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| GARMIN 010-00630-00 Etrex Vista GPS Receiver | 
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| Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $299.99
Buy New: $209.95
You Save: $90.04 (30%)
New (71) Used (4)
Avg. Customer Rating:  139 reviews
Sales Rank: 392
Platform: Not Machine Specific
Media: Electronics
Memorabilia: No
Tracks: 20
Batteries: 2
Batteries Included: No
Native Resolution: 176x220
Display Size: 2
Includes MP3 Player: 1
Size: Garmin Part #010-00630-00
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 2.2 x 1.2 x 4.2
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: eTrex Vista HCx
Model: eTrex Vista HCx
UPC: 753759071134
EAN: 0753759071134
ASIN: B000PDR1LS
Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 An excellent product January 20, 2008
This is an excellent product. It met all of my expectations. It is a good value for the price.
Great little GPS! January 19, 2008
This GPS is near perfect for what I need. I previously owned the Garmin Etrex Legend, and this is a huge step up, both upgrading to the vista and going to the HCx model. I am very impressed, first of all, with the new high-sensitivity antenna. With my old GPS, I really needed a clear view of the sky to lock onto the satellites. When backpacking, the track log would be spotty at times where the GPS lost its signal in heavy tree cover. With the new high-sensitivity antenna, all these inconveniences are in the past! The vista HCx will lock on in less than a minute in my basement! It always has a signal, no matter where I'm at. I have yet to see it lose connection with satellites. This is what impressed me the most about this model.
Also, the vista has a barometric altimeter and electronic compass which are both nice features as well. Without the electronic compass, you must be moving in order for the GPS to display correct compass directions. With the electronic compass, you can stand still or move very slowly and still maintain correct compass heading. This is especially helpful when hiking and geocaching. The altimeter provides more accurate elevation readings if that is of importance to you. GPS elevations, are not very accurate and can be way off depending on your location. With the altimeter, you don't have to worry about this error or try to correct it. I am also a fan of the new usb connection to the computer in place of the old serial connection. I don't have a serial port on my computer, so I never hooked up my old GPS. USB is much more common and allows a faster data transfer rate. I like the idea of the microSD card, as this allows incredible amounts of memory. 2GB cards are quite cheap now and this allows me to load the entire western US topo maps and still have plenty of extra memory! I didn't think the color screen was too important to me, but it really does make a big difference, especially with the maps. It would be very difficult to distinguish map properties without the color screen and it just looks nice.
These are just a few of the features than really impressed me. As I said, I already owned a Garmin Etrex previously, and am very impressed with Garmin units. They are all very durable, waterproof, and to me, user-friendly. The vista HCx is the top of the etrex line, and it shows. Amazon's price when I purchased it was the best I could find, cheaper than the lower models at other stores. If you are considering this model, I very highly recommend it, especially for recreational use. It also has the ability with garmin's metro maps, to provide turn-by-turn directions useful in city navigation. I have not yet used this feature, but still, this unit has just about everything I would want in a GPS. I bought my dad this unit for Christmas (his first GPS) and he is very pleased and has had no complaints. For what you're getting for the price, I give this model five stars!
 Does not meet expectations January 19, 2008
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
I was very dissapointed. After reading other reviews and the specs Ii was expecting an accurate GPS device. I found it to be off by 150-250 ft at a minimum. When I was out an about in the mountains, and was close to a waypoint in a canyon, it shifted direction constantly. I have already returned this device and will be looking for something better.
Lots of Bang for the Buck but still some bugs to work out January 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I bought this unit as a replacement for the E-trex legend CX. I was plesantly pleased with the speedy delivery by Amazon. The menus and functions are almost identical to the prior GPS with a few exceptions. The electronic compass makes stop and go waypoint finds very easy as you don't have to be moving to get an accurate arrow. The altimiter is nice to have, but unless you're a meterologist or skydiver, it really has no practical use in my part of the world. The GPS links easily with my laptop computer. The seperately purchased mapping software loaded like a dream on the micro SD card that I also had to purchase seperately. The unit is waterproof (accidently tried this feature out).
There is a downside, though......If you plan on using this GPS in cold weather, 45 or below, keep it in your pocket. When the screen gets really cold, the backlight makes the entire screen have a white hazy appearance until it warms up. Cold start-up satellite acquisition time is less than honorable, but the reception is awesome once it locks on. I can sit in my living room at home and lock on satellites!
There is a firmware update that had to be installed right out of the box, but it only takes a few minutes to load. No biggie.
The battery life on this little guy is teriffic. The longest I had it on was 35 hours using rechargable lithium batteries.
If you hunt or fish in rough, thick terrain, this GPS is for you. If you have a bad habit of abusing your toys, this GPS is for you. If you graduated 6th grade and can read English, you will be able to work this GPS. I couldn't give it five stars because of the cold screen issue and the firmware update. I really enjoy this device.
garmin etrex vista hcx January 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
very happy with this device.first time gps user ,I loaded with garmin fishing maps and works great
florin
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