Garmin Quest 2 Portable Weatherproof Handheld GPS with MapSource City Maps

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Quest 2 comes preloaded with City Select NT data providing mapping detail throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico (including rural areas). Since there’s no need to download, the Quest 2 is ready to go, out of the box, and will display: residential streets, addresses and business listings. The database features five million-plus points of interest – including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Simply select a destination and get detailed turn-by-turn directions, including voice guidance, all on a bright, sunlight-readable color display.
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Technical Details

- WAAS-Enabled, 12 Parallel Channel GPS With Flip-Up Antenna
- 2.2-InchH X 1.5-InchW High-Resolution, Reflective Tft With 240 X 160 Display
- Sunlight-Readable Display
- Solid-State Memory Can Be Accessed At Very Low Temperatures & Can Withstand More Shock & Vibration Than A Hard Drive
- Pre-Loaded With Mapsource City Select With
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 "Motorcycle use" 2009-10-30
By John M. Hill Jr. (Gloucester, Ma)
This unit is perfect for motorcycle use! It mounts to the handlebars and talks through your radio. It is shock resistant as well as rain tight.

 "What A Bust" 2009-09-22
By R. A. Craig
After much shopping around I picked the Garmin Quest 2 for its features and price.



However, what I got was a product that would not work out of the box. Yes it would turn on and off go through the set up and menu options. Have taken this unit on several trips each time with another person trying to get the unit to work with no luck. What did I find wrong!



o Will not navigate and give voice instructions, will only say (satellites lost)

o Will not give accurate location.

o Unit is very slow.



At this point I could go on and on but what would be the point, save your money and get the Zumo 550 or 660 wish I had!

 "perfect for my motorcycle" 2009-08-11
By B. Bauer (Mitchell, SD USA)
This is a simple, compact, easy to use and functional GPS. I am on my 2nd one as the first one fell off (my fault) and I couldn't find it on a long road trip.

 "Garmin Quest 2" 2009-07-05
By Timothy L. Upleger (Clinton Twp. MI)
Processor is slow and the screen is a bit too small for use on a motorcycle. The flip up antenna has a problem and you'll need to purchase an external one to continue using it.

 "Better than Model 1" 2009-07-04
By Michael Johnson
The Quest 11 is much like the Quest 1, except the maps are preloaded into it's much larger memory. If you've ever changed units, or computers, you'll know what a hassle this saves.

On the road, performance is great, as long as you haven't added additional map sets. With all of north America built in, what more do you need?


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Garmin eTrex Vista Handheld GPS Navigator

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The eTrex Vista combines a base map of North and South America, with a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. The compass provides bearing information while you're standing still and the altimeter determines your precise altitude. The Vista is also designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). This product will provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS corrections.The eTrex Vista also boasts an internal memory capacity of 24 megabytes, which allows it to accept downloaded mapping data from Garmin's MapSource CD-ROMs, including Fishing Hot Spots. A silver case gives this unit a high-tech look. New to the product design, Garmin will include marine aids to navigation in addition to the base map. These navigational aids can be pre-loaded into each unit from the factory.It is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products including BlueChart marine cartography, MetroGuide, and Fishing Hot Spots. Accepts up to 24 megabytes of downloaded map detail.
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Technical Details

- WAAS-Enabled
- Same Features As Grm0025600 Etrex Legend Plus A Built-In Barometric Altimeter & Electronic Compass
- Compass Provides Bearing Information While User Is Standing Still
- Altimeter Determines Precise Altitude & Provides A Graphic Profile Of User¿S Trip
- Contains 24 Mb Internal Memory For Storing Detailed Map Data
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 "When it works..." 2009-02-18
By R. Stephenson (Chesapeake, Va)
Everything about the Etrex works; right up to the point the screen fails. And this did not just happen to me, it also happened to two friends of mine. Bottom line I have owned several Garmin products and been quite pleased but the Etrex is not reliable.

 "Display sux" 2008-10-06
By D. Buehler (PA, USA)
The display is dim & hard to see/read. Back light is not very bright. Tried replacing batteries (twice) still no improvement in the display. Returned the unit one day after receiving.

 "Garmin Etrex Vista" 2008-04-06
By Shawn N. Flynn (california)
Garmin eTrex Vista Handheld GPS

Bought it for a road bicycle, and I love it! Bought it with the bicycle mount. Received it and started using it the same day. It has a million features, so it takes a bit of reading to setup all the options. Oh...you have to buy MapSource to fully utilize the unit. I tried the cheaper method of uploading and downloading to the unit. Could not get to work with Google Earth Plus, I did get to work with other 3rd party software. But I finally coughed up the $100 bucks (almost as much as the unit) and bought MapSource North America.



Now I was cooking was gas! Uploading, downloading, mapping, graphing, analyzing my ride. It is incredible all the information that can be gleamed from the interface with MapSource.



Now that I have used it for a bit, I love it even more. You can plan routes, or not. Use the tracks you created, later. The graphing on the altimeter is wild! The maps are incredibly detailed. I could go on and on about all the features, for the price this unit is the BOMB.



I had a sneaky suspicion that I might need to buy the software. So I chose the Vista. However, I am so pleased with the unit that I wish I had bought the colored more sensitive(GPS wise) higher end model.

 "Too simple" 2008-01-27
By A. Gandini (Canoas, RS, Brazil)
It is a good receiver, but its operational system is too simple and slow to use. But for the price, it worths.

 "Great Value for Family Geocaching" 2008-01-13
By L. Haskell (Orinda, CA USA)
Well priced & worked very well the first two times we used it. Easy to figure out, even my kids used it.


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Garmin GPS 76 Handheld GPS Navigator

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The GPS 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). This unit features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior reception and can provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS corrections.The GPS 76 provides 1 megabyte of internal user memory to be used for storing downloaded Points of Interest data. This 1 megabyte of storage area is preloaded from the factory with worldwide cities (populations greater than 200,000) and nautical navigation aids such as lights, buoys, sound signals and day beacons, and is perfect for downloading points of interest detail from Garmin's line of MapSource CD-ROMs.An extra-large display measuring 1.6"W x 2.2"H gives users a clear view of information, while a waterproof case means the GPS 76 will keep working well even if it's been submerged in water. Even more amazing, this unit will actually float if accidentally dropped in the water.
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Technical Details

- WAAS enabled Global positioning system (GPS) receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites
- 1 MB memory for downloading data from optional Garmin MapSource CD-ROMs
- Trip computer with current/average speed, timer, and trip distance
- Up to 16 hours of use from 2 AA alkaline batteries
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 "Garmin GPS 76" 2008-08-05
By Peter J. Batcheller (Gulf Coast, Fl.)
Best price I could find, right here, at Amazon. Item works great, pretty simple, once you get the hang of it. Use it on my boat to find fishing holes and waypoints.

 "Can't calibrate it!" 2002-06-26
By
It looks good and it is said that it does wonders, but I can't calibrate it. I have tried many times but it fails on me. And their tech support is hard to reach.

 "Great for PDA or PC connection" 2002-04-22
By Corey Stephens (Washington, DC United States)
The GPS 76 is the perfect portable GPS unit for connecting to a PocketPC based PDA or a laptop. I have tested it on an iPAQ 3835 with Pocket Streets 2002 and it works like a champ. I have also tested it with a friend's PDA using Anywhere Map (a moving map/EFIS type program for flying) and it worked great. If you are in an area that can get WAAS reception, the accuracy is even better. If you are looking for a great GPS that can be used stand-alone or attached to a PDA, this is it.

 "Great for PDA or PC connection" 2002-04-22
By Corey Stephens (Washington, DC United States)
The GPS 76 is the perfect portable GPS unit for connecting to a PocketPC based PDA or a laptop. I have tested it on an iPAQ 3835 with Pocket Streets 2002 and it works like a champ. I have also tested it with a friend's PDA using Anywhere Map (a moving map/EFIS type program for flying) and it worked great. If you are in an area that can get WAAS reception, the accuracy is even better. If you are looking for a great GPS that can be used stand-alone or attached to a PDA, this is it.

 "Great Handheld for the Price! Buy One!" 2002-03-07
By (Syracuse, NY)
Got this GPS for primarily geocaching...It works wonderfully! Best Unit I have owned yet... and I have owned quite a few. Garmin has done it again! If you plan to use it for driving get the MAP76.. but for navigation while hiking this one is everything you will ever need. Great Unit! Great Features and Great Price here at amazon...


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Garmin GPSMap 76S Handheld GPS Navigator

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If you're a devoted mariner or serious outdoor enthusiast, Garmin GPSMAP 76S is the GPS/mapping unit for you. The "S" in the product name stands for "sensors", because the GPSMAP 76S incorporates a GPS receiver, barometric altimeter, and an electronic compass that deliver precise location, elevation, and bearing information to take adventurers as high or as far as they want to go. The unit also contains a basemap of North and South America, including major highways, thoroughfares, rivers, lakes, and borders, with plenty of memory (24 MB) for downloading MapSource data. It's also waterproof and floats in water - and its larger screen, increased readability, bigger buttons, and rugged design make this unit at home in even the harshest conditions.
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Technical Details

- GPS receiver with integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass for precise location, elevation, and bearing information
- Basemap of North and South America, including major highways, thoroughfares, rivers, lakes, and borders
- 500 waypoints with name and symbol; 50 reversible routs
- Rugged design and large screen for improved readability
- 24 MB memory for downloading data from optional Garmin MapSource CD-ROMs
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 "Great Product" 2008-12-16
By Tissy Knight (Collins, MS)
Garmin gpsmap 76s, bought for my husband. He is loving it. Plenty of memory and very easy to use. he even can look up when deer move and when sun amd moon rises and sets. have not used fishing yet, but he is excited about this item.

 "get lost and found!" 2008-11-22
By A. Rojas (Henderson, Nevada, USA)
This is a great product that is easy to use. I gave it 4 stars because the the computer plug is not a USB plug, and the more advanced abilities were a bit tricky to figure out. Overall, a great product.

 "Poor maps without additional software" 2008-05-05
By James Frick (Traverse CIty, Michigan USA)
Need additional map software for anything but MAIN highways. Lots of software available, but a bit of a disappointment. Replacing an older Garmin, expected better map built in.

 "hand held GPS" 2008-01-19
By Faye Sing
I really like the map 76s, but if i Knew the 76CSX was going on sale within a few days I would hav opted for the latter.

 "Very good team" 2008-01-01
By Maria De Sousa Coelho
They handed in time, the product came in good condition, met the time promised, Price mint


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Garmin eTrex Vista H Handheld GPS Navigator

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The Vista H will include a high sensitivity receiver and will also support USB interface enabling high speed map downloads. An electronic compass and barometric altimeter are also included with the Vista H. The Vista H includes 24 MB of internal memory which will enable free space for downloading new map data. Software will include Geocaching capabilities with a14 hour batter life.
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Technical Details

- High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver in a rugged waterproof case for peak performance in any environment
- Built-in basemap shows lakes, rivers, cities, roads coastlines, marine navigation aids and landmarks
- USB interface for faster map downloads; 24 MB of internal memory offers plenty of room for plenty of room for maps, waypoints, routes and saved tracks
- High-contrast, backlit 2.4-inch LCD display; four-way cursor for smooth, one hand operation
- Includes an electronic compass for continuous bearing information and a barometric altimeter for precise altitude
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 "Nice unit, but poor documentation and worthless basemap" 2009-07-17
By Reviewer
Being new to GPS, I was excited to see what all I could do with this thing and how to make it do it. Unfortunately, the instruction manual is very vague. Many of the menu features are not even listed and the functions are not explained. It's basically, "to get to here, press this button". How about some examples? If you already are familiar with GPS, I suppose this would be fine, but it has been countless hours of experimentation to figure out some of the funtions.



Also, the basemap that comes with this is very basic - just major roads. There are also limited maps that you can purchase for this, and in fact I don't think the Garmin site accurately lists all that are available (I would think that the Vista H would support all the maps the Vista supports, but the site says no). Expect to pay $120 for a map disk. I'm thinking the 100K topo map would be the best since it shows detailed streets and items of interest in parks. It's pretty lame as a topo map though from the demo on the Garmin site.

 "Solid GPS unit for the price" 2009-05-22
By Michele Mattix (Sedona, AZ)
I bought this GPS unit to prepare for a Garmin GPS class I was asked to teach. I own several GPS units and I am a GPS/GIS professional focussing on training and consulting. I usually restrict my GPS usage to professional grade mapping equipment (Trimble, specifically) but I recently branched off into the world of recreational GPS to expand my training offerings. I've used the eTrex series GPS before and this Vista H unit is another nice addition to the line-up. Let me say that if I were buying an eTrex to use as my sole GPS unit, then I definitely would have opted for the color screen (Vista HC or HCx). The color screen adds a lot more bang for the buck.



Garmin has done a good job with these little units. The Vista is small, light-weight, and quick to respond. The new high-senstivity (that's what the 'H' stands for) receiver locks onto satellites very quickly. The internal compass and altimeter work very well and are easy to calibrate and turn on/off. On the negative side, something I find to be true for all of the eTrex models is that the operating system a bit clumsy to learn and I usually need to spend a good 5 minutes re-orienting myself to it when I use the eTrex in the field. I find that the buttons on the unit are not intuitivey laid out so it is hard to remember which one does what. Once I'm in the flow of using the eTrex, however, I can navigate through the pages/settings fairly easily -- it just requires those first few minutes of reaquainting myself each time. I would definitely recommend a bit of training before you use the unit -- especially if you plan to collect tracks. A common problem that Garmin users have is that their track log shows a long, continuous line on the map that connects -- with a straight line -- your new location to your last one. This can leave a long straight line on your map if, for example, you used the unit in Phoenix on your last hike and are now starting it up in Los Angeles. It's all about managing the track log.



The unit costs under $200 which is a great price. I like that I can collect points and lines (waypoints and tracks) that I can then add to Google Earth (directly) or to ArcGIS. The workflow for adding to ArcGIS is a bit convoluted as the GPS file format has to be converted first and that requires third-party tools. There are many of them out there, it's just a matter of trying them out and finding what works for you.



As a GIS professional, I find the Garmin model of buying base map data unuseful. The eTrex comes with a very basic base map. If you want more detail (topo maps, for example) then you must purchase these from Garmin. The base map you buy is only good for 1 GPS unit. So if you own multiple eTrex, for example, you must purchase the same data multiple times. In the world of GIS, once you acquire data -- such as topo base maps -- then it is yours to use as you want. With Garmin, you are not free to load your own data onto the GPS unit.



For the sake of comparison, I usually use my Trimble Juno SB unit for GPS hiking. This unit costs more (starting at $750) but it offers a professional workflow. This is not something that is important to most hikers, but it can make a world of difference to those using GPS for search and rescue, fire management, etc. The Juno is designed to collect GIS-ready GPS data which means you can collect points, lines, and polygons as well as attributes then export the data directly to shapefiles. Best of all, you can load your own data onto it -- imagery, existing shapefiles, CAD, and other file formats. The unit might cost more initially, but you are free to load whatever data you can acquire onto it and it allows you to quickly bring your GPS data into a GIS without having to manually enter attributes. You get to collect all of your user-defined attributes in the field while logging your GPS positions.



I would definitely recommend this unit as a basic mapping GPS unit though I would suggest spending a bit more to get the color screen. Also, if this is your first foray into GPS, invest in some basic training -- it will save you a lot of frustration and help you get the most out of your GPS unit. You can usually find a half-day Garmin training class by searching around the state parks and community college non-credit programs -- there are also online training courses you can find by doing a Google search.



Happy trails!

www.GeoMattix.com


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Garmin Rino 110 Handheld GPS Navigator and 2-Way Radio

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The Rino 110 is a GPS-enabled handheld that integrates radio functionality to provide two-way communications. It's waterproof, can send communications up to five miles (using GMRS channels), and can "beam" your exact location to another Rino user within a two-mile range (on the FRS spectrum) using "Position Reporting". And because the Rino 110 has standard FRS capabilities, you can talk to friends or family who own conventional FRS radios.
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Technical Details

- Combination two-way radio and GPS receiver
- Radio specs: 14 FRS channels for 2-mile range, 7 GMRS channels for 5 mile range, 38 subcodes per channel, hands-free VOX,
- GPS specs: 12-channel, WAAS-enabled receiver, up to 500 waypoints, trip computer with speed tracking
- Beam location to another Rino user within a two-mile range using the FRS spectrum
- Waterproof construction, includes lanyard and belt clip
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 "Great Product!" 2009-03-26
By H. Rush
I highly recommend the Garmin 110. It is user friendly and has great features!

 "Best buy on the internet" 2009-02-24
By Dave (Massachusetts, USA)
This was the best buy on the internet, have many friends that paid much more for the same model. The Garmin Rino 110 is easy to set up and use, can't wait to try it out. Bought many products from Amazon, delivery was always quick and on time, never had a problem.

 "Excellent" 2008-12-31
By Mark Martinez (Santa Fe, NM USA)
Directly from Amazon is the way to order. I received my Rino within a matter of days. I would have no problem purchasing from Amazon again.

 "Not sure about this unit !" 2008-10-30
By Glenn P. Basore
I thought this is what I wanted, now I'm not so sure.



I bought it for a few reasons;



I sail and wanted to be able to call for help if I needed to but there is no chanel 16 (help channel)on this unit.



I also wanted the gps so I could find my way back in the fog. despite reading the two booklets and playing with the unit I'm still cant seem to figure out how to use it.



So, I'm now looking for a proper marine radio so I can call for help.



I guess this old sea dog is just too old to figure out this new tech stuff

 "Glorified Walkie-Talkie - get a newer model" 2008-08-28
By Joe Mama
This item is simply a walkie-talkie that locates others of its own kind and shows you your position relating to dots (waypoints). No maps. No elevation graphics. Not even roads. I'm sure the newer models are much better, but how hi-tech can something be when it only has one Meg of on board memory. I had no idea an item from 2006 could be so outdated by now. This would only be useful for locating others in a hunting party who also have a rino. My nuvi auto gps does more on the trail than this does. I'm a hiker and I'm pretty sorry I wasted three years worth of my wife's safety incentive points on this thing. I will try to send it back, but I may be stuck with a huge digital compass that runs on 3 AAs.


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Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps

Buy Cheap Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps

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The Colorado 300 features a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief for incredibly enhanced map presentation on the unit. Optional detailed maps can also be loaded using the SD card slot or the 384 megabytes of internal memory built into the Colorado 300.
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Technical Details

- High Sensitivity, WAAS-Enabled GPS Receiver
- Features A 2.55-InchH X 1.53-InchW, Transflective Color Tft Display With 240 X 400 Pixel Resolution
- Features Built-In Worldwide Basemap With Shaded Relief
- Wireless Sharing Of User Tracks, Waypoints, Routes & Geocaches Between Units
- 5 User Profiles - Automotive, Marine, Recreation, Fitness Or Geocache
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 "not as bad as the oregon but still not great" 2009-08-24
By David Smith (Penn Valley, PA USA)
I tried the Garman Oregon with the topo maps and immediately returned it. The problem was, that unit in bright indirect light, the map was not visible. The Colorado, with the green shaded base map it came with was not much better, though better than the Topo map (less information than the Topo map). However, when I switched to the Cn North American NT map -- a detailed city map (an extra $100.00 list) and turned off the Autoroute DEM basemap I got a nice clean, visible, clear background with lines that were reasonably visible even in bright light. I am not sure it would work on a bicycle where the distance from eye to unit is greater but for walking it was OK. Also do not use alkaline cells -- the unit sucks the life out of the alkaline. Lithium cells last much longer. However, battery life is still not great. Do not use, only, this device where your life depends on it. If going into untracked areas take paper maps and lodestone style compasses. The device seems cluttered with features that add little like calendars, stopwatches, and calculators. I would have been happier if the engineers had spent more time on battery life and screen visibility. I have a hard time believing that any of the designers took the unit out for a trial on a bright day.

 "300" 2009-05-17
By 71dale (SE US)
Very good for Geocaching. Update your unit as soon as you open the box and you shouldn't have any issues.

 "Very good product but needs some minor modification." 2009-04-15
By E. Tucker
I purchased this GPS for the sole purpose of Geocaching and while I'm sure it will be used for hiking/biking that isn't why I got it. The unit is very easy to use one handed thanks to the control dial. It fits easily and comfortably in my hand. The battery life is good while using Energizer 2450MAH NiMH rechargeable batteries as well as Li-Ion batteries. There are a few things I would like to see changed on this unit. The battery compartment has some flaws mainly the rubber gasket around the case. The gasket had started to come unseated so I contacted customer support. they were very fast and helpful. I asked if I could re-glue the seal without voiding the warranty and was given a go ahead with that. So for the time being that problem has been solved. I also recommend using some clear non conductive silicon grease around the seal to both allow it to slide off easier and give it a bit better water resistance. Lastly the GUI is very nice but I would love to see a few more features added. I would like to be able to separate cache types within the unit and load GPX files individually. On top of that I would like to be able to see the dates that caches were found. On multi-day trips it would help when logging finds on Geocaching.com. Outside of those few issues which I consider to be fairly minor since I could easily fix most on my own I highly recommend this product.

 "not bad + not great=meh" 2009-04-04
By Joshua Flowers
First off let me preface this by saying i'm not a world class Geocacher. to date i've found about 57, about 9 of which are Micro size.

i started off using a Garmin E-Trex Venture HC about a year ago and logged a good amount of caches. a few weeks ago i got my tax refund (who needs to pay off car loans when you can get more gadgets!) and did some research. it came down to the Colorado 300 and the Delorme PN-40. i checked user reviews, professional GPS sites and even groundspeak Forums on what people would suggest betwixt the two. finally, after a week, i gave in and bought the Colorado. plus using Amazon to get almost $150 off Garmin's MSRP, it was a sweet deal. i'm just being honest here--Amazon's got some great deals for GPS, whether they're new or old. so, Here are my thoughts:

*compared to the Venture, it's got a larger screen + touch wheel + true paperless geocaching (that means it downloads a snapshot of the webpage off geocaching.com and allows you to read the Logs/Hints and description of the cache including size/terrain/difficulty). That feature alone is worth paying the extra money for this unit. the comparable Garmin GPS 60SX also offers paperless caching, but only the Colorado has a digital compass. Trust me--you need one!

*calibrating the compass is fairly easy the 4th time you try. a small indicator tells you what speed to turn the unit and it can make a huge difference doing it before each hunt.

* the basemap is, as it states, BASIC. i'd strongly suggest upgrading--but don't worry about buying a map from Garmin. i found a site off a groundspeak forum (www.gpsfiledepot.com) and after a little background research, it's legit. i downloaded the NC topo and NC IBYCUS20 map set. what a HUGE difference that map can make. i can now see what street each cache is near so no more guessing what street to take when i use only the compass feature. it's a free download, but a large one (877MB) so you have to use the internal SD memory port (though i couldn't find any literature on this GPS that was extensive, i actually used a 4GB SDHC (secure digital High Capacity)card. it's a newer style of card with an increased write-speed to transfer information from a computer/camera to the card. Trust me--download the map for your state--and any topo map. even in forests with micro caches i've been able to get a better idea where it's hidden if i can judge how far away it is from a nearby creek or stream (data NOT included in the basemap).

*the battery life is poor. definitely buy rechargeable batteries. i took a fresh pair of AA's geocaching yesterday and you'll get about 6 hours worth of juice. this isn't bad, by any means, but it's just more cost effective in the long run.

*backlit feature= pretty average. compared to my previous Venture HC--this Colorado is worse. i'd rate the Colorado backlit feature at 6 out of 10 and the Venture at 8 out of 10.

*the user manual was probably written in about ten seconds by a low-end Tech, so if this is your first unit you're gonna be searching forums for a while to figure out how to use it. if this is your second GPS unit--you shouldn't have a problem.

*geocaching.com offers Direct-to-GPS data transfer for Garmins (And now Delorme) so transferring caches is so incredibly easy.

*i originally loaded the MapSource software that came with this, and my previous Garmin, but after logging all my caches online and on the unit (you can actually Tag a cache as Found and it removes it from your actively-sought cache list) it's really not necessary UNLESS you download additional maps like TOPO or IBYCUS. you need mapsource to transfer those maps to the unit.

*battery compartment= it's a tricky little bit of mechanics. the battery compartment is a slide-off cover held in place by a latch. God help you if you're not strong with your finger tips to release it. it's annoying, and they could have done a lot better with it.

*receiver==it does have an input for an external antenna, and the built in does have WAAS (wide area augmentation system===it means it uses earth-based receiver satellites to get a better fix on your position) enabled feature. it's got a pretty strong antenna, and i was able to get a strong fix on my position in about 25 seconds Cold Boot inside my two story house.



so overall, based on battery life, backlit screen, compass accuracy and overall user-friendliness, i'd give this unit a 7 out of ten.

Pros=paperless caching, large screen, antenna reception.

Cons=battery life, back lit screen, battery compartment.



if this is your first unit- you're in for a treat with paperless caching.

if it comes down to deciding between the DELORME PN-40 (keep in mind the delorme has a free map download and annual 29.95 unlimited map downloads), i'd suggest the Delorme. the delorme even has Black and White areial pictures, color satellite imagery (think Google Earth on a GPS unit), and the highest durability of most GPS units.



[...]

 "Worth the money! Great for hunting" 2009-02-23
By D. Chambers (Atlanta)
I think most of the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews on the Colorado 300 were written before Garmin released several software fixes. This unit may have been released for sale before all the bugs were corrected in the software. Kinda like Microsoft Windows 95. That thing crashed all the time till the bugs were fixed.

I purchased mine on Feb 13, 2009 and am very pleased with it. I use it hunting and scouting our 650 acre deer lease in a very remote part of Georgia. I have marked almost every deer stand, food plot and landmark on this property, thus creating my own map of the area. You can do this with any GPS without buying other maps, however the addition of Garmin Topo 2008 map adds elevation, remote roads, streams and other landmarks making the experience so much better. I recommend you buy the map on DVD not the SD Card. The DVD version allows the PC/Mac, map and GPS to interact and makes for a great experience plotting trails and waypoints. You can also send info from the PC/Mac to the GPS (or SD Card) memory and vice versa.



The learning curve was slight,took me about 2 days fooling with it to master all features and the system works as promised. Yes, I agree with others that the base map is very, very limited. One reviewer said worthless, that's not true in my opinion, because the roads that the basemap does show are good reference points if you become lost.

I gave the unit 4 stars due to battery life of about 10 hours on alkaline batteries. I have switched to 2500 mah Energizer rechargeable batteries and have seen improvement to 12-16 hours depending on back light usage. I have not yet tried Lithium batteries and 2900 Mah rechargeable batteries are available but very expensive. The back light is the critical factor in battery life. Unlike some other units, most of the time in daylight, no backlight is necessary at all.

I picked the Colorado over the Oregon due to lower price (-$200.00) and the fact that the Colorado uses the full size SD Card. The full size SD card reader in the Colorado allows me to view pictures from my game cameras in the field. In addition, Many of the reviews said the touch screen on the Oregon did not work well in very cold weather, that could be overcome by putting the Oregon in a warm inside coat pocket but it was a factor for me.



What I like about the Colorado:

The Rock and Roller, is great, it is truly a one hand GPS. I can access all controls with just my thumb. Entering text is not as fast as I would like but I can live with it.

Sattellite lock is very fast and will lock on in the basement of my home. Initial lock was accomplished in about 15 seconds after inserting batteries the first time for a cold start. After that it is about 1 second warm.

Accuracy is good I have had 6 foot accuracy in open areas, but most of the time under cover it is about 12 -15 feet.

The large screen and 3D views are awesome. Even better with the Topo Map.

The ability to customize the screen set up is also a great feature. If there are features you don't use much you can move them on the menu and save the frequently used ones for the main menu.



What I don't like:

Battery life needs to be improved. I can see this would be a big issue with backpackers that are on the trail for 12+ hours and changing batteries if they use the back light much. I just carry an extra set of batteries with me to overcome this issue.

The gap between the unit and the case that others have mentioned does not give me confidance that the unit is 100% waterproof as claimed. However, I am not concerned at all about using the unit in a rain shower.



Conclusion: I would buy this same unit again. This is my 3rd GPS unit in 8 years and the very best. I would recommend you buy it along with the Garmin 2008 Topo Map Set. Many of the people that reviewed this item bought it when it first came out and paid $500 or more for it. So, I can understand their disappointment for that kind of money combined with the firmware bugs. However, you can buy this unit for about half of that price now and most of the bugs are fixed.



UPDATE:

Battery life. I tried Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries and got 22 hours of use from them with limited use of the back light. They lasted about 4-5 hours in a low battery condition. Thats about 7 more hours than I get with my 2500 Mah rechargeable AA's. The Energizer Ultimate Battery is susposed to be even more powerful than the Advanced Lithium. However Lithium batteries are over $2.00 each, so I think I will stick with my rechargeables.


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Garmin Oregon 550 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator with 3.2MP Digital Camera

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The navigator with the photographic memory - Oregon 550 combines rugged outdoor touchscreen navigation with a 3.2 megapixel digital camera. Add high sensitivity GPS, barometric altimeter, 3-axis electronic compass and microSD card slot. The result? A multipurpose device that will make your biggest adventures even more memorable.

Take pictures and Save Locations

Capture locations and memories with Oregon 550's 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom. Each photo is automatically geotagged with the location of where it was taken, allowing you to navigate back to that exact spot in the future. Snap and view pictures in landscape or portrait orientation. With 850 MB of internal memory, you'll never miss a photo opportunity. To store online, simply connect Oregon 550 via USB and log into my.Garmin.com to upload and store your photos at Picasa, a popular photo sharing community for friends and families around the world. For more storage, insert a microSD card; you can even view pictures from other devices on microSD with Oregon's picture viewer.

Touch and Go

Oregon 550 makes rugged navigation effortless with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color touchscreen display. The interface is easy to use, so you'll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 550 is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.

Get Your Bearings

Oregon 550 has a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you're standing still, without holding it level. Its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can even use it to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions. And with its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and Hot
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Technical Details

- Capture locations and memories with Oregon 550's 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom
- Tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color touchscreen display
- Built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you¿re standing still, without holding it level
- Its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can even use it to plot barometric
- Oregon 550 comes preloaded with a worldwide built-in basemap with shaded relief. Adding even more detail is easy
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 "garmin is still the best in GPS" 2009-09-20
By Mike Hammontree
I owned a Colorado 400 until it was stolen, so I was familar with this product already. after trying the touch screen on the oregon, I was totally sold. I wish my expensive touch phone worked anywhere close to this touch screen. I would recommend this product to anyone that is looking at a top of the line handheld

 "Awesome, functional, perfect gift!" 2009-09-13
By Haley's Mom
We gave this to my dad for his birthday and it was a MAJOR HIT! He was in his car driving around with the GPS and my brothers marking waypoints within 15 minutes of opening it up. The features and great, very user friendly with a touch screen and color display. The camera is a fun and useful upgrade from previous models. It is a great size, big enough for the screen to be useful but small enough to be portable. For anyone who hunts, hikes, travels, etc. I highly recommend this product!

 "Garmin Oregon is to GPS as Apple iPhone is to cellular." 2009-08-22
By Richard Graver (Upper Township, NJ USA)
I recently just bought 2 new Garmin GPS units to upgrade my aging Garmin Legend (Original Model). I was hesitant to purchase the Oregon due to the mediocre reviews on Amazon, but ultimately I decided to take a chance.



First I bought the Garmin Dakota 20, and I really liked it. Small, Battery Efficient, Easy to Use, and Paperless Geocaching using the touchscreen. Good stuff. I called my friend who likes to have the latest and greatest, and he told me he had purchased the Oregon 400t when it first came out last year. I took a drive to his house to compare it to my new Dakota 20... Very similar in capabilities, only smaller and less resolution on the screen. After seeing his unit, and how well it ran I found myself craving the higher resolution screen, and 3D Terrain features, so I went up and bought another one, this one, the Garmin Oregon 550. I decided against buying the Oregon 550t because the 550 had a little deeper discount than the "t" version. Ultimately I chose to purchase the 550 since it was around $60 off retail, VS. only $1 less than retail on the 550t. I figured I could add the TOPO maps later. Plus I had also just purchased the Dakota 20, and the $160 difference in cost was sounding pretty good. I have completely busted my mad money for now.



Ultimately I find this unit to be right in line with all of the other Oregon models software wise... it works exactly the same way. So go and read some reviews on the other Oregon models sine this unit doesn't have many reviews yet. It is VERY similar in capabilities, but this one has a few added goodies.. 3 Axis Compass + 3.2MP GEOTagging Camera (Good stuff)...



Another observation between the new 550 and 550t models... Garmin's specs say the these models have equivalent storage, but in fact this is not the case, the 850MB seen in the specs relates to the free space after taking into account the included maps. In reality it is more like 550 = 1GB, 550t=4GB internal memory. Mostly a non-issue since both have a Micro-SD slot behind the battery, which happily accepted an inexpensive 4GB SDHC card, and since SDHC was supported I would expect you could add an even larger one.



Like the other reviewer stated I noticed that the roads on Garmin's 2008 TOPO maps are slightly off.. this is easily recognizable if you load a driving map, calculate a route, and then disable the driving map, you will see the driving route is not exactly on the road. To me this is all the more reason to just get the 550 model (at this point) without the TOPO maps. You can add them later once the road data is fixed. On second thought, the TOPO features themselves on the 2008 map seem fine, only the road data is a little off, so if you are using the maps as they are intended this is probably a non-issue. At the time I just felt like the 550 was a better bargain, only $90 more than the Dakota 20 I had just purchased, which also was still at the full $350 retail price since it is still a brand new model.



The only other glitch was with the Compass calibration, which went haywire for a moment, but resolved itself after a reset, and hasn't happened since. We'll see if it becomes an issue.. but I doubt it. The reset was very fast as this unit boots up very quickly.



I decided to make these purchases since my girlfriend has expressed an interest in "Re-Taking Up Geocaching", we really haven't done it in a while (Since '02), and its such a great outdoor activity. The original point in making these purchases was the ease at which you can add Geocaches into the unit directly from the website with a single mouse click. She was having trouble getting used to adding the co-ordinates into the old Garmin Legend with that tiny joystick, it was VERY TEDIOUS.



So now she has the Dakota 20, and I have the Oregon 550, and we can easily transfer geocaches back and forth wirelessly, and it is easy as pie to download them from [...].



To me, these new Garmins are a huge upgrade from my old "Legend", and they are waterproof and rugged as ever.



I would have given this product 5 stars had it not been for the couple of small glitches, which I expect will be fixed in the future via a firmware update / map update from Garmin.



Truely.. the new touchscreen Garmin units are to GPS's, as the iPhone is to mobile phones. In a class by itself.

 "Sadly unimpressed...." 2009-08-12
By Joel A. Pogar (Parker, CO)
I have had this for a couple days now and have to admit, I'm "underwhelmed" by it so far. I had very high expectations of the 550 and ordered it with the 24K Topo maps from Amazon. Here's my issues:

1. This is my first Oregon unit, but the screen seems small....I'm a big guy, it feels like my thumb covers half the screen when navigating.

2. Compass accuracy is questionable, or at least it seems very "jumpy". If I move an inch, it rotates way more than I did.

3. Not sure why, but it's hard to see in the shade. Outside on bright sunny days and it's easier to see in direct sunlight than in the shade.

4. Having map problems....can't display a 3-D view of my map (open case with Garmin support).

5. All the manuals are on CD and the CD had issues loading in my computer. Had to find a PC that would read the CD and copy to my hard drive.



What's good about it...

1. The camera. While 3.2MP is not "hi-def" by any means, it is nice to only carry one device and have my pictures geotagged. The resolution and quality is respectable.

2. Unit feels very durable....I fish a lot so it's nice that it's somewhat weather / waterproof.

3. Comes with some nice accessories....I was surprised that Garmin included NiMH batteries and a charger.

4. Battery life is good. Although I'm using 2700mA batteries (not the included batteries) I get almost 20 hours from a set of AA.



Maybe I'm being a little too hard on Garmin and I generally like their products. However, for $600 (Oregon 550 and the Topo Map) I was expecting an iPhone like experience....an oohhh ahhhh kind of moment......hasn't happened so far. Not sure if I'll keep it...it's not a "bad" device, just don't know if it's worth $600. I was on the fence about giving it two or three stars....I gave it two because of the price and some of the frustrations I've had getting the maps to work right.



** Update (8/16/09): I did get the map issue resolved....turned out to be a software glitch with the Topo maps, but I did get it corrected. Took this unit on a 3 day trip to the Pike National Forest in Colorado. I would upgrade my rating from two stars to three stars as the GPS was extremely accurate when geocaching....but I didn't even get a full day from one set of batteries and the pictures I took with the 550 were hardly usable. It was cool that they were geotaged, but pretty poor in quality. Because of the price, picture quality and low battery life, it's going back. There are better options for less money.


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