Name: EgusHdus
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand USA
Date: 2007-09-04
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Finest Upgrade Available from Garmin
Comment: I won't waste your time if you are a previous Garmin user. I upgraded from an EMap, bought in 2001, that has served quite well. However, after all that time there are features one desires that scream for an upgrade. Yes, the color screen, the USB capability, far larger (and commercially available) Micro SD Memory, improved maps all contribute to the many reasons to buy. This is the tops, absolutely.
However, I saw this was coming out about 6 months ago and I waited. Why? The "H" in "HCx" stands for high-sensitivity. From my EMap experiences, I knew that GPS units were very sensitive to signal. My old EMap literally had to sit on the dashboard of the car on road trips, sitting in the sun, and sometimes still losing satellites. Well, friend, that's all over.
My HCx arrived today, and I opened the box, securing two AA batteries, and turned the unit on after about 45 seconds of perusing the Quick Start Guide. Sitting in a concrete building (dormitory, with a steel door, the HCx immediately began acquiring satellites and within mere seconds had found three...inside my little "bunker". Impressed? You couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I set a waypoint for Home - in the room - and then trudged over to work. Entering another concrete building, the signal strength was still fine and I set a waypoint at my desk. I marveled over the `track" I had wandered on the way to work, zooming in to 20 ft. resolution.
Friends, this is fantastic technology. The unit is small, comfortable to operate, feels solid, well-actuated controls and is far faster to acquire satellites than my expectations.. Needless to say, it's worth every penny. It fits in my shirt pocket, not a great deal larger than a pack of cigarettes, and it is the best thing I've spent money on since the thrill of buying a VIC-20 PC at K-Mart in 1985. And a lot of technology has been issued (and passed through my hands) since then. I admit it - I'm geek - I carry daily 3 phones, a digital camera and a Space Pen.
Buy this unit. Amazon's price is current market price, so don't feel compelled to shop - I did and it was a huge headache to attempt to save $20. Your time is worth far more - don't delay another day. Hands-down, it is the one to buy, and you will be on cutting edge for several more years.
You will not be disappointed.
Name: Dan R. Clement
Location: San Diego, CA
Date: 2007-09-06
Customer Rating: -
Summary: FANTASTIC
Comment: 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...
Name: Thomas Belfield
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA, and Citayam, Indonesia
Date: 2007-11-18
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Great GPS!
Comment: I work in Hawaiian native forests where the tree canopy can often be dense. I have also used a number of GPS units which always had difficulty detecting satellite signals under the tree canopy. So, having heard about the new HCx I bought one, took it out to the deepest forest canopy I could find and turned it on. In 30 seconds I had eleven signals. Amazing.
Name: steve_is
Location: On the St. Croix, MN
Date: 2007-10-23
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Great little unit
Comment: 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.
Name: David C. Veeneman
Location: Lincolnshire, IL USA
Date: 2008-04-21
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Very Impressed
Comment: I got this unit for my wife, who also happens to be my geocaching partner. It hardly seemed right that I was the high priest of the GPS receiver, so she clearly rated one of her own. At the same time, she viewed my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx as "kinda klunky" (not my beloved 60!). So this unit fit the bill exactly. It's small enough to carry in a pocket or a purse, it doesn't look as nerdy as a 60 (it looks like a cell phone), but it's every bit as sensitive and reliable as my 60. And with two different signals on the hunt, we find that we can locate caches a little more quickly than we could with just one.
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