Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring pre-loaded, detailed maps of North America, this plug-and-play portable automotive GPS navigator lets you get started as soon as you take it out of the box, without having to deal with unlocking or uploading of data that the Garmin 2610 requires. The Streetpilot 2620's hard drive contains detailed maps of the entire United States plus some metropolitan areas of Canada, and features over five million points of interest, including lodging, restaurants, gas stations, and local attractions. You can also navigate to a specific address.

Its intuitive, color, menu-based touch screen features voice prompted turn-by-turn navigation and a powerful microprocessor for fast route calculation and map redraw. There's even a unique wireless infrared remote control, which allows easy operation of the unit from a distance.

Garmin makes accessories to help you integrate your GPS with your life and your priorities. Keep your GPS at the ready while protecting it from knocks and bumps is with a carrying case, that has space for your hookup cable and remote control. In the car, you'll appreciate the mounting options and clear reception afforded by theGarmin Magnetic or Suction Mount Antenna that will give you better satellite reception than if you only place your GPS on the dashboard. Using your GPS in more than one vehicle? The Garmin Dashmount is just the ticket, providing one temporary and one permanent adhesive mounting disc so you can move the unit back and forth between your cars.

The 2620's WAAS-enabled support provides the highest degree of GPS accuracy and it comes with a host of cool new features, including: Multiple Destinations, in which the 2620 can automatically sort out a selection of destinations and then determine the most efficient route. Road Segment and Area Avoidance, which lets you avoid bad traffic and road construction by letting you determine areas to avoid when calculating routes. Find Nearest on Route lets you limit searches for waypoints like gas stations and restaurants to upcoming points on your. And finally, the Adjustable Road Class Preference feature lets you adjust your preferences for major, medium, and minor road categories.

The StreetPilot 2620 sports a built-in patch antenna and MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection, a 305 x 160-pixel display with bright, automotive-grade 8-bit 256-color LCD touch screen, an alphanumeric remote control, a built-in photo sensor that adjusts the display for light conditions, plus data storage without any memory battery needed and a snappy integrated dash mounting system.

The WAAS difference

100 meters: Accuracy of the original GPS system, which was subject to accuracy degradation under the government-imposed Selective Availability (SA) program. 15 meters: Typical GPS position accuracy without SA. 3-5 meters: Typical differential GPS (DGPS) position accuracy. Less than 3 meters: Typical WAAS position accuracy.

WAAS is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections, giving you even better position accuracy. How much better? Try an average of up to five times better. A WAAS-capable receiver can give you a position accuracy of better than three meters 95 percent of the time. And you don't have to purchase additional receiving equipment or pay service fees to utilize WAAS.

How it Works
WAAS consists of approximately 25 ground reference stations positioned across the United States that monitor GPS satellite data. Two master stations, located on either coast, collect data from the reference stations and create a GPS correction message. This correction accounts for GPS satellite orbit and clock drift plus signal delays caused by the atmosphere and ionosphere. The corrected differential message is then broadcast through one of two geostationary satellites, or satellites with a fixed position over the equator. The information is compatible with the basic GPS signal structure, which means any WAAS-enabled GPS receiver can read the signal.

Who benefits from WAAS?
Currently, WAAS satellite coverage is only available in North America. There are no ground reference stations in South America, so even though GPS users there can receive WAAS, the signal has not been corrected and thus would not improve the accuracy of their unit. For some users in the U.S., the position of the satellites over the equator makes it difficult to receive the signals when trees or mountains obstruct the view of the horizon. WAAS signal reception is ideal for open land and marine applications. WAAS provides extended coverage both inland and offshore compared to the land-based DGPS (differential GPS) system. Another benefit of WAAS is that it does not require additional receiving equipment, while DGPS does.

What's in the box
The package comes with the StreetPilot, remote control, an external speaker with 12/24-volt adapter cable, PC/USB interface cable, A/C power adapter, integrated dash mount, and a portable "bean-bag" (friction) mount.

... Read more

Features

• Indefinite Data Storage
• Trip Computer
• Operates on 12 V Adapter Cable
• 2000 Point Track Log
• 500 Waypoints; includes USB interface with cable

Reviews (14)

Beat smy Navtech in car system...
I have a 3 year old Navtech based CD GPS system in my Volvo and purchased this device to use in my older SUV that has no GPS system installed. I first tried using the new Streetpilot on a recent trip to Dubuque Iowa from Chicago; using it and the in car systems simultaneously to compare them. The Garmin SP 2620 outperfomed the Navtech installed system hands down. Although the in car system found satellites instantly the Garmin only took about 10 seconds to find them on start up. And it is MUCH faster on route calculations and more importatnly recalculations, about 3x faster. The in car sytem could not locate the exact street address in Dubuque even though I had the Iowa CD disk installed. The Garmin unit did. The details on local businesses was MUCH better with the Garmin. The map was clearer and was better illuminated. Only things I'd like to have in the Garmin would be a two map display option (for differing zooms of the the same route at the same time) and a display of the remianing miles on the main route display, you can get it but it's on another routing description page. The Garmin does display more immediately useful info such as time and distance to next turn so this is a very minor quibble. It is solid, extremely well built unit and mounts very nicely. It tilts and twists to optimize viewing. The "beanbag" friction mount works very well. The nice thing about the portable system is it's portabilty to other cars and rentals, for instance you can loan it to friends and family if you wish! Furthermore, upgrading is very easy via the Garmin web site whereas updates for my Volvo Navtech in car system have been rare and expensive. The hard drive in the Garmin is a memory card which I can see being enlarged if necessary but the current 512mb card has plenty of map details on it. A new CD disk set for my in car system costs over $200, the Garmin updates so far are free. Overall a stellar value and a device that exceeded my expectations in every way. If you travel by car (and who really likes flyng anyway?)in the US and/or Canada, get one, you'll love it.

Awesome!!!!!!
Love this thing!!!!! We took a road trip from Illinois to Tennessee, then on to Florida and back without ever having to look at a map. It led us everywhere we wanted to go flawlessly.

Had it for a month now!
I got this as a birthday present from my beau in May and during that time, I was moving to be with him from Houston to The Bay Area, California. We drove for 3 days with the Streetpilot from state-to-state... we had no problems with it. It was helpful as it found our hotel/motel rooms, places to eat 50 miles away, rest areas and more!

It's very very easy to use and with it being a touch screen, it's a no-brainer...

However.. the reason I gave it 4 stars out of 5 is because now since I live in The Bay Area and want to explore new restaurants (instead of frequenting at the same ones), the GPS had given me 3-4 restaurants that are no longer there. It gets frustrating when you see a busted building... TWICE when HUNGRY. We settled for Red Lobster (the joy.). Since learning this, I now have a tendency to call them from my cell phone (the GPS will give you street address and phone number).

ALSO, as I took my family to San Francisco, the GPS lost it's satellite quite a few times. I think it was because of the tall buildings.

Also, when we tried to go to Golden Gate Park from Sausalito, the GPS kept telling me to "go OFF ROAD". I wasn't too sure if she was right, but I kept driving and found the exit a mile later.

The good outweighs the few bad -- plus it's a WHOLE lot better than using printed out mapquest directions.

Since the beau and I relied so much on Hertz Neverlost (compact cars start off @ $39.99/day for A COMPACT plus $7.99/day for the Neverlost), we could go with a cheaper rental car company and bring our own GPS. Plus, we plan on taking more in-state trips with this baby.

Anyway, if this is worth anything, my sister was so impressed with my birthday toy that she bought one too because she vacations alot to different cities.

This is worth the money if you:
1) Love traveling
2) Travel Frequently
3) Moved to a new city
4) Plan to do more short local weekend vacations
5) Are a road tripper!

I see this 2620 lasting many many years...

Heat stroke ?
I'm quite happy with the unit, but after using it for less than a month I got Map read errors and then it would simply no longer boot up. I'm suspecting a failure of the micro drive (got noisy during attempts to boot up). Maybe the heat from being on the dashboard in the sun ? But it should be designed to handle this. I'm getting a free replacement from Amazon. I hope this was an isolated case and the next one will not have this problem. Now that I got use to this unit and want to always have one.

take a hardcopy map too!
Since writing an earlier review of this unit I had to drive up to Naples, Maine. This town is on the AAA map. This town is known to Microsoft Streets and Trips. This town is not in the Garmin's database. Just up the lake is Harrison, Maine. Again, it is known to AAA and Microsoft but unknown to Garmin. Just west of Naples is a larger town called Bridgton. This is in the Garmin database but at the wrong location. The 2620 tries to navigate you to some guy's private house about 2 miles around a lake from the actual town.

I spent a fair amount of time with the Magellan hard-drive GPS units and never noticed these kinds of holes and errors in the database. ... Read more

Product Description

Includes Garmin Street Pilot c330 GPS receiver Vehicle suction cup mount with 12-volt adapter PC/USB interface cable A/C power adapter Quick-reference guide and owner manual Americas Recreational Basemap MapSource® City Select North America map data. ... Read more

Features

• Automatic route calculation with turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions
• Includes USB cable, suction cup mount, and AC adapter; 4.4 x 3.2 x 2.8 inches (W x H x D)
• WAAS-enabled, 12-parrallel-channel GPS receiver for vehicle use
• Preloaded MapSource database includes 5-million-plus North American points of interest
• 3.5-inch diagonal, 16-bit color display with simple touch-screen interface

Reviews (2)

Nicely Done, Garmin!
The Garmin C330 is a well designed, easy to use GPS.It does not offer all the bells and whistles of the Garmin 2620 or Magellan RM700, for example - but the C330 offers simplicity and quality in a nice neat package.The advantages of the C330:
- The display is awesome - high resolution with good contrast.
- No buttons!Everything, except volume and power, is controlled by the touch screen.
- The software is fast; route calculations take just a few seconds.
- After the initial lock, this little unit locks on very quickly after powering up.
- The internal battery is terrific; you can do your route planning indoors without looking for an AC receptacle, and you can leave the unit on during a rest stop on your trip to preserve trip data.Battery life is 3 to 4 hours.
- The OS is super intuitive.
- The 3D view is simple to follow, but the map view is excellent, also.
- Navigation performance is excellent.
- Speakers are built in, with excellent sound quality.
- Windshield mount is small, sturdy and simple.
- The unit is small enough that it won't obstruct your view.
- The power cord is hardwired to the windshield mount - no plug to contend with.

A few disadvantages I've noticed:
- The battery is not user replaceable
- The C330 cannot save a route.But this is not a big deal.When you start up after a stop, you just have it calculate the route to your destination, which takes just seconds - or just leave it on if your stop doesn't exceed 3 to 4 hours.
- The display can get washed out in direct light on a bright day - but I expect that is common to all GPS units.
- As I mentioned, it doesn't have the bells and whitles of the 2630 or RM 700.For example, you can't monitor satellite signal strength from indiviual satellites. you can't determinen your lat/long position, and as I mentioned, you can't save routes in the C330.And you can't program it for several different users like you can with the RM700.

But all in all, the C330 is a winner.It's simple to operate, well designed, very effective, and reasonably priced.It's a strong buy!

Undoubtedly the best Car GPS in today's market !
I have used Navman ICN 630, Megallen RM 700 & finally this one.

I can tell you this is the best & most of all easiest.This is why this unit is the best:

1. No downloading of Maps
2. Has most udpated Maps compared to other brands
3. Has 5 million points of interest compared to others
4. Touchscreen
5. Easiest of all to use.Easier than the Acura GPS i have used.
6. Very small but with most usable screen view.It doesn't take a lot of winshield space, doesn;t block visibility.Though screen is small, letters are SO BIG & EASY TO READ.
7. Very fast software
8. Very easy to carry while traveling.
9. Excellent windshield mount. Very stable
10. It comes on when Car is turned on.
11. It has rechargeable battery which lasts for about 3 hrs i think.
12. Loud/clear voice.
13. Very intuitive operating system.
14. Fixes the GPS signal instantly. Navman used to take longer.
15. This is interesting. You can remove the unti without unplugging the car DC cord.DC cord is connected to mount always.
... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Newly simplified for automotive applications, Garmin's portable StreetPilot 2610 features both a touchscreen and an alphanumeric remote control so you'll always have easy access to automatic route calculations, helpful turn-by-turn directions, and guiding voice prompts. The 2610 offers a color display, built-in maps, and everything you need to download additional map detail. It offers more precise location finding because of its WAAS technology, a feature the original StreetPilot and the StreetPilot III lacked.

All the travel information you need, right on your dash.

With its built-in photo sensor, the StreetPilot 2610's bright display automatically adjusts to outside light conditions. The unit is powered through either its external speaker (which comes with a handy 12/24-volt adapter cable) or its dedicated AC power adapter; both are supplied.

The unit's built-in routable basemap covers North and South America and contains a wealth of practical and nuanced data, including state and country boundaries, lakes, rivers, streams, airports, cities, towns, coastlines, state and interstate highways, local thoroughfares, secondary roads within metro areas, and interstate exit information for services such as gas, food, and lodging.

The 2610 accepts downloadable map detail from Garmin's PC-based MapSource City Navigator CD-ROM (included), which provides street-level detail, addresses, and listings of nearby restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and other attractions. (This feature requires a CompactFlash card, and a 128 MB CF card is included; you must first downloaded MapSource data in order to find points of interest and addresses.)

Hungry? Find out what's available around the bend.

The StreetPilot's integrated dash-mounting system fosters easy adjustment and quick release. The unit comes with a built-in patch antenna and an MCX-type connector for attachment to an optional external GPS antenna.

Garmin makes accessories to help you integrate your GPS unit with your life and your priorities. Keep it at the ready while protecting it from knocks and bumps with a carrying case that has space for your hookup cable and remote control. In the car, you'll appreciate the mounting options and clear reception afforded by the magnetic/suction-mount antenna that'll give you a better signal than if you just place your unit on the dash. Using your system in more than one vehicle? Garmin's dashmount is just the ticket, providing one temporary and one permanent adhesive mounting disc so you can move the unit between your cars.

What's in the Box
The StreetPilot 2610, the MapSource City Navigator 5 CD-ROM (full U.S. plus select Canadian coverage; unlock included), a 128 MB CompactFlash memory card, an integrated dash mount, a portable beanbag mount (friction mount), an external speaker with a 12/24-volt adapter cable, an AC power adapter, a PC/USB interface cable, an alphanumeric remote control, an owner's manual, a quick-reference guide, and a setup guide. ... Read more

Features

• Bright, automotive-grade 8-bit color LCD: 3.3 x 1.7 inches; 305 x 160 pixels
• Audible and visual navigation instructions and warnings
• Indefinite data storage; no memory battery required; CompactFlash map storage: type I and II compatible
• Integrated dash-mounting system provides easy adjustment and quick release
• Comes with alphanumeric remote control and external speaker; includes USB interface with cable

Reviews (41)

Very Good Product
I initially bought Megellan 700 and had to return it the next day as it didn't acquire signal for 2 hours.

Garmin 2610 is a much better product than Megellan 700:
Very accurate with addresses.
Timely and loud voice prompts.
Ease of use.
Supplied Power Adaptor lets you use it indoors and lets you plan trip and
add waypoints.
Relilable, as it doesn't use hard drive, no chance of faliure,
Generated mapa image can be saved on computer and transferred to new CF card anytime.
Easy to read in night driving.
Remote Control.
Waypoints remains stored on GPS's onboard memory and doesn't need to be recreated while putting a new CF card.

Problems I faced during my testing :

It was pointing me to the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Brooklyn instead of the one near to my home in Forest Hills Queens, NY and same Kinko's.

Once I had to take service road of Van Wyck Expressway because of traffic jam,
it didn't recalculate the route and kept telling, "take exit 19 on right" while I was on service road, in other words, it couldn't distinguish between Expressway and its service road.

Software Doesn't Work with MAC OSX.

I gave 3 stars because of above problems and software didn't work on Mac OSX.
I had to use old P2 64Meg laptop instead of my powerful dual processor mac.
It took 12 hrs to generate the detailed maps of 8 states.

Garmin should make Mac compatible software.

All in all very satisfied with the product and don't buy megellan.

GPS System Excellent
The Streetpilot 2610 is excellent. It is so much easier to user then any other ones I have used in the past. Setup was a snap. The included Compact Flash Card is great. Touch screen is nice as well. Turn by turn directions by voice are great, keeps your eyes on the road.

I strongly recommend getting the garmin external antenna(about $60 extra from amazon) as it improves signal strength. Other then that, you are good to go.

When you need directions in every area
The Garmin automotive navigation is a great item in which for those new comers who drive or ride from Florida or California. This little item makes it easy for regular travler to find their way around. So in times of going to the club in the next town or just driving around major one way streets this little gadge makes anyone a pro in getting to thier point of orgin. So travel a little safer whether you take the train in holland or the drive to El Paso, Tx. Here's to TRAVELING ON A SAFER LEVEL.

Thank You
Shara L. Bouie
Atlanta,Ga<USA

Excellent
Excellent product; had for a year now. great product; great great, great. gets you to your destination;

awesome navigation unit!!
I've been wanting a gps unit for a long time now. couldn't decide between and "in-dash" unit or a "portable" one. after deciding on a portable one, I'm HAPPY I decided on the garmin 2610! after reading the manual one time through, the setup was easy! had to read it again to really learn the features in detail...this thing is amazing!! you CAN'T get lost with one of these! especially with a voice telling you where and when to turn and how far to go before the next turn comes up. I tried driving off route and it QUICKLY recalculates an alternate route.

I think the 128 compatch flash is fine if you need it for just a few states, but if travelling cross country, then more would be needed.

loading the software to the pc and downloading the needed maps was quick and painless! I think thats the only big difference with the 2610/2620, as the 2620 has a harddrive that comes preloaded with the maps for the continental US.

the only thing i would change is to have the speaker on the unit itself instead of on the power cable. but it's really no big deal! it really is a great unit!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Combining powerful performance-tracking features with a GPS receiver, the Garmin Forerunner 201 offers runners and hikers a unique way to track their exercise regimens and goals. Unlike Timex's BodyLink sport monitoring system, its main competitor, the Forerunner 201 integrates the GPS receiver into a single body (BodyLink has separate housings for watch and GPS).

At first, the device felt a little bulky on my wrist, both in weight and in size (it measures 3.26 by 1.71 by 0.69 inches). But it really is light enough (less than 3 ounces) so that it felt comfortable and transparent. I did, however, position the band a bit higher up my arm to ensure full mobility of my wrist, as the length of the Forerunner tended to get in its way.

The large display--with equally large, easy-to-read characters--helps you avoid having to squint at the readout. Just a quick glance at your numbers and you'll maintain your training concentration. The six rubber buttons on the front of the chassis are easy to access (unless you're wearing bulky gloves). I easily got the promised 13 hours out of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery. At the end of the day, I'd just recharge it for around two hours and it would be ready for me the next morning.

While this is definitely a workable GPS receiver, the Forerunner is slim on overall GPS features--which is not to its detriment (think of it as a performance monitor with a dash of GPS). That said, the Forerunner was able to pick up a GPS signal just about wherever I went outside (though it had very slight hiccups in the center of downtown). But if you're looking for a full-fledged tracking device, the Forerunner isn't for you. (You'll want to start with a basic GPS unit like Garmin's eTrex.)

The Forerunner 201 has a variety of helpful tracking, monitoring, and navigational features. The History function enables you to view your workout statistics broken down by individual days, cumulative weeks, or your entire workout history (if you track different workouts during the same day, they'll be broken out as different laps). You can even view a map of your route. And much like other GPS units, you can save "waypoints" (called "locations" in Forerunner parlance) to mark the coordinates of a place you want to return to later.

Auto Menu: Timer pauses when you stop running. Auto lap logs your performance over a predetermined distance. History: Review training history by day or week.

Map: Navigate back to the start or to a stored location. Virtual Partner: Set time, pace, and distance goals, and train with a "virtual partner."

Most interesting is the "Virtual Partner" mode, which enables you to set goals for a workout which will then be completed by a digital character displayed on the Forerunner's screen. You can then see how far off the time, pace, or distance you are of your virtual training buddy's; your digital character even stops when you do (though the buddy keeps on going). I found that, unless you've got a good idea as to your pace or distance, you'll have a couple of trial-and-error training sessions to get in sync with your buddy. I cut short my first attempt after my buddy got so far ahead of me that he disappeared off the screen (which I'd like to believe was not due to my woeful pace).

I was disappointed at not having the LogBook software, which enables you to keep a journal of your exercise activities (it was not available at the time of this test). But overall, the Forerunner 201 is a very useful exercise-monitoring system that will be prized by anyone involved in serious physical training. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Loaded with performance-tracking features for the serious athlete
• GPS functionality a bonus, especially in referring back to previous routes
• Virtual Partner feature offers a fun, competitive way to keep you concentrated on training

• Lack of Logbook software at time of test
• Virtual Partner feature takes some trial-and-error adjustments

Features

• Calculates precise speed, location, and altitude as you workout
• Integrated mapping functions display your progress on your favorite routes
• Stores lap times, distances, and calories burned
• Adjustable wristband and A/C desktop charger with PC interface
• Waterproof; includes serial PC interface

Reviews (103)

Excellent aid for running.
After giving it a full charge, 3 hours, I took it out for a test drive. For the first 30 minutes I could not pick up a signal in Miami. I did a hard reset and it picked it up within 3 minutes. Went for a 3 mile run around a local 9-hole golf course, heavily ligned with trees, and to my amazement never lost contact with the signal. Was extremely accurate in measuring the distance and having a pace time allows you to really push yourself. Backlight can be kep on during the whole run - great feature for night running - or 2, 1, .5, .25 minutes. Much smaller than I expected. Love the display. Would recommend to anyone who runs, jogs, walks for exercise.

Weak GPS, buggy software, too loose on the wrist
I am very disappointed in the Forerunner 201. It loses GPS signal far too frequently. I run in a golf course community with average to below average tree cover. In a 7 mile run the Forerunner lost GPS 20 times, including at an open-grass field retention pond. I checked one of my other GPS, a Garmin eMap, and it showed that there were 10 satellites available at the time. So I rate the Forerunner as a very poor GPS.

The most important feature to me was being able to see current pace. It was displaying 8:41 pace all the time, and I knew I was doing my standard 6:45. I imagine this error is due in part to losing GPS signal. I changed the pace smoothing setting to "least" to get a more instant value, but it's still not matching up entirely. 7:10 displayed when I'm doing 6:45's.

The autolap feature has been very buggy. You will often hear it beep at an autolap, and within a minute you'll hear it beep an autolap again. I left it at the default 1-mile setting, and the first day I used it it had autolapped 8 miles in a distance that it itself had measured to be only 3.3 miles!

There is also a minor rounding bug. If you set your training partner for 6:20/mile and later check this setting you'll see 6:19. This is probably due to 6:20 being stored as 6.33333 internally, which converts back to 6:19 without rounding.

The unit attaches to the wristband with short fabric. There's too much play in this fabric, 3/8-inch, and the unit flops on your wrist when you run. It would be better if there was 1/8 to 1/16-inch of play in the fabric.

Great for runners
I run is a USA Fit marathon program. Several members have the Timex GPS system, and several of us have the Garmin Forerunner. Everyone who has the Garmin loves it, and those with the Timex wish they had the Garmin. Screens are very easy to read and navigate. The computer program is very easy to download. Do not understand why they have a serial connection and not a USB though. For anyone doing a running training program, this piece of equipment is a must.

The perfect running companion
The Forerunner 201 is by far the best product I have bought this year, period. I bought it to help me get back in shape to run in long distance races. I used to be in the track and field team in high school, long time ago. In the last couple of years, I have been running in local/regional runs. I have been trying to keep the training routines that I used in high school: long, easy runs, threshold runs, intervals, etc. The Forerunner 201 has been essential in keeping me honest and at the right pace.

1. Long/easy runs. It is very easy and tempting to runs faster than the easy pace dictated in your training plan. Using the Virtual Partner feature, you can keep yourself at the right pace. The Virtual Partner will tell you how far ahead or behind you are from your virtual partner, the screen shows two icons: one for you and one for your partner. A large display tells you the distance between the two. Easy to read at a glance, the background indicates if you are ahead or behind. My goal is to stay within 20 feet of my virtual partner. That way I can assure the correct pace. This feature has been instrumental on keeping me from getting injured for running too fast.

2. Interval Training. Use the Intervals section to set the distances and pace for running. Once you set the number of intervals, distance, and resting time/distance, you do not have to worry about keeping time, just run. The Forerunner will keep track of everything for you. It will beep when you are done on each interval and will beep when you are 5 seconds or 20 feet from the next one. Unfortunately, there is no option to set the pace. I would love to use the virtual partner to do intervals, that way you can also keep to correct pace during intervals.

3. Threshold runs. Just use the Virtual Partner and set the pace to the correct one for your running threshold. Your Virtual Partner will keep you running at the right pace.

I take my Forerunner on all my business trips and do not worry anymore about measuring or calculating distances. The Forerunner may not measure distances to the inch, but it has proven accurate enough for my daily training.

The ideas above are just a sample of the many fun ways to use the Forerunner. I am sure the reader will find many other uses for the Forerunner.

I found my true love!
Since knowledge is power and the Forerunner 201 is full of information, I am now running with power.
Look, this is the best thing to hit the market for a runner since shoes. I can finally start and stop running anytime and anywhere without the dreaded "how far have I gone, guess I'll hop in the car and check". I no longer drive around to get distance information, ever. Not to mention, I can't drive on half the places I wanted to run and wouldn't run those places because I couldn't drive it to determine how far I was running. I've heard others complain of GPS signal strength and I did have a problem once, but I was running about 1 foot away from a 15 ft wall and on the other side were 2 story townhomes about 30 feet away with huge trees overhead, so I think the GPS works fine. It took about 3 minutes to get a signal after I opened the box and charged it up. I can't imagine why you would not buy this other than you don't exercise. My wife commented that she couldn't believe all the features it had and the information it provided for the price, and she is not an easy sale. No comment on bike problems that people have had. Garmin has been great with software updates. The logbook could have more options but that is no reason to not have this. I LOVE IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

There are now enough handheld global positioning system (GPS) receivers on the market that you can be choosy when it comes to price, features, and design. Garmin--a leading manufacturer of car, boat, and personal GPS receivers--has a complete line of eTrex handheld receivers, with our Legend falling about midrange.

With WAAS support, the Legend offers extremely accurate readings (rated to within two to three meters). (For more on WAAS, see the Frequently Asked Questions section.) A good-sized screen--288 x 160 pixels--makes it easy to see location details, and the Legend redraws maps quickly when zooming in or out of a position.

Its 8 MB of memory means there is also plenty of room for waypoints, routes, and saved tracks. The Legend will hold up to 500 waypoints, complete with a name and graphical symbol, 20 routes with 50 waypoints each, and it contains slots for 10 saved tracks. You can also download maps from Garmin's MapSource CD-ROMs (thorough but expensive accessories for the GPS receiver) to see street-level or topographic detail (depending on the CD-ROM title).

But one of the most striking attributes of the Legend is its comfortable and efficient design. While it rests easily in the palm of either hand, it's most suited for the left hand, where its handy click-stick can be manipulated with the thumb. The click-stick works like the pencil-eraser nubbin on laptop PCs and is handy for moving through screen icons and menus. It also works as a button when pressed down.

The Legend is coated with a waterproof, rubberized plastic shell that grips nicely. Weighing in at only 5.3 ounces, it fits into a pocket or clips onto a belt loop, going almost unnoticed.

The internal trip computer of the Legend provided a range of data about our hikes and drives, including current speed, average speed, trip distance, and time traveled (both moving and stopped). For those interested in checking out their foot pace and distance traveled, it's a handy GPS to have in hand.

Our only major beef with the Legend is that the receiver sometimes seemed to grow weak. Even when it wasn't in WAAS mode (which can be tough to maintain a signal in), it dropped the signal from time to time. We even lost the signal once while walking along the streets of San Francisco--it seems that the medium-size buildings were enough to interfere with the reception.

But this only happened on a few occasions. Most of the time the well-designed Legend was able to keep us in touch with up to 12 GPS satellites for a strong-enough read to maintain a tight handle on our location. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• Comfortable, compact design
• Click-stick for interface navigation
• Bright backlight
• Handy distance-traveled feature

• Sporadic reception within urban areas
• Can take several minutes for a cold fix

Features

• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with built-in Americas basemap
• 8 MB of internal memory for map and data storage; PC cable included
• Accuracy to less than 3 meters with WAAS correction data
• Rocker switch on front panel for quick and accurate map panning
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software; includes serial PC interface

Reviews (91)

Excellent GPS
This is my second GPS and the 4th I have operated. I have had plenty of experience with GPSs and my occupation requires their use extensively. Having traveled to many foreign countries, I can attest to this unit's ability to give you tons of info on where you are. I prefer simple electronics with minimal buttons, and this unit offers a tremendous amount of data with six buttons. If you are looking for the easiest to use, I suggest the Garmin E-trex. It is the most basic unit you'll find and still provides plenty of info.

Pros:
1) The map data installed in the unit is very detailed (for N. America).
2) The ability to pre-plan routes via waypoints or corrodinates is fairly easy (esp. with the user guide)
3) You can program what data you would like to see based on what you want to know
4) For fisherman and hunters, this unit has special info for you (I didn't find this useful for me, but...)
5) Again, relatively simple to use compared to other GPSs
6) The ability to download map info from CD-ROM (invaluable)

Cons:
1) If you are going to use this in a car only, maybe you'd be better off with something that offers an exterior antenna
2) Significantly more complex than the E-trex (but still easier to use than most)
3) Be prepared to study in-depth the method of downloading from the CD-ROM

Overall, this GPS has gone beyond my expectations. If you do any significant traveling (esp. in N. America), then you will find this GPS vital.

A Good Start
I bought my Legend and the topo MapSource software last fall at a great price. I've used it for deer and turkey hunting, hiking, biking, and fun in the car. This unit takes a bit of getting used to but its operation is reasonably intuitive. (I'm an engineer.) I have down and uploaded weigh points, tracks and routes using the MapSource software. Before I bought my unit, I read some complaints about lack of topo detail. I find it adequate for my purposes. Be advised that the base map (which comes hard-coded in the system) does not correctly list the recently renumbered Pennsylvania highway exit numbers. Hopefully, Garmin will correct this promptly. Also, the topos are a bit dated but then so are the paper topos I usually carry. My suggestion is, if you like electronic toys, go for it. If these GPS manufacturers were smart, they would put software on the Internet that allowed open sharing of routes, waypoints, etc. Every trail in America would wind up electronically documented and these little critters would sell like popcorn.

Overpriced
I don't understand why this item is priced $80.00 more than anywhere else I've found it. You might as well not even carry it. It's a disservice to your customers. Target usually has good prices, and I do a lot of shopping there.

Bought one for the second time.
My wife and I got into Geocaching last year. We had a blast and had great results using our eTrex Legend. We ended up getting other distractions that kept us from GeoCaching so we decided to sell our Legend.

Well a year later we decided to get backing to caching because of some friends so we went looking again for GPSr units and after looking nothing seems to have topped the Legend in the value section.

I have read complaints about people losing sats but honestly from my previous experience, this only happened to us when the tree cover was almost completely blocked out the sky. I often used the unit indoors (near a window of course) and never had a problem using it in the car.

There are a few items that I buy a second time around, the only one that comes to mind off hand was a FujiFilm FinePix 1300. I tend to like value and items that retain a resale value, and from experience, the Legend fits both of those categories.

If you are looking for a sub $200 unit to Geocache with, this is the unit for you. With EasyGPS you can easily store and download Geocache waypoints to your Legend.

Also I don't think anyone mentioned it, but the Legend has a ton of different waypoint icons you can use, it even has GeoCache and GeoCache Found icons.

If I don't get the same results of the 2nd unit that I just ordered I will post it, but until then I am happy I stuck with the Legend.

Great GPS at an Excellent Price
Overall the Garmin eTrex Legend is a very good GPS receiver. Reception although not perfect is much better then what some of the reviews led me to believe. I lost tracking once on a 60 mile interstate trip for about 15 secs. Considering that is was cloudy, there is a reasonable amount of trees around the interstate and the GPS was on the passenger front seat I was pretty happy with the result. I managed to get a satellite lock indoors as well but only when in proximity to a window and even then it was sporadic. Average accuracy for me was about 20-30ft. When WAAS satellites are in sight I got as good as 7ft and you could actually see the car changing lanes on the tracking log.
The 8MB memory is for the most sufficient for a detailed street map of a single metropolitan area. Although no where nearly as detailed the built-in base map is also useful.
Battery life is good although not as good as advertised. WAAS does drain the batteries a little more so that may be the reason for my results.
Interface and features are as good as can be expected from a device that size and in this price range. The click stick can be a bit uncomfortable for right handed people but nothing you can't get used to.
Although I have not owned the device long it seems to be well built. I have not managed to put any scratches on the screen yet and I have taken few precautions.
Overall this is a great GPS with reasonably good reception and accuracy. Features are excellent for the price range. The eTrex Legend is moderately useful on the road ( no auto routing on the GPS ) and very useful for hiking, marine and aviation applications. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Portability meets capability in Garmin's pocket-sized Quest portable automotive global-positioning system. The easy-to-use device is loaded with the high-end navigation features from Garmin's most popular GPS navigators. Use it in multiple vehicles or simply slip it in your pocket for handy street-level directions when you're navigating on foot.

Smaller than a standard television remote, the Quest provides ample screen viewing area, but won't demand a lot of room on the dashboard or in the briefcase. The device sports a bright, 256-color, sunlight-readable display. You'll love the Quest's automatic routing with turn-by-turn directions and voice guidance to get you where you're going A high-speed processor means fast automatic off-route and detour recalculation, and the unit's internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 20 hours of use between charges.

A USB data connection ensures fast map downloads from Garmin's entire line of MapSource CDs, several of which are included. The unit ships with fully unlocked MapSource City Select CDs, providing full coverage of the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, including more than 5 million points of interest like gas stations, ATMs, hotels, restaurants, and attractions. With 115 MB of internal memory, this small-but-powerful GPS navigator has plenty of built-in map storage. A unique antenna folds flush with the unit when not in use, and you can connect an optional external antenna as well.

For weekend warriors using the unit on a camping or fishing trip, the Quest is waterproof and fully compatible with the entire line of MapSource outdoor cartography, including U.S. Topo, 24K Topo, Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots, and BlueChart.

What's in the Box
Quest GPS with flip-up antenna, a PC/USB cable, an AC power adapter, an external speaker with 12-volt adapter cable, a vehicle suction-cup mount, a quick-reference guide, a user's manual, Americas autoroute basemap, MapSource City Select North America CD with full coverage and full unlock, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• WAAS-enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS with flip-up antenna
• Features 115MB of internal memory, for MapSource data
• Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, MGRS, user grid and other standards
• Trip tracking computer provides a large speed display, odometer, stopped time, max speed, average and other important information
• 10,000-point track log retraces your path; includes USB interface

Amazon.com Product Description

The Garmin GPSMAP 60CS is full of features that are only found on the newest generation GPS handheld units. It's not enough to only have color displays anymore. Garmin knows this and they upped the ante on this lightweight, rugged, waterproof unit, offering a 256-color, highly reflective display that provides easy viewing in almost any lighting condition, including sunlit conditions. This transreflective TFT, 2.6" diagonal screen provides excellent viewing while maximizing your battery life (up to twenty hours with typical use) but not up to the massive thirty hours that the Garmin GPSMAP 60C offers. However, the GPSMAP 60C falls behind in the feature race as the GPSMAP 60CS comes equipped with a very handy compass, altimeter, glide ratio and vertical speed to destination calculators.

The GPSMAP 60CS offers an electronic compass and barometric altimeter for highland adventures. These sensors, when combined with GPS technology, provide enhanced bearing and elevation readings. Barometric sensor with automatic pressure trend recording. With the elevation computer, you can find current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum and maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, average and maximum ascent and descent rate. The trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.

The WAAS GPS receiver has an accuracy of ten feet in North America. With the fifty reversible routes, 10,000 track points and 1000 waypoints, you're sure to have enough tools to find your way. With the faster processor, the GPS unit provides quick auto routing, turn-by-run directions and audio alerts when using optional MapSource software. There are 56 MB of internal memory for storing additional map detail. Downloading information is quick using the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, navigation instructions can be shared with repeaters, plotters and autopilots. The four position rocker pad and dedicated high-use buttons make navigating through the unit's features easy, even when your fingers are cold or wet.

Finally, the GPSMAP 60CS is packed with some extra fun features. An integrated outdoor calendar provides ideal hunting and fishing times, plus moon rise/set/location information. There is a dedicated geocaching mode for those of you into the hot, GPS community treasure hunt game. Finally, there are indoor/outdoor GPS games to help you and your friends enjoy the outdoors.

Garmin makes some accessories to help you integrate your GPS with your life and your priorities. Keep your GPS at the ready while protecting it from knocks and bumps is with a carrying case. If you'll be on the road, Garmin's U.S. topographical MapSource CD-ROM provides the most detailed maps available. Or, for a combination of detailed U.S. maps and a car kit for mounting and powering your GPS, there's an automotive accessory pack for North America.

The WAAS difference

100 meters: Accuracy of the original GPS system, which was subject to accuracy degradation under the government-imposed Selective Availability (SA) program. 15 meters: Typical GPS position accuracy without SA. 3-5 meters: Typical differential GPS (DGPS) position accuracy. Less than 3 meters: Typical WAAS position accuracy.

WAAS is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections, giving you even better position accuracy. How much better? Try an average of up to five times better. A WAAS-capable receiver can give you a position accuracy of better than three meters 95 percent of the time. And you don't have to purchase additional receiving equipment or pay service fees to utilize WAAS.

How it Works
WAAS consists of approximately 25 ground reference stations positioned across the United States that monitor GPS satellite data. Two master stations, located on either coast, collect data from the reference stations and create a GPS correction message. This correction accounts for GPS satellite orbit and clock drift plus signal delays caused by the atmosphere and ionosphere. The corrected differential message is then broadcast through one of two geostationary satellites, or satellites with a fixed position over the equator. The information is compatible with the basic GPS signal structure, which means any WAAS-enabled GPS receiver can read the signal.

Who benefits from WAAS?
Currently, WAAS satellite coverage is only available in North America. There are no ground reference stations in South America, so even though GPS users there can receive WAAS, the signal has not been corrected and thus would not improve the accuracy of their unit. For some users in the U.S., the position of the satellites over the equator makes it difficult to receive the signals when trees or mountains obstruct the view of the horizon. WAAS signal reception is ideal for open land and marine applications. WAAS provides extended coverage both inland and offshore compared to the land-based DGPS (differential GPS) system. Another benefit of WAAS is that it does not require additional receiving equipment, while DGPS does.

What's in the Box
GPSMAP 60CS, PC/USB cable, lanyard, belt clip, manual and a one year warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Sunlight-readable, transreflective TFT display
• Electronic compass and barometric altimeter
• Geolocation games, including geocaching mode
• Integrated outdoor calendar
• Waterproof for up to 30 minutes under 1 meter of water; includes serial and USB interfaces

Reviews (9)

Almost there
GPSMAP 60cs is a nice unit but if you can wait for their next generation handheld, you should. I recently did a 2000 mile motorcycle trip along with several back country hiking excursions and for the normal kinds of things you want a gps to do, (where am I, how do I get there, what direction am I going) the 60CS was great! With CitySelect maps I could see all the roads, even the dirt roads in obscure places like the south western Oregon National forests. I routinely used autonav and it's amazingly fast route calculations made getting to where I wanted to be a real pleasure....almost....

You can display lots of fancy data on almost any of the screens.
The sat pickup is far better then the earlier gpses and fast.
A real compass and altimeter made off trail hiking a breeze
Estimated arrival times and popup turn notifications kept me on my path.

However....
Don't come upon a road block. There is no way to tell autorouting that you must detour. You have to coax autonav to get you around the road blockage by trying to find other road waypoints to build partial routes, When you are in the middle of no where, this is not pleasant. Garmins answer: Buy a bigger more expensive unit.

Don't rely on the 'save tracks' feature. Garmin drops all of the date/time stamps from the active track when it saves it for you (forget about photo gps tagging). They claim it takes to much space (dah? the unit has 56MB!, a track entry is under a couple hundred characters even with date/time!)

Don't use the belt hanger knob on the back. My first use caused the knob to snap off a part of the back housing leaving a 1/2 diameter hole! Since the knob is used by their auto and bicycle mounts, be ware, you may see your garmin bouncing on the street or down by your feet!

Fun for trips
This is my first GPS device. My main use is tracking my progress on longer bike rides. The 60CS has a nice "track" feature, which records your journey. When used along with the odometer, you can get some nifty data on how fast you were going, time spent stopped, etc. The track data can then be downloaded onto your computer and viewed with the map software provided with the device. The altitude profile view of your track is very cool.

I found the device's software interface easy to understand once I played with it and browsed through the manual.

If you wish to use this device in a car for directions, be prepared to purchase additional maps from Garmin. The provided maps note highways and their exits but not much detail on individual streets.

So why four and not five stars? While the "track" records altitude and distance, I was a little disappointed that the odometer data was not saved along with the track. The provided software also only works on a Windows PC. Also, on one ride where I was using the "track" feature, the GPS device lost connection to satellites when I entered a tunnel. I expected the device to just start tracking me again when I exited the tunnel; however, I had to hit "ok" on the message box telling me that it losts its way before it resumed the track and odometer features.

Because I like transferring my routes back from my GPS device to my computer for long term storage, I found myself buying the AC Adapter (B00005UK9S) so that I don't run through AA batteries too often.

Autoroute navigation needs some work
I should begin by saying this is the first GPS I have bought, so in my criticisms, I am not comparing it to other GPS units (which may be worse).

First of all, it seems to be quite a good portable unit. It locates the satellites quite quickly, gives position + estimated error in 1 no-nonsense screen. Also seems quite robust - it went for quite a tumble down a 10m cliff face, ending up in a deep pool of water - and all worked ok afterwards :-) (phew!).
The hardware seems great - however the software has some usability bugs that should be fixed.

Taking it along on a long 4wd trip in Australia in May 2004, here is a list of my gripes/criticisms:

1) The auto route navigation is pretty poor. A few times it came up with some crazy routes to get from A to B ... via Z!!

2) Also with the auto route navigation: When zooming in, the purple route marking doesnt correlate with the road its trying to mark. The more you zoom in, the worse it gets. Zoomed into a city streetmap, its completely unusable as the route marking is not even visible on the screen - or if it is, its impossible to work out what streets it is marking. Until this bug is fixed, I certainly would not buy this for auto navigation.

2) The way that route recalculation grabs focus from *whatever* you happen to be doing at the time is a major pain. You may be in the middle of a tedious "Find" operation only to have all of your effort dashed as it snatches you back to your route map and loses whatever you had typed. Grrr!

There are a number of other usability issues - and being a software developer, they stand out to me. The software needs a bit of work before I would give it 4 stars.

Love This GPS!!
We have had the 60CS for over one month. We love it!!! It's highly durable and configurable.

My o' my!
This is one sweet unit. I owned the Vista previously and was getting a bit tired of the slowness at which it refreshes the map screen when moving the pointer to scroll. The new 60cs is much more powerful. The screen is also very easy to read. Sound feedback is much appreciated as well as the ability to customize the page order. The unit also locks to satellites very quickly. I haven't had time to hike under heavy foliage yet to see how it compares to the Vista but I'm sure it can't be any worse since the Vista requires that the unit face up all the time. I only wish that they have a neoprene case for the 60cs like the one they have for the Vista. That has kept my Vista looking brand new after many years of use which is great now that I'm ebaying the unit.

June 26, 2004
I've since had the chance to try this unit in dense foliage and it performs great! The Vista wasn't nearly as sensitive with it's patch antenna as the 60CS with the quad helix. I use to lose signals under certain frequented trails that's full of trees with the Vista but now the 60CS, I don't lose a crumb. Previously with the Vista, I had to check on it every few minutes to make sure that the patch antenna was facing up if I wanted to record a crumb trail. Now, It's great just letting the 60CS dangle on the included clip on my backpack with not a worry.

I also find the display much easier to read on the trail. The color really helps. The beeps also notifies you of different issues which is great. All in all, I'd say I've made the right choice to upgrade to a 60CS. ... Read more

Features

• ARM processor powered by Palm OS 5
• Integrated Que technology, with GARMIN GPS and mapping software
• Speaker for voice-guidance commands, MP3 player, and message playback
• Voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages on the fly
• What's in the box: iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, CD-ROM with manual, choice of MapSource configuration, and automobile navigational system

Reviews (2)

Impressed
If you are looking for an excellent palm-pilot with a GPS add-on, this is probably not for you. It is not designed to be an outstanding palm. If you are looking for a GPS based nagivational aide with some palm capabilities, then this is excellent.

The time to acquire satelites varies quite dramatically, but it does. I have even managed to track my location whiles flying. The location and airspeed were dead on, but the elevation of 50 ft seemed to be a bit low, considering that we were at 29,000 ft.

Quick to re-calculate if you get off route. It has been accurate, with 1 exception. In Boulder Colorade (despite the basemap and detailed map being loaded, it couldn't find all the streets, and had me displayed in the middle of a lake once.

All in all I am very satisfied with this product.

Great navigation PDA, but stopped working in first month...
As a GPS junkie, I appreciate just how slick this navigation PDA is. The detailed City Select mapsets that come with the PDA are very detailed, and give you voice guided turn-by-turn directions anywhere you want to go. Add a SD memory card and you have more than enough memory to hold all the maps you need plus MP3's and other Palm applications as well. The only drawback, and it's a biggie, is that after 3 weeks my IQUE 3600 has completely stopped working. Garmin has asked me to mail it back to them (at my expense) to be repaired (at their expense). Maybe it's just a bit of bad luck with my particular unit. If navigation was all this unit did it would be worth the money (it costs 1/3 of similar non-portable in dash vehicle nav systems with similar capabilities), but it is also a great PDA and MP3 player as well. If it continues working after Garmin fixes it, I wouldn't hesitate to reccommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Product Description

The Forerunner 301 is the next exciting addition to the Forerunner lineup. This product will take the training experience of the Forerunner 201 to the next level by integrating a continuous heart rate monitor. Why is heart rate so important? Simply put, heart rate can be used as a measurement of exercise intensity and an accurate way to gauge performance. The Forerunner 301 is the only 2-piece system that offers a heart rate monitor and GPS to provide instant speed, distance and pace data. There's no calibration required, and the 301 can be used for multiple sports, like cycling, cross country skiing and more. Itis a powerful training tool for those interested in losing weight, improving fitness, reaching peak athletic performance, or just improving health to reduce heart-related problems.Having the ability to analyze workout data is an important tool in reaching one's fitness goals. That's why the Forerunner 301 comes with the Garmin Training Center? software, which allows users to download workout data to their PC for a detailed analysis. Or, create workouts on the PC and transfer them to the 301.Like the Forerunner 201, the 301 also doubles as a basic navigator.Users can mark their starting point as a specific location, see their current position on the plotter display, and follow an electronic breadcrumb trail back to their starting point.Sh. Wt.4 lbs ... Read more

Features

• Up to 14 hours of battery life / rechargeable lithium-ion battery (charger included)
• Water resistant, IEC 60529, IPX7 (Submersible to 1 meter @ 30 minutes)
• Continuously monitors heart rate, speed, distance, pace, and calories
• USB interface allows for fast data transfer to the computer
• Built-in GPS receiver provides highly accurate data; no calibration required

Reviews (9)

Good idea, bad implementation.
The concept of the Garmin 301 is a slam-dunk. This is the setup everyone should want. To have the accuracy of a GPS with a host of computing power, and a good hart rate monitor. This configuration could provide everything folks could want with just two components. Unfortunately that's all the good news that their is. The fact is that the Garmin 301 does not work. I think Garmin has tried too hard to cost reduce the product and as a result nothing works very well and some things do not work at all. The hart rate monitor sometimes works and other times not at all or read rates that are way off. I found out from a tech. at Garmin that Garmin does not even make the hart rate monitor. They get an inexpensive one made for them by an over seas company. The GPS is so poor that I did not know anyone even makes one that is so inaccurate. I have a 5 year old hand held Garmin GPS that works much better then the new one in the 301! The software that comes with the unit is so lame that you can not even print your workout graph. The fact is that if you purchase this package you will get something that will not provide useful data. After getting my unit and seeing how bad the data was I started looking around in the forms on the web and sure enough I found lots and lots of people finding the same thing. Do not take my word for it, check around on the web yourself.
Good idea but very poor implementation.
Oh well.

Good tool, not completely accurate
I dont like that you cant print your results from the workout from the software. The device isnt completely accurate on distance. Close, but not precise.

If you accept this then the Garmin 301 Forerunner is a great tool for excersize. The workout partner feature I use alot. You set your pace and the display shows you a partner keeping that exact pace. It then lets you know how far ahead or behind you are. It has high and low alarms for your pace as well as heart rates. You can easily customize your workout by workout time, pace or distance.

It will lose signal if you go under large trees or underpasses. I recently did a half marathon and lost signal when I went under the bridges. This caused a discrepancy in the overall distance.

The software lets you trend your data (distance, pace and heart rate) on overlapped or seperate displays.

I do like the Forerunner. Its just a training aide and does a good job at that.

If you are particular about your information being very accurate then you should get a different product.

Because of these slight inaccuracies it loses one star with me. Its still worth a solid 4 stars.

ok but not very accurate
I bought the 201 and sold after it consistently reported a 8 mile run as a 6 mile run -- it couldn't extrapolate the distance when the signal is lost in a tree-lined neighborhood.
I have been using the 301 for the last 2 months. I like the integration with the heart monitor and the training software.
The heart monitor will spike randomly at 240bpm -- the software
doesn't seem to be able to throw those outliers out.
The GPS tends to overestimate distance -- I'm not sure how that is possible unless it is fooled by the arm swings.
Another reviewer said it could be .01 to .02 miles off per mile -- that adds up to 1/2 mile in a 26 mile marathon.
The pace readout is inaccurate even with the extra smoothing set. When shifting from walking to running, it will read a 7:44 pace even when our faster runner is running a 10 minute pace.
How is that possible to average faster than the real pace?
I got no answer from online technical support; I haven't tried the phone yet.
I'll keep the 301; it is better than a pedometer and still useful as training tool as it keeps training of mileage and calories, more or less. I'm not sure it's worth the 200 plus dollars.

A Little Gem
I have had this Forerunner 301 for a week now and it works flawlessly. I take walks on a trail that's approximately 1 mile every day and have done so prior to the purchase of the Forerunner for almost 2 years. I know the exact distance of the trail because they have signs that indicate the distance traveled along the trail. The past week I've been walking and running on the trail and almost every time the distance traveled was the same. You get instances where it's off by 0.01or 0.02 miles but that's as bad as it gets. Some will complain about this but, let's be honest, this is a tool and tools are never perfect. If you find it annoying that it's of by 0.01 or 0.02 miles then compensate for it.

I have used the heart monitor twice and it works as expected. One thing I don't like about it is the fact that you have to strap it to your chest. Perhaps that's the best way to get accurate reading but I would have preferred an arm band, wrist, or even finger type of device.

The navigation feature is not complicated nor is it complex. It's pretty much a waypoint based mapping. Basically, you set points along your trail rout and it will mark those points on your map. You can use the way points to navigate the map. The navigation map allows you to zoom in up to 20ft on your rout.

Customization is one area I would like to see improvements. You can only have one screen that's customizable. Personally, I'd like to see as many stats as possible. I can't complain though because you can always change the sports type and get a different customized screen for each sport.

You might have noticed that all the images of the device don't show someone wearing it. This is because the sucker is a bit blocky. Don't fret though, it's not enormous and the features its packing can't be had with a smaller sized device.

The good:
* Features, features, features.
* Accuracy.
* Heart rate monitor.
* Usability.
* Calories burned information.
* Elevation information.
* Workout history.
* Battery Life.

The bad:
* Bit oversized.
* Needs more customizable screens.
* Signal acquisition takes a few minutes sometimes (I live in Seattle and its cloudy sometimes).
* Doesn't work indoors (for me at least and that's not what I bought it for).

Great Unit - Poor Software
This unit is great at capturing all of the data I want to look at, but the training software leaves much to be desired. The data by themselves don't mean anything without the ability to do quality analysis. The included software was basic at best. Even the free MotionBased.com platform that is suggested seems a weak bridge. So far, the best software I have found to analyze actions sports is by a Finnish company called FRWD http://www.frwd.fi/static.php. If Garmin could put together something like this, this product would be amazing! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Garmin's eTrex Vista GPS receiver is smaller than its popular eMaps, but 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 the product's small screen. Although smaller than the display used in products like the eMap, it has a higher resolution, letting it show more information more crisply. 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.

	 
Map page (shown with optional MapSource topo detail).

You can easily set it up to suit your needs, regardless of the situation. Menu choices are highlighted and confirmed with 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 the joystick is held in your 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 unit's diminutive size and weight, not to mention its rugged design, make it an ideal hiking companion. It's waterproof in up to 3 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.

	 
Elevation page

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 unit, but it's terribly slow. A USB connector, sold separately, transfers data in a fraction of the time.

The eTrex Vista was very accurate in testing, especially in a car on the open road. Accuracy diminished somewhat when the device was 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 unit money can buy. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Small and light without sacrificing features
• 24 MB of integrated memory stores reams of detailed maps
• High-resolution screen displays sharp text 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

Features

• 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; includes serial PC interface

Reviews (75)

Better Than I Thought
I'd like to start this review by saying that I'm a Registered Maine Hunting Guide with years of expirience navigating in the back country and plenty of expirience using different brands of GPSs. That said, I nearly didn't buy this GPS after reading some of the reviews for it, I'm glad I did.
I recently returned from a 2 week hunting excursion in Northern Maine in unfamiliar territory. The Vista greatly aided me in knowing exactly where I was at all times. I purchased the Map Source Topo program for it and loaded my maps. I had room for all of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire in it. While all the newer logging roads weren't on the map, a lot of them were.
The electronic compass is a neat feature and saves you from getting out your regular compass when orienting yourself, but I do like a regular compass better.
As I was all ready familiar with Garmin GPSs, this GPS was very easy for me to use. To many convienient features to list. This GPS did everything I wanted it to and then some. Battery life was exceptable and the only time I had any problem with reception was during a heavy snow storm while in fairly heavy tree cover.
A friend of mine has the Garmin Legend GPS and while it is less money he was only able to load about half of the state on it. So for more money and features the Vista is the way to go.
The small "shirt pocket" size, the topo map and all the other great features make this a "Must Have" for any back country traveler.
If you're looking for a GPS to use in your vehicle, pick a different model, the small size of this unit that makes it great for hand held use makes it to small to use effectively in your vehicle.
All in all this GPS is great in my opinion, it is absolutely perfect for me and my uses. Great quality, easy to use, convienient features, small size, fast updates. Have I left any thing out? If you're a hunter, hiker or back country traveler this is the GPS for you.

Not very useful.
I ordered this GPS unit for a trip out west to several National Parks. I also ordered the very expensive National Parks West maps from Garmin. I downloaded the maps for several of the parks I was to visit, so that I would get detailed trail maps once I got there. Once at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, I went to use my eTrex Vista with the "detailed" map and all I got was a rough location of the city I was near. Clearly the detailed map did not download properly, or when I entered map info for one park it overwrote the information I downloaded for other parks. The only park listed was the last park I downloaded and I never ended up going to that park, so my purchase was a complete waste of money. If you are completely incapable of reading a map, perhaps this unit can be of use to you driving down the road, of course it barely receives a signal from within a car, you have to get out and hold the unit if there are any trees or buildings around. The screen is also too small and not in color, and the batteries don't last long enough. I have stock in Garmin, so I suppose I should not bad mouth them too much, but if I could return this unit to Amazon, I would.

GARMIN HAS GOOD RECEPTION
I own 3 GPS receivers and I will say Garmin did an excellent job. The receiver is much more sensitive to satellite signals than my other GPSs. Just don't expect too much from this small unit with tiny screen and very slow CPU for screen refresh. It will drive you nuts to use it for street navigation. It is suitable for back trailing in the mountains. For street navigate, I strongly suggest that you hook this unit up with a laptop but make sure that GPS is set to NMEA and the software GPS setting is also correct. Conclusion, don't street navigate with this unit alone and don't buy a no brand GPS under $90 because you will not be happy with the reception.

Eddy

A poor offering by Garmin
This expensive (for gps units) includes the PC Cable but DOES NOT include the ability to comunicate with your PC. After waiting 17 minutes for customer service I was told that I had to purchase a $29 software to be able to download my waypoints to my computer. I don't need extra maps - I only want to download my waypoints.

In the waypoint view - over half of the display is the flag symbol and the co-ordinates are so small as to be practically useless in the field.

This is my fifth Garmin product and in the past have been happy with the performance. I give this a 1 as it is little better than a $99 unit.

Great GPS Unit And A Great Price!
Another reviewer here said it best: don't let the misleading negative reviews of this product prevent you from taking a good look at the Garmin eTrex Vista. (Honestly, what are some of these people wanting to do with a GPS device? Fix a waypoint on a specific part of a cow patty in a farmer's field somewhere?)

This is the first GPS handheld I've purchased after carefully reviewing other models from other brands at a local store with true "hands on" comparisons. I thought the Garmin products were by far the most intuitive and user-friendly of the GPS handhelds I played with. Great features and an excellent value for the money. (...)

Looking at the less expensive eTrex Legend and the Vista and wondering which to buy? Well, the Legend is great but it lacks the Vista's electromagnetic
compass or air-pressure altitude indicator if that is important to you. It also has much less memory capacity (8MB) for storing detailed Mapsource maps.

I have loaded my Vista with topo maps from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and it took up all 24MB of memory (of course, it really is a lot of detail we're talking about here). I would think that the memory capacity of the Legend could be a significant limitation if you are looking at getting into extra topo or metro guide maps. If you have no use for extra maps or an electromagnetic
compass and altimeter, then the Legend might be the way to go.

Personally, I think the Vista represents a better overall value for the dollar.

Ignore the naysayers and compare the GPS units for yourself. I'm very happy with the Vista and would have made the same purchase if I had to do it all over again. ... Read more