GPS Devices Life

GPS with value and good feature set - Magellan Meridian Gold Handheld GPS Receiver I have tried several different GPS models and this one certainly has the best feature set for the money. Mag...

Bought it at Sam’s Club - Magellan Meridian Gold Handheld GPS Receiver Okay I was influenced strongly by the special on the Magellan Meridian Gold being on sale at Sam's Club for $302 i...

One of my biggest pet peeves is novice hikers getting lost in the woods, then requiring a rescue crew to piggyback them back to civilization. Not only does this make them look dumb, it also costs tax payers $50,000+ each time. Well, you can save yourself the embarrassment and public ridicule by staying home or investing in an economical GPS.

The Magellan Meredian Gold packs quite a KO punch in a relatively compact package. It comes factory programmed with 16MB of basemap. This includes cities, highways, major roads, lakes, etc. Compare this to the Magellan Sportrak Map and Garmin Legend, which both come preloaded with only 2MB basemap.

I got a chance to test the Gold while driving and it worked flawlessly. It was quick to find the satellite signal and grab a hold of it. It never lost the signal during the 2 hour drive through and over mountains.

The Gold displays significantly more backroads and smaller towns than the Sportrak and Legend. But, to my surprise and disappointment, some roads I use are missing from the Gold. Considering they are major roads and are included in the Sportrak and Legend, I was mildly shocked. But, it’s not a huge deal, because overall, there are more roads and cities included, including populations. Bet you didn’t know Hughes, Alaska only has 54 residents!

The Gold is basically a fraternal twin of the Sportrak (see my review), sharing similar looks, function and screens. The only significant differences are:

- Gold’s viewing screen is about 25% larger

- Gold is bulkier and heavier

- The battery compartment is easier to open due to two sliding switches instead of a screw, like in the Sportrak

- Mapping software can’t be uploaded in the Gold without an optional memory card. The Sportrak has built-in 6MB for this purpose

I purchased the Gold because I was able to get it at a ridiculous price. I paid $120 (no tax) at online auction (not ebay). It was a refurb but looks and works like new. I am quite thrilled with the price, considering this company sells the same refurbs in their catalog for $170. I believe new ones go for $200.

I do have one complaint about the Gold, which is that the battery cover does not close air-tight. Although it’s rated to 5M and can be submerged for 30 min, I am worried that the looseness will cause water to get in and damage the unit. I do not know if this is because it’s a refurb or if it’s a design flaw.

If you plan on using the Gold exclusively for hiking, don’t bother. That’s an over-kill. It would make much more sense to get a basic GPS. Base models usually lack basemaps and other goodies, but it will help you backtrack to your car or camp without a search party. I have seen the basic Cobra GPS @ Circuit City for a mere $79 (after $20 rebate). Garmin eTrex is also relatively cheap ($89) and will keep you from getting lost and making the 5 o’clock news.

Best GPS I have owned,and I have owned 6 - Magellan Meridian Platinum Handheld GPS Receiver I bought the Magellan Meridian Gold and I had problems with the backlight so I called Tech Support and they sent m...

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This GPS is for you if you are always lost. - Magellan Meridian Platinum Handheld GPS Receiver I'm one of those typical men who is always lost and will not ask for directions. I now have the solution to my pr...

Magellan Meridian Gold GPS - Magellan Meridian Gold Handheld GPS Receiver I wanted a hand held GPS for hiking, camping, boating and traveling. I sorted through quite a few other GPS units...

My favorite gadget! - Magellan eXplorist¿ 500 Handheld GPS Receiver This unit was purchased as a replacement for my Magellan Meridian Gold series. I was quite surprised when I got ...

A fun toy! - Magellan Meridian Gold Handheld GPS Receiver

Magellan Meridian Gold Handheld GPS Receiver