Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

Reviews Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor



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Technical Details

- Waterproof to a depth of 50 meters, so you can wear it in the pool or the lake to time your swim
- Tracks bike and run data and sends it wirelessly to your computer
- Track your position, distance, pace, heart rate (with bundled monitor), add accessories to measure power data and more
- 20 hours of battery life
- One-year limited warranty

Read More Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor


Finally, a GPS-enabled training device that isn't afraid of the water. The rugged Forerunner 310XT is the triathlete's indispensable training tool — a GPS-enabled, swim-proof trainer that tracks bike and run data and sends it wirelessly to your computer. This multi-sport device has up to 20 hours of battery life, tracks distance, pace and heart rate, and goes from wrist to bike in seconds.
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Customer Buzz
 "Excellent tool for runner/marathoner" 2010-03-14
By GoTheDistance (Orange County, CA, USA)
I normally keep gadgets and gear to a minimum when I run but this has been a must have tool. When training long distance, such as for a marathon, I tend to stick to the same seen-before paths since the distance is known. This tool frees me to explore new paths as it keeps fairly accurate distance for maintaining training mileage. It's great to be able to display not only average pace but also real time pace and to be able to upload and map out the run on Garmin with all the stats. The stand out features of this particular model is the large easy-to-read display and the great battery performance. As long as I turn it off inbetween runs I can usually go for a week or two on a charge.

Customer Buzz
 "310XT for cycling and running!" 2010-03-14
By Chen Chee Kong
A great product from Garmin! I use it for running and cycling (with cadence/speed sensor). It doesn't fail me at all! I particularly like the ANT+ agent which able to transfer data easily to my computer and garmin connect!



I wish it could also function as normal watch so I don't have to wear another watch.... anyway, it's still the best sport computer that I ever use!

Customer Buzz
 "Don't ever drop it..." 2010-03-07
By T. Marek (Texas, USA)
As a rugged sports/gps watch, Garmin missed the mark. The screen is made of glass! If you drop it, the screen will crack. The first time this happened (during my first week with the watch), the watch fell out of my hand on to the pavement and the glass shattered. There was no force behind the fall other than me losing my grip on stuff I was carrying. Drop height was maybe 2.5 feet. Garmin repaired the watch after charging me almost $100 plus a $50 expedite fee because I wanted it for a key event.



After months of carefully guarding my Garmin, the watch fell out of my workout bag on to the bathroom tile floor. Screen shattered again so I have to shell out another $100 plus shipping if I want to continue using this expensive piece of equipment.



Garmin needs to change the material used for the face of the 310 XT to a material that will not crack when the device is dropped from a few feet. It is a good looking device that functions well but it is too fragile for all but the most careful and vigilant of users. I would rather have a scratched plastic screen that will take a normal wear-and-tear fall than worry about cracked glass and expensive replacement.



Of the three other 310 XT owners in my running/triathlon group, all three had cracked screens and expensive repairs within the first month of ownership. If you are considering the purchase of this watch be forewarned, it is not a question of if you will experience a cracked screen, it is a matter of when.



Hope this helps.



Customer Buzz
 "This "rugged" watch actually quite fragile!" 2010-03-01
By M. Hagler (Los Angeles, CA United States)
This watch is supposedly designed for multi-sport use, and is marketed by Garmin as being "rugged". So I was very surprised, and disappointed when the faceplate cracked just from dropping a couple feet onto the floor. A search found many other people who have had this happen to them too. Garmin is saying it is damage caused by owner and not covered under warranty. It seems to be a bad design flaw that the face of the watch has no protection. Runners and Triathletes like myself will spread the word and steer people away from this product unless Garmin starts to stand by their "rugged" watch and fixes the design.

Customer Buzz
 "Satisfies expectations ...to date." 2010-02-20
By G. SALLES (New Jerse, United States)
First of all I need to make clear that I will use this device for running (90% of the time) and biking. No swimming. I've read many posts on how poorly it performs under water and I am not surprised.



I've had the 310XT for a month now, after my 305 finally died because of rusty contacts inside (there went the water resistant claim).

I am hoping that this one will really be water resistant and be able to handle the sweat and occasional rain. And I had a 201 before that. All in all I've had a Garmin running watch for about five years and I have seen the progression of this technology and how much it has improved, and I LOVE IT.



I like the design and color combinations in the 310XT, the wrist band is also nicer (not that I ever had any trouble with the 305's wrist band).



The 310XT catches satellites faster, and it seems to be able to cling on to low GPS signals better than the 305. Really nice in order to give you very accurate reads on your workout parameters (distance, pace/speed, etc.) Part of my runs are in narrow streets lined by high rises, and mapped runs look really fine.

This is the main reason for any owner of a watch like this, so it better deliver, and it does.



I like the refreshed display interface which seems to have even more options than before, very customizable. The main numbers are still big and clear, even for someone like me that needs glasses to read the finer print (I should note that I still navigate the watch by memory because I can't read the descriptions and prompts).



The vibrate alert is new, nice addition, which you can set according to distance, time, laps, etc., also highly customizable.

Training partner is still there if you need an extra kick to reach a desired pace, same as with the 305.



Another new feature that I noticed is that it also self-adjusts the time according to where you are. I don't know how it does this but I recently traveled from the US to Argentina and the correct time was set after I turned it on down south. Neat.



What I don't like is the new wireless interface, why did Garmin have to move away from the 100% reliable hardwired connection? Garmin's ANT Agent installed correctly on my Vista PC, and eventually I can get the workouts out of the 310XT, but I have to try 2 or 3 different USB ports every time, and when all else fails, I have to reboot the PC and start over. The cable in the 305 worked everytime, I had the base on my desk to pop-in the old 305 after each workout.



As for the HR monitor, not much to add about its functionality, it paired fine the first time and it works same as the old one. The design looks a bit sleeker, but there was nothing wrong with the old HR monitor. As a matter of fact, the design of the old strap made it very easy to change the elastic band (which in time stretches, unavoidable) without haveing to deal with the electrodes.



All in all a great GPS watch for runners and bikers. Not sure if you are a swimmer, read other posts for that.


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Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

Reviews Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor



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Technical Details

- Round 4-Level Gray Fstn, 124 X 95 Pixel Display
- Accurately Tracks Distance, Pace & Calories, & Displays On Easy-To-Read Screen
- Ant+Sport(Tm) Wireless Technology Automatically Transfers Workout Data To & From
- Computer When Device Is Within Range
- Heart Rate Monitor

Read More Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor


With the Forerunner 405, Garmin has finally put thepower of GPS location-based date into a sleek sport watch that can be worn all day. Runners no longer have to choose between function and fashion. Garmin's ANT + Sport wireless platform that wirelessly sends your data to your computer and a touch bezel that lets you change screens with a simple tap (no more fumbling for buttons) run make this not just a leap forward in GPS-enabled fitness devices, but in training devices period. Forerunner 405 comes in two color options — black or green.

lifestyle 1 lifestyle 3 lifestyle 1


The Power Of Location-Based Data

Anyone who has used Garmin's Forerunner 205 or 305 already understands the power that attaching location data to traditional measurements like distance, speed, time, calories burned, and heart rate can provide. Knowing exactly where you worked hardest, ran fastest (or most slowly), and lets you tailor your workouts to improve for specific distances, conditions, and types of terrain. It gives a complete picture of how you interact with every portion of your run.

cologs
Forerunner 405 comes in two color options — black or green
virtual partner
Train with a virtual partner

Watch Results
Loaded with serious training features, Forerunner 405 continuously monitors your time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate (when paired with heart rate monitor). Each run is stored in memory so you can review and analyze the data to see how you've improved.

The high-sensitivity GPS receiver sustains satellite reception, whether you’re tackling a trail or jogging through the urban canyons of skyscrapers. The Forerunner 405 is water-resistant (IPX7) and can be used outdoors or indoors (with an optional foot pod), making it the ultimate year-round, all-weather training tool.

Forerunner 405 is available with or without a heart rate monitor (see the versions tab) to help you make the most out of your training. Versions with a digital heart rate monitor continuously track heart beats per minute. Train in a certain heart rate zone to improve your fitness level or compare your pace and heart rate to past performance on the same run.

The revolutionary patent-pending touch bezel on the face of the watch makes navigating the options easier than ever. Simply by tapping, holding or running a finger along the bezel, runners can begin a new workout, access their training history or challenge a Virtual Partner. The Forerunner 405 makes training with a Virtual Partner easy and efficient. Runners can adjust the Virtual Partner’s pace without stopping in the middle of a workout, and the Virtual Partner is always on and ready for a challenge.

Run, Sync, Store and Share
One of Garmin's most ambitious decisions has been to approach fitness devices as a total platform with their "ANT + Sport" connectivity system. All of Garmin's new fitness devices, including the Forerunner 405, Edge 605 and 705 bike computers, and Forerunner 50 heart rate monitor watches, will interface wirelessly with any devices that are compatible wiht the "ANT + Sport" protocol, including devices from other manufacturers.

Once you’ve logged the miles, the ANT+Sport wireless technology automatically transfers data to your computer when the Forerunner is in range. No cables, no hookups. The data’s just there, ready for you to analyze, categorize and share through Garmin's online community, Garmin Connect or optional Garmin Training Center software. You can wirelessly send workouts from your computer to Forerunner, too.

Share Wirelessly
With Forerunner 405 you can share your locations, advanced workouts and courses wirelessly with other Forerunner 405 users. Now you can send your favorite workout to your buddy to try, or compete against a friend's recorded course. Sharing data is easy. Just select "transfer" to send your information to nearby units.

Cross-Train
Take your training inside with the versatile Forerunner 405. Pair it with an optional foot pod to track your speed, distance and running cadence indoors when a GPS signal is unavailable. This new design clips onto your laces for easy removal and automatically turns on when you start moving. You can also add a speed/cadence bike sensor to track the speed and distance of your cycling workouts.

Be Part of A Community
In 2007, Garmin acquired Motion-based, the largest shared repository of customer-generated gps-based routes, courses and maps. This was a significant move for Garmin to support the gps user community and bring a wealth of route options to gps users. With a simple connection to your computer, you can join a worldwide network of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts through Garmin Connect our new, one-stop site for data analysis an sharing.

You can also upload to optional Garmin Training Center software for further analysis. Garmin Training Center stores large quanities of workout and ride data. Some of the things you can do are

  • Review your workout data, including pace/speed, distance, time, calories burned; and if available, heart rate, cadence and detailed elevation.
  • View a detailed graph of your workout data, plotted over time or distance.
  • View a map of your workout that shows the exact path you traveled.
  • Categorize your workout history according to type of activity.
  • Review previous workouts, which are saved by day and week.
  • Create customized workouts with specific goals and rest intervals. Then send them to your fitness device.*
  • Schedule workouts for a specific day with calendar.
  • Get custom workout templates designed by the experts at TrainingPeaks.com

What's In The Box
Forerunner 405, USB ANT stick, Heart Rate Monitor, AC adapter, Charging clip, Owner's manual, Quick reference guide


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Customer Buzz
 "Incredibly Versatile" 2010-03-06
By M. McClure (67205)
I bought this gps watch for my wife for Christmas. She's into running quite a bit. She just finished up her first half-marathon 5 months ago and we are headed to another one next week. I've seen her use this to collect and view all sorts of data related to her running. Although the model we bought did not come with the heart rate monitor, we did go out and purchase it shortly after.



Pros:

Lots of data collected to allow you to view tons of different stats about your run.

Transfers data from the watch to the computer and up to your Garmin account quickly and easily (transfers from watch to computer without having to plug anything in).

Graphs and charts on Garmin's site to display all the data is easy to read and very informative.

Works well indoors and outdoors

Setup one time and then you're good to go



Cons:

The initial set-up of the watch was a bit of a task. My wife is not the most technologically inclined person, but with a little help from running friends and some manual readying, she was able to set it up pretty well.

The cost (a little pricey, but well worth it in the long run)



Overall:

An excellent watch for runners who are serious about tracking their pace, paths, heart rate, etc.

Customer Buzz
 "Fantastic watch but bad manufacturing quality" 2010-03-01
By C. M. Alvarez (Washington, DC)
I have had the Garmin 405 with heart monitor for a year and a half now. I use it quite intensively for both biking and running.



The first watch I received had a defective GPS reception and I got a replacement which works flawlessly (thanks Amazon for the great post sale service).



I have had no issues with rain (I just block the bezel and have the watch cycle automatically through the needed information), ease of use, GPS reception, thickness, etc. I recently ran a marathon and the watch calculated 42.4 km which is only 0.2 km (0.5%) above the official distance. Given that we need to do some lateral movements to pass other runners, get drinks, etc. I think this is a great result.



I agree with many reviewers who find the PC software package underwhelming; however I get by by using a free third party log program (RunningAHEAD which, among other things, does a great job at importing all the GPS data).



I really miss the 'sleep' feature available in the Polar watch. It would be great to be able to have the Garmin hibernate while not in use so that, when needed, the watch has a good battery level.



However, my main issues are about the poor craftsmanship of the watch.

- The heart rate strap stopped working a few month after the purchase. I got a new one and I am having issues with it. Some times, it works fine but more often than not, I get very low heart rates measurements, especially when the training intensity increases. I am now using the HR monitor less and less.

- The paint job on the watch has peeled in many places. The Garmin looks really ugly now and is no longer wearable anytime else than during a sport activity.

- The rubber watch band is just plain junk. Through wear, it is now severely peeled, has a bad cut in it (fortunately, it is still usable), and the band gives up when exposed to vibrations from some dirt road downhill rides in the mountain bike .



I still like my gadget a lot but I will likely not buy it again if it stops working. Maybe the 305 because it costs just half as much.



Customer Buzz
 "Nice watch" 2010-02-26
By Tom Smith
I am very happy with this watch. It picks up a satelite signal very quickly.

Customer Buzz
 "Excellent product, bad Amazon service" 2010-02-21
By F. Rocha
The Garmin 405 is really fantastic but Amazon delivered the wrong product. As you can read in the name of the product it should have included a heart monitor but it was not part of the product delivered. The same product without heart monitor costs 70 dollars less. The problem is that the product was exported to Chile. I tried to contact Amazon in order to get a reimbursement for the 70 dollars but I just couldn't find an option in their web page to request it.

Customer Buzz
 "broken upon receipt" 2010-02-19
By E. Neebes (NE ohio)
The seller, Loco Running sent the watch with a broken USB device, making the functionality of the watch incomplete. The seller is unwilling to accept a return of the watch for refund.


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Garmin Astro Bundle 220 Dog Tracking GPS

Reviews Garmin Astro Bundle 220 Dog Tracking GPS



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Technical Details

- Bundle Includes: Astro(Tm) 220 Dog Tracking GPS Receiver, Dc 30 Transmitter Collar, Carrying Case, Ac Adapter, Vehicle Power Cable, Usb Cable, Trip & Waypoint Manager, Owner'S Manual & Quick-Start Guide
- See Current Location and a Trail of Where Your Dog Been on the Map Page of Your Handheld
- Search for Over 6 Million Points of Interest
- Create a Route on Roads with Exact Turn by Turn Directions
- Astro 220 Handheld/ DC 30 Wireless Transmitter Collar/ Carrying Case/ AC Adapter for DC 30/ Vehicle Power Cable for DC 30/ MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager CD/ USB Cable/ Wrist Strap/ Belt Clip/ User's Manula/ Warranty Card

Read More Garmin Astro Bundle 220 Dog Tracking GPS


Garmin ASTRO BUNDLE DC 30 Collar Plus Astro 220. Tired of searching for your hunting dog in tall grass or dense cover? Now you can leave the hunting entirely to him. Introducing Astro, the first high sensitivity GPS enabled dog tracking system for hunters and sportsmen. This unique system pinpoints your dogs position and shows you exactly where he is, even when you cant see or hear him. The Astro system includes a bright color screen handheld GPS device and the rugged, all weather DC 30 collar. The collar has an integrated GPS transmitter and is specially weighted so the antenna will always point to the sky for optimum signal. To get started, just take Astro outdoors and turn on the handheld and transmitter to acquire GPS satellite signals. Then attach the DC 30 to your dog. Now you are ready to turn him loose / no other setup required. As often as every five seconds, your dogs DC 30 transmits his position to your handheld, and you can see his current location and a trail of where he is been on the Map page of your handheld. Switch over to the Dog Tracker page to view a compass pointing to your dogs location as well as his current status: whether he is running, sitting, on point or treeing quarry. Astro can also sound an alarm to let you know instantly when your dog goes on point. Astro boasts a high sensitivity GPS receiver that can track your dogs position even in the densest cover. You can track up to ten dogs at one time with Astro, at a distance of up to seven miles away /depending on terrain/. The system transmits information by line of sight, so it reaches farthest in flat, open territory.
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Customer Buzz
 "Amazing" 2010-02-20
By James A. Leone (Wisconsin)
If you need to get a new or replacement GPS and your a dog hunter you have to really look at these. You can buy the handheld unit without the collar and at the worst you can use it as a regular GPS. We used these last bear season and there great. You just have to keep in mind the range, add on antenna a good option.

Customer Buzz
 "David's Dog Collar" 2010-01-17
By B. J. Shelton (Livingston, TN USA)
This was purchased on behalf of a friend with no internet access. He has been a happy hunter ever since.

Customer Buzz
 "Deer hunting toy" 2010-01-12
By G. Wilson (VA, US)
Probably one of the best hunting toys I've had ever. I used the Astro 220 on my old deer hound. I could see the direction she was heading and was able to pick her up a couple of miles away crossing the road. This happened several times and considering the time and worry I saved was grateful to have purchased it. I made maps of the hunting area with the GPS and downloaded where the dog traveled that day. The main downside is after turning the dog loose you are locked into retrieving the dog within 17hrs. Using this collar in conjunction with another collar with longer distance and longer battery life may be the way to go. The information gained from using the astro 220 is well worth the trouble.

Customer Buzz
 "Excellent system, but not quite perfect." 2010-01-04
By James B. Graham (Laurel, MS USA)
This is the best thing available as far as I know, but it could be a little better. I refused to buy until they came out with the DC30 collar. Topo map software is a must-have. I wish they had the option for a shorter collar strap (beagles). As one other reviewer said, making this an all-in-one shock and track would be the bomb. Part of the appeal of this system is that I can tell when a dog is running off-game (deer) by the path they are taking (rabbits make circles, loops, etc.), so I can correct them before they get too far away and get in the highway. I keep one DC30 on an old dog I trust and the other one on younger dogs in training. When I see them separate, there is a good chance the puppy is going astray. I need the tracking collars on the dogs that also wear e-collars. It's quite a lot for a 20lb beagle to carry. I'll be upgrading to the lighter Tritronics G3 series as soon as I can afford it.

Customer Buzz
 "Now I know where my dog is!" 2010-01-04
By 3 Brits (Arizona)
After using this for the first time last weekend it was quite impressed how well it works. I've used telemetry collars in the past, but pin pointing the signal was troublesome at best. Additionally, if you were pointed 180 degrees in the opposite direction you would get a signal. A real problem when you looking for your dog in a dense forest and you start walking in the wrong direction. I got that one back by repeatedly using a whistle and he finally heard me.



For quail hunting in scrub oaks it works wonderfully. Often I would loose track of a dog and they were on point just 15 yards away. I have not been able to run more than one dog at a time because it took too much concentration and I was out there to enjoy the time with my dogs, and not stress out over where they were. I also am not a big fan of bells and beeper collars. They get annoying to listen to them all day. Even using the locate feature on a DT collar wasn't that reliable as the range was not as advertized. The Tritronics beeper collar was also horrible, as my dog would shut it off grouse hunting moving in and out of thick cover.



Next fall I will see how well they work in dense cover.


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Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld

Reviews Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld



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Technical Details

- Rugged, waterproof golf GPS unit with 3-inch sunlight-readable touschreen display
- Preloaded U.S. course maps, including fairways, hazards, and greens
- No annual fee; new maps available for download from Garmin.com
- Measure shot distance with highly sensitive readings to eliminate guesswork from your game
- Digital scorecard for up to four players; save and review the scores on your computer at home

Read More Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld


Give your game a boost of confidence with Garmin's Approach G5, a rugged, waterproof, touchscreen golf GPS packed with thousands of pre-loaded golf course maps. Approach uses a high-sensitivity GPS receiver to measure individual shot distances and show the exact yardage to fairways, hazards, and greens.

Give your golf game a boost of confidence with the Approach G5.

Eliminate guesswork from your game by keeping score digitally, getting accurate yardage readings, and more. (Click images to enlarge.)

Built for Golfers
Weighing in at just 6.8 ounces with batteries and boasting a transflective color 3-inch touchscreen, the Approach is your featherweight fairway guide regardless of the lighting conditions. IPX7 waterproofing means that the device can withstand accidental immersion as well--but thankfully, you'll be avoiding water hazards, of course.

Eliminate the Guesswork
The Approach displays and updates your exact position on stunningly detailed, preloaded course maps throughout the United States. Click to see Garmin's current Approach G5 course listing. Approach's highly sensitive GPS receiver pinpoints your position and removes guesswork from your game. And as you move, Approach automatically updates your position, so you'll always know your yardage. There's no subscription or setup fees, and Approach is compliant with USGA rules.

Touch Your Target
Need to measure distances for your next shot? Touch any point on the sunlight-readable display, and Approach shows the precise distance to that exact spot--fairway; hazard; landing area; or the front, middle, and back of the green.

Get on the Green
Zero in on the pin with Approach's Green View. Just tap the flag on the map to zoom in on the green--then you can drag the flag to position it where you see it, giving you more accurate yardage.

Keep Score Digitally
Approach doubles as a digital scorecard for your foursome. After the game, you can save and review the scores on your computer at home.

Add More Courses
Garmin is constantly adding more courses to their map data, as well as updating and improving their course maps for Approach G5. Download the latest courses from Garmin.com.

What's in the Box
Approach G5, belt clip, USB cable, quick start manual
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Customer Buzz

 "Too many missing courses" 2010-03-03
By K. Messersmith
I have owned my G5 for almost a year and it works great when I can use it. Garmin has chosen to include only one course within 100 miles of where I live in spite of several requests on my part. Don't buy one of these unless you check out the courses in your area to see that they are included. Courses are being added at a snail's pace. I expect to have a golf app on my Droid before they get around to making this unit usable for me. Too bad, I love the other Garmin products I have.

Customer Buzz
 "Garmin best of GPS's" 2010-02-28
By D. Ford (Rochester Hills Mi)
Garmin G-5 is all the company claims it is except for the lighting. You need to be in the bright light to read it well.In the shade or on a dark day it's hard to see the info...otherwise there is nothing bad to say about it.

Customer Buzz
 "Very Satisfied" 2010-02-16
By Gerrit R. Ayers (Edmonds, WA United States)
I'm a senior (age 67) and technology sensitive. I wanted a golf gps that would be easy to understand, easy to use, and be helpful to my game. . . I got all of this. The touch screen is so easy and the whole unit is easy to use. I highly recommend the Garmen Approach G5. You will be glad you did!Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld

Customer Buzz
 "Good but not great" 2010-02-14
By W. Corrigan (Boston, MA)
I like my Garmin Approach Golf GPS device but don't love it. I love my laser range finder because it can tell me exactly how many yards to the pin. The Garmin device doesn't do this. You have to estimate where the pin is on the green (and can edit where it is) on your approach shots. It would be great if it had a feature where it was tied into the courses pin placement.

Customer Buzz
 "Garmin Approach G5" 2010-02-02
By Erland Persson (Walnut Creek, CA USA)
I bought the Garmin Approach G5 recently and due to winter weather have only used it on the course twice so far. These were at two different courses and the Garmin made a big difference in my enjoyment of playing each of them. The comfort in knowing the distance to the center of the greens reduced considerably the uncertainty/anxiety of trying to make an estimate based on somewhat obscure course markings. That was my primary reason for getting a range finder. The GPS feature makes it very easy to use and the huge built-in database of courses greatly exceeds my needs. So far, the original set of batteries has not needed replacing. The display is clear and easy to read in cloudy and sunny conditions.


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Garmin eTrex Vista H Handheld GPS Navigator

Cheap Garmin eTrex Vista H Handheld GPS Navigator

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Ideal for serious hikers and climbers, the rugged eTrex Vista H is an affordable, high performance GPS handheld featuring a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, detailed built-in basemap, USB interface (faster downloads), and 24MB of internal memory. In addition, the compact eTrex Vista H includes an electronic compass for continuous bearing information and a barometric altimeter for precise altitude. Put the great outdoors in the palm of your hand.

An affordable, high performance GPS handheld.

High-contrast, backlit 2.4-inch LCD display and 64 x 128 pixel resolution for clear map display. Click to enlarge.

The built-in electronic compass provides bearing information even while you're standing still. Click to enlarge.

Pinpoint Your Location--and Direction
The Vista H's barometric altimeter pinpoints your precise altitude, and its built-in electronic compass provides bearing information even while you're standing still.

The Vista H can also receive position corrections from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), which makes its already-accurate positioning data even more reliable. In fact, when you turn on WAAS, you can increase the accuracy of Vista H's position reporting to within three meters. The device's high sensitivity means peak performance in any environment, from heavy foliage to deep canyons.

Add More Detail
The Vista H's basemap contains lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads, coastlines, and landmarks. It also comes preloaded with marine navigation aids. And, with 24 MB of memory, you can add even more map detail with data from Garmin's entire line of MapSource mapping products (add maps in a snap with the high-speed USB connection).

24 MB is also plenty of room for waypoints, routes and saved tracks. The Vista H's automatic track log saves up to 10 tracks for retracing your path, and stores 20 routes with up to 125 waypoints per route.

See More Detail
With a high-contrast, backlit 2.4-inch LCD display, and 64 x 128 pixel resolution, you'll have no problem seeing your maps. The Vista H is compatible with mapping software including topographic maps, Bluechart and inland lake maps. It also includes built-in celestial tables for best times to hunt and fish.

Handheld Performer
The Vista H is engineered for comfortable, efficient handheld use. With its slim form factor, and weighing in at only 5.3 ounces with batteries, the Vista H is ready to go wherever you might take it. The four-way cursor provides smooth, one-hand operation, allowing you to move through menus and screens with ease. The rugged waterproof case (IPX7) gives you added protection against the elements, and a pair of AA batteries gets you up to 17 hours of use.

One-Year Warranty
The Vista H is backed by Garmin's one-year limited warranty for a little peace of mind while you're on the trail.

What's in the Box
eTrex Vista H, database (Marine Point Database), basemap, USB cable, lanyard, owner's manual, and quick start guide


Readmore! Garmin eTrex Vista H Handheld GPS Navigator

Technical Details

- High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver in a rugged waterproof case
- 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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Customer Buzz
 "Same system once issued to Army SOF" 2009-12-14
By P. Parsons (Ohio)
This is the same system used by SOF Soldiers for years. I have used mine in too many countrys to count (4 continents) and has saved my bu## more than once. I agree the base map is not perfect, however it is significantly better with either the terrain download or world map (free to SOF on intranet(not internet)). This system will take a beating and last for days of hard use by using lithium batteries. In a pinch, I paid $250 to replace a lost one back in the day and it was worth every penny!

Customer Buzz
 "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.

Customer Buzz
 "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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