I went in to replace it and considered getting a unit for my car instead of one for the boat. I was too cheap to buy a NUVI 200w, even though they were on sale for $119 over the holidays. I’m anxious to get my hands on the upcoming model, the GPSMAP 640, preloaded with City Navigator and Coastal Charts, but I didn’t want to spend another penny, especially since I don’t have any to spare.

I chose to replace it with a handheld unit for the same price. Even swap. I got the Garmin Oregon 400c and I’m enjoying the possibilities. The screen size is certainly smaller than the one on the 640. I’m over that. If I had a boat large enough to hit the deep blue, I’d likely install a GPSMAP 5212. For daysailing, this handheld is perfect.

It’s easy to set up unique profiles for driving, geocaching, hiking, biking, boating, etc., allowing you to turn maps/charts on or off depending on need. I’d like to run the U.S. TOPO map, City Navigator 2009, and G2 Vision charts, loading anything I add onto a microSD card using Map Source, not preloaded cards. I’ve got my eyes on the SanDisk 8GB microSDHC Card, which should cost less than $20.

Someone asked me if this device is a tool or a toy. My answer: “yep!” I might use it pretty often for recreation, especially if I can drum up some local support for the Wherigo Gaming Experience. Geocaching is made simple, with Garmin software preinstalled that enables quick direct downloads using the included USB cable. The car kit makes it as practical as a Nuvi, though it doesn’t speak out the directions. I would certainly recommend this unit as an onboard backup, for those days when your primary plotter fails, as mine did.

What type of handheld GPS have you used?

Pleasure reading aside, this device will reduce the number of technical books that I carry in my truck for reference. It’ll hold thousands of books, most of which are $9.99 or less. The amazing thing is that it connects to a wireless cell phone network with no monthly contract or fees.

Have you had your hands on a Kindle yet?