Garmin GPS III Waterproof Hiking GPS by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin GPS III Waterproof Hiking GPS
Digital camera Review: Great Gadget!
Summary: 5 Stars
I think that this is THE greatest "Gadget" that I have ever owned! I purchased this product about 8 months ago, and I'm still having fun using it. I currently live in Tokyo, Japan, so I can't really use the base map features, but I used it to find out how far I jog. Since I don't have a car, this has been great. Not only that, I can see my average speed while jogging, in KPH, or MPH. My wife is Japanese, and she doesn't understand miles and feet, so this is a great feature to be able to switch to the metrics system. I used it in Seattle, WA this year, and the US Map data was enough for me to NEVER get lost. It didn't show 2ndary streets, but I could always find my way back to the highway. When I left the hotel, I just marked it as waypoint, and I was guaranteed that I could not get lost. I also purchased the MapSource CD for US Roads, and used it in New Orleans, LA, and it worked great. I needed to use the restroom on the trip and I just hovered the pointer over the next highway exit, and it told me that it had a restroom there. It was right! If you have this product with the Map Source CD, you will never need another map as long as you live because you will always know where you are. It is like holding a map in your hands all the time, but watching yourself move on the map! I could go on and on and on, but you get the point, just BUY IT, YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!Digital camera Review: Great Product
Summary: 4 Stars
I have used this product for a few months now and absolutely love it. However, if you are primarily doing steet navigation, I would suggest moving up to the Steet Pilot which has a larger screen and color. The Garmin III is more than suitable for street navigation, but the screen size and lack of color can get old pretty quick.Digital camera Review: Great Unit
Summary: 5 Stars
I have this baby attached to my dash with velcro and have found it to be a great help in the city and in the country. I also use it hiking in the mountains. It's pretty handy for that as long as you keep the antenna high enough. I ended up sewing velcro to the shoulder strap of my backpack and mouted it with the antenna pointing up. Battery life is amazing and the accuracy is pretty good in the car. I usually get a good fix on 6 satellites from my car and that gives me position to about 60 feet--more than enough to tell what road you're on.Digital camera Review: Great product
Summary: 4 Stars
I own Garmin GPS III Plus for over 6 months and I love it. I purchased it with the cartridge for Columbus, GA and it is very detailed and precise. Too many Pros to list - simply a great unit. Some cons: - Sometimes (10% of the time) it is up to couple hundred feet off, which may at times put you on a different street. - There are several newer streets missing, but more then 95% of even the small streets and roads are there. - You can fairly easily locate your destination, but Garmin doesn't calculate any suggested way of getting there. It only shows straight line from where you are to your destination. But I was able to calculate my trip from Columbus to Tampa using StreetAtlas USA and upload to Garmin (special cable required)Garmin posted some software updates for this unit but I don't know if they solve any of the above issues. At the time I bought it, Garmin didn't sell the US Map on a CD-ROM (MapSource) and blank cartridges to create your own maps; now they do.
Digital camera Review: Great tool for on-the-fly navigation
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased the Garmin GPS III+ with the idea of using it on my BMW R1100RT motorcycle for "on-the-fly" navigation and related functions. This review is targeted at this specialized use.Negatives:
Relatively small screen size; Unit can only download 4 detailed maps at a time; Need PC to download map information; Distraction from road*
Positives:
Accurate speed measurement (speedo is WAY optimistic on my bike); Location information is fantastic; Waypoints help trip planning; Unit is water resistant; The Garmin MapSource Software is pretty good
Personally, the Garmin GPS III+ meets my needs. Some fellow riders are using the Street Pilot model for its larger screen, but I doubt that it is as rugged as the GPS III+ - I often get caught out in the rain. I use it in my trip planning, while on the road, and after I return home. It allows me the flexibility of exploring unknown and new areas, can be unplugged from the bike and used while hiking, and is just plain cool. Keep in mind that it is a tempting target for thieves, so if you decide to use it in this manner, take the unit with you and never leave it on the bike.
The complete parts list (note that Amazon.com does not carry ALL of the listed accessories) needed to duplicate my installation is:
Garmin GPS III+, Garmin MapSource Software, Garmin Power/Data Cable, Garmin Dash Mount Bracket, and an RCU Shelf ...
First, I had my local dealer connect the hardwired power cable to the back of the dash accessory plug. The connector is routed through the inside of the fairing and out near the windshield. Next, I drilled the appropriate holes for the screws and attached the Garmin Dash Mount Bracket base to the RCU shelf (I decided NOT to use the supplied Velcro). Then, I attached the RCU shelf to the motorcycle. The rest is relatively easy, attach the GPS to the Dash Mount using the supplied screw and then connect the power cable. That's it! The GPS is high enough that I don't have to take my eyes off the road very far for a quick scan and works very well... There has been much discussion on the Internet BMW Riders site ... surrounding the use of devices which may distract the rider from the mission at hand; safe riding. Those riders who do decide to use such a device should exercise extreme caution and never fixate on any instrument or control.