Garmin eTrex Vista 24 MB GPS with Compass, Altimeter and PC Cable

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Title : Garmin eTrex Vista 24 MB GPS with Compass, Altimeter and PC Cable
Author : Garmin
Release Date : 20010115
Binding : Electronics
Regular Price : $375.99
Amazon.com Price : $349.99 ( 7 %)
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Editorial Reviews :
Garmin's eTrex Vista GPS receiver is smaller than its popular eMap line, but is far more powerful. The Vista offers more memory, more features, and more convenience than any other GPS hardware in this price range.
Don't be fooled by this product's small screen. Although it is smaller than the display used in products like the eMap, it has a higher resolution, letting it display more information with crisper output. Small text can be difficult to read from a distance, but there are 'Big Number' options available to make important data like your speed easy to read.

It's this configurability that makes the eTrex Vista so special. You can easily set it up to suit your needs, regardless of the situation. Menu choices are highlighted and confirmed by using a small joystick near the top of the unit, providing an elegant interface for navigating a formidable amount of options. Our only complaint is that the joystick used to access all the product's features is offset to the left, making it nearly impossible to control using only your right hand. When held in the left hand, however, every control is within easy reach of your left thumb, freeing your right hand to hold a flashlight, walking stick, lantern, or anything else.

This GPS's diminutive size and weight, not to mention its rugged design, make it an ideal hiking companion. The unit is waterproof in up to three feet of water for 30 minutes and is generously coated with shock-absorbing rubber. The barometric altimeter keeps a historical record of your ascents and descents, graphing elevation changes so you can easily track your progress. The ability to store waypoints, points of interest, routes, and other information means you can blaze your own trail and always find your way back to camp.

Best of all, 24 MB of internal memory makes it possible to store an enormous amount of data from Garmin's optional MapSource CDs, turning the eTrex Vista into an interactive road atlas. The memory isn't expandable, but 24 MB is enough to store street-level data for entire states in some cases.

A serial cable is included for transferring the maps from your PC to the GPS, but it's terribly slow. A USB connector is sold separately that transfers data in a fraction of the time.

The eTrex Vista was very accurate in testing, especially when used in a car on the open road. Accuracy diminishes somewhat when the device is used in heavy tree cover or a dense urban area, but not enough that you're ever going to get lost or miss an exit. Used side-by-side with an eMap, the eTrex Vista kept up in update speed while displaying even more information on the moving map than the eMap did, cementing its position as perhaps the best all-around handheld GPS money can buy.

Pros:

Small and light, without sacrificing features
24 MB of integrated memory stores reams of detailed maps
High-resolution display outputs sharp text that is legible even at extremely small sizes

Cons:

Can't be used one-handed when held in the right hand
Smaller display is hard to read from a distance, as when the device is placed on a dashboard

Buyer Reviews :
Just like two out of every five 'guys' on the planet, owning a GPS (really cool compass)was a must...'I can't live with-out one'. I picked up the 'e-trex' vanilla flavored, hiking, biking and trail version. My intent was to use it in my truck, a little added nav equipment for map reading (make long trips less boring). The basic e-trex lacks the memory for *real travel* logistics(car excursions). A three hour trip ate 98% of it's memory and 70+% of it's battery life. I must add however, my expectations were minimal, given it's price. It calculates your speed better then your speedometer, frightening!!! Make no mistake, you are being tracked!!! As far as bearing, speed, travel time, the basics, this little toy is a treat. It saved [me] when I became lost in the middle of Farmington, CA. not long ago. The sun was down, the ground flat and I... backwards. I remebered the e-trex after about two hours of endless rights and lefts (almost ended up in Yosemite!!!), fired that bad-boy up and was on Highway 99 in 20 minutes, headed home. Paid for itself that night. I highly recommend the basic e-trex as a very basic navigational aide. It does everything it's designed to and does it well. It's also a great 'starter' for learning about GPS systems. *Note: This thing tracked my rate of speed to the .5 of a mile and was right on target, if you register one with a serial number, use your best friends name!!! Happy trecking...

(by An electronics fan)

Features/Technical Specs :
* Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with barometric altimeter, electronic compass, and Americas base map
* Store more maps and different types of data (marine, roads, and more) with 24 MB of storage; PC cable included
* Accuracy to less than 3 meters with WAAS correction data
* High-resolution liquid-crystal display for easy reading
* Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading maps and waypoint data

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