UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For more current recommendations, please refer to our handheld GPS buyers guide or our Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart.
The Garmin eTrex Summit HC is a mid-level mapping receiver in Garmin’s eTrex H-series lineup. With a high-sensitivity receiver for superior reception under canopy, a bright color screen, and the ability to load topo maps (purchased separately), this is an excellent backcountry GPS.
is a mid-level mapping receiver in Garmin’s eTrex H-series lineup. With a
Step up to the Vista HCx and you’ll pick up two other features — an expandable micro-SD memory card slot instead of on-board memory, and auto-routing, allowing you to generate turn-by-turn directions when highway maps are loaded. To see how the Summit HC stands up against other Garmin models, check out my Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart.
Compare prices on the Garmin eTrex Summit HC
The Summit HC, like the Venture HC, has 24 MB of memory, and will accommodate 500 waypoints, 50 routes and 10 saved tracks. The difference between the two units is that the Summit HC adds a barometric altimeter and electronic compass.
More Garmin eTrex Summit HC reviews
- The first consumer-authored Garmin eTrex Summit HC review has been posted at Amazon.
I’ll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear; meanwhile, here are some…
Other Garmin eTrex Summit HC resources
- A PDF of the Garmin eTrex Summit HC owners manual.
- Compare the Garmin Summit HC to other Garmin mapping handheld GPS receivers.
- There is a dedicated Garmin eTrex message forum on Yahoo Groups.
- Check out my Legend HCx review for a more detailed look at the eTrex interface.
- The official Garmin eTrex Summit HC web page
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- Find the low price on a Garmin eTrex Summit HC at GPS Now, where shipping is free on orders over $99 (and the upgrade to overnight
shipping is dirt cheap!). Order by 5 p.m. Central Time for same day
shipment. - Check the current Garmin eTrex Summit HC price at Amazon.
- Get a great deal on the
Garmin eTrex Summit HC Color Hand Held GPS Receiver
at TigerGPS - Buy the
Garmin eTrex Summit HC Portable Navigator
from The Nerds. - Get the Garmin eTrex Summit HC for an amazing price on eBay.
About Rich Owings
Rich, this is probably a stupid question but with only 24MB of memory, can I load in the Arizona topo(203MB) and the Southwest Trail overlay(about 2mb, I think). Or does the GPS have hard drive storage??
No. I doubt that you could even fit all of Grand Canyon NP on it. You can probably load enough for a week long backpacking trip, but not much more. The eTrex models with an “x” in the model name/number have an expansion slot though, but not the Summit HC.