My eyes are definitely over 40 years old. Not saying how much over 40! I think my wrists are fine though. When hiking you take a map with you and use the gps to get you location on the map. I also use it to mart my trail head and truck location.
This is a great unit and I have recorded over 12, miles on it….. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Sunday, March 18, News Feed Comments. Order by 5 p. Comments Grumpy says:. March 25, at pm. Rich Owings says:.
March 26, at am. Mike says:. I have been using GPS units since the original Motorola models appeared on consumer shelves. In stark comparison to those cumbersome units the Vista is exceptionally portable. This attractive silver unit runs on 2 AA batteries and serves up a cornucopia of information. The Garmin eTrex family is extremely popular among outdoor enthusiasts because of the many various models, all of which include a array of features.
The entry level eTrex units feature coordinates but lack mapping systems, mid range units include basic mapping with reduced memory capacity and no electronic compass or altimeter, but if you are looking for a unit that has it all, then the high end Vista eTrex is your unsurpassed choice.
The Vista combines the features of all the other five models into one familiar package. Introducing the feature rich Garmin eTrex Vista The following are examples of just some of the menus that can be accessed with this unit.
We took the Vista on an interstate drive, a backpacking trip, and a cruise on the California Delta. We opted for some additional equipment in our tests to fully experience the Garmin offering. Using the included data cable, and optional MapSource discs the Vista is capable of delivering extremely detailed fishing lake information. Extreme Portability: Most impressive is that Garmin was able to include all the functions of the entire eTrex family into the Vista while still maintaining the exact same dimensions and weight 5.
This tiny unit can fit in a pocket, be strapped to a backpack, clamped on a bike, mounted on a car dash, or bolted to a boat console.
Garmin sells various mounting kit options that all snap into the unit via it's interchangeable battery cover backing.
This system allows this single unit to be used for a range of different vehicles and applications. Compared to competitor units there is no other handheld GPS on the market that is able to supply so many rich features in such a compact package.
With the optional mounting kit the Vista can be mounted on your car dash or boat console, though the screen is somewhat small for use while driving Design: Ergonomically the Vista is a work of art. This tiny unit features six easy to use buttons. The entire casing is ruggedized with additional rubber insulation. This rubber also provides a extensive seal over the buttons helping make the unit waterproof up to IPX7 standard, which means that t he GPS case can withstand accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes, but not continuous use.
So while the Vista will survive splashes on the boat, don't plan to go diving with anytime soon. The entire unit fits comfortably in your hand, and there are surface ridges to help improve your grip on the unit, even when wet. Every menu can be accessed with just one handed operation, making it possible for you to fish or operate a vehicle while navigating; Though it is highly recommended that you get the optional mounting stand when driving or boating.
As far as handhelds go the x pixel grayscale screen is excellent and crisp in appearance. While this unit is ultra portable the screen is somewhat undersized for use in cars. I found myself squinting to read the map, even when zoomed in. The reason is that when mounted on the dash the screen is quite far away from the normal driver position, this combined with glare makes reading the unit challenging. This unit is designed to be portable and flexible in application, not to be a full time vehicle navigation system, Garmin has other models that are better suited for this.
The Vista features waterproof buttons and a handy navigational joystick, a feature not found on most of the lower end eTrex models. Mapping : While some GPS units can be intimidating to operate at first, the Vista is extremely painless to navigate from the first minute you turn it on. After initial calibration, which takes less then a minute, the GPS begins to work immediately. The GPS can be adjusted to be used lying flat or vertically positioned, and while the Vista obviously works best on clear sunny days it also performed well on cloudy days.
I was impressed by the internal antenna and found that it even functioned inside our office when there was no clear view of the sky! After the 12 channel receiver locks onto the positions of at least 3 satellites the Vista brings up your location on a map which can be zoomed from a map of the entire country all the way down to your 20ft surroundings.
This unit does a fantastic job of holding satellites once they have been acquired. The Vista comes with the Americas Highway basemap and features the major highways for the entire country. Additional tracking can be done without a map, using tracking and setting up of waypoints. Overall the detail of the standard map is somewhat disappointing. By using the "Fishing Hot Spots" add on disk sold separately, or they come with Garmin Fish Finders you can access detailed lake information for hundreds of the most popular lakes in the US and Canada.
The information is transferred into the Vista with the included PC interface cable. These detailed maps contain information on the shoreline, depth contours, and even lake structure. But even without this mapping software you can always mark your favorite fishing spots on the GPS and return to the exact same location. This is particularly useful in large bodies of water like the Great lakes or Oceans.
The Vista is an excellent backpacker's GPS thanks to it's lightweight and durable construction Upper left: the optional GPS protective sleeve has a handy belt clip. Capabilities: There is a abundance of information available to you via the Vista's multiple menus and screens.
In addition to accurate mapping the Vista provides anglers with a customizable trip computer which can track speed, avg speed, odometer, moving time, stopped time, and much more.
I found the barometric altimeter extremely useful when backpacking in the Yosemite High Country, and I was able to track the daily elevation losses and gains.
The Vista was able to calculate the Max elevation that I reached, as well as generate the total ascent during the backpacking trip. The Vista's handy digital compass also helps when you combine the information of the GPS with field maps.
The feature package that the Vista supports right out of the box is particularly impressive. The customizable trip computer uses various windows to convey your information in real time. Bonus Features: As if the basic features of the Vista weren't enough the GPS also features 4 "accessory" features to help sweeten the pie. These include:. This information is very accurate and benefits anglers as they plan their days in the field.
Anglers could possibly use this as a fishing log. Based on your location and date the GPS will make 2 best time, and 2 good time predictions for when hunting and fishing will be at it's peak. The digital compass is very accurate, and good when on large bodies of water or in the wilderness.
Limitations: While there are not too many, the Vista is not without flaws. While the unit is feature packed the price that you pay is a drastically reduced battery life in comparison to the lower eTrex units. The entry level eTrex units achieve hours battery life while the Vista runs out of juice every 12 hours. To fully take advantage of the Vista's capabilities we highly recommend using additional MapSource maps from Garmin, but these additional discs are expensive.
The next problem is that 24MB, while the largest in the eTrex class, is still not enough to handle a generous region of maps.
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