On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 9:26 AM, Lambertus <o...@na1400.info> wrote: > Joe Richards wrote: > > I will be trekking in Nepal later this year, and would like to keep some > nice GPX trails and waypoints (both on the trekking trails and in the > towns/roads), since it looks relatively unmapped... I usually use a windows > mobile device with a bluetooth GPS but this strikes me as way to flimsy and > the battery life would be far too short. > > > > What is my best option given the requirements of: > > * reasonable robustness - ie can be put in the top pocket of a backpack > and forgotten about for a day, even if I slip over or sling my bag around > > * excellent battery life, ideally a few days' tracking before a recharge > (although I could carry other power sources, I'd rather not) > > * a little feedback, not just a GPS 'brick' - e.g. a display and/or the > ability to enter waypoint names would be nice > > > My options would be the Garmin Vista HCx or Garmin GPSmap 60CSx. Both > are very sturdy outdoor GPS devices with high sensitivity receiver, > micro-SD card for maps and unlimited tracklogs, color screen. The HCx is > a bit cheaper but the 60CSx has a screen that's a bit larger and better > readable without the backlight on (which saves battery life). With good > batteries you should be able to get about 20 hours between charges. > > I notice that my NiMH batteries (Ansmann 2700mAh) perform worse when > it's cold, so maybe normal Alkaline batteries might be better in cold > environments. >
The Vista HCx is plenty readable with the backlight off. Where it's most difficult is in shade or under cloudy conditions. The HCx has better battery life than the 60 CSx, too (maybe 24 hours vs. 16 for ~2500 mAh NiMH batteries), and lithium batteries perform the best in cold weather. Both NiMH and alkalines drain fast in the cold. Lithiums also have higher capacity than either. However, they're not rechargeable, unfortunately. Karl
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