Roam v2 … like I said I can use the phone to zoom in to 1:25000 on the odd occasion I need to clarify … just not sure how good the trail is to follow when offroad on the Roam

I like my Wahoo, albeit an old ELEMNT, as a basic cycle computer and for following along with a simple route but for proper navigation my etrex 32 w/ talky toaster wins out, particularly off road.

[godivatrailrider]

Still going round in circles, ( sounds like I need a gps!) as is my want.
I think I’ve ruled out high end units from all manufacturers, I just don’t need all the Str4va shizz just not interested in cadence, kom, segments, power, etc
I’d got to thinking the phone can do most of it but I don’t want it stuck on my bike.
Phone can also do geocaching duties
Then I got onto a 2nd hand Oregon 600/700/750, I’m familiar with them, got loads of Eneloop batteries, the mounts would fit the ones on my bikes… and the Etrex 22x/32x would too
I use my forerunner watch for actual tracking my rides.
So actually what I need is the best method of following an unfamiliar trail on the bike, THAT’S what I’m in need of first and foremost.
In the summer I’m bikepacking from Southampton back to Ludlow… over 5 days… so I need a unit on the bike showing me where my preloaded gpx track goes.
They’ll all do this.
But what does it best.? What presents the best trail to follow
Roam v2 ?
Etrex 32x?
Edge?