Garmin GPS Receiver

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

I’m not one of those extreme high-end geocachers. I just love a walk in the woods. However, I want to find the cache when I go to look for it. Last year I upgraded from a Garmin Explorer to a 60CSX and was in love. Unfortunately that got stolen. I’ve saved my money and now have the Colorado 400t. It’s everything my 60CSX was and more. The new rocker control is a lot easier to use than the controls on the 60CSX or the Explorer. The accuracy is fantastic. With the City maps plugged in the road navigation is wonderful. This really is the best GPS unit I’ve used for hiking & caching. I’m really impressed with the ability to swap between profiles, using the Automotive until I hit the trail and then switching back to the Geocaching mode. Start up time & satellite acquisition are good. They’re now supporting SD instead of the mini-SD cards and that’s a good choice on Garmin’s part. A lot of the new interfaces are improved over the old ones plus, like the old ones they’re customizable.
Like everyone else, the fact that only one cache at a time is visible is a pain, but all the other features quickly wash that away. I haven’t found the maps to be inaccurate, but then I mainly use it for off-road hiking and the hills, mountains & streams are pretty solidly in place, even in Massachusetts. It is a little dim in bright sunlight.
Despite these small shortcomings, this is a wonderful GPS unit. I intend to get years of use (and hang on to it more tightly).

UPDATE: Garmin released a software patch that fixed the problem with displaying multiple cache’s. That’s one less of the few and small negatives to worry about. I’m still loving this GPS unit.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

I bought this item with the understanding it had flaws. It is a new line, and it is a big step to take. Almost like moving from Windows 98 to Windows XP. It takes a lot of getting used to, and it is cumbersome to set up. I spent over 3 hours backing up the maps that come on the unit (not viewable on the PC, but do back it up because if lost they are not recoverable), customizing the “profiles,” and rearranging the shortcuts to an actual usable rotation.

The unit runs off of shortcuts, rather than buttons on the front of the unit (like to 60C series). One button pulls up a menu of options to scroll through. You can change profiles to bring up different sets of shortcuts and settings.

I.e. I start in Automotive, which has a map viewed form above, with on-road auto-nav to a location near a geocache. Once I find a parking spot, I press the shortcuts button, and change to “geocaching” profile. It automatically switches to 3d topographical, “off-road” map that I follow to the cache. When I get close I shortcut to the option of compass o get right to it.

I have not had the bad experience of draining batteries. I accidentally left it on the first night after using it, and even after caching with the backlight periodically on, it still had bars left on the gauge the next morning.

Accuracy is not an issue (it is quite phenominal, 7-10ft 90% of the time) and I get full strength GPS signal inside the middle of my house (never ever got that with my 60CS).

The basemap roads are off significantly, but since I purchased the city-nav software with the unit, I only had to deal with the basemap for the ride home from where I bought it . 80ft accuracy on the topography mapping is not so hot when driving (which side of the knoll am I on?), but when hiking it is more than accurate enough with the path tracking turned on (if 80ft off gets you lost while hiking, you probably shouldn’t be hiking off the path).

The geocaching options are fabulous, being able to view the full name, description, previous logs, and an option to view the hint is great.

My only complaints are that geocaches don’t show on the maps (only waypoints do). You can’t edit/delete/mark-as-found geocaches at all. The marketing for this unit is a complete lie when they say “bright display even in the sunlight”. Truth be told, on a sunny day like today, even in the shade, with the backlight fully on, it is hard to see the details on the screen. Also, only certain mini-usb chargers will charge the unit. The one I use to charge my cell phone puts the unit into “computer linking” mode rather than as a power supply (rendering it unusable as a GPS). Other phone charges work fine for some reason, there must be a difference between Type-A mini USB and Type-B mini USB that the unit is sensitive too, while most cell phones and the like are not.

Overall with the 400t, city nav 2008, the dash mount (60cs version doesn’t fit), new car charger and protective case, it came to a ridiculously high cost, but understand this: I would buy it again. If you do so, just remember that the effort you put into setting it up to fit your needs makes a huge difference. Take the time to learn it inside and out and you will experience how the complexity of it turns into versatility and enjoyment.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

This would be a fantastic unit if the accuracy was there. The Geocaching functionality is great, the 3D topo maps are beautiful for a base map, and the unit is fun to use. Compared to Garmin’s star product, the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS, it’s a little harder to figure out how to do various things such as enter a route, and figure out the distance between two points. I would have kept the unit if only it were accurate. I had trouble finding a cache and noticed the location of the cache kept bouncing all over the place. I started to test the unit by taking a reading and checking it against Google Earth and Nat Geo Topo! software, as well as another GPSr. It was off by as much as 400 ft, and only as close as 40 ft. I also tested it with a few known benchmarks. At that point I did some research to determine if there was some calibration I could do to solve the problem, and found that other people have experienced the same problem. Several people reported it as a recurring problem cured by a power reset. My guess is the new chip Garmin put into the Colorado is not as reliable as the SiRF Star III chip used in the past. If that is the case, an update will not cure the problem. I personally want a unit I can rely on and needed to purchase now, so I exchanged it for the well regarded but older Garmin 60CSx, which contains the trusted SiRF Star III chip. If you really want the new features and can hold off buying, I recommend you wait until the accuracy has been tested by consumers for a longer period of time. If you don’t mind an occasional reset, and having to guess if your unit is giving you accurate readings or not, this is a good GPSr.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

I’ve had my 400t for a couple of weeks now and have had it on several day hikes. I’ve also used it in the car hooked up with the car kit. Overall, I’m very pleased with my purchase. Is it perfect? No, but the last firmware update dealt with the most egregious issues and it seems to be improving all the time. The shaded topo maps are great-looking and extra features like those for geocaching are a welcome addition. The rock-and-roll controller works well when operating the unit with one hand.

I would suggest using either high-capacity (2500 mA or higher) NimH or lithium batteries for maximum battery life. In addition, make certain to set the battery type correctly. If set incorrectly, the unit may indicate low battery, even when the batteries have life left in them.

My biggest complaint is the woeful inadequacy of the manual. It is more of a quick start guide than a detailed manual. There is an online Wiki that can be helpful, but Garmin should release a much better document.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

The Garmin Colorado is the third Garmin outdoor handheld which I’ve owned in the last ten years. I use GPSs for geocaching, hiking, boating and auto navigation and I have used the Garmin Colorado in all of these activities. Currently I have the Topo maps which come pre-installed on the unit and I also have the City Navigator North America NT 2009 driving maps installed. This review was written based on the Software version 2.51 and GPS Software 2.4.

I purchased the unit in January when it first came out. The first four months, like with many new tech products, have been bumpy. So far there have been 3 software releases which have made things much better but there is still much room for improvement. Overall I’ll give the Colorado 3 out of 5 stars but I would recommend holding off on any purchase right now. Read on for more details.

First the good stuff.
- Paperless geocaching mode. Works very well and eliminates the need to carry paper or a Palm/PPC.
- Compact well balanced case and design. The design feels sturdy and fits well in your hand.
- Lots of memory and preloaded map data. This handheld has 4GB of internal memory (2.7GB used by Topo2008 maps) and you can expand with an SD card. I use an 8GB San Disk card.
- Profiles allow you to save and recall configuration depending on your mode of use (e.g. auto or hiking) or by user if there are multiple users.
- Big, high resolution screen as compared to most handhelds
- Autorouting. The Colorado was based on a Nuvi platform so I guess it makes sense that it is pretty good at autorouting using the optional City Navigator maps. No speech and no touch screen but it makes a decent unit if you don’t have money for both.

Mixed bag.

- User interface. The Rock’n Roller and soft key entry method works pretty well for most tasks except text entry. Text entry is very time consuming and I avoid it whenever possible. Garmin has improved some aspects of the user interface by making it more simple but in the process they have removed many of the nice shortcuts available on the 60csx series that “expert users” enjoyed. Context sensitive setup options are a prime example. On the 60csx when you entered something like the altimeter page you could easily access the setup and calibration functions, not so on the Colorado. The result is a simpler interface for new users but a much less optimized interface for power users.

The not so good.

- Screen brightness. As compared to the 60cs(x) the screen is hard to read and you’ll need to use the backlighting more frequently.
- Battery life. You’ll need to use NiMH batteries and you’ll need to use good ones, 2500 mAh or more. If you are willing to invest in these batteries and a good charger you’ll still only get about 10hrs out of a pair.
- GPS accuracy. A lot of debate on this issue but personally I believe the unit isn’t as stable and mature as the Sirf receiver in the 60csx. There are times when the unit wonders and has errors in the 400-500′ range. Unfortunately recovery is slow and sometimes power cycling is the fastest way to get it back to normal.
- Waterproofness. IPX7 rated but many reports of leakage. This may be a design flaw or just a issue with early units, time will tell.
- There are many (mostly minor) software features (as of v2.51) that you will find on the 60csx but not the Colorado including waypoint averaging, search from a location on the map, search by waypoint symbol, calendar based recording of events, personalized startup screen, night/day mode, custom waypoint symbols, proximity alarms, viewing multiple tracks on map page and trackback. Some of this will probably be added over time but the list is pretty long so I’m sure some won’t.

And the big issue:

- Hardware issues. I’ve watched a lot of the forums and news groups associated with the Colorado and many early owners have had to exchange their units two, three and in some cases even four times. The issues vary and are well documented but for this reason alone I would suggest holding off on a purchase for at least a few months until Garmin gets the formula right.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

This is a great unit; very accurate and easy to use. Be prepared to spend a little while getting used to the menu layout as some items you might expect to appear under one menu appear under another menu entry. But apart from the small “learning curve” this is a very nice GPS unit. The roller-style control is very easy to use and the “tracks” feature is particularly well developed in this unit. The only real issue is that the battery life can be quite short. However, there are three tips which will help you get a good 14 to 15 hours of continuous use. First, don’t use the back-light unless absolutely necessary (fairly obvious, really). Second, select the auto record setting in the “tracks” function to “update least frequently”. This second expedient seems to double the battery life and the unit still seems to update every 5 seconds or so (how far can you walk in 5 seconds anyway??). Third, if you use nickel metal hydride batteries make sure they are REALLY fully charged. Don’t use a rapid charge cycle (charge instead over night using a standard charger) as this gets the batteries hot and the total charge is dramatically reduced. Without these measures, I could only get an hour or two of operation when I first received the unit. Not using the back light added another hour of use and minimizing the “tracks” update frequency added another 4 hours of use. Finally figuring out what was going on with my battery charger resulted in a good 14+ hours of continuous use.

Some reviews have reported that the accuracy is not good. I have done testing and found the accuracy to be superb; it’s possible to get 10-20 ft accuracy, sufficient to see clearly which side of a small street you are on and to get within spitting distance of any waypoint you have stored. However, the accuracy of the pre-loaded topo map is poor. The contour lines seem to be very accurate but the apparent location of features such as streams, footpaths and road overlays is sometimes off by as much as 300 ft. Shame on Garmin for using such an inaccurate topo map with this unit. Garmin certainly does have access to more accurate maps; loading the US 2010 North America road map gives superb accuracy and places the user exactly where the map shows you to be. Switch back to the topo map and the road upon which you are standing can suddenly be apparently 300 ft away. This gives the illusion that the unit is inaccurate, but the GPS system is actually fantastically accurate. If you take the topo map as a guide only, the unit is capable of getting you to within 10 to 20 feet of any waypoint, providing you have a clear view of the sky (no large hills around you and out of the city). I hope Garmin will update the street overlay for their topo map with the better data set they have with their city navigation maps. If absolute topo map accuracy is critical for you, I suggest you load a more detailed topo map specific for the area you are using the unit, such as one of the maps for the national parks, etc. But the poor topo accuracy with this unit is a function of the map, not the unit. The apparent inacuracy with respect to the topo map should be the same whichever Garmin unit you use.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

This is an extremely cool GPS.

The screen is gorgeous. Big and sharp. The Topo 2008 maps look so cool with shading and 3-D.

The new control wheel really makes it easy to use. Far easier than any other Garmin unit.

It is well built, looks very cool and feels really good in your hand.

The recent firmware updates have solved most of the problems early buyers encountered when it first came out. I have no real complaints or problems that bother me.

I use it for hiking, biking, and driving. I put a 8GB SD card in and was able to load a lot of maps. I am really enjoying using it on my weekend explorations here in New Mexico.

I highly recommend it. Well worth the price.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

I’ve had mine for a few days. Comes with a very superficial manual so it takes some playing with it to get to know the unit. Very accurate GPS, nice interface. The ability to carry all cache information is great for geocaching, but getting the full caches on the unit is far from intuitive–the manual simply says “download them,” but it’s a bit more involved than the usual process of simply clicking on the “Send to GPS” button.
You cannot see more than one geocache on the map at a time. I’ll expand: Geocaches are visible only on a separate geocache page, and only the selected cache shows up on that map. To see multiple geocaches on the map page, you have to load them separately as waypoints, without the additional information for paperless geocaching. (and you have to tweak it to see waypoints on a map–a simple bug but you’ll have to research how to do it) Check out the online forums–the inability to see multiple geocaches on the map is probably the number one complaint of Colorado users so far, at least those interested in geocaching. In addition, the Colorado offers no means of marking a geocache on the unit as “found,” or deleting it from the unit without the use of a PC.

I was also interested in the ability to pair the unit with the heart rate monitor or cadence sensor. I’ve tried it with my Garmin Heart rate monitor and it pairs just fine, but so far I can only view current heart rate. Unlike my Garmin Edge, there is apparently no way to upload heart rate history for later review. When asked, Garmin support implies that the unit will not work with Garmin’s MotionBased website, but that it will work with Garmin Connect, a revamped site for uploading activity history and sharing that will supposedly be active for most Garmin GPS units “in a few months.” (It currently works only with the Garmin 50 fitness watch.) In fact, I managed to get the Colorado to upload its track log to Motion Based (which I currently use for my Edge), but no luck with the heart rate data from the Colorado (though I routinely upload this from my Edge). Here’s hoping this is resolved with the roll out of GarminConnect—the Heart rate monitor is far less useful without the ability to analyze how it changed throughout an activity.

I like mine fine, and I’m holding onto it in hopes that software fixes will be forthcoming from Garmin. If they integrate it correctly with GarminConnect, enabling sharing of files over the internet and full history analysis, this will be a fantastic tool/toy. Garmin seems to be aware of the potential of utilizing this kind of community-based knowledge– First, the unit can share waypoints, tracks and routes, as well as basic geocache information, wirelessly, though the chances of me running into another Colorado user and needing this function seem minimal. Second, Garmin’s purchase of MotionBased must have been for some reason–the idea of going online, viewing others activities and downloading their track files is a great one. Sort of like an online wiki trail guide. There needs to be more ability to comment on your own and others’ tracks, but the potential is there.

Garmin separates its lines between “trail” “automotive” and “fitness.” This unit, I had hoped, would attempt to do it all–it has an automotive mode, and supposedly, with the addition of another map, it will give turn-by-turn directions (though it has no speaker, so I doubt they’d be audible as they are in the Nuvi). It’s ability to pair with the Garmin heart rate and cadence monitors is promising, if later software fixes address the inability to view history of that data. If you want a GPS for hiking, there are other mapping handhelds out there that are cheaper (including some nice ones made by GarminGarmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS). If you want the enhanced Geocaching functionality or the fitness monitoring, you might want to wait a few months to see if Garmin follows through with the necessary software fixes.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

Pros: this is undoubtedly an excellent GPS. It does an excellent job in both outdoor and car navigation (with optional Garmin maps). The screen is very detailed and the display is usually very clear. The rocknroller is actually a very nice tool for quickly entering data.

Cons: creating custom maps for the 400t is very laborious, as it only can take vector maps. It does not communicate with Oziexplorer, but this will probably be solved. It is a bit too big and heavy; it is not as light as my old Etrex.

This review is from: Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps (Electronics)

Many of the problems with the 400t were fixed with the recent firmware update. you can now view all caches on the map page, maek them as found and various other fixes. this is now a great GPS to use if you have the money.

All I have to say is i love the paperless caching