Garmin GPSMap 76S Waterproof Hiking GPS by Garmin
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Our Price: $1,168.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: GPS or Navigation System See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin GPSMap 76S Waterproof Hiking GPS
Digital camera Review: A very useful travel/navigation aid
Summary: 5 Stars
After 2-weeks of research I picked the Map 76S. I have had a Lowrance 100plus for about a year and was ready to move up. What a great move. The Map 76S is a very nice unit. With so many bells and whistles you don't know which to ring or blow first. I have had the unit for 2-weeks now and am getting to know it very well. Because of the amount of things the unit will do there is a learning curve. The documentation is very good and the quick start booklet had me operational in less than 5 mins. While I am a some what experienced GPS user, I think a novice could be operational in under 10 mins. I fully expect this unit to live up to its name.Digital camera Review: Excellent GPS Unit
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my third GPS unit, and it is by far the best. I tried the Garmin eTrex Vista and had problems with sensitivity to tree cover. I live near Sequoia National Park and routinely use the GPS units around "large" trees. I found that the eTrex Vista would lose the signal, or not acquire a signal to begin with, even in fairly large clearings.In comparison, the antenna in the GPSMAP 76S is much less affected by tree cover. The unit and its software are also much more sophisticated than the eTrex. Also, the function keys on the face of the 76S are easier to use in the field than the ClickStick on the Vista. The latter works o.k. when you are sitting at home, learning to use the machine. However, I found it frustrating to try to use the ClickStick while hiking: The darn thing often wouldn't "go" where I wanted it to on the screen, and the screen areas are fairly small and hard to see in sunlight.
Again, the screen and accessibility are much better on the 76S. The memory (24MB) is the same for both units. In summary, the eTrex wins the "cute" award, but the GPSMAP 76S is a much better piece of equipment and it is easily worth the higher initial cost.
Digital camera Review: Excellent hiking GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
My husband and I own several Garmin GPS units (Forerunner 201, GPSMap 76S) and Rino handheld radio+GPS units. For hiking, we prefer the Garmin GPSMap 76S -- waterproof, topographic mapping capability, good tree cover reception (if held/positioned horizontally), and great for downloading GPS tracks to the computer for trip reporting and future trip planning. The unit's built-in electronic compass is handy and easily calibrated by a couple slow turns in a circle until the unit indicates it's set. The built-in sensor allows the altimeter to be more accurate, adjusting for changes in barometric pressure.Digital camera Review: Excellent, versatile unit with some drawbacks.
Summary: 4 Stars
I highly recommend the 76s for anyone who is spending time in the remote, trackless outdoors. I've become lost a few times in southern Utah, perhaps the most difficult backcountry region in the world. I bought the 76s to record routes in case I need to backtrack to extricate myself from the canyon country, and I've been very impressed with how easy this system is to use. I only have two complaints: I have not been able to get near the 16 hours of battery life that Garmin advertises, even with the backlight off; and I can't get an accurate reading inside my truck, which at times has been more than a headache. Inside my truck the compass tends to freewheel and my route readings become useless. I have attempted to get information from Garmin, but they respond with more questions, and haven't been of much help so far. There are rooftop antenas available for other models, but I don't know of one for the 76s, and Garmin has yet to respond to that query. Overall, I'm happy with what is obviously a well-designed and usable receiver, and just wish that I could get some answers to my technical questions. Another note to drivers: the compass works only when the unit is held almost dead level. Try to find a place in your vehicle to mount the unit so that it is simultaneously level and visable from the driver's seat. I haven't found a good spot yet.The unit is very solidly built, durable, and has survived two falls already. Garmin says it's waterproof, but Utah isn't a good test for this feature.
I would appreciate any accurate feedback on whether or not a rooftop antena will imrove the compass function...is the compass magnetic, or does it use sattelite data to get oriented? Garmin hasn't answered this question.
Digital camera Review: Feeling "lost" trying to find the right GPS? Look no more!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not the type of person who buys a product without careful considerations. In fact, it took well over a week of comparing prices, technical data, research, and reading several reviews of various GPS units before I finally decided that the Garmin 76S is perhaps the best of the handheld on the market. My decision to buy the 76S was based on three reasons. First, I believe it is the best value for the money. Second, it has the most memory of all the handhelds. Finally, is simply it's durability.It was on a Canada fishing trip when I first realized that I had to have one of these units. My friend and I missed a chance to go on a fly in fishing trip with some friends. However, being so determined, using a Garmin Map 76, we drove to Canada, then the Map 76 pointed us to an old logging road which we drove for about an hour. Once we got to the end of the logging road, we had to paddle a canoe for about 45 minutes across a lake. When we got across the lake we had to hike about four miles over a mountainous ridge to reach the edge of another lake where our friends radioed us and picked us up. The fishing was ever so great! But we really could have never done the trip without a GPS.
Anyway, back to the review. I narrowed it down to three units to purchase: the Garmin Map 76, the Garmin V, and the Garmin Map 76S. Consider the price. True, the Map 76 is cheaper but it does not have all the features of the 76S (the "S" stands for sensors like electronic compass and barometric pressure I think). Not to say these extra features are much greater than the MAP 76, but it is nice to have them just for the extra "fluff".
Secondly, the MAP 76 is only capable of downloading 8MB of information compared to the whopping 24MB of of the MAP 76S. This means that it would take three MAP 76 to equal the memory of one MAP 76S. To give you an idea of how much 8MB of information is, my friend could only load half the state of Colorado onto his MAP 76. As far as the GPS V goes, it holds 19 MB of information. If your are planning a trip by auto and you have only one destination, then the MAP 76 should suffice. But if you are planning a trip and have several destinations, you may find the extra memory in the MAP 76S to be helpful.
Finally, consider the durability. The MAP 76 and 76S are very durable. They both float! The GPS V is waterproof but only up to about 3.3 feet of water. This is fine if you just plan on wading. But mostly what I did not like about the GPS V was the crazy looking antenna that sticks out perpendicular to the unit. I just knew in my clumsy and reckless ways that the antenna would only last so long before I would break it off somehow on a mountain bike flip or something else.
So take into consideration the best value for your money, available memory, and durability and just plain common sense and purchase a MAP 76S. I hope this review will help you "find" the right choice!