June 2nd, 2010 | 
Author: Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS
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 List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping 
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Product Description
Neither deep foliage nor steep canyons will faze the rugged Garmin eTrex Vista HCx navigator. Equipped with a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, the unit locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover. The advantage is clear: whether you're traipsing through thick woods or strolling near tall buildings and trees, you can count on the Vista HCx to help you find your way when you need it the most. The Vista HCx also includes a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even when you're standing still, along with a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Adding maps to the Vista HCx is easier than ever thanks to the device's microSD card slot, which accepts cards preloaded with MapSource data for your land and sea excursions. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and the Vista HCx will provide turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Plus, the card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you needn't worry about it getting wet.
Besides appreciating its small size, users will also be happy with the Vista HCx's unique button layout, with five buttons located on either side of the unit. The benefits of this design are twofold: First, the Vista HCx is a breeze to operate with just one hand, and, second, with the buttons on both sides of the unit, the bulk of the front is dedicated to the 256-color, sunlight-readable TFT display. This makes it easy to distinguish map details regardless of the time of day.
The Vista HCx basemap, meanwhile, contains lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads, and coastlines--in short, a host of helpful details for your outdoor adventures. Other details include an IPX7 waterproof housing, 1,000 waypoints with names and graphic symbols, a built-in patch antenna, a USB interface, a hunt/fish calendar, sun and moon information, and a geocaching mode. The Vista HCx, which runs for up to 25 hours on a pair of AA batteries (not included), measures 2.2 by 4.2 by 1.2 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box
eTrex Vista HCx, basemap, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software, USB cable, wrist strap, quick start guide, user's manual.
Details
- High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver provides peak performance in any environment
- Lightweight, compact and waterproof
- Features a 1.7-inch X 1.3-inch screen with 256-level color TFT
- Built-in basemap with automatic routing capability
- USB connection for high-speed map downloads
Posted in Garmin | 
Tags: Etrex Vista Hcx, Garmin Etrex, Garmin Etrex Vista, Garmin Etrex Vista Hcx, Garmin Vista, handheld gps, High Sensitivity, Mapping
Rating
If you are reading this and the other reviews of the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx then you are doing your homework and wondering if this GPS is as good as all the hype makes it out to be. The short answer is YES! I have an old Garmin 12 Map which has served me well, but was getting a bit long in the tooth. I wanted something a bit smaller, lighter, with color screen and was water tight. The Vista HCx meets all of these needs and so many more. It is small in size, but with a fairly big and bright screen (easily readable in the sun) for its size.
Every review I read touted the extra sensitive antenna and how it picked up and locked onto satellites inside of homes or buildings. Well I can honestly tell you that it does all this and does it quick. How this happens it Garmin magic. I was always told you had to have line of sight to pick up satellites, but not in the case of the Vista HCx, it can get them just about anywhere short of being in a bunker.
The menu is intuitive and easy to navigate, so much more that my old Garmin 12 map. The long story short, this little GPS is the one for everyone else to beat. If you are seriously considering a GPS purchase for hiking or navigating the back country, do not look elsewhere, this is the one to get!
The base maps in the Vista HCx are of course upgradeable through additional accessories purchases from Garmin (at substantial cost), but worth the money. How Garmin managed to pack so much into so little a package is a mystery to me. Do yourself a favor, stop reading the review and just buy one, you will not be disappointed.
BTW, I purchased mine through Amazon.com and took advantage of the free shipping. It arrived four days ahead of when it was scheduled to arrive which was a nice surprise. Amazon has a very good price and I have always been happy with my purchases through them. And no I am not getting paid to say these nice things about Amazon, I am just a very satisfied customer.
Dan…
Rating
The vista HCX rocks! It’s more sensitive than the even the SiRF based units (76csx, 60csx), smaller, lighter, has a much brighter display and is even much cheaper. In fact I think that Garmin really made both the 76 and 60 obsolete with the release of the Vista hcx.
I get 12 foot accuracy sitting inside the middle of my house with no view of windows! The electronic compass is an absolute dream. It works perfectly. I bought a 2 gig MicroSD card and loaded 75% of the TOPO US 2008 map.
My only complaints are that the backlight setting gets lost after each power-off. Also the unit does not accumulate distance to the trip computer under 2.2 mph which is unacceptable for a hiking GPS unit. Garmin is aware of both of these issues and they should be addressed in a firmware update soon.
Rating
This is my 3rd GPS.
Pros:
1) The signal reception of this GPS is remarkable comparing to my old eTrex Venture. It’s capable of receiving signal inside my apartmtment.
The “H” for HCx stand for “high” sensitivity receiver. I would definitely spend the extra money for “HCx” rather then the “Cx” models for improved reception.
2) Small and durable. Great for hiking.
Cons:
- This is not the right GPS for cars. The screen is too small. Tomtom and Mio makes good GPS for cars, and their packages include road maps.
- Garmin maps are expensive (City Navigator and Topo).
Rating
I have read all of the earlier reviews and agree with all the “pros” listed – for the amount of features, ease of use and , size, ability to lock on a signal – there is no better GPSr in this price range.
I am an avid hiker, nature photographer and geocacher and I like to be able to recall my trips – document sites, features and sightings etc. This unit didn’t let me down. Last weekend I took a day trip that included four different parks along a river system with high bluffs and DEEP ravines – in the car and on the ground, this unit never missed a beat, never lost signal lock.
The unit was located in many places – in hand, in the cup holder of a van, in a zipped fanny pack, clipped to a belt, and at lunch, on the table at a tavern – not a problem, never lost signal.
My last unit was a Garmin Vista Cx – this unit is MUCH better – better lock and faster draw.
As far as the “cons” I’ve read – there are few and most are related to the price of maps, the accuracy of the maps or the manual.
Concerning the price of the maps – there is no unit that comes close, at this price, (even considering the price of buying the maps) to this unit in speed and accuracy of plot. Anyone that did ANY research would know that maps are not part of the base price (not that I like or approve).
The accuracy of the maps themselves, as far as roads are concerned, is poor (topo maps) – in my area there are major freeway junctions that have not been updated for over twenty years. The topo maps, however, are not bad – if you need road info, get the City Navigator maps.
The manual I recieved with the Vista HCx is deficient, find and D/L the manual for the Vista Cx.
The Garmin Vista HCx is a great, small, versatile GPSr that will do what you need.
Rating
I’m a daily user of GPS’s. I’m a truck driver who uses it religiously for navigation. On my days off I geocache, hunt, fish, hike, backpack, etc.
I began many years ago with a Magellan that ate 6 AA batteries every 8 hours or less, and had the satelite reception of a rock… Those were scary days!!! I’d mark my position to start, turn it off to conserve batteries, and hope like mad I could get a signal when I got to where I needed to set a mark. I made sure to have a compass too!!!
Then I upgraded to a Garmin Legend. I was amazed at how advanced it was compared to where I’d been. Then I upgraded to the Venture HC when it came out and Holly Smoke!!! The venture ROCKS!!! I threw the legend in a geocache for someone else to use.
Well folks, I passed the Venture HC to my wife when I upgraded to the Vista HCx as she’s a beginner GPSR and it will serve her very well!
I researched ALL the mapping hand-helds and most of the others, and hands down the Vista HCx is by far overall the best possible GPS buy available today. The screen is easy to see, crisp, and very clear. The Use of Garmin products are simple to learn. Battery life is outstanding with the Vista HCx! I could run 2 days with the Venture HC, now I get 3 days (I got the external power cord though, so batteries are just for outside of driving now). I see some say how well it picks up reception, well folks I drive through tunnels with entire mountains on top of me, and OH YA, Venture and Vista doesn’t even blink at the challenge! cliff’s? tree’s? child’s play!
Buying maps and microSD cards aren’t going to cause anyone to have to re-mortgage the house. Buy one here, and one there (or get a better job), and soon you’ll have all you need. Cut the chase and get the preprogrammed microSD cards and you don’t have to bother with tansfering the CD versions. Don’t overbuy for what you really need, I use mine for work and play. Most people use GPS’s for one or two activities and really don’t use them but they overbuy maps that never get used.
If your someone who is on limited income, use some enginuity and make yourself a mount for the car. I made one with two suction cups (origionally for hanging pictured), a little bailing wire, a strip on old belt leather, and some velcro I got at walmart in the material section. We’ve used it for years!!! Works perfectly, and has never dropped a GPS.
Take it from someone who knows and has been through the history of GPS navegation, and has done his research for ya, The Vista HCx is one heck of a buy!!!
Rating
This is my third eTrex GPS receiver, and each has been a worthwhile upgrade. I started with a Legend about 4 years ago, which I thought was great at the time. A couple of years ago I bought a Legend Cx, and this provided me with the added benefits of a colour screen, expandable memory, a longer battery life and, somewhat surprisingly, a significantly better receiver – I could get a good signal under tree cover, unlike before, and even a fix inside my one-storey house, despite it not having the new SirF3 chip. I was in two minds about upgrading to the HCx model, as the only gain would be an even more sensitive receiver (but a slightly poorer battery life). So, I opted to change from the Legend to the Vista to increase functionallity. I think it was a good choice because the extra sensitivity, and quicker processing speed, seems significant and worthwhile.
The main complaints about the eTrex models appear to concern the lack of a good inbuilt map, and the extra cost of the associated Garmin-specific software needed to put this right. While these may be valid criticisms, they should not come as a surprise to anybody who has done their homework. If your main interest is in street navigation, an eTrex model is not your best option; try one of the Nuvi models, if you want to stick with Garmin. This is prinicpally an outdoor device to aid hikers: light, small, robust and tells you where you are (in terms of latitude and longitude, or local grid coordinates); it’s best used in conjunction with a good topographical map, rather then being something that replaces it. The inbuilt base-map (of interstates, main roads and rivers) is only there to provide a basic reference, not for detailed navigation. The functionality of the device can be greatly enhanced by buying additional maps (whose price can be comparable with the receiver itself!), but there are several different types depending on your needs: roads/towns, topographic or marine. You can preview them (free) on the Garmin cite before you buy them, to make sure that your choice meets your needs.
Rating
This was my first entry into the GPS market. I asked around at work, and “Garmin” was the name a few folks recommended. I was looking for something that would be great for hiking and off road experience, but I also wanted something that I could use on long car trips to help navigate unfamiliar places.
The Garmin website makes research very easy. I compared feature differences between their different handheld mapping units, and this one seemed to provide all the features I needed without going overboard.
I have purchased the following upgrades:
1. City Navigator NT — worth the investment to make your handheld street worthy.
2. Topographical maps — again, worth the investment for hiking.
3. Suction cup mount — illegal in my state, but largely unenforced. If you install it correctly, it’s better than the friction mount. I’ve heard others complain that it frequently falls off, but I’ve had it for several months and have moved it around to find the right sweet spot, and it has never fallen off once.
4. Friction mount — irritatingly, you have to purchase the dash mount in order to get the swivelling head that makes it work… But just in case… (note the legality issue of the suction cup mount)
5. InvisibleShield screen protector — the screen can easily be scratched, and this non-garmin product is a great way to protect it long term (also available through Amazon, or direct).
6. Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable batteries — they work well and don’t lose a charge when sitting unused. They’re even ready to use right out the the package with a full charge.
With the added functionality of my upgrades and preloaded features, here are just some of the features that I’ve enjoyed:
1. Geocaching mode — if you haven’t tried it, you must! Works like a charm!
2. High sensitivity receiver — this is nothing short of incredible. The fact that I can get a signal inside a building and under tree cover is amazing. Sometimes my signal bounces around a little (20 to 30ft), but it’s a hundred times better than not having one at all.
3. Tracking — I love to see where I’ve been, and it also makes it easy to navigate back out when you don’t know where you are.
4. Turn-by-turn directions — it doesn’t talk to you, but it does beep at you when there’s an upcoming instruction.
5. Waterproof — Let’s face it, if you use it outside, you’re going to get rained on, or you’ll spill something on it. I’ve used it in a downpour, and it was protected.
6. Point-of-interest search — You can easily find stores, gasoline, lodging, hospitals, exits, truck stops….
7. Compass and Altimeter — you do need to calibrate them frequently, but still worth the money to have them.
8. Waypoint Manager — this is software that comes with the unit that you load on your PC. You can use it to create routes, waypoints, and map packages that you want to load onto your unit. So if you travel frequently to a particular area, you can “store” your own regional specific data on your PC that you can transfer to your GPS when you actually need it. I also use it as a backup for my unit. Bottom line — all electronics eventually fail, so backup, backup, backup.
Little things that annoy me:
1. Turn-by-turn directions aren’t always the best route that I would choose, but they still get you there. (Mapping feature)
2. When recalculating, it seems insistent on getting you back on the route that it originally planned for you. (Mapping feature) I say that you should still always have a paper map as a backup.
3. Backlight setting resets after powering off even though it’s set to “on” in the setup menu. A small annoyance that I’ve gotten used to.
A few weeks ago, I actually had a failure of my unit. Shortly after I backed up all my data to Waypoint Manager, I was loading waypoints directly to my unit from geocaching.com, and my unit turned off. For some reason, whenever it was connected to my computer, it wouldn’t turn on or stay on. Garmin technical support was amazing. Someone picked up within a minute. He was friendly, helpful and patient in working out my problem, and then created an RMA and put a rush on it when I asked for it. I’m one of those pesky customers who calls frequently to ask for status, and again, I got someone on the phone immediately every time, and everyone was helpful, and they overnighted my replacement once my failed unit was received. Since I work in customer service myself, I strongly appreciate good customer service when I get it (which is actually quite rare).
In summary, this is a full feature-rich product, with a few recommended upgrades, and when something goes wrong, Garmin’s customer service makes you glad you bought a Garmin…
Rating
This is my review of the Garmin eTrex Vista Hcx handheld mapping GPS unit. I purchased this GPS in early June of 2008 and have had it about 3 weeks as of this review. I own two other GPS’s: a Microsoft Streets and Trips + GPS from 2005 and a Garmin Nuvi 200 I received as a gift Christmas 2007. MS S&T is a really nice program and it works well with its accompanying GPS receiver. But, it requires that you use it with a computer (the receiver plugs into a USB port). And the Nuvi 200 is a great unit as well, but it’s more for finding a route and directions while driving–finding your way to a destination.
I wanted a portable unit mostly to use while walking, hiking, or biking that would track my journey, with a color display, memory expansion capability, and alititude tracking. I did lots of online research, reading reviews and user manuals at Cnet, Amazon, and several GPS-specific sites and eventually narrowed it down to three possibilities, all Garmin: the eTrex Vista Hcx, the GPSMAP 60 CSx, and one of the new Colorado units. In the end, I selected the Vista because: I felt the Colorado was too new and I’d seen negative reviews (and it has features like 3D I didn’t think I’d need), and the Vista was proven, reliable, and less expensive than the 60 CSx. Also, it had all the features I wanted and was lighter and has longer advertised battery life than either of the other two units.
In a word, I consider this unit to be: exceptional. It meets or exceeds its advertised functionality and my expectations. Some specific items:
–Accuracy: I had read some reviews that complained about the accuracy of other similar units and I was worried. But I’ve found this unit to be very accurate, down to within a couple meters. And in my case it seems to make no difference whether the WAAS feature is enabled or disabled.
–Altitude accuracy: not quite as good as I’d like to see, but adequate. In a couple cases while hiking it has actually been off by as much as 1000 feet in altitude, but I attribute this to the vagaries of barometric altitude measurement, not to a defect in the unit itself. In cases where the altitude doesn’t seem so accurate, I find that the altitude relative to an entire track still reports where I’ve gone up and down hills, so I’m satisfied. Also, I have not yet tried manually setting the altitude or barometric pressure at the beginning of a trek, but I’d guess that would improve its overall performance.
–Battery Life: my first set of regular old AA Eveready Alkalines lasted slightly longer than 25 hours, the advertised life. I’d bet that I could stretch this to longer if I paid attention to turning off the backlight when I don’t really need it on.
–Size: I was surprised at how small the unit is. For some reason I had in my mind that all units around this size would be a bit bigger; it’s about the size of a deck of playing cards, but slightly thicker.
–Display Visibility: no problems at all here. I use the unit frequently in bright sunlight attached to my bike while wearing sunglasses and I can see the display fine from a few feet away.
–Map: the map that comes with the unit by default is entirely inadequate for anything but highway driving, but I knew this when I bought it, and had purchased Topo 2008 as well (which is very nice for both city and on-trail tracking). There are very few trails actually in the mapping software itself, but this isn’t the Vista’s deficiency itself.
–Sturdiness: biking can sometimes be a bit bumpy. Yay for solid state components; this GPS has worked fine over bumpy roads.
I’d highly recommend this unit to anyone looking for a handheld GPS, especially one to be used for walking, hiking, jogging, or bike riding. If you’re looking for something to give you directions while driving a car, this unit is not for you–stick to the Nuvi series.
Rating
A few months ago, I decided I needed to upgrade my old Magellan Sportrak Pro, because I was tired of losing signal in canyons and heavily treed areas. So I started reading on forums and every online site I could find to decide what to buy
Because I love the DeLorme maps programs (like Street Atlas for my laptop when we take long road trips), I decided to get a DeLorme PN-20 after seeing it had good reviews. DeLorme had a special price going and a 30 day return policy, so I felt I had nothing to lose to try it. Then reading some more, I kept coming back to a couple of Garmin models that were highly recommended, the 60Csx and the Vista Hcx. I had never tried Garmins before, but I found some good deals on both handhelds and decided to try them as well.
I received the PN-20 first, and I was impressed. It was definitely a nice handheld and seemed to acquire satellites much faster than my old Magellan. It had nice maps included in the package as well. My wife and I went on a few hikes, and I was pretty satisfied with the PN-20.
Then a few days later, the Vista Hcx arrived. I was immediately taken with the really small size and weight, so handy it would fit in a shirt pocket. I also bought the Garmin Topo 2008, because the maps the Garmin’s come with are pretty useless – you definitely want the extra Garmin software – you pay extra but it’s worth it for sure. I loaded about a third of the western U.S. on a 2 Gb micro SD card, and then we tried it out. It was even more impressed with the Hcx than the PN-20. It was far faster in starting up, better in cover, plus the small size gave it a user edge in ergonomics. It also seemed to repeat tracks on known trails better than the PN-20, when walking on the same trails. I immediately decided to return the PN-20 for a refund.
A few days later, the Garmin 60Csx arrived. This is also a very nice handheld GPS. Since I was now used to the Garmin Hcx interface, getting to know the 60Csx was easy. I loaded the exact same maps into the 60Csx and we went hiking again. The 60Csx performed fabulously, picking up satellites very fast, and finding a lot of them. It had a bit bigger screen than the Hcx, but part of it was a bit useless because of the time display always showing. It was also not quite as bright as the Hcx screen. But I liked the buttons a bit better on the 60Csx, so it was quite a challenge to decide which one to keep and which one to return.
We went on a few more hikes, carrying both Garmins, one in each hand. Both of them seemed to pick up the same number of satellites, about the same startup times, and both duplicated our courses with equal accuracy. I was very impressed with both handhelds. I told my friend who was also interested in a better geocache handheld about my findings, and he decided on the 60Csx because of its rave reviews everywhere.
While my buddy loves his 60Csx, I ended up keeping the Hcx, and for me, I think I made a good choice. The Hcx has two significant advantages over the 60Csx – for me anyway – it’s small size and weight and the battery life, which to my knowledge is the longest of about any handheld. My Magellan used to go through batteries like it owned them – the Hcx batteries seem to last forever (exaggerating of course). For a truly portable handheld that performs great, you won’t go wrong with either of these Garmins, but for me, the winner is the Vista Hcx.
Rating
After tons of research on multi-purpose GPSs, I went with the Vista hcX and i’m very glad I did.
Upon receiving the hcx, it took maybe 20 minutes or so to get a feel for the thing. The manual is not much help, so with some trial and error I was able to figure out the main commands like using the navigation for cars and “Tracks” for hikes/runs/cycling. What was a little confusing is how to start a new session (i.e – for a run/hike). If you press reset in the Trip Computer menu, it will start from scratch and you can start your tracking fresh (applies for both car navigation and by foot/cycle). Then when you’re finished with a session, be sure to go to the Tracks menu and click Save. Then you can name the log file to whatever (Run/mtn biking/drive to wherever). The files store as dates and clumps all of the tracks for the day together, i.e – april 17 = 4172009.gpx. For saving map data, I use a 2gb microSD sandisk which works great in the device.
There are no maps preloaded in the hCX. You have the option of buying Topo US 2008 and City Navigator North America, this can get REALLY expensive. City Navigator in my opinion is better for general usage unless you’re on the trails most of the time, where TOPO 2008 might be better.
What the manual doesn’t tell you is how to switch back and forth between these different map sets(CityNav and Topo). The problem is that the HCX can only use ONE map set (.IMG file) at a time. There’s a free program called MAPupload(google it) that allows you to merge .IMG files (what the HCX stores your map sets as) and this is VERY helpful, as you can use the same microSD card for two or more mapsets. Problem solved! This program is necessary unless you want to buy another microSD card to split them up. It takes quite a while for the transfer (using MAPupload), but worth the wait.
What I also really like about this device is it’s ability to use the GPS data as GPX files. Most sites(like Motionbased, Mapmyfitness) can use these GPX files to map it out nicely on their site. Although Mapsource, the included software, can be a bit tempermental at times. Instead of doing the “Receive from device” command which the hcx often came up undetected, I ended up simply opening the GPX file straight from the microSD card (File->Open in Mapsource) and there it was with all the average speeds, elevation, maps, etc! From here you can save the file as an individual GPX (since the hcx automatically clumps them all together by day) which you can upload to most GPS websites.
For auto navigation I love that with CityNav, it’s basically the same as most auto only GPSes. It beeps at you and the backlight goes on before you make a turn, which is nice. It also recalculates if you go off route. Although you might consider getting the mount unless you want a neck ache from looking down at the the thing while driving.
Lastly for batteries, these things work great with Lithium AA batteries (i.e-energizer). The hCX has a setting for what type of battery you’re using under Settings->System. It’s important to have the correct battery type selected or it will show as low battery life, which confused me at first as I thought it was the battery. I bought some Rayovac NiMH Hybrid rechargeables and they’ve worked great so far.
I hope my hours of trial and error could help someone figure out some less than obvious things, or at least discover that this is an extremely handy device to use as an all around GPS tracker.
UPDATE: Well after 6 months of use of the hcx, i’m happy to say it’s still running strong and like new. A few weeks ago, the hCX actually saved us in a 4 wheel drive trip in the woods! Long story short, We went 4 wheeling 30 miles deep into dirt roads, and the GPS safely guided us back to the main highway. At times, the hCX would want us to go left at roads that didn’t exist (probably the fault of the North America map), but we followed the general direction of the road on the gps toward the highway and it guided us safely back! I also bought this cheap gps mount on ebay for less than 10 bucks from a seller named northstar_gps, and it works great!
Rating
This was my first entry into the GPS market. I asked around at work, and “Garmin” was the name a few folks recommended. I was looking for something that would be great for hiking and off road experience, but I also wanted something that I could use on long car trips to help navigate unfamiliar places.
The Garmin website makes research very easy. I compared feature differences between their different handheld mapping units, and this one seemed to provide all the features I needed without going overboard.
I have purchased the following upgrades:
1. City Navigator NT — worth the investment to make your handheld street worthy.
2. Topographical maps — again, worth the investment for hiking.
3. Suction cup mount — illegal in my state, but largely unenforced. If you install it correctly, it’s better than the friction mount. I’ve heard others complain that it frequently falls off, but I’ve had it for several months and have moved it around to find the right sweet spot, and it has never fallen off once.
4. Friction mount — irritatingly, you have to purchase the dash mount in order to get the swivelling head that makes it work… But just in case… (note the legality issue of the suction cup mount)
5. InvisibleShield screen protector — the screen can easily be scratched, and this non-garmin product is a great way to protect it long term (also available through Amazon, or direct).
6. Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable batteries — they work well and don’t lose a charge when sitting unused. They’re even ready to use right out the the package with a full charge.
With the added functionality of my upgrades and preloaded features, here are just some of the features that I’ve enjoyed:
1. Geocaching mode — if you haven’t tried it, you must! Works like a charm!
2. High sensitivity receiver — this is nothing short of incredible. The fact that I can get a signal inside a building and under tree cover is amazing. Sometimes my signal bounces around a little (20 to 30ft), but it’s a hundred times better than not having one at all.
3. Tracking — I love to see where I’ve been, and it also makes it easy to navigate back out when you don’t know where you are.
4. Turn-by-turn directions — it doesn’t talk to you, but it does beep at you when there’s an upcoming instruction.
5. Waterproof — Let’s face it, if you use it outside, you’re going to get rained on, or you’ll spill something on it. I’ve used it in a downpour, and it was protected.
6. Point-of-interest search — You can easily find stores, gasoline, lodging, hospitals, exits, truck stops….
7. Compass and Altimeter — you do need to calibrate them frequently, but still worth the money to have them.
8. Waypoint Manager — this is software that comes with the unit that you load on your PC. You can use it to create routes, waypoints, and map packages that you want to load onto your unit. So if you travel frequently to a particular area, you can “store” your own regional specific data on your PC that you can transfer to your GPS when you actually need it. I also use it as a backup for my unit. Bottom line — all electronics eventually fail, so backup, backup, backup.
Little things that annoy me:
1. Turn-by-turn directions aren’t always the best route that I would choose, but they still get you there. (Mapping feature)
2. When recalculating, it seems insistent on getting you back on the route that it originally planned for you. (Mapping feature) I say that you should still always have a paper map as a backup.
3. Backlight setting resets after powering off even though it’s set to “on” in the setup menu. A small annoyance that I’ve gotten used to.
A few weeks ago, I actually had a failure of my unit. Shortly after I backed up all my data to Waypoint Manager, I was loading waypoints directly to my unit from geocaching.com, and my unit turned off. For some reason, whenever it was connected to my computer, it wouldn’t turn on or stay on. Garmin technical support was amazing. Someone picked up within a minute. He was friendly, helpful and patient in working out my problem, and then created an RMA and put a rush on it when I asked for it. I’m one of those pesky customers who calls frequently to ask for status, and again, I got someone on the phone immediately every time, and everyone was helpful, and they overnighted my replacement once my failed unit was received. Since I work in customer service myself, I strongly appreciate good customer service when I get it (which is actually quite rare).
In summary, this is a full feature-rich product, with a few recommended upgrades, and when something goes wrong, Garmin’s customer service makes you glad you bought a Garmin…
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