The Garmin Dakota 10
Garmin Dakota 10
February 4, 2010 By 43 Comments
Garmin eTrex Vista H
February 2, 2010 By 3 Comments
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 Vista H
Not recommended
I’ll cut right to the chase here. I can’t recommend this unit. Monochrome displays are nowhere near as bright as color units, and can be quite difficult to see in daylight conditions. Instead, I recommend one of the following:
- Garmin eTrex Venture HC – This unit adds a color screen, but drops the electronic compass and barometric altimeter
- Garmin eTrex Legend HCx – This model adds to the Venture HC’s feature set with a micro-SD slot for additional map storage and provides the ability to do turn-by-turn highway routing (when you add City Navigator maps)
Compare prices on the Garmin eTrex Vista H
To see how the Vista H stacks up against other units, check out my Garmin handheld GPS comparisonchart.
More Garmin eTrex Vista H reviews
- Consumer-authored Garmin eTrex Vista H reviews
have been posted at Amazon
- I’ll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear, but in the meantime, here are some…
Other Garmin eTrex Vista H resources
- A PDF version of the Garmin eTrex Vista H owners manual
- See how the Vista H stands up to other units with this Garmin comparison tool or use my own Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart
- I haven’t found any message forums dedicated solely to the eTrex H series, but there is a UseNet Garmin discussion board and a good Garmin forum at GPSInformation.net.
- The official Garmin eTrex Vista H web page
Compare prices on the Garmin eTrex Vista H at these merchants:
- Find the low price on a Garmin eTrex Vista H 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 Vista H
- Get the eTrex Vista H
at Boaters World
More on Garmin BirdsEye aerial imagery
January 18, 2010 By 6 Comments
The BirdsEye aerial / satellite imagery subscription program for the Garmin Colorado, Dakota and Oregon series is now official. EDIT: I’ve learned that Garmin decided not to support BirdsEye imagery on the Dakota 10, due to its lack of an expansion card slot. I have a few tidbits to add to my post from last week:
- The $29.99 subscriptions will be available starting this March
- Imagery will include “0.5 meter per pixel resolution in many areas of the United States”
- There is no mention of world-wide imagery in today’s news release, though it was mentioned on the Garmin BirdsEye imagery product page last week, which is unavailable right now
- Another BirdsEye web page has been announced, though it too is currently unavailable
- Image packets will be delivered in multiple resolution levels to avoid pixilation when zooming
- In response to a question, a Garmin PR contact told me “we have nothing to announce re: USGS maps at this time”; my take on that – it’s coming!
Garmin BirdsEye Satellite Imagery coming
January 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
EDIT: I’ve learned that Garmin decided not to support BirdsEye imagery on the Dakota 10, due to its lack of an expansion card slot.
It looks like Garmin is getting ready to announce a BirdsEye satellite imagery subscription program for owners of the Colorado, Dakota and Oregon handheld series. Similar to DeLorme’s Map Library, the BirdsEye program will let you transfer an unlimited amount of satellite imagery and aerial photos to a compatible Garmin handheld for $29.99 per year. Imagery will be locked to one device per subscription; you’ll need Garmin’s free BaseCamp software (version 3.0.0+, yet to be released) and a myGarmin account. I hope to update this post soon with details on when the program will be up and running.
Hey Garmin – WTF?
January 5, 2010 By 8 Comments
Garmin has apparently already made all their CES announcements. Lets see, we have a new golf GPS, a motorcycle GPS, a tool for high-tech grease monkeys and an app to make your nuvi curse like a sailor. The country’s biggest electronics show and this is all they have? WTF?
Well, actually, that’s a rhetorical question. I have some answers…
DeLorme PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator
January 5, 2010 By 10 Comments
UPDATE: I’ve posted reviews of the DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w and the PN-60w / SPOT Communicator combo.
UPDATE 2: DeLorme has discontinued the SPOT Satellite Communicator in favor of their own product, the DeLorme inReach, which offers two-way communication and works as a standalone device or can connect with the PN-60w or with the iPhone or Android smartphones.
We’ve got some big news for backcountry types today. DeLorme and Spot have jointly unveiled the first combination ruggedized GPS navigator and satellite communicator. The DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator can send customized text messages to individuals or groups. While emergency messaging or personal locator beacon capability is something I’ve been wanting to see in a handheld GPS receiver for awhile, plans are for the PN-60w to offer even more.
DeLorme Earthmate PN-30
January 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The DeLorme Earthmate PN-30
Garmin Oregon 550
January 3, 2010 By 30 Comments
UPDATE: It appears that newer production runs of the 550 series models are now getting the brighter screen first introduced in the Oregon 450 series.
UPDATE 2: This model has been discontinued and replaced by the Oregon 650.
The Garmin Oregon 550 is one of Garmin’s top of the line touchscreen handheld units. It comes equipped with a 3.2 megapixel, 4x zoom, geotagging camera and tri-axial compass. Also included in the package is a battery charger and two AA NiMH batteries.
Garmin Oregon 450 and 450t announced
December 29, 2009 By 12 Comments
UPDATE: I’ve posted a hands on review of the Garmin Oregon 450
Garmin just couldn’t wait until the Consumer Electronics Show to start releasing new models. In a blog post this morning, they announced the touchscreen Oregon 450 and 450t handhelds. The only significant difference between them is that the 450t adds preloaded 1:100,000 scale topo maps for the entire US, rather than just the basemap found on the 450. These new units add a tri-axial compass to the feature set found on the Oregon 400t, so you don’t have to hold it level while navigating the wilds. The 450 series lacks the geotagging digital camera found in the 550 and 550t. At this point, those appear to be the major differentiators. The 450 series includes the recent firmware improvements that brought custom map capabilities to other Oregon models. I’ll update this post with product links once those are available. DONE! Thanks to @doc_nl:
Routine GPS backcountry prep
December 17, 2009 By 5 Comments
I often go through a fairly involved process when I’m prepping my GPS for a backcountry trip, and I thought I’d share what that looks like. I’ll start off with a few caveats…
- I like to explore remote areas, and my process will be overkill if you’re just getting ready for a quick hike on a well-trodden trail
- I tend to use multiple programs, as each has its own strengths and weaknesses
- Finally, this is geared a bit towards Garmin users, but I expect others may be interested in seeing the workflow and what data I use
Now that we’re done with that, let’s take it step by step:
