Quest, Quest II, 276C or 376C?

[Corkus]

I don't know squat about GPS's but I know what I want to use one for. I'd use one for lots of automotive navagating in the cities and suburbs. Secondly, I'd use it for hiking, or what the wife and I call hiking. It's really walking. Anyway, if a GPS can help us have fun on our nature walks without getting lost, that would be a great thing. We're always sticking to main paths because we don't know where secondary paths go, or how to get back. GPS's can help fix that right? I guess I don't even know that.

 

So,

1. Automotive (70%)

2. Nature walks (15%)

3. Motorcycle touring (exploring unknown roads) (15%)

 

So far, I like the 376C MattS showed me but I don't know if I'd use half of the features like XM, Sonar, weather information. The trip logging is terrific though. I might like that. That suggests the 276C maybe.

 

The Quest and Quest II advertise themselves as Automotive and Walking units. And the voice navagation would be a hit with us. Can the preloaded CityNav software in the QII be updated in a couple years when new software comes out?

 

I've read several reviews on each unit but they've been woefully short on detail, like trip logging, which options I'd need for walking, if the preloaded QII software is permenant, etc. So are there any good in depth sites out there that discuss features?

[Motorrad4fun]

Cory,

I am using a Garmin GPSMap 60.($325) I purchased the City software ($80) for it and a mount that will work on my KGT.

Around town or around the country it works well. It has enough memory to store at least a day’s worth of riding.

The only thing I have added to it is a screen protector (use any PDA Screen protector that fits, and cut to size)

 

Good Luck

[JamesB]

If you will use it for nagivating for business purposes, you might consider a Garmin iQue. It gives you all the functionality of a Palm PDA (contacts, scheduling, etc.). Let's you select any of the contacts (that you can sync with your base computer) and have it map a route to that location. Its screen is as large or larger than many other GPS's. Fits in your pocket/briefcase easily. If your bike has an intercom, you can import the audible turn-by-turn instructions. Its maps and tracks are only limited by the size of the memory card you install. Downsides: not water proof (a ziploc will work) and it has limited battery life (I use 12v adapters in the car and on the bike) and you can't map a route on your desktop computer and download it to the iQue (routes can be customized and saved--but must be done on the iQue itself).

 

Esp. on a bike, some actions are best accomplished with the unit's stylus while stationary. In practice, that has never been a significant issue. Good luck. (The different brands have become so much better in the last few years, it's hard to make a "bad" choice.)

[johnlt]

Sounds like for 85% of the time, the 276C would work great. I personally think it is a little large for walking but that's only 15% of the time and you could keep it in a fanny pack and just refer to it when you need to make a navigation decision.

[MattS]

keep it in a fanny pack

You could do the same and keep it active with an external antenna, which can be gotten on the aftermarket for about $30.

 

Just have to find a way to mount it to your ear/head/shoulder/whatever.

[Corkus]

The GPS bug has bitten me hard. Ouch.

 

I found a mind blowing GPS web site. Here are the Quest/Quest II, 276C pages. This has led me to throw hiking/walking out of the decision. It looks like a auto GPS plus a dinky hiking unit would be better.

 

Edit: 276C link added

[Mike O]

The GPS bug has bitten me hard. Ouch.

 

I found a mind blowing GPS web site. Here is the Quest/Quest II page. This has led me to throw hiking/walking out of the decision. It looks like a auto GPS plus a dinky hiking unit would be better. Detailed 276C/376C reviews are much harder to find so far.

 

I have the Quest and have been happy with it. I don't use it much for hiking, but have had it on several back country roads around our cabin and was quite surprised at how well it navigated. Easily pocket-able, etc. If you buy this and want a cheap home made bike mounting solution, pm me.

 

Regards,

 

Mike O

[valeriek]

I have the Quest II - found it to be outstanding on the bike, and small enough to walk with (if I hiked). It is sufficiently light that I am able to use the automobile mount that came with it to mount it to an RCU shelf with no problem (used the 'disk' on the shelf.

 

Go for it - one of my 'most useful' buys - great for traveling in unknown areas (finding way back to hotel at night!!), or discovering twisty routes in unknown areas.

[Corkus]

The Quest II is looking good for my purposes. It comes pre-loaded with City Select NT maps. OK. But there's no CD if I understand things.

 

--- Does this limit PC based routing and downloading into the Q2? Would I need extra software to do PC based routing and downloading to the Q2? Would I have to do all routing right on the Q2? That wouldn't be very cool.

 

--- What about upgrading the built in maps? Can you do that? What is the cost of the upgrades?

 

I was leaning to the 276, but then I read the Q2 takes care of my only 2 complaints with the Q1, extra memory and the same 10,000 waypoint storage the 276 has.

[Brimoon]

The QuestII sounds like it will do everything you need, but be sure that the screen is legible at the distrance you want to mount it and in bright sunlight. I've used several GPSs and my choice is the 276C. It has all the features I need, plus a great screen and quick route calculations which are helpful if you're just out exploring the back roads.

[flobti]

I had the same questions about the Quest II, so I wrote Garmin. The following was their reply:

 

Thank you for contacting Garmin International,

 

I would be happy to help you with this. The Quest 2 has a different version

of the City Select software installed as it is a fully loaded unit. For

this reason, it is not compatible with the PC versions of the software.

 

For this reason, you can not create routes on the PC and transfer them to

the Quest 2 and have it follow the route you created. This is why we do not

include a PC version of the City Select with the Quest 2 at purchase.

 

However, since you already have the City Select software due to your 276c,

you can create waypoints and transfer them via the USB GPS cable.

 

When updates to the NT version of City Select become available for your

unit, they will come in a DVD version that will install direct to your Quest

2 using your PC DVD drive as a conduit.

 

-------------------

 

I use the 276c & love it. My only two complaints are: you must use their memory, which is limited to 256Meg - also relatively expensive - however, practically, I rarely need to change the maps - it holds plenty for my use.

 

Second is that I have not fiqured out a way to reverse a route that's been downloaded into the 276c, so I have to reverse it on the PC & download both. (on my 60cs I use on by bicycles, I can just reverse any route on the unit itself).

 

Other than those 2 minor probems, I like screen (both size & brightness in the sun), speed is excellent, easy to navigate buttons, & also having the battery to use off the bike (or on the bike if not hardwired - it will last over 12 hours - there is even a battery indicator that will show actual time remaining, not just "bars")

 

For me it's a necessity to be able to route on the PC - I think this is the most versitle unit out there - if they changed the memory, it would be practically perferct (though I had extra memory chips I had used with a Street Pilot III). The Quest II looks great, but since you can't route on the PC, it's ruled out form my use.

[mackerman]

Look hard at the Quest. I love mine, easy to use, wonderfully accurate, and quite affordable. I like the option of being able to plan my routes on my PC (large screen, easy to see the back roads!), then upload them to the Quest (can't do that with the Quest II).

 

As far a being able to see the screen, I've mounted mine on a shelf above the dash, (think RCU shelf, but less expensive) and it's quite readable, even for these 45+ year old eyes .

 

Using the Quest has allowed me to quit looking down at my tank bag for the next intersection on my rides. The Quest tells me at each turn how far to the next turn, and then reminds me at least twice before the turn. It helps me keep my concentration on the road, not on a map.

 

pm me if you have any Quest specific questions...

[Mike O]

...I like the option of being able to plan my routes on my PC (large screen, easy to see the back roads!), then upload them to the Quest (can't do that with the Quest II).

 

Yikes, that 'feature' of the Quest II would be enough to raise an eye brow.

 

If you'd like to see my pics of an RT install for the Garmin Quest, look here.

 

Regards,

 

Mike O

[Corkus]

So with the Quest 2, I could buy a Garmin Map CD Like City Select (not the NT version) and load it into spare memory alongside the version that is already in there. Then I'd be able to use that funky setup to do PC routing. I suppose the version of software that comes with the Q2 is ROM based and can't be deleted?

 

And the Quest (1, not 2) has half the memory but a CD Based set of maps so you can do PC Based routing. Then there's the big difference in way points you can keep on the Q1.

 

I have never understood or liked a company that is stingy with CD versions of their software. I usually pass on any computer product that comes preinstalled without a CD. I use those CD's.

 

Maybe I'm back to the 276. And I guess I'll take a look at the 2610 while I'm at it.

[MattS]

I would be happy to help you with this. The Quest 2 has a different version of the City Select software installed as it is a fully loaded unit. For

this reason, it is not compatible with the PC versions of the software.

 

For this reason, you can not create routes on the PC and transfer them to

the Quest 2 and have it follow the route you created. This is why we do not

include a PC version of the City Select with the Quest 2 at purchase.

This is, fortunately, turning out to be more Garmin b******t ... apparently there is a PC-only version of the maps available for about $15 that will allow you to do routing there despite having the NT version of pre-loaded maps.

 

These are the same folks who insist that City Navigator won't work on an x76C.

[MattS]

So with the Quest 2, I could buy a Garmin Map CD Like City Select (not the NT version) and load it into spare memory alongside the version that is already in there...

Typically this extra space would be used for Topo or Marine maps, as one example; or European or Australian maps as another.