Shirley,

don't forget, you're getting my take on this. YMMV.

2. Do you want color?

That's one of the things I wanted input on. How important is it? Does it make
it easier or more difficult to see? I've heard that the color one is harder to
see in sunlight. Is that true?

I don't think so. If the planes you fly usually have a panel mount color unit and
the handheld will be a pure back-up, IMHO you don't need color. In all other
cases, it makes the map much better to read.


3. Do you want land navigation, too?

Not my first criteria, but wouldn't mind having it.

The upscale color units come with that as an option. What you want, though, is
true turn-by-turn instructions, ideally with voice annunciation. Garmin's 296 has
an add-on kit (for a fee) for that with no voice, AFAIK. Lowrance promises that
feature AFAIK including voice for a future free software upgrade to the 2000c.
Not sure about AvMap.


I was about to take the plunge and get the Garmin 296 when someone said that at
Oshkosh, Garmin just introduced a two new ones for half the price. Do they have
half the features, too? How do they compare to the 196 and 296?

They do have fewer features, among them a much smaller display and fewer display
options. Look at the Garmin site for specifics.


Is the G296 the ultimate, "probably won't ever need anything else" choice?

Probably not. It all depends on your needs and preferences. As I said, I think
the Lowrance units are VERY interesting, since they tend to offer the same or
more at a lower price - e.g., look for the accessories that are included. Also,
if you want a truly luxurious display, the AvMap looks awesome. Don't know about
their support, but my simple e-mail inquiry regarding international mapping went
unanswered. They are definitely the smallest company of the three - which can be
both good and bad.

Look at the price for database updates, too, although you'll probably only need
one per year or so.


--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)