- Rugged handheld navigator with preloaded worldwide relief basemap and 2.2-inch color display
- WAAS-enabled GPS receiver with HotFix and GLONASS support for fast positioning and a reliable signal
- Built-in 3-axis electronic compass always shows your heading; barometric altimeter pinpoints your precise altitude
- Compatible with topographic, marine, and road maps--TOPO U.S. 24K, BlueChart g2, City Navigator, etc.
- Powered with two AA batteries; waterproof to IPX7 standards for protection against splashes, rain, etc.
I've used a Legend Cx extensively and it's showing its age so I was glad to see the introduction of the 20. I toyed with buying a Nuvi but don't care for the design as it lacks configurability and water resistance, uses a touchscreen, doesn't lend itself well to a motorcycle or kayak or walking when you want to walk.
The Legend Cx routinely takes several minutes to calculate in addition to slow map `drawing' times and I'm pleased to note Garmin improved calculating speed significantly. I've been running the two side by side for quite a while and the 20 calculates in roughly 1/3 the time (still noticeably slower than the Nuvis I've used). Additionally the map drawing time is much reduced.
Satellite acquisition and retention is quite a bit better: if you turn on both simultaneously the 20 will acquire enough signal to navigate in a fraction of the time; if you compare the 'Satellite' pages there are usually at least half again as many 'bars' on the 20 (and that's all before the GLONASS thingy is turned on).
The former mushiness of the perimeter buttons has been replaced by buttons which 'click' and the notorious rubber gasket (prone to eventual loosening) is gone.
The various menu screens are changed: previously you had 12 options to select on the `Find' page now there are 6. They are more legible and you can arrange them in the order you prefer.
I'm still disappointed Garmin makes you cough up $80ish for a functional (read: turn by turn directions) road map but they're making progress on that front you can now buy `lifetime' maps instead of having to purchase `updates'. And I guess I can't blame them for capitalizing on what they can capitalize on, while they can.
Plus I have to admit: Garmin's phone customer service is usually well above average (thanks, Rocky!) and that costs something.
They changed the mounting connector design so you can no longer use your old car/bike/whatever mount.
And they took the `Exits' category out of the `Find' menu: why, Garmin? Such a useful tool it was.
To sum: if you're an eTrex fan this incarnation is IMO an impressive advance RE processing and map drawing speed. The maps more closely resemble the Nuvis.
I have no reason to believe it won't be as reliable (IME close to bulletproof) as previous units. And the rustish/red/orange color is cool.
I like mine a lot.
*****
Update: one VERY useful feature for travellers the old eTrex units didn't have is now you can 'Search Near' a 'A Recent Find'.
I also discovered if you 'Review Point' the phone number if available is provided nice, although the microscopic font errs on the side of 'white space'. :)
It crashes occasionally (I reckon I'm asking more of it than it was designed for); less often after I updated the software but there's no apparent rhyme or reason.
Still and all after using mine for many scores of thousands of miles I remain well pleased with the improvements.
*****
Another update: after spending some time (Garmin's customer service came through again) downloading NT South America City Navigator and flying to Chile my 20 has been indispensable: it would be virtually impossible for me (ignorante el norte Americano) to navigate around Santiago specifically and the country generally without electronic help from the sky.
Buy Garmin eTrex 30 Worldwide Handheld GPS Navigator Now
I ordered this unit just as it became available on Amazon after conducting assessments of several units. Works just as expected. It takes a little getting used to the menu system, but after playing with it on two different occasions for about an hour total, I've figured out the more advanced items. Worked great right out of the box, quickly acquiring a full complement of satellites while I sat inside the house (accuracy within 10-14 feet inside). Screen has good color and is clear to read. I like the paperless feature and easily loaded a gpx file from geocaching.com. I find the the ability to read all of the logs very helpful. UPDATE: Used it to search and find severla nearby caches, and it worked great! It was very accurate and brought me to within a few feet of each cache. The receiver allows me to mark a cache found and to include comments. When I returned home, I easily uploadedd my finds and comments to geocaching.com. I am very pleased with my purchase.Read Best Reviews of Garmin eTrex 30 Worldwide Handheld GPS Navigator Here
I have just received my eTrex 30 unit, and so far it is perfect and a great improvement over the still amazing eTrex Vista HCx.The eTrex 30 is for all purposes, the new Vista HCx, both have barometric altimeters and both have compasses, however, the 30 has a tri-axis compass that allow to look at the unit perpendicularly to the ground and it will still mark to the north.
Among the improvements are of course the new hi-color screen (Allows BirdsEye maps, like having a Google Earth in your pocket on the trail!). Wireless transmission of data via ANT+ that also works with heart rate and cadence monitors. And the most important geek factor, the reception of GLONASS signals!
One of the new things that I like a lot is that everything now is a file, on the Vista HCx to download the files it was necessary to use the Garmin serial protocol, now with the 30, only with connecting the unit to a USB port in the computer it is possible to get all the captured data in standard-compliant GPX files. This also means that there is a 2GB (1.7GB usable) flash storage device in the unit.
Placing GPX files in the correct folders in the unit also displays the information within those in the unit, like waypoints or tracks. It is much easier now. In Linux I use gpsbabel to convert back and forth from many formats, in particular I enjoy exploring my trips again with Google Earth and it requires KML files, gpsbabel helps to do that precisely.
Also, there is an Alarm Clock on the unit, I just tested it a 4:30am and it woke me at about 2 meters from my bed. This is something I really wanted to have in my Vista HCx, as my traveling wristwatch isn't that loud, and I had to use a Casio traveling clock just for that. One less device to carry!
Loading maps is now way more faster than with the Vista HCx, having both one for Europe and another locally, takes a few seconds, while before it took minutes
As always, a GPS unit like this, now with a GLONASS receiver, will beat any smartphone on trails and while traveling abroad. Here in the tropics close to the Equator I got a fix pretty quick, but not with as many GLONASS satellites as I wished, that is because that GNSS constellation is best used way up in the north hemisphere.
The User Interface looks better, with antialiased fonts and pretty icons, it is now more like a Windows XP UI, while in the Vista HCx with its limited color palette, was like a Windows 3.1 UI. The on-screen keyboard seems to be easier to use, and looks like a miniature version of those included in smartphones.
Physically, the unit is lighter, more compact (A few millimeters more bulky in depth), easier to handle in your hand, the rocker is in the right side now, good for right handed, but my muscular memory keeps moving my thumb to the previous rocker position in the Vista HCx. The infamous rubber band used in the Vista HCx that unglued so easily with time seems to be substituted with a more solid rubber sides, now attached with screws. The micro SD card is placed like a SIM card in a phone, under the batteries.
Now, this is something I have always wanted that was NOT added... An option to LOCK THE BUTTONS! Neither unit has the option to avoid the buttons to be pressed while having the unit on a backpack or in a holster. I would really like an option like in the mobile phones to do that ("Press such and such buttons to unlock"). Many times I have put my units in a bag to later retrieve them in a weird configuration screen and with a track erased or so.
Want Garmin eTrex 30 Worldwide Handheld GPS Navigator Discount?
The first review of this unit lamented that, while listed on Amazon, it wasn't actually available yet. That has changed. It's now available, and I have it within arm's reach as I'm typing this.I liked the features listed for the eTrex 20, and awaited the late September release date before upgrading from my old Magellan handheld GPS. The eTrex 20 has so far proven to be everything it was advertised to be lightweight, easy to use, and with a sensitive receiver. One of the factors that motivated me to upgrade was how fast the Garmins that my wife and son have were to lock on to the satellites, versus how much longer it took the old Magellan this one took less than a minute to find, lock-on, and determine position, while the older unit would still have been searching for satellites.
One of the first things I noticed when using the eTrex 20, was the number of satellites it tracked. This new eTrex series has incorporated the Russian GLONASS system, along with the current GPS satellites. By tracking both systems, the device has more points of data to better calculate position.
The micro SD slot is a nice feature, giving the user the ability to expand the memory, although the built-in 1.7 Gb is nothing to sneeze at. For about ten bucks, enough memory can be added to store more than enough waypoints for an extended trip away from the computer. The micro SD slot is located under the batteries, and thereby protected from the elements.
I'm still learning all the features, and looking forward to putting it through some paces on our next Geocaching adventure. The only drawback I've found so far is that this model line is so new, that GSAK (a utility program used for Geocaching) doesn't have a specific protocol for interfacing with it. This is a relatively minor inconvenience, and one I suspect will be remedied in one of the next revisions of GSAK. Until then, I can load Cache information a couple of other ways.
For a bit more money, you can get the eTrex 30 with more features, or for less, you can buy the base-model eTrex 10. The 20 is a nice balance between them, and I think it's going to suit my needs quite nicely.
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My 30 arrived a few hours ago.As you read this review, note that Rocker refers to what Garmin has now renamed the Thumb Stick.
Pros:
o The on-screen keyboard is much better designed than the old eTrex (and this issue was important enough to me to pay for a 450 last year):
.....o Stays in upper case (hallelujah) rather than, with the old eTrex, the first alpha triggering the on-screen keyboard to change to lower case and special characters, which then necessitated navigating to the shift character to restore the keyboard to upper case and numbers.
.....o DONE is easier to access as are cursor left and cursor right.
.....o Can use the Zoom keys (top left side of GPS) to switch between the three keyboards: alpha and numbers, special characters; numbers.
o The display is nice and crisp.
o Can load maps to internal memory without using an SD card (56MB of maps tested leaves 1.68GB of internal memory). The old eTrex required an SD card .
o A distance proximity alert can be created on the 30 using any waypoint or POI as a source (more info below).
o Can load maps, waypoints, and routes from MapSource (see Bugs below).
o Smaller than the eTrex Legend HCx.
o Includes place to affix a lanyard (but a lanyard is not included).
o Garmin tech support was excellent. Michael spent and hour and a half as we researched four issues including the bugs mentioned below.
o As mentioned by other reviewers, satellite acquisition is fast: first power on to location: 45 seconds.
Cons:
o The new interface seems cumbersome when compared to the old eTrex. The old interface was quicker to navigate with more data being displayed on menu screens, but maybe it will get better with more hands-on time. The new interface seems to have been designed for a touch screen, which the 30 is not. On some screens, such as the Map Information page there is a lot of wasted empty space. Tip : Use Setup > Page Sequence to add pages that you want to quickly access using the Back button; those pages will then disappear from the Main Menu.
o Testing indicates that proximity alerts for POI's loaded using the POI loader do not work. On the old eTrex Legend HCx, POI's containing speed or distance proximity alerts could be loaded using the POI Loader and the Legend HCx would issue the appropriate alerts. The POI Loader works with the 30, but testing indicates that the alert is not issued. This test was for a distance, not speed, alert (speed alerts are of no interest to me, so I'll leave that testing to someone who wants that functionality). On the other hand, proximity alerts can be manually created on the 30 using waypoints or POI's as sources. This is definitely a big Pro and is listed in the Pros above. When the user creates a proximity alert from a POI, a waypoint is created with the same name with a "1" appended at the end of the name. So, it appears that to mass load distance proximity alerts onto the 30 will require loading them as waypoints with the proximity distance set, rather than loading them as POI's. And, it appears that waypoints only support distance alerts, not speed alerts, in the 30, MapSource, and BaseCamp. A minor point: while MapSource can maintain a waypoint's proximity in miles to 3 decimal digits (0.000), the 30 supports only editing to 2 decimal digits (0.00). And, as we all know, 0.01 mile is approximately 53 feet so this is probably a non-issue for most applications.
.....o To compound the problem of not supporting proximity alerts for POI's and forcing the use of waypoints instead, Garmin has removed the capability to delete waypoints by symbol, leaving only the choices to (a) delete all waypoints or (b) delete waypoints individually. This means that if I assign special symbols to the waypoints which I want to retain permanently on the GPS while letting temporary waypoints have the default (blue flag) symbol, I cannot delete just the temporary waypoints en masse -as the old eTrex would have supported. In order to retain the waypoints which I want permanently on the GPS, I will be forced to either a) delete the temporary waypoints individually in the field if I forget to do it at home, (b) remember to delete them in BaseCamp before departing for the outdoors, (c) remember to delete the \Garmin\GPS\Waypoints_dd-mmm-yy.gpx file before departing for the outdoors, or (d) remember to delete all waypoints and then reload all of the permanent waypoints before departing for the outdoors. (I did not realize this until after my initial review submission. I would now give a 4-star rating, rather than 5, because of this whole POI proximity alert issue and the lack of delete-waypoints-by-symbol.)
.....o Note that some of the newer Garmin GPS's (e.g., 450) say they support proximity alerts, but the functionality is limited to when a waypoint is on the route being navigated. This is a major difference from the old eTrex Legend HCx, where simply being the appropriate distance from a POI was sufficient to trigger the proximity alert even when not navigating. In the case of the 30, proximity alerts also work when not navigating (like the old eTrex Legend HCx) but the proximity alert must be for a waypoint and not a POI.
o Another new mounting system to purchase mounts for.
Bugs:
o Cannot transfer tracks and waypoints directly from the 30 to MapSource as was supported for the old eTrex. In USB Mass Storage mode (Setup > System > USB Mode > Mass Storage) only the current track, not waypoints or archived tracks are transferred. In Garmin mode (Setup > System > USB Mode > Garmin), the current track and all archived tracks are transferred but the waypoint checkbox is greyed out in the MapSource dialog box (meaning that MapSource probably does not recognize the waypoint file on the 30). One approach for merging a single waypoint .gpx file and multiple track .gpx files is to drag and drop each .gpx file onto a separate MapSource session then copy/paste into a single MapSource session. For this to work, you would use USB Mass Storage mode. (Note that trying to drag and drop into a single MapSource session results in only the data from the last drag-and-drop being present in MapSource; it assumes replace rather than add and does not issue an error message.) Garmin indicates that BaseCamp is the future and this problem with MapSource will probably not be fixed.
o If you download maps to the GPS, the Map Information page will display one of your maps plus the two basemaps which come with the GPS. The Map Information page will not scroll beyond those three maps so you are unable to disable any maps beyond those three. My testing indicates that, regardless, all of the downloaded maps are on the GPS and the maps display correctly; the testing by the Garmin tech support person indicates that the maps were not being displayed properly on his 30 so we have two conflicting stories. The Map Information page is accessed either by (a) Map > Menu > Setup Map > Map Information or (b) Setup > Map > Map Information. Garmin is working on a fix. Hopefully, all of the parties involved are communicating clearly but I am unsure because Garmin's suggested interim fix did not resolve the problem. The fix was to rename Garmin\gmapsupp.img (the downloaded maps) to any other name, e.g., Wyoming.img. After renaming, the Map Information page continued to display only 3 maps, but rather than displaying the name of a map segment (an area of a larger map set) it was now (after the rename) displaying the name of the map set. Given that I had downloaded 42 map segments from two different map sets, the 30 should be displaying more than one of my maps regardless of whether it is showing map segments (as the old eTrex Legend HCx does and the 30 did prior to the rename) or map sets (as the 450 does and the 30 did after the rename).
o While in USB Mass Storage mode, performing an Eject on Win7 64-bit generates a dialog box: "An error occurred while ejecting ...". So, the 30 does not power down (as the Oregon does) and leaves the GPS's display showing the USB-connected icon. This makes me nervous about whether all files have been properly closed or whether there is potential corruption. This problem did not go away after updating the 30 firmware and rebooting the computer. No other devices are encountering this error. Garmin has no other reported incidents of this problem. I tried different cables (including the included cable), different ports, and three Win7 64-bit computers but the error message always appears. All three computers are running the latest version of BaseCamp (3.2.2), which means the computers have the latest Garmin drivers (2.3.0.0).
Tips:
o Just like the old eTrex Legend HCx, press and hold Rocker to Mark Waypoint.
o Just like the old eTrex Legend HCx, pressing the Power button cycles the brightness: medium > high > off. The user manual just describes pressing the Power button once then using the Rocker to fine tune the brightness level.)
o Just like the old eTrex Legend HCx, Menu > Menu will return to the Main Menu.
o Just like the old eTrex Legend HCx, pressing and holding the Menu button will open the Find page.
o When you first get the 30, back up all of the files on the GPS to a hard drive.
o Sometimes it is desirable to display the current time to the second rather than just hours:minutes. This can be useful when setting a camera's time for later automated synchronization of photos to tracks or waypoints. To display the current time including seconds on the 30:
.....o Alternative A: Compass > Menu > Change Dashboard > Large Data Field. The time including seconds will appear at the top of the Compass display.
.....o Alternative B: set the Trip Computer to Big Numbers and set one of the two big number fields to Time of Day (Trip Computer > Menu > Big Numbers > Menu > Change Data Fields > navigate to top or bottom big number field > enter (Rocker) > choose Time of Day from the list > enter (Rocker)).
.....o Alternative C: set the Map to display 1 big number and set that field to Time of Day (Map > Menu > Setup Map > Data Fields > 1 large > Back > Menu > Change Data Fields > enter (Rocker) > choose Time of Day from the list > enter (Rocker)).
.....o Alternative D: use the system information page, but the current time will be displayed in UTC/GMT/Zulu time, rather than local time. Turn off the 30 > hold the enter (Rocker) while pressing the Power button > release the Power button > when the system information page appears, release the Rocker. To exit the system information page, power off the 30 as you normally would.
.....Unfortunately, using the Power button to bring up the backlight display no longer displays time including seconds as it did on the old eTrex.
.....Some of the alternatives above could be implemented using Profiles.
o A firmware update (2.10 -> 2.20) is available for the eTrex 30 using BaseCamp or WebUpdater. The update adds support for advanced geocache logging.
There is more functionality to experiment with (Compass, Altimeter) but that is for another day.
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