Garmin E-Map........LOVE it.......I have a hard time when I don't have a mount for it in plain sight in the vehicle. Then I have to actually hold it to see my speed and track.....{Boy, I'm a lazy bastid}.............
I've had an E-trex before (yellow early one) and really liked it. I (or my wife) left it in a rental car in Dallas. Congrats to the new owner.
The E-Trex line is quite affordable and very adaptable. If you've got $150, you can buy a new one. I've bought both of my GPS off e-bay for significantly less than that and have been very happy with them. Buy the unit, and then buy some accessories a little at a time. I do not have a cable that goes from my GPS to my PC, but that and some mapping software will be my next GPS type of purchase.
My dad liked mine so much, he said something to my mom about it. She bought him a Magellan and I have a hard time figuring out his (I've only used it for about 5 minutes). I don't think he likes it much as he doesn't know how to use it.
Those that have a GPS and don't know how to use it, I'd sincerely encourage you to check out geocaching.com . Even if you only do that two or three times, you'll learn alot how to navigate with your particular unit and you (and your kids) may have a new hobby. It's kind of fun in a geeky sort of way.
I see it as a critical navigation tool, esp. in a snowmobiling environment. I've been on quite a few sponsored trailrides in the past few years, that you were at a disadvantage if you didn't have a GPS.
The thing I like the most is the 'breadcrumbs'. If you've even been lost (or not sure where you were) and wanted to turn around and follow your route back to your point of origin, you can use your breadcrumb track as a safety device and return, very accurately, along your previous path. For that reason alone in the hobby that we enjoy, I think it's almost as important as tools, spare fluids or spare parts, as we can get to quite remote areas and may have something break (esp. if you have ARB's in a D30.....
).
That's a little more than two cents, maybe $.20. It's as valuable as any tool in the toolbox and could save your life or that of others. For that reason alone, I try to carry one at all times.
