Also check out…
…the DeLorme Earthmate series. Late last summer I picked up a PN 30 (new) via Amazon for a measly $200. The present price is $230… and this includes nice 1:100k topo maps for the States and street level maps for Canada (points of interest as well).
This unit replaced my ancient Garmin 60c, which I’ve used all over NA with good results.
The DeLorme hardware seems as tough as Garmin’s gear but the addition of the maps seals the deal. That’s where Garmin gets ya. 
GPS
I have been using a Garmin GPS 60CX for the last 3 years and love it.
They’re pricy but…
…check out the Garmin 550T. The “T” designates that it’s loaded with the US topo maps. It has profiles that you can use to modify the screen displays to better suit your purposes. It also has a built-in camera that does fairly well.
Attached is a picture taken with the built-in camera during a short Mission Bay paddle and a screen shot from a recent hike.
Delorme PN-40
I have now destroyed 2 Delorme PN-40 units, each in less than 30 days. Both of which I believe were destroyed by condensation. With my second unit, I was very careful to keep it dry, but being out on the water, in a humid environment, it still was totally destroyed.
Glenn
Interesting
I’ve only had my PN30 out on the water a few times but each time it got pretty wet. The PN30 and 40 should be identical physically. Any idea where the moisture got in?
My old Garmin 60c has had a whole bunch of H2O events with no leakage.
DeLorme PN40
I have a PN40. An OK unit, but the Topo 8 software that it comes with is a pain to learn. Not intuiative at all. The PN40 eats batteries like potato chips (I get 4-6 hours of use out of a pair of alkalines), the menu fonts are very small, so if you are of an age where you need reading glasses, you will need them to see the menu. The reception isn’t quite up to that of my Garmin 60CSX.
That said it comes with the topo mapping software included in the price and is a pretty good deal for
money.
Moisture
My continued theory is condensation building up on the inside of the electronics to a point that it causes corrosion. I have no idea why some electronics suffer from this while others don’t. For example, on my last expedition, I was out for 147 days. My SPOT Messenger and my ICOM M88 were attached to my PFD, exposed to the elements, 100% of the time. Both functioned perfectly. The only issue with the ICOM was corrosion on the outside battery contacts, which I can’t complain about.
PN-40 (number 2)
My original PN-40 kept locking up in a Aquapac in the sun at ambient temperatures in the high 80’s. It was replaced by Delorme.
I no longer keep it in an Aquapac. No problems. I have been in a lot of salt water with it this summer. I just rinse it off in the sink when I get home. I did notice yesterday notice a bit of corrosion one of the UBS pins (turning green?). But I have never noticed any condensation or water in it, even after the rinsing because that is when I put a fresh set of batteries. I use the Sanyo Eneloops rechargeables. Never carry spare batteries and they seem good for a days padding plus the commute. Sometimes two resonable days when I forget to put fresh ones in.
Bill G.
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Haven’t posted all summer since I’ve been out paddling, have gotten hooked on the ocean, and last week I suppose I learned to roll (at least in perfect conditions in a pool).
PN-40 Cost of Data
And don’t forget to calculate in the cost of data when choosing a GPS. $29.95 per year (plus shipping) for unlimited data downloads (and good quality data) can’t be touched. I’ve downloaded 13.9 GB of data so far this year. (Charts, Topos, Sat10, BW Aerial, True Color Aerial).
Bill G.
Mt. Pleasant, SC
From what I’ve read
The PN series really prefer lithium’s (that is, if one isn’t using rechargeables). While AA lithium’s are pretty expensive, they seem to have about triple the battery life of standard AAs.