I have used other GPS units previously for marine navigation but decided to purchase the e-trex for hiking.
The e-trex is an extremely compact and light unit that has most of the functions you need to get from one place to another. The menus are easy to use and reasonably intuitive so you don’t need a manual with you. There are four basic screens, a signal strength (very much improved to include a skymap with version 2.10 of the firmware) a plot screen showing your location in relation to stored trails and waypoints and an options screen that lets you edit waypoints, change settings etc. and a ‘compass’ screen that lets you aim in the right direction (see the Gamin website for examples). How you use these screens depends on personal preference, I find that for walking the compass screen is the easiest way to orientate yourself but in a moving vehicle or boat the plot screen is an easier way to navigate.
On the plus side for this unit it very compact, can be operated in one hand and does everything most people want of a hand-held GPS except display maps on screen. The battery life of 22 hours is probably a bit optimistic but expect 2-3 complete days of use out a fresh set. Most of the walking on the British hills is on open ground so I can’t really comment on attenuation due to tree cover but I tend to keep a GPS in my pocket which can cause a weak signal, taking it out will correct this though (try keeping in a top pocket of a rucksack for a clear signal. The firmware upgrades I have updated the unit with (three since I purchased the unit) are well worth the effort but do mean you have to buy a PC cable. I can’t recommend doing this enough as you can then load and save waypoints on your PC. I would also recommend the PC as the best way of adding new waypoints as this is fiddley with the limited number of buttons on the unit.
Negative points are the position of the buttons which would be better placed on the front of the unit, but that’s me being picky. The quoted IP7 rating is only a guideline, I managed to get moisture into the unit by keeping it in a wet pocket. This caused a misting on the screen although the unit kept working. If this happens you need to remove the rubber armour which exposes the cause of the ingress to be the buttons. Removing the rubber allowed the unit to dry with no apparent ill effects.
I would recommend this unit as it gives very good performance for a reasonable price (I wish we could buy the e-trex for the RRP, here in the UK things always cost more, you guys in the states always get a better deal!).
Few other units give this level of performance in such a small package.

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For $99 plus a $30 cable I was able to connect it to my laptop and using Microsoft Mappoint software I could see myself traveling accross the map at 603 mph while on my way to Caifornia. I was also able to mark waypoints of interest along the way and find them on the map after I got there, like the test track in Yuma AZ. that the auto makers use. A very cool tool for the price.

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IMHO, this is the best HIKER/BACKPACKER GPS receiver on the market at this time, for the following reasons:

1. Hikers/Backpackers do not need high-resolution map display screens, multiple add-features like electronic compasses (which are not that accurate anyway)or extra features. Altimeters, map displays, etc. are nice, but these all have one HUGE disadvantage: THEY BURN UP BATTERIES FAST, FAST, FAST.

The eTrex will do 22+ hours on one single pair of alkaline AA batteries (in warm weather - for cold, use lithium) before dying. This is the BEST ON THE MARKET BAR NONE. Some 'map-display' receivers, especially those with lots of optional features, will run out of battery power in as little as 8-9 hours. To illustrate, I ran down my Magellan MAP 330 in just 6 hours, the Brunton MNS, in 5!! Some also use 4 or 6 AA batteries. Carrying large amounts of extra batteries quickly gets old when you are carrying the weight on long hikes.

2. The eTrex meets IP7 waterproofing standards, 1 meter submergence for 30 minutes. Many, many GPS receivers currently on the market do not offer this level of waterproofing, some cannot even stand a light rain (Garmin eMap, I'm looking in your direction!!)

3. The eTrex has a useful partial rubber armoring that makes it somewhat shockproof. This is not the case for other receivers made out of thin, brittle low-impact plastics.

4. The eTrex is light and VERY compact. It can be used one-handed, and is not too bulky for hikers or mountain bikers who demand compact receivers.

The eTrex is currently limited to one hiking route, with 500 waypoints. This is a disadvantage compared to some other receivers, but Garmin is introducing new models in February to address this problem. Certainly if multiple routes cause a reduction in battery life, you must weigh that into the bargain.


To sum up, for backpacking, save the mapping features & learn to use a topo map and UTM grid systems. Then all you need is a good (non-battery powered) compass and you are set.

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Can't say enough about this gps, it has been fantastic. It is my first gps, and might be my last. It has been extremely reliable, and works just about anywhere. It's basic, and dosen't hold nearly as many waypoints as the other models, but it's a lot smaller and lighter. Wish there were a few more satelite options, but Ive rarely needed it as of yet.

Customer Service

It's been a great peice of equipment, so no experience with the c.s yet.

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One old-school Garmin aviation gps, really hard to use, but works well.

I bought the Etrex summit. This unit has a barometric altimeter. The unit recalibrates unaccurately all the time using the GPS satellites. If you know the Barometric pressure its more accurate. The GPS functionality worked intermittenly. I couldn't get it to work in Summit County at all. In wide open areas it worked great. The problem is, I always know where I'm a in a prarie. I retuned it after a short expediton.

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Sherpa Altimeter.

I bought the eTrex two weeks ago. I checked the Garmin website and learned that the software on my unit is version 2.5, while the current version is 2.8. The update fixes some bugs and adds features. To update my unit, I have to buy the $40 serial cable from Garmin. None of the dealers in the area had a cable for sale, nor did they seem concerned about selling a unit with outdated software. Some of the bug fixes include: Pressing 'Default' now actually restores the Default settings". I think dealers are obligated to load the most recent software onto the units.

So, add $40 to the price of the unit for the cable to stay current with the operating system!

I will be using the unit on a long trip in September. More news then. Unless you absolutely need it NOW, waiting is always wise with GPS units.

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Cute Toy, but capable if you you know what you want. I wanted an inexepensive (relatively) GPS that I can use when I go cross country. I want to mark where I left the truck, where camp is, and have a guide should I ever need a little assitance being pointed in the right direction. Since it's a convenience and not a necessity I also wanted it to be small and lightweight. For what I need, the Etrex is fine. It's lightweight, small, apparently accurate, and will let me mark points, and point me to previously marked points from where I am. It also has a handy sattelite based altimeter, which is probably accurate enough for curiosity now that selective availability is turned off. If you want a map background, this one isn't for you. But I frankly can't understand the utility of map background on one of these things. If you want a cheap, small, basic function GPS then this is worth a look. Also, it has only five buttons and limited functions that are easy to learn and remember. It won't require that you lug the instruction book with you in the backcountry to remember how to use the darn thing.

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Okay, I admit this was a bit of a frivolous purchase. I am mainly a day hiker and thought this would come in handy in case I became lost. But remember, as they say...nothing replaces good compass and map reading skills. The instructions for the eTrex are pretty straight forward, although it did take a couple of practice hikes to get familiarized.
The eTrex is quite accurate (about 20 ft. on average) as far as pinpointing your location, especially in open areas. In some parts of hiking under heavy tree foliage, the unit lost my position quite a few times, which was annoying. To sum this up, the eTrex can be valuable for hiking in areas with limited natural landmarks, such as a desert hike or flat plains with no trees or mountains or rivers, etc. It can be extra assurance in some cases, that no matter where you are, if you've marked a waypoint, such as where your car is, or where camp is, it can guide you back to that location. Just don't run out of batteries! Carry extras!

Customer Service

The customer service line is ALWAYS busy..I think they need more operators to handle the traffic.

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I bought this little unit for two reasons, it is really small/light and it has a powerfull 12 channel receiver. The yellow color is also a bonus for finding it in the dark shadows of a pack.

The software on this model is extremely tedious and infantile. One has to navigate through multiple menus etc to get to the desired page and you have to hit more buttons to bring up more than one piece on info at a time. The satellite lock page is unhelpfull unlike the other Garmin models too. The software has been designed for the general public who have no navigational skills and also designed around the physical fact that the GPS unit has less buttons.

I think that it's still a good buy because I will eventually be able to download a more sopisticated and helpfull version of software in the same unit.

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Garmin GPS38

This is a handy little GPS unit. It is missing some features that would make it an absolutely great must have kinda GPS like pan and more than one route but I think the unit more than makes up for these shortcomings in it's no-brainer approach to the nitty-gritty reasons you'd want a GPS in the first place. If your into clombing look for hte summit version of the etrex.

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