The Magellan eXplorist 350H for hunters
Magellan has announced a new hunting handheld, the Magellan eXplorist 350H, which appears to be based on the eXplorist 310. The 350H offers preloaded 1:100,000 scale topo maps with game management units (GMUs), GMU geofences, hunting specific waypoints (shown above), and comes with a one-year subscription to satellite imagery.
The GMU boundaries are for the contiguous 48 United States and Alaska. The 350H includes a redesigned interface to give access to hunting-specific features. Here’s a little more info from the news release:
Hunting-specific waypoints that can be used to mark animal tracks, rub marks, water and food sources while in the field are readily accessible on the Magellan eXplorist 350H and avoid the need to type names…When user-activated, the geofence feature of the Magellan eXplorist 350H will automatically alert the hunter when they are approaching any GMU boundary to ensure that the hunter stays within the area that they are permitted to hunt.
The eXplorist is “targeted” for late Q2 of 2013 availability at an MSRP of $229.99.
Previously, Magellan has released the eXplorist 310 and 510 Hunter Editions which include Kirsch TRAX hunting maps. These maps include Bureau of Land Management (BLM) info, U.S. Forest Service maps, Game and Fish maps, Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), PLOTS data, county roads, and topo maps for much of the western US (AZ, CO, ID, MN, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA and WY).
About Rich Owings
I applaud Magellan for targeting a market niche that really uses GPS units. Geez, any innovation push at this point is welcome. I hope you can borrow a model for review and report on the hunter specific features that hopefully go beyond cammo colors and special waypoints.
I need a hunter to review it. Hmm, wonder where I could find one?!
I would promise to be more promt with the review than my Custom POI overview that’s taking me forever (it is still coming by the way). 🙂
Sent you an email yesterday. Let’s stay in touch as it gets closer to release.
I bought the Magellan eXplorist 350H unit the day after Christmas. After 3 emails and NO ANSWERS in the last 2 weeks, I’m taking it back to the store. I’m sure it is probably a very good devise. But when you can’t get help to get it operating, it’s useless to me. On the box label it should say “You need a computer with internet connection and 5 teenage boys with 10 days to figure this thing out and get it going.” Maybe I sound a little unreasonable. But neither of my degrees taught me how to handle the sheer abandonment I feel. As I reflect, a dear friend that has passed now once told me when the GPS units first came out, “Don’t get a Magellan. They’re way too complicated.” I should have remembered that and listened to it. For my money just WAY too complicated to get going.
This is my 3rd GPS hand held unit. Both the others were up and running within an hour or two. This has been like buying a new car and finding the engine in boxes of parts with no instruction manual. Oh, and some of the parts aren’t there. You have to send off for them.
Right now I’m looking at either a Lowrence Endura or a Garmin unit. And I told my wife if I ever mention buying another Magellan ANYTHING, to slap me real hard to make sure I’m not in a nightmare.
Good luck with what ever you choose.
Victor
And my advice? Don’t buy a Lowrance either!
STILL no answer from any of the emails I have sent to Magellan. Last night I ordered a Garmin MAP 62 stc. The Magellan goes back this coming week. Someone tell these people their customer service isn’t that hot.
Stay well,
Victor