I'm looking at buying a handheld GPS device. I would like to stay under $300 if possible. Can you guys give me some recommendations?

 

Don't have any recommendations, but am interested in what you find out and end up getting.

 

there are a bunch of them out... all priced around $300. Whatever you go with... pick one that does Bluetooth... cause since both of you are from Cali... starting July, you can no longer drive and talk on the cell. w/o headset or some kind of speaker phone... I think the B.T. feature is a big plus...
Personally, I'm happy with the TomTom software I got for my Treo 700w

 

Not sure what bluetooth has to do with hand held GPS, but thanks for the reminder on the hands-free driving. I hope they strictly enforce it.

oneilc - are you looking for something for the car or for hiking? I was thinking for hiking.

 

TomTom One GPS

 

I think it allows you to dial and make calls through the device... so, say... you have your phone sitting on your seat while driving... a call comes in, it displays the caller on the screen... and also allows you to carry on the conversation with the speaker...

and I just notice that you're gettin' it for hiking... so nevermind...

 

TomTom One FTW

 

Garmin's units are good too.

 

MAGELLAN~ROADMATE 800 Purchased one for a friend approx. $275 including shipping. Works great.

 

If you're looking for something to take with hiking, then my only recommendation would be to consider a unit that has a socket for connecting an external antenna. GPS signals are not very strong. An average tree canopy can block them enough that units with the flat "patch" antennas will have problems locking on. At least that was my experience a few years ago when I got my unit.

 

This is going to be a gift for my brother who is a big outdoors person. He's always hiking, biking, or doing something like that.

Thanks for all of the input. I'm getting a better picture of what would be good to buy.

 

we have one for work, but i think it cost around 4k. I think the GPS unit was made by trimble, and that works great. We were hiking around the jungle through thick canopy and it still worked. but it's built into some type of palm pilot running windows mobile, and that thing sucked. It would freeze and not boot up right and act really slow. I was dying and wishing they made a mac OSX mobile .

This probably doesn't help you much, since our 4k one was kinda a peice of crap, but good luck. I know a few people that have the normal consumer models, maybe i'll ask them.