Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS - Research and compare prices at Become.com

Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS

Neither deep foliage nor steep canyons will faze the rugged Garmin eTrex Vista HCx navigator. Equipped with a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, the unit locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover. The advantage is clear: whether you're traipsing through thick woods or strolling near tall buildings and trees, you can count on the Vista HCx to help you find your way when you need it the most. The Vista HCx also includes a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even when you're standing still, along with a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions. Adding maps to the Vista HCx is easier than ever thanks to the device's microSD card slot, which accepts cards preloaded with MapSource data for your land and sea excursions. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and the Vista HCx will provide turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Plus, the card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you needn't worry about it getting wet. Besides appreciating its small size, users will also be happy with the Vista HCx's unique button layout, with five buttons located on either side of the unit. The benefits of this design are twofold: First, the Vista HCx is a breeze to operate with just one hand, and, second, with the buttons on both sides of the unit, the bulk of the front is dedicated to the 256-color, sunlight-readable TFT display. This makes it easy to distinguish map details regardless of the time of day. The Vista HCx basemap, meanwhile, contains lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads, and coastlines--in short, a host of helpful details for your outdoor adventures. Other details include an IPX7 waterproof housing, 1,000 waypoints with names and graphic symbols, a built-in patch antenna

Overall Rating: Star Full

( 35 reviews )

Posted: Jul 13 2008

This is the best trail GPS I have owned. I have been using it for a few months now and here is what I have observed: 1. Battery power is a big one for me. This gets the 25 hours that is says it gets. I often backpack camp for a few days at a time and don't like changing batteries all the time. 2. Size is great. If you have a case with a clip you can attach this to your pack or straps and it's barely noticeable. 3. The software and programming is a plus. You can easily make waypoints with the waypoint manager software. The on board software has many features as well. I tend to use tracking a lot. Geocaching management is built in. Maps are expandable if you use topo of street maps purchased seperately and are stored either on board or on the optional sd card card that can be put in. My recommended additions for this product: 1. Get a solid case like the case from foarm. The one that comes with it is ok but if you do a lot of bushwhacking you'll was a more protective case. 2. Get a screen protector like InvisibleShield. It's worth the investment. 3. Since this is a trail GPS, buying the Topo 2008 DVD or whatever is current from Garmin is a plus and you won't regret it. So overall an excellent product with room for expandability and is very durable. This is a perfect companion for hikers and backpackers.
Posted: Jul 8 2008

This unit is not easy to use. It takes some time to get used to. Once you get used to - it is very detailed and powerful GPS. If you are outdoor person and you are not looking for fancy graphics - this is device for you. Very accurate on the road and trails. Battery last forever. You can transfer your tracks to google map or google earth with [...]. It does not come with detailed maps, be prepared to pay more. The detailed maps are not always up to date. And most important Garmin customer service is terrible!!! If you need to call them, you will spent 30 + minutes on the phone just waiting to talk to someone. This is my second Garmin unit - the first one (Garmin iQue 3600 never was working properly). With all of the downsides there is nothing better on the market right now.
( 1 of 4 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jul 7 2008

Not the most user friendly device as we're still trying to figure it out after 3 weeks, but it seems accurate and has a ton of features. Altimiter seems to drift quite a bit but I'm not sure whether there are any that do better.. ?

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Product Specs

Feature:	Handheld GPS navigator with high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver Built-in electronic compass and barometric altimeter for calculating direction and altitude MicroSD card slot; detailed basemap with lakes, highways, railroads, and more 256-color, sunlight-readable TFT display; 1,000 waypoints with names and symbols Requires 2 AA batteries; measures 2.2 x 4.2 x 1.2 in. (W x H x D); 1-year warranty
Platform:	Not Machine Specific
Number Of Tracks:	20
Label:	Garmin
Model:	eTrex Vista HCx
Product Group:	CE
Publisher:	Garmin
Studio:	Garmin
Height:	4 in.
Weight:	1 lbs
Length:	2 in.
Width:	1 in.
Batteries:	2 (aa)
Binding:	Electronics