Garmin E Trex experiences ?

[Blind Bobber]

As you may know I have been searching for an entry level GPS to be used simp[ly as a nav tool to get me back to my starting p;oint. Mostly in the boat. Could be hiking. I really like the no frills simplicity of the Garmin E Trex for $99 from Cabela's. Have any of you had experience with this or very similar unit? I can not find this model locally to see. How readable is the screen and is there a zoom feature? Any thoughts apreciated.
BLIND BOBBER:cool:

[Lowranger]

My brother has an E-Trex that we use for Sledding and Dirt-Biking. It's been a flawless performer. We used a Magellan before and it was terrible. Something that you should consider- Many of the latest PPCs and Smartphones have built-in gps and do yeoman work as hand-held navigators. It could mean one less thing to carry.

[kilchisfisher]

I used to use an e-trex when I was still doing wildfire protection. The model we had worked great when you were out in the open, but under heavy timber or up a heavily forested drainage we had trouble getting a lock.

Ours had a zoom feature, and you could upload maps. I don't remember the model, but it was one of the lower price e-trex units at the time.

It'd be great for the use you describe.

[RGB]

I have the basic E-Trex, poor reception in the woods. It might be better on the water, but I've never used mine in the boat as I have GPS in my depth finder. You get what you pay for, and with a $99 GPS that's not much.

[Raining_Kings]

As you may know I have been searching for an entry level GPS to be used simp[ly as a nav tool to get me back to my starting p;oint. Mostly in the boat. Could be hiking. I really like the no frills simplicity of the Garmin E Trex for $99 from Cabela's. Have any of you had experience with this or very similar unit? I can not find this model locally to see. How readable is the screen and is there a zoom feature? Any thoughts apreciated.
BLIND BOBBER:cool:

The basic ETREX has no map, so I'd avoid it. Getting back to your starting point is one thing, but having it available to display a map makes it a MUCH more useable tool. Without a map you can still track trails you leave and enter specific points etc (PITA though).

Without a map, it's like drawing those trails and routes on a blank piece of paper. With mapping capability, instead of a blank peice of paper you have a map underneath that. That map can show a lot of useful things such as Town, cities, bouys, highways, roads, rest stops, channel markers, topographic info etc. You will find MUCH more uses. If you want to go entry level I'd at least step up for the ETREX Legend at a minimum, or Legend HCx preferrable (I like the color and expandability of that unit). My :twocents: worth.

These entry level units don't have the best reception in trees, but you can usually work around that (Look for clearings & heights). Reception usually isn't an issue in a boat, car, or bike as much.

FWIW - I have a Garmin Legend C (Older model), and a Garmin 60CSx and a Lowrance 525c (Boat Model). If I could only have one it would be the CSx.

Good luck,

-= Scott

[Undertaker]

I have a basic E-Trex as my backup. It used to be my main and worked great on the ocean.
I now have a Garmin 60c. It has a better display, allows me to move around on the map with the 4-way direction button, supposedly has the ability to download maps (which I don't need personally), gives me the option of viewing a route (stonewall bank closure waypoints added as a route) so I can see where I am in relation to it.
For another $60-80, it would be my choice if I had to replace it.
And you can find the basic E-Trex for $90 locally on sale.
Think I've seen it in Big 5, Sportsmans ads.