Handheld GPS Reviews - Customer reviews - Garmin eTrex Vista CX Color Handheld GPS

Manufacturer: Garmin

List Price: $374.99
Our Price: $198.95
You Save: $176.04 (47%)
Refurbished Price:
Used Price: $120.00

Average Customer Rating: -

Product details

Offers (6)

Page:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 of 18

Spotlight customer reviews:

Name: T. Beidler
Location: Columbus, OH
Date: 2007-05-10
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Repackaged item
Comment: The unit I received from Amazon quit working just before the 30 day return period. I left on vacation just after it arrived and didn't really start to use it until I got back. I ultimately ended up getting a new unit direct from Garmin.

My main reason in noting this is that the first unit arrived obviously having been opened previously (light dust on the rubberized grip; user manual creased, etc.) While I understand that people return products and vendors need to try and resell them, I wish they would identify them as such. I suspect this unit got returned because it was acting erratic, but it was missed or ignored by Amazon. Basically I think the Garmin GPS unit is fine; I'm just annoyed with Amazon.

Name: Santiago Garcia
Location:
Date: 2006-11-05
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Useful item
Comment: It is a "small miracle" in your pocket. Easy to use and usefull

Name: Gadgeteer
Location: VA USA
Date: 2006-04-23
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Nice unit but has battery problems
Comment: The Garmin ETrex Vista/CX is a very nice handheld GPS unit. I like it a lot. However, it has battery problems. Within a month of getting the unit-- and not using it in any capacity other than simply turning it on and driving places in my car, it stopped being able to operate from batteries. I've tried many different types of batteries, all brand-new with no effect-- still doesn't work. I can plug it in via the USB port though and it works great. Kinda blows the original goal of using it for camping and geocaching though. When I looked it up on the web it turns out that apparently lots of people have similar issues and it is apparently a well-known issue. Even Garmin had some tips on the subject. I think it kind of sucks that a major mfgr like Garmin could make such a great unit and leave it saddled with battery problems-- I mean, this is a core, critical function for most people.

Overall I would rate the unit a 5 but with the battery problems, I can only give it a 3 tops.

Name: Richard C. Drewelow
Location:
Date: 2006-09-01
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Input Buttons
Comment: I purchased this for biking and hiking. So far, I have only used it while biking. The input buttons are mainly on the sides of the unit (so there is more space for the screen on the front). Most of the buttons have more than one function. The secondary role is used by holding the button down until the screen changes to the intended function, instead of just a press and release. I have had trouble with the scroll/input button on the front of the unit. This button is partly joy stick, for scrolling on the screen, and for navigating through menus. The joy stick part works ok, but it also has two other uses. A single press of the button acts as an enter function, and press and hold acts to change the screen to input a waypoint. The single press does not work well on this button; and if you try to hold it down a little longer, then the unit changes to the waypoint screen. It would also be better if the input buttons were a little bigger.

Name: LeftCoastRichard
Location: Colorado
Date: 2006-07-18
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Excellent mapping GPS, but altimeter and compass issues
Comment: My Vista Cx is an excellent GPS. Satellites are quickly acquired and WAAS enhancement works reliably. The unit is sturdy and battery life is much better than I expected. The downside seems to be documentation. Documentation is minimal and occasionally incorrect. No expanded documentation is available on the Garmin website and there doesn't appear to be a Garmin user's group where questions and techniques can be archieved and discussed. The Vista is a very complex device with hundreds of features, and concequently needs a good user's guide.

This lack of documentation is especially noticed with the altimeter and compass. The altimeter apparently makes non-obvious choices between pressure-derived altitude and GPS derived altitude. I've found no way of determining at any moment which altitude is displayed, and the settings can vary by several hundred feet. Similarly, the compass can be very badly misleading with no way of advising you of calibration problems.

Web-accessable white papers describing the internal workiings of both the compass and altimeter would greatly enhance the Vista's usability (and user's confidence).

Page:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 of 18