Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS
by Garmin
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS
Customer Review: Finest Upgrade Available from Garmin
Summary: 5 Stars
I won't waste your time if you are a previous Garmin user. I upgraded from an EMap, bought in 2001, that has served quite well. However, after all that time there are features one desires that scream for an upgrade. Yes, the color screen, the USB capability, far larger (and commercially available) Micro SD Memory, improved maps all contribute to the many reasons to buy. This is the tops, absolutely.
However, I saw this was coming out about 6 months ago and I waited. Why? The "H" in "HCx" stands for high-sensitivity. From my EMap experiences, I knew that GPS units were very sensitive to signal. My old EMap literally had to sit on the dashboard of the car on road trips, sitting in the sun, and sometimes still losing satellites. Well, friend, that's all over.
My HCx arrived today, and I opened the box, securing two AA batteries, and turned the unit on after about 45 seconds of perusing the Quick Start Guide. Sitting in a concrete building (dormitory, with a steel door, the HCx immediately began acquiring satellites and within mere seconds had found three...inside my little "bunker". Impressed? You couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I set a waypoint for Home - in the room - and then trudged over to work. Entering another concrete building, the signal strength was still fine and I set a waypoint at my desk. I marveled over the `track" I had wandered on the way to work, zooming in to 20 ft. resolution.
Friends, this is fantastic technology. The unit is small, comfortable to operate, feels solid, well-actuated controls and is far faster to acquire satellites than my expectations.. Needless to say, it's worth every penny. It fits in my shirt pocket, not a great deal larger than a pack of cigarettes, and it is the best thing I've spent money on since the thrill of buying a VIC-20 PC at K-Mart in 1985. And a lot of technology has been issued (and passed through my hands) since then. I admit it - I'm geek - I carry daily 3 phones, a digital camera and a Space Pen.
Buy this unit. Amazon's price is current market price, so don't feel compelled to shop - I did and it was a huge headache to attempt to save $20. Your time is worth far more - don't delay another day. Hands-down, it is the one to buy, and you will be on cutting edge for several more years.
You will not be disappointed.
Customer Review: Great upgrade - very happy!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my third eTrex GPS receiver, and each has been a worthwhile upgrade. I started with a Legend about 4 years ago, which I thought was great at the time. A couple of years ago I bought a Legend Cx, and this provided me with the added benefits of a colour screen, expandable memory, a longer battery life and, somewhat surprisingly, a significantly better receiver - I could get a good signal under tree cover, unlike before, and even a fix inside my one-storey house, despite it not having the new SirF3 chip. I was in two minds about upgrading to the HCx model, as the only gain would be an even more sensitive receiver (but a slightly poorer battery life). So, I opted to change from the Legend to the Vista to increase functionallity. I think it was a good choice because the extra sensitivity, and quicker processing speed, seems significant and worthwhile.
The main complaints about the eTrex models appear to concern the lack of a good inbuilt map, and the extra cost of the associated Garmin-specific software needed to put this right. While these may be valid criticisms, they should not come as a surprise to anybody who has done their homework. If your main interest is in street navigation, an eTrex model is not your best option; try one of the Nuvi models, if you want to stick with Garmin. This is prinicpally an outdoor device to aid hikers: light, small, robust and tells you where you are (in terms of latitude and longitude, or local grid coordinates); it's best used in conjunction with a good topographical map, rather then being something that replaces it. The inbuilt base-map (of interstates, main roads and rivers) is only there to provide a basic reference, not for detailed navigation. The functionality of the device can be greatly enhanced by buying additional maps (whose price can be comparable with the receiver itself!), but there are several different types depending on your needs: roads/towns, topographic or marine. You can preview them (free) on the Garmin cite before you buy them, to make sure that your choice meets your needs.
Customer Review: FANTASTIC
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are reading this and the other reviews of the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx then you are doing your homework and wondering if this GPS is as good as all the hype makes it out to be. The short answer is YES! I have an old Garmin 12 Map which has served me well, but was getting a bit long in the tooth. I wanted something a bit smaller, lighter, with color screen and was water tight. The Vista HCx meets all of these needs and so many more. It is small in size, but with a fairly big and bright screen (easily readable in the sun) for its size.
Every review I read touted the extra sensitive antenna and how it picked up and locked onto satellites inside of homes or buildings. Well I can honestly tell you that it does all this and does it quick. How this happens it Garmin magic. I was always told you had to have line of sight to pick up satellites, but not in the case of the Vista HCx, it can get them just about anywhere short of being in a bunker.
The menu is intuitive and easy to navigate, so much more that my old Garmin 12 map. The long story short, this little GPS is the one for everyone else to beat. If you are seriously considering a GPS purchase for hiking or navigating the back country, do not look elsewhere, this is the one to get!
The base maps in the Vista HCx are of course upgradeable through additional accessories purchases from Garmin (at substantial cost), but worth the money. How Garmin managed to pack so much into so little a package is a mystery to me. Do yourself a favor, stop reading the review and just buy one, you will not be disappointed.
BTW, I purchased mine through Amazon.com and took advantage of the free shipping. It arrived four days ahead of when it was scheduled to arrive which was a nice surprise. Amazon has a very good price and I have always been happy with my purchases through them. And no I am not getting paid to say these nice things about Amazon, I am just a very satisfied customer.
Dan...
Customer Review: Vast Improvements over Earlier Models
Summary: 5 Stars
Having owned, used, and been extremely pleased with the eTrex Vista C for a number of years, I was a bit disturbed by needing to purchase a new upgraded unit to take advantage of maps of New Zealand (live in USA). However, I was totally surprised by features advertised, but irrelevant to my upgrade purchase: the Vista HCx's dramatically improved sensitivity and seemingly resultant improved accuracy. I went heli-skiing in New Zealand with the HCx zipped up in a pocket of my ski jacket to record my tracks. Track accuracy for my skiing as displayed on Google Earth was phenomenal, much better than anything I had seen with my Vista C. Using the old Vista C inside a vehicle, I had to keep the unit on the dash with a view of the sky through the windshield to maintain lock on the satellites and hence my location and track. The Vista HCx maintains track with good accuracy continuously sitting on the lap of a passenger inside a vehicle. This helps tremendously when you need a passenger to help with navigation in a city with which you are not familiar (both the Vista HCx and Vista C can be used for city navigation, but they are optimized operationally for trail use).
So, if you have been happy with the Vista C, and it is a few years old, you probably will find an upgrade to the Vista HCx well worth it, especially with the prices you can get through Amazon. Any maps you had for the Vista C will work with the Vista HCx, and you can use all the NT (New Technology) maps now available and supported by Garmin. I have really enjoyed both the better sensitivity and increased storage (2 Gbytes on a micro-SD card - <$10 now) for maps with the HCx. Nothing appears to have changed operationally between the two units, so there is nothing new to learn to use the new HCx. Interestingly however, the software seems to have improved in efficiency. An upgrade that is worth it.
Customer Review: Great little unit
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read all of the earlier reviews and agree with all the "pros" listed - for the amount of features, ease of use and , size, ability to lock on a signal - there is no better GPSr in this price range.
I am an avid hiker, nature photographer and geocacher and I like to be able to recall my trips - document sites, features and sightings etc. This unit didn't let me down. Last weekend I took a day trip that included four different parks along a river system with high bluffs and DEEP ravines - in the car and on the ground, this unit never missed a beat, never lost signal lock.
The unit was located in many places - in hand, in the cup holder of a van, in a zipped fanny pack, clipped to a belt, and at lunch, on the table at a tavern - not a problem, never lost signal. :) My last unit was a Garmin Vista Cx - this unit is MUCH better - better lock and faster draw.
As far as the "cons" I've read - there are few and most are related to the price of maps, the accuracy of the maps or the manual.
Concerning the price of the maps - there is no unit that comes close, at this price, (even considering the price of buying the maps) to this unit in speed and accuracy of plot. Anyone that did ANY research would know that maps are not part of the base price (not that I like or approve).
The accuracy of the maps themselves, as far as roads are concerned, is poor (topo maps) - in my area there are major freeway junctions that have not been updated for over twenty years. The topo maps, however, are not bad - if you need road info, get the City Navigator maps.
The manual I recieved with the Vista HCx is deficient, find and D/L the manual for the Vista Cx.
The Garmin Vista HCx is a great, small, versatile GPSr that will do what you need.