Garmin GPS 76CSX Handheld GPS with Barometric Altimeter and Electronic Compass
by Garmin
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin GPS 76CSX Handheld GPS with Barometric Altimeter and Electronic Compass
Customer Review: sat lock even in old growth redwoods
Summary: 5 Stars
I upgraded to this machine from an 5 year old garmin vista. It excels in every respect and I wish that I would have purchased it when it first hit the market. I tested it out by taking it to redwood national park and driving the parkway and hiking through the redwoods. never once did the trackline waver or did the gps loose the sat connection. it seems that the SiRF chip does the job very well. Which is way better that the old vista which lost sats immediately upon entering the canopy.
The USB cable is much faster than the old serial cable. 10 MB of data takes about a minute instead of 30 minutes or more.
The screen paints very quickly. In a blink or two.
What don't I like: The scroll button in the center is rather hard to push and I often have to push it twice for it to read my entry.
Features I wish it had (in case Garmin is listening): the 12XL (my first GPS) had a screen which sorted in real-time the closest waypoints this is a handy feature and I used it frequently for finding the midpoint between 2 or more waypoints. It would be nice to have this feature in the 76 series. Also if the unit had bluetooth to wirelessly exchange data with a computer that would be nice too. It would be nice if the Sun and Moon screen included bearing and azimuth to those extra-terrestrial bodies.
Customer Review: Worth trading your 76CS in for
Summary: 5 Stars
If, like me a few months ago, you have a 76CS and are wondering whether to replace it with the 76CSx, I recommend doing so.
The 76CSx is surprisingly improved over the 76CS. I noticed that . . . .
1. The antenna is much stronger. The 76CSx pulls in satellite signals inside my house.
2. The annoying "hold level" warning on the compass page no longer appears. I guess Garmin has solved that issue.
3. The batteries stay in place even with severe use (in my case, on the handlebar of my mountain bike as I traverse rough terrain). With the 76CS and 76S, I had to install bubble wrap inside the battery cover to get the batteries to stay in contact. On the 76CSx, the batteries have not dislodged. To extract them, I've found it's better to roll them out than to try to pull them out.
4. The unit will draw power from your computer via the USB cable.
In sum, I am very glad that I bought the 76CSx and sold my 76CS. I have one suggestion. The screen could easily be scratched on my prior Garmin GPS receivers. This time, before venturing out of the house with the 76CSx, I overlaid a clear plastic InvisibleShield film that I had bought from a company called Zagg. On my very first outing, I crashed my bike, flying through some sharp branches and twigs. The screen was unblemished.
Customer Review: Awesome and Highly Accurate!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the 76CSx to use on my boat along with some BlueChart software for my local areas. The unit is tough, very accurate and provides an awesome set of features that make it one of the best, if not the best, handheld GPS on the market today in this price range. Battery life is good and the unit is definitely water resistant. It gets hammered by salt water on the boat quite often and its still going strong. It can pinpoint my position accurately, even in overcast and rainy conditions inside my house. The BlueChart marine maps are also good quality and have kept me safe and positioned accurately whenever I am out on the boat, in all weather conditions.
I have also used it for Geocaching and it has some great features for that activity too, being able to interface directly to geocaching.com to download geocache locations/co-ordinates.
The color screen is bright and has enough resolution for accurate reference. It also can provide street by street directions with appropriate auto maps installed, but doesn't provide voice alerts for turns etc. Nonetheless, this GPS is far more versatile than car navigation systems as it is portable and can handle many different activities very well. Highly recommended!
Customer Review: Excellent piece of equipment
Summary: 5 Stars
My etrex vista was nice and compact and worked fine at sea. But it was useless in the forest, just couldn't receive satellite signals, even in light tree cover.
I read about the new 'chip' in the newer models, and wanted a unit with an external antennae.
I got my map76csx and promptly took it on a serious hike. Performed better than I hoped for. It worked perfectly. I did use an external antennae from Gillson, and had multiple signals even in very heavy tree cover.
At home, I can take the unit outside and get the signal, then come inside (I live in the tropics in a concrete house) and still retain my signals.
BEST OF ALL..... my garmin was in a backpack along with other gear for an overnight camp, the backpack took a 230 foot fall to a rocky floor. The backpack was destroyed, my video camera, stainless steel coffe mug, tins of tuna and sardines were all mangled -literally- into balls of crumpled metal. Everything was completely destroyed....except my garmin!!
I was delighted and shocked that it came out unscathed and turned right on.
It's tougher than nails!
I highly recommend the unit.
Extreme adventurer
Customer Review: One SATISFIED customer!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I want to echo the praises of my fellow-reviewers by saying this is one top-notch GPS system!! My wife and I went hiking up the North Shore of Lake Superior last week and the 76CSx exceeded our expectations. It acquired the satellite signals quickly and never lost them, even in very deep woods; the screen was bright and detailed; the trip odometer and altimeter were amazingly accurate; and after hours of hiking the batteries (Energizer rechargables) were still going strong.
I will add that I purchased a MicroSD card of the Upper Midwest and we were quite pleased at the amount of detail it shows. I would highly recommend going this route versus buying blank SD cards and going through the hassle of downloading topo maps. It may cost a bit more, but all things considered it is the most practical way to go.
The ONLY downside is the size; I wish it were as small as the Vista or the newer Colorado. But with all of the excellent features (including it being waterproof and having the ability to float...we will be using ours on kayak trips as well) and the hard-to-beat price, I believe the 76CSx gives you the best "bang for the buck."