GPS Again

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:48 pm

I'm after a GPS device and have been looking at the Garmin Etrex 30 or Garmin Dakota 20. They both look very good with similar features. One is touch screen the other isn't. Has anyone got any experience with either of these or advice on which one to go for?

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:55 pm

I have a Dakota 20 at the moment and had an eTrex 20 before that ... I find the Dakota a much easier unit to use. The screen's bigger and it works okay with gloves on too, I find the whole thing pretty easy / straightforward now I've had a good play with it.

I believe that battery life isn't quite as good as the eTrex but I've not found it a problem.

Lughnasadh · Post by **Lughnasadh** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 1:33 pm

Can you download free maps from the internet onto the Dakota 20?

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 1:34 pm

Cheers Stu, what's the screen quality like on the Dakota compared to the Etrex?

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:22 pm

Can you download free maps from the internet onto the Dakota 20?

Somewhere on here there's a link to buying an sd card that contains full UK OS mapping for about £25 - I was a little sceptical at first given what Garmin charge for the same thing but in reality it's superb.

Cheers Stu, what's the screen quality like on the Dakota compared to the Etrex?

I think the eTrex has a slightly higher resolution but the Dakota is fine, slightly fuzzy but certainly good enough to navigate with, even when you're travelling at speed.

restlessshawn · Post by **restlessshawn** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:30 pm

It probably comes down to whether you want a touch screen or not, I hate them so got the etrex 20. The cheapo garmin maps are perfect.

One pair of alkaline AA batteries lasted me the whole WRT weekend and 2 rides when I got home!

Occasionally if you are going fast down a hill it will struggle to update the map square quick enough if you are zoomed in...however if you are going that fast then trying to read a tiny map on your bars is not advised

restlessshawn · Post by **restlessshawn** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:38 pm

Garmin maps for £22.46 link

http://gb.ioffer.com/i/2012-garmin-gb-d ... -127349741

johnnystorm · Post by **johnnystorm** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 4:52 pm

Another happy Dakota & iOffer maps user here. The key to battery life is playing with the screen brightness. A few notches darker, that you'll barely notice, has a big effect on battery life. On full brightness its about 3 hrs from a pair of fresh 2900mah AAs. With it still perfectly readable but turned down as much as possible I get a day and a half of riding out of the same batteries.

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:17 pm

I read somewhere that the Dakota screen is hard to read in daylight compared to the Etrex. Any thoughts on this anyone?

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:35 pm

I read somewhere that the Dakota screen is hard to read in daylight compared to the Etrex. Any thoughts on this anyone?

Can't say I've had any trouble really.

Chew · Post by **Chew** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:19 pm

I have a Dakota 20 and cant really fault it. Easy to use, screen readability is fine and if you play about with the settings you'll get best part of 2 days out of a set of batteries.

No issues using it with gloves on, and anyone having issues might want to calibrate the screen while your wearing your gloves as you contact point may be different than just using your fingers.

Mines taken alot of abuse as well and still works. Hours of rain, self ejecting (crap mount) and getting either whacked against rocks/being run over.

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 8:58 am

This thread comes at an appropriate moment for me as was just considering a unit.

Anyone seen it cheaper than c.£150 on Amazon?

johnnystorm · Post by **johnnystorm** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:11 am

£135 at Handtec but on pre-order....

http://www.handtec.co.uk/garmin-dakota-20.html?___SID=U

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:20 am

Cheers. Amazon also do 7% cash back through Quidco.

Sorry for the slight thread hijack OP but hope it's the same sort of info you'd want anyway 8-)

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:02 pm

I'm still torn between the Etrex 30 and Dakota 20. Can anyone comment on screen quality of both of these devices please before I take the plunge :?:

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:25 pm

I'm still torn between the Etrex 30 and Dakota 20. Can anyone comment on screen quality of both of these devices please before I take the plunge

I think that what the Dakota loses* on resolution it makes up for in size.

*which isn't actually that much in the real world.

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 1:36 pm

If I had to choose I think it would be the Dakota.

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 2:13 pm

I've just thought, the screen on the Dakota can't be too bad ... because I'm completely colour blind and can read it. Often things like screens, etc I really struggle with. :D

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 2:58 pm

Having used one of the little Edge personal GPS / bike computer thingies for all of about 3 rides and then losing it (most irritatingly somewhere at home I reckon) have blown the cash and got a Dakota 20 from Amazon.

Getting the cheap 1:50k mapping is all to cock though as Paypal have "limited" my account. Goaddamn them, don't they know who I am :evil:

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:03 pm

Cheeky Monkey I would be grateful of your opinion on the Dakota 20 when you get it. I'm on the verge of buying mine very soon.

Cheeky Monkey · Post by **Cheeky Monkey** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 10:35 am

No worries. I've used a really old Etrex before (no mapping) and found the buttons and OS a pain. Ridden with others using the Dakota (FF) and was struck by how well it worked. For £50 more than the the bike computer version of an Edge I had the deal on Amazon seems good. Plus with the 1:50k mapping for £25 my previous reluctance because you had to add yet more cash to use decent maps disappeared.

I'm also a bit of an impulse buyer

ir_bandito · Post by **ir_bandito** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:11 am

Can you connect either Garmin to an external charger, eg dynamo hub, or are they both AA batteries only?

Bearbonesnorm · Post by **Bearbonesnorm** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:13 am

Can you connect either Garmin to an external charger, eg dynamo hub, or are they both AA batteries only?

They both run on AA but I think there may be a way of charging (rechargable) batteries in situ ... I could be very wrong though. Another option would be to use a AA charger powered by a dynamo.

Rocklobsrercat does this help ? Dakota screen earlier this morning

rocklobstercat · Post by **rocklobstercat** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:24 am

Yeah thanks for that. I think I'm going to go for the Dakota over the Etrex.

ScotRoutes · Post by **ScotRoutes** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:54 am

Re the power options... I hadn't tried it before but I've just managed to get my Dakota 20 running direct off the Power Monkey unit (i.e. no AA's installed). That being the case, it should also work off a dynamo power feed :) The one "flaw" I've found so far is that the screen doesn't go into Power Saver mode and is constantly backlit.

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