Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $369.99 You Save: $166.00 (31%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $320.00 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator
Customer Review: First GPS unit and completely stunned
Summary: 5 Stars
We purchased this unit primarily for Geocaching and thus far it's been amazing. The accuracy is incredible. We currently use my iPhone and the [...] iPhone application for instant maps to get get close (so no need to upgrade (yet) to the street maps).
Mac support thus far has been great. The geocaching web site has worked with Garmin to create a browser plug-in so I can update and load cach coordinates directly from the site. There is also a MacCaching application (to purchase) that you can load GPX files output from the web site.
The only disappointing issue I have run in to (as some others have noted) is that the MiniSD card is only for purchased maps, no external GPX file support at all via the MiniSD card. You have to connect to a computer to load GPX files.
Downloading waypoints and caches is limited to ~200 because of internal memory capacity.
UPDATE: 3/1/2009: The 200 limit isn't true if you update the SD card. I purchased a 2 GB card and have nearly an unlimited number of caches I can load. There are several Mac programs you can get that allow you to move GPX, LOC, and other file types to/from the unit. Garmin also provides a POILoader application that can do this for you as well. Garmin also has an application called RoadTrip for the Mac that manages routes, maps, waypoints and other features this Windows MapSource has had for a while. Point being, if you have a Mac, Garmin has equivalent products.
I've also purchased the 2009 Street Maps for North America and have them installed on the unit. From a functional perspective, they work as stated and can get you to where you need, however, if you are used to the Garmin units you typically see in rental cars then you may be disappointed. Even after speaking with Garmin, the underlying software may be the same, but the interface is no where near what you'd expect. Again, functionally it works, but the quality of graphics isn't what you may be used to and the unit also doesn't speak the directions, it beeps.
Customer Review: Wonderful Portable GPS Unit
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the GPSMAP 60SCx almost 2 years ago and it has not disappointed me yet. I bought it for hiking and as a GPS on my motorcycle (with handlebar mount) and I think it handles both applications marvelously. It has traveled cross country on my bike, flown from Massachusetts to Hawaii (yes, it works in an airplane), and used for every vacation trip we have taken since the summer of 2007.
I originally purchased it with a 2gb memory chip (when memory was much more expensive) because I knew the 64mb chip would not cut it for my map use and I did not want to keep loading and unloading maps. The entire US/Canada mapset uses just about 950mb. So that gave me plenty of extra space for waypoints, tracks and routes. I don't think I ever used more than about 65% of the entire SD memory capacity.
Recently, I began to wonder what the limitation on the SD memory was and because memory is so cheap, I tried an 8Gb chip ($15). I was told that 2Gb was the limit but not so. The Card Info option shows that I am now using about 16% of the memory with the entire mapset loaded and my usual set of local waypoints and tracks. It is probably overkill but I guess if I were to get the marine maps and the topo maps too - hey, why be limited. I haven't tried a 16gb chip (yet) but I can't see why it wouldn't work too. What about having the whole world available in memory.
Oh, and while I would not try this on purpose, the unit did get dumped into the ocean by accident last summer. It floated to the surface and was no worse for the wear. I just rinsed it off with fresh water and it kept on 'tickin'. And as for breaking down due to vibration, I can say that being mounted to a motorcycle handlebar might qualify for being a fairly good test for vibration durability, and 2 years of riding with this bugger in all kinds of weather and in the pothole capital (the northeast) seems to me to be a good testimony of this unit's ability to endure. But then, I can only tell you about my experience.
Customer Review: Comparison with GPSMAP 60CS: Worth upgrading
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a GPSMAP 60CS by which I live or die, and now this 60CSx. Bottom line: Much better reception, and the MiniSD card lets it hold the whole US worth of road maps and several states worth of Topo maps. I believe these alone make it worth doing the upgrade. Other than that, it has about the same "look and feel" so if you can use the 60CS, you'll be fluent with the 60CSx in about 30 seconds.
A few minor gripes:
1. Mapsource is quite slow to process 2GB worth of maps. Maybe an hour just to compute the index. I guess they need to improve it to scale its performance to the new generation of Garmin GPS units.
2. Rate of climb still only has feet/minute and various metric scales. For hiking it really really needs feet/hour. Seems like this would be an easy firmware upgrade (Garmin, are you listening??)
3. You still can't tell the altimeter to use GPS altitude, rather than barometric pressure. This is inconvenient when using the GPS in a pressurized aircraft cabin, because you can't get a neat log of the altitude history of the flight.
My 60CS could not get a lock in my living room, unless I use an external antenna. The 60CSx not only gets the lock, but can get the WAAS sat as well: no mean trick here, it's quite low on the horizon. The 60CS could only do that outside with external antenna or with an exceptional view without the external antenna. The 60CSx maintains lock in my BASEMENT, the 60CS doesn't even pretend to down there. So the CSx has much better reception in a practical sense. I haven't gotten it out into the trees yet, but I'm pretty sure it will do much better there as well.
One of the reviewers said you can't access the SD card to store data anyway so seeing its size does not matter. Actually, if you read the manual where it describes "Interface setup" on page 68, you'll see you actually can mount the SD card as a "disk" on your computer (PC or Mac) and then write or read arbitrary files.
So get it. You will be pleased.
Customer Review: this is the one to beat
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently upgraded to the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx from the Garmin GPSmap 76s. I did quite a lot of navigating with the old unit, and found it to be an outstanding GPS unit; but like all GPS users, I tired of losing accuracy or even complete sat signal under heavy forest canopy and the like. In fact, that is the sole reason that I upgraded. The color screen is an added bonus, as it is much easier to read in harsh sunlight. I have yet to encounter a situation where I have lost sat signal with this unit. With the old unit, I couldn't get a single sat locked in when inside my home. Now I can lock on at least eight and get pinpoint accuracy, which is useful when searching for the car keys. Seriously, the sensitivity of the new chip set translates to more accurate sat geometry and in turn, better accuracy. If you live in a place without trees or canyons, you probably don't need this. If you frequently find yourself in the midst of either, this unit really is worth the money. Another nice upgrade on this unit is the removable data cards. With a one-gig card, I have TOPO USA loaded (almost the entire central US) and ALL of TOPO 24K (national parks)Central, and I still have plenty of room to spare. Quite a difference from the old unit. There are other bells and whistles that are not so different from the older units in the S series (sensors: digi compass, barometer) that I still find useful. I have seen that a few folks have griped about the fact that there is no longer an alarm clock and that it doesn't come pre-loaded with all of the digitized topographical or metro maps. Most folks do a bit of research before spending 500.00 on an item, but if you don't have the time for that, you could have read the outside of the box it comes in, or asked the salesperson. The upside is, if you're upgrading, you likely already have one of the mapsource products, and they work in this unit just fine, except now you'll see them in color.
This is a solid unit with supreme accuracy and an uber-sensitive chipset. Well done, Garmin.
Customer Review: Reliability in the palm of your hand!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned a lot of hand held GPS units in the past 15 years, starting with Trimble, Nexus, Magellan and many Garmin units. I used these for recreation but wanted to use them for search and rescue. I am a paid Captain with a fire department in Western North Carolina that does lots of searches in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because of our steep, deep and heavily vegetated terrain, no GPS has been more than another navigation aid to confirm basic map and compass locations. (Don't get me started on how important map and compass skills are; you simply have to have them.)
That was true until I spent the $300.00 for a Garmin 60 CSx. This unit works like a charm and so far I have never lost a signal for more than two minutes when on foot. I can throw this unit in my pack or side pocket of my pants and still pull in 6-9 satellites, for that matter I receive 5-6 in my office at the fire department!
Add a 1GB memory card and the 1:100,000 topo maps from Map Source and the GPS is a great tool for any outdoor endeavor. I have most of the east coast loaded on my one card. The altimeter is as accurate as any GPS I have used and the electronic compass is a very useful upgrade. The screens can be customized as needed and for those of us who use 1:24000 topo maps, the 60 CSx will allow you to display UTM coordinates on the same screen as Latitude / Longitude so we can call in aircraft or boats as needed, eliminating having to convert between the two. The symbols library is very Emergency Service friendly with ICS symbols as well as tons of other markers for waypoints and routes. Battery life is great and the backlight works wonderfully as well.
Overall this is a huge improvement over the earlier generations of GPS handhelds. My two wishes are for a true fitted custom case to mount on a backpack, and for map software compatibility with Maptech or Topo! State series using 1:24000 scale digital maps.
Folks, this is the best money I have spent in a long time on a piece of outdoor gear.