Name: Corinne Draper
Location: St. George, Utah United States
Date: 2005-10-10
Customer Rating: -
Summary: This is the third one of these I have owned
Comment: I really like them, and this model is slightly improved over previous ones. It has an additional screen that conveniently displays additional information. It is easy to use and accurate. The first one I owned failed due to a software glitch, but Garmin provided me with a patch. I especially like the ability to download waypoints from my topographical program.
Get the carry case so the screen does not get scratched up.
Name: Greg Erdman
Location: Big Bend, WI United States
Date: 2000-07-08
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Garmin E-trex GPS
Comment: Based on some of the reviews here I was reluctant to purchase this item but it has exceeded my expectations. It not only works in the woods but in the car. It is simple to use and has all the features the average GPS user should need. Though not as sophisticated as the more expensive units it should serve the occasional user well. Well made and user friendly.... for the price you can't go wrong. With the militarys removal of some of the accuracy restrictions this past spring I am getting accuracy to within 15 feet!
Name: Nikwax
Location: Portland, OR United States
Date: 2002-01-13
Customer Rating: -
Summary: very good for what it is
Comment: Garmin designed this unit to be a rugged, low cost, small, easy to use GPS, with good basic funtionality for casual users and beginners...and that's exactly what it is. It is water and vibration proof (mine is mounted on the handlebar of my motorcycle) and fairly simple to navigate through its menus. The display is readable and gives easy to use information, yet it easily fits in a pocket and the palm of the hand for one handed operation. This is not a "super-deluxe navigate the highway systems know where all the gas stations are" unit. It is a basic unit designed for backpackers, canoers, campers, snowshoers and skiers. You can mark waypoints and save tracks (a record of your movements) and backtrack over a track easily. Any time it is on, it leaves a virtual "trail of breadcrumbs" that makes it easy to go back the way you have come.
Limitations? Remember, this is a basic, low cost unit. The main limitation is memory (lack of). A long trip (e.g. a highway trip) can easily consume all of the unit's memory, so that you run out of storage space for tracks. Way points are limited to six character descriptors, and trying to come up with something that makes sense can be challenging. You cannot download or display maps with this unit.
All that said, I've had mine for a couple of years, and find it very handy for traveling in unknown to me waterways and trails. I also used it on a recent long distance motorcycle tour and found the trip distance, altitude, average speed, and compass features super handy, and easy to scroll through with one hand.
If you are like me and want a rugged, basic, accurate, easy to use GPS unit that doesn't consume your entire bank account, then this is s great unit. It's also a great place to start with GPSing to see if you like it/need one/want/one, and will help you know what you want to see on the next GPS that you buy.
For the money, an unbeatable buy!
Name: Physicians Interactive
Location: Vincennes,Indiana
Date: 2005-08-27
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Garmin etrex GPS
Comment: Great GPS for the price. Went mountain biking and hiking and it worked great!! The manual was rather complicated, and don't buy the instructional video, it's worthless.
Name:
Location: Pasadena, CA United States
Date: 2001-05-02
Customer Rating: -
Summary: A great entry level GPS
Comment: I've been using this GPS unit for a few months now, for geocaching and for normal land navigation. I've also taken a GPS class with it, and got to see how it stacked up against other GPS units. The consensus of other, less tech-savvy students in the class was that the etrex offered a very user friendly interface in a small package. It offers all the essential features one needs in a GPS, comes in a waterproof, rugged and small case, and is fairly easy to use and read. Garmin's claims of one handed usage are for real, it is easy to navigate the interface with the solid buttons on the unit. The main downside is the antenna, at least compared to units that have more sophisticated antennas, so pulling in weak satellite signals under thick tree cover can prove problematic in some areas. Also this is a basic unit, so it has no fancy bells and whistles, most notably you cannot download or view a map on it (though you can download waypoints). For those of you who hunt, the eTrex camo version would probably make more sense. And for more money, you can get more bells and whistles in the higher end eTrex models. The large screen is both a plus and a minus--a plus in that it's very easy to read and you can easily navigate the menus on it. A minus since it can be damaged, and a large LCD screen will not work well in extreme cold. The bottom line is, if you want to get started with GPS navigation, the eTrex is a friendly way to get going. If you do end up getting this unit, I highly recommend getting the cable to hook it up to a computer, so you can at least get the software updates Garmin posts on occasion.
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