Looking to purchase a handheld GPS Unit. Looking for recommendations or input. I keep finding the Garmin GPSMAP 66ST highly rated. Also looking for must have accessories to go with it. It'll be use on a quad also.

TIA!

I have a Garmin 64st that's 4 or 5 years old now. I would highly recommend that model, the one your looking at may just be the newer version of mine. Works great, has any feature you could need, and the screen is daylight readable.

Really you probably can't go wrong with any of the Garmin units.

I have an old Garmin E-Trex I use every winter to take me to some ice fishing spots. It gets me within 10' or so. I like it because it's so simple to operate.

Mine is twenty years old and shows no signs of wearing out.

I have an old etrex as well. Do they ever need software updates?

I'm interested in what you find/hear John. I have an old Etrex20. Super simple, but just that. I put the OnX SD card in it a while back. Helps me see where private prop starts and ends.

I don't think so. I've been threatening to get a newer version as they pick up and hold a satellite fix better under heavy canopy from what I understand. Everywhere I go is under heavy canopy.

Like the guy said...I don't care which way north is, I just want to find my truck.

Yes they do have software updates, Go to Garmin and download the Garman express, then plug in your garman and download very simple.

I also have the Garmin e-trex, and it has everything I need, works real well doing the winter time, can get me to within 1 or 2 of sets when snow cover, and I don't have to use flagging anymore.
Only thing I don't like about the e-trex 20, is the compass doesn't show where your going unless moving at least 1.5 mph, if you stop to get your bearing, it shuts down.
Forgot always carry an extra set of batteries with you.

As a surveyor I've been using GPS sine 1983 (first satellites went up in 1979). Since 1998 I've earned my paycheck teaching GPS use to surveyors and engineers & trappers. If I have 12 volts available I use a Garmin Auto receiver with a topo card. It will do everything I need. I do recommend backing up the files every day as you never know when you will lose the receiver. The files (points & tracks) are easily loaded into Google Earth or EasyGPS to allow you to plan on a PC. All receivers are capable of pretty much the same accuracy. A $20,000 receiver is no more accurate than an $80 receiver unless you apply corrections to the raw GPS signals. Older receivers were GPS only. GPS has 32 satellites and you need to track four to compute a position. The next generation of receivers also us the Russian satellites (GLONASS). That adds 24 more satellites and makes it easier to track four. The FFA transmits corrections and lots of receivers have WASS which will increase accuracy to about +/- 2 meters. I find an $80 Garmin Automobile receiver with a $75 topo card to be the best bang for my dollars. The weak point is the will only run a short time with out an external power source. not a problem on a 4 wheeler or a truck or a snowmobile. Here is a sample from my trapline from a Garmin loaded into Google Earth. BTW, I have my trapline files going back to 2013 on this PC and easily load those points into any Garmin GPS receiver.

I have one, in a drawer in the other room. Mate gave it to me. (He was military and I guess they'd given him a new one)

I put the batteries in it and took it outside to get a fix. Gave up after a few days and put it in the drawer

Like my old E-trex, lots of way points on the machine and it is 20 years old too......jk

ebsurveyor, do you think it is necessary for someone new to using GPS for trapping and hunting to buy a handheld GPS unit or car unit, or are modern smartphones GPS capabilities sufficient for most?

I personally would not use a phone. To start with 90% of my trapping is in areas with no cell signal. An $80 Garmin auto receiver will do everything I need including hanging on the windshield and displaying a map of where I drive and where I have driven in the past. I frequently query the receive to check how far I am from sets. I don't know what you can do with a phone as I only use mine with the "Chevy app" to display maps and traffic conditions on my truck monitor. Traffic conditions being the key reason I don't use my Garmin when traveling on highways for 100's of miles.

Thanks for the info i appreciate it. I want to have something to use when the phones don’t work so I started looking. There is information overload on them that’s for sure.

If I find something before Evart I’ll bring it and you can show me how to use it lol.

I walk the line of wanting something fancier, but also not wanting to cry too bad when I drop it in the woods somewhere (with the rest of my gloves, hatchets, hammers, rolls of wire, lure bottles, sifters, etc.. I have left across Michigan)

Having the sat images / aerials would be nice. I usually run both phone and gps but there are a lot of areas up north with zero cell service.

GPS is critical when you go to check and you've got a foot of fresh snow since the last check.

Exactly Erik if it can be broke I find a way so I want something bullet proof

There are several good apps for phones. This is the Avenza app with a free downloaded topo/satellite map. No cell service needed. You can do a lot with Avenza. I believe OnX hunt has similar capabilities also.