Garmin eTrex 32x, Rugged Handheld GPS Navigator

I've had this for 6 months now, and used it during hunting season. When scouting state property, there was a medical emergency and we needed to get out and get help fast. The brush was thick and we couldn't find the trail out that we took in. Cell reception was weak. The tracking feature was essential in finding our way out and getting medical attention to the person who needed it.There is no touch screen to this, which I thought was disappointing at first. However, during the late season hunt, I'm glad it didn't or I'd have to constantly take my glove on and off. When scouting property or setting up tree stands it's easy to mark waypoints and then navigate to them pre dawn. This has become an essential piece of gear and I totally recommend it to anyone who is looking for a mid level GPS that won't completely break the bank.

We used the old Etrexs that were black and white and only showed trails so when I bought this and saw how just the base maps that come installed in this were all in color and great detail I was so excited. I took it with me on a drive with a buddy and it had almost no problem keeping up driving on the highway and going through the valleys that we lost cell service in and our phone gps stopped workingAbsolutely love this little powerhouse! I got some screen protectors and a soft case for it to try to make it last as long as possible since I know these things can take a beating and last pretty much forever if taken care of correctly. Glad they still have GPS that run on AAs instead of lithium-ion batteries that degrade within a few yearsYou can download maps online for more detail on a specific region of the world!

Small is good for placing it in you pocket and taking it anywhere. However it is just acceptable for knowing where you are on a trail.Two things that are really good on the 32x is the Compass and Elevation which makes it worth while to purchase. Without the compass and elevation it would have been returned. It is a real compass where you do not need to move to get direction. Most GPSs don't have it. The other 2 models the 10 and 20 lack this feature. The three I own have these options. It is really good features to have.It is not hard to operate but different from almost all the GPSs I every handled. However it is not hard to learn, just takes a time getting used to the control of the cursor stick.This is just stick it in my pocket untill I need it. Price does make a big huge difference and for 230 dollars this is a very low price for GPS. So if you have very little money this GPS will work. But if you are not careful you can get lost. Make sure you have saved your home or tent position.So this is acceptable for what I need, but you may need somethng better

Works well for what it is, it can route a course of least resistance but it is far from its primary task

Bought this for a trip where there would be no cell service. Plugged it into the Garmin app on the computer and the app advised that I needed an SD card to complete the update. Bought a card and installed it, then updated the unit. It actually took over 4 hours. When the update had concluded I tried to initialize the unit and all it said was "loading maps"....For 10 minutes. I kept turning it off and on and removed the batteries. No luck. I tried removing the SD card and the unit wouldn't even work. I finally returned it and went back to my old Etrex Vista. If only Garmin made GPS's like the Vista again (which is no longer supported). Just sad.

Perfect for hiking!

This is a small, cheaper, hand-held gps unit. The interface feels like early flip phones. I got this unit basically to stay on trail and feel a little sense of not getting lost. It does that. It comes with preloaded maps that have worked for my hiking needs in the Sierras of CA. The screen is small and is harder to see in the shade than in light. There are several Youtube videos out there to help familiarize you with this unit which is very helpful because the instruction were so small I couldn't read them. Overall, I knew what I was getting when I ordered this unit so my expectations weren't high. If you're looking to get a small hiking gps but don't want to break the bank, this unit will work for you. All of the negative points that other reviews have brought up are valid but remember that this unit is only $280. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and have used it 3 times and it worked great. I got off trail, busted out the gps, located the trail and got back on target. Also, after 3 seperate 10 mile hikes with the unit on the whole time, the battery life is still at full bars using standard AA batteries. I recommend always bringing a backup pair of AAs just in case. It doesn't come with a belt clip or a carry case so I bought those to go with it.Update after 1 year of use: Garmin Basecamp is terrible and hard to figure out. YouTube tutorials help a little but I still can't figure it out. Garmin Express software updater is super slow and lies to you. It said 2 hours but the software update took 6+ hours to install and the new updated map is glitchy with extra unnecessary details that make it slower to appear on the screen when you zoom in and out. Don't update your device because there's no going back once you do. I tried to reinstall the map that Garmin Express swapped out during the update but after another 6+ hours of updating, the new glitchy map is still there. It still works for my needs but I wish I hadn't updated it. Also, you don't need to add a sd card unless you want to try to add maps from Garmin Basecamp. The unit comes loaded with all the maps you need to go hiking.