Lowrance iFinder GO - 2 in. Handheld GPS Receiver
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- Form Factor: Handheld
- Map capabilities: Internal
- Receiver Type: 16 Channels
- Enhanced accuracy: WAAS enabled
- Screen Size: 2 in.
- GPS Type: Handheld (Outdoor)
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A good "first GPS" for a hiker, boater, or novice geocacher
Pros
Battery life, satellite reception, WAAS accuracy, price, economical in general
Cons
Small screen, poor documentation, not very intuitive for an entry-level GPS
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Good but not perfect for a GPS lover on a budget and/or a newbie to GPS
I have been using a Whistler Galileo for both geocaching and in my car (though it is a handheld, it is really somewhat more car-oriented). The screen broke, and the extended warranty company is deciding whether to replace it vs. reimbursing me what I paid for it (since it's a discontinued model), so I wanted to buy an inexpensive, simple handheld for the meanwhile to use for hiking and caching (spring is coming and the whole family is itching to go to parks and woods again). Being on a budget, I chose this handheld.
You could say this is the Kia, Hyundai, or (to use a more recent example) Chevy Aveo of GPS receivers. It is the least expensive one you can buy new at a store or a dealer; stores sell it for about $75-80, and some Web vendors have it for as little as $65 plus shipping. It costs so low because like the cars above, it is designed to be basic; there is a decent basemap of major roads and the coastline, you cannot add an external antenna, and you cannot really upload/download waypoints, etc. (some sites have hacks that take advantage of the NMEA port on the bottom of the unit, but it will void your warranty).
But inexpensive really means "basic" here, not "cheap". The reception is the best I've seen in an entry-level GPS. Even without external antenna capability, I can get a position up to about 5 ft. from the windows of my condo, and this is inside the 1st floor of a 7-story building! With an external antenna in my Whistler I still started losing reception about a foot from the window. I also get a position in the cupholder of my car, which many entry-level basic units can't do. This unit also has WAAS for enhanced accuracy of position! The maps are basic, but you do not get any maps on the entry-level Garmin or Magellan unit. And they include shipwrecks and have decent coastline detail (Lowrance began as a company that aided in marine navigation).
Battery life is awesome! I have put about 6 hours use on my first set of batteries, and it still shows full. At 6 hours I'd be almost ready to replace the batteries on my Whistler.
This does not mean that this is the GPS for everyone. The lack of full street maps and very small screen means that it really is not a great car unit, however, it is not impossible to use in a car, it does show some major streets in addition to the Interstate, US, and state highways and you will get a reading on your speed. And the inability to upload/download will drive someone who is constantly changing waypoints crazy, like someone who goes to several geocaches each week/weekend.
And though it seems to fit the need I have for it right now, I cannot give it 5 stars on two counts. The first is that I think the screen is a little too small, even for hiking/caching use. The second is that if you've never used it before, the menus/buttons are not terribly intuitive and can be very confusing. In this vein, the unit only comes with a basic instruction manual and does not tell you have to read and/or download the full manual online. The full manual makes this unit a LOT easier to understand.
Nonetheless, if you are a boater or hiker and have never used a GPS, or if you are just beginning to take up the hobby of geocaching, or you are on a tight budget (or any combination of the 3), you cannot go wrong with this item.
You could say this is the Kia, Hyundai, or (to use a more recent example) Chevy Aveo of GPS receivers. It is the least expensive one you can buy new at a store or a dealer; stores sell it for about $75-80, and some Web vendors have it for as little as $65 plus shipping. It costs so low because like the cars above, it is designed to be basic; there is a decent basemap of major roads and the coastline, you cannot add an external antenna, and you cannot really upload/download waypoints, etc. (some sites have hacks that take advantage of the NMEA port on the bottom of the unit, but it will void your warranty).
But inexpensive really means "basic" here, not "cheap". The reception is the best I've seen in an entry-level GPS. Even without external antenna capability, I can get a position up to about 5 ft. from the windows of my condo, and this is inside the 1st floor of a 7-story building! With an external antenna in my Whistler I still started losing reception about a foot from the window. I also get a position in the cupholder of my car, which many entry-level basic units can't do. This unit also has WAAS for enhanced accuracy of position! The maps are basic, but you do not get any maps on the entry-level Garmin or Magellan unit. And they include shipwrecks and have decent coastline detail (Lowrance began as a company that aided in marine navigation).
Battery life is awesome! I have put about 6 hours use on my first set of batteries, and it still shows full. At 6 hours I'd be almost ready to replace the batteries on my Whistler.
This does not mean that this is the GPS for everyone. The lack of full street maps and very small screen means that it really is not a great car unit, however, it is not impossible to use in a car, it does show some major streets in addition to the Interstate, US, and state highways and you will get a reading on your speed. And the inability to upload/download will drive someone who is constantly changing waypoints crazy, like someone who goes to several geocaches each week/weekend.
And though it seems to fit the need I have for it right now, I cannot give it 5 stars on two counts. The first is that I think the screen is a little too small, even for hiking/caching use. The second is that if you've never used it before, the menus/buttons are not terribly intuitive and can be very confusing. In this vein, the unit only comes with a basic instruction manual and does not tell you have to read and/or download the full manual online. The full manual makes this unit a LOT easier to understand.
Nonetheless, if you are a boater or hiker and have never used a GPS, or if you are just beginning to take up the hobby of geocaching, or you are on a tight budget (or any combination of the 3), you cannot go wrong with this item.
