Best GPS for traveling around New Zealand

Mint_Sauce · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 10

Hi!

Traveling around New Zealand in a few days but need to get my hands on a GPS unit to make our lives easier when over there. We will be traveling around both the north and south island in a camper van!

I'm looking for a GPS unit that will have map support (preferably down to road level but not essential). It would also be great if it can record (plot down) our entire journey for the month we are there as I would like to import the track in to Google Earth and send the .kml (or kmz?) to friends and family with photos attached etc.

What can you guys in the know recommend as I'm not really sure. I do know the Garmins can take the micro SD cards, so a 1gb or 2gb card might be enough to record our entire route plus store all the maps?

Mint_Sauce · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 10

Anyone have any pointers at all? I'd like to purchase soon and id be really gratefull for any pointers, no matter how small! Smile

Thanks

Mint_Sauce · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 10

Just incase anyone else is looking at this thread in the future I opted for the Garmin Gpsmap 60 csx. It will be able to track our progress, saving a new track log every day and has support for micro SD cards so no problem for storing all the maps/data.

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap60csx/

A touch expensive for the most part but will make our lives a lot easier, I almost opted for the eTrex Venture CX which I think would also be up to the task.

Skippy · Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:03 pm Post subject:

I think you have made a pretty good choice.

I don't know if it will save a full month's worth of tracklogs, you may have to use the "Save" function in the GPS or it will start overwriting the tracklogs after a while.

I would also recommend that you mark waypoints when you stop (and maybe keep a notebook of what and where they were). You can easily load these into Google Earth and you should be OK to create several hundred of these.

As for maps, check out the free maps of NZ or Garmin's autoroutable ones if you are worried about getting lost in the cities.

If you want advice from a Kiwi bloke who grew up in NZ, then let me know. There is a lot to see and do but if you have a month then you should see a reasonable amount. :D

Enjoy your trip!
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Gone fishing!

Skippy · Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:04 pm Post subject:

Maps of NZ for your Garmin:

http://gwprojects.orcon.net.nz/gps/index.htm - Free Maps

http://www.travelbygps.com/maps/zealand.php - Autorouting maps available
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Gone fishing!

Mint_Sauce · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 05, 2006 Posts: 10

Thanks for the links!

We are finalising our route around NZ, it's looking pretty packed. I think after a lot of research we are getting most of the must see things in. If you have any sights or things we should look in to please let us know! :D

Cheers, can't wait to go! :D

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