Garmin eMap Hiking GPS

WORTHLESS! Just opened it because I'm getting ready to go Colorado Elk Hunting and it has no maps & will not turn on!!! Now I have to spend more $ to buy 1 that really works.

Works. What more can I say? Its not like the new ones out there, but it gets the job done.

I've been using this unit for a few weeks now and it never fails to amaze me with it's capabilities even if the learning curve for it is a bit steep (an instructional video is available for an additional charge). I'm sure there are features I'll never use due to its complexity. The problem I have is that it comes with nothing. If you want to actually be able to use the unit, you've got to go back to Garmin and buy additional accessories and guess what, ... their all proprietary so they can and do charge whatever they feel like. Things like the computer/power adapter and a memory card should have been included for the price they're asking for the unit. The memory sticks... and the USB adapter are outrageously priced. Yeah, that's right, the computer/power adapter isn't even USB, you have to buy both or your stuck with the glacial speed of serial. To further illustrate, to replace the little piece of plastic that covers the batteries, it'll cost you nearly $7! Basically, they put a pretty good little GPS on the market as bait to lock you into their brand and sell, at ridiculous prices, accessories that should have come with it anyways. I would give the unit by itself 4 stars but for Garmin's complete lack of integrity.

Don't get me wrong, I love this GPS. For me a city boy, this thing is great. However, that being said, there are LOTS of extras you will need, to make this thing work the way you'd like. First off, the base map that comes with it is good only for medium to long trips. So right off the bat if you plan to use it in the metropolitan area and want any kind of detail you need to buy $160 bucks worth of maps, and $100 of extra RAM to hold the maps you download to the unit. Now anyone in their right mind would assume after having paid $180 for the GPS and $160 for the maps and $100 for the extra RAM that you might get a PC to GPS cable right? Wrong. You get to pay another $30 to $60 for the data cable. Want a cigarette adapter? Take out your already shrinking wallet and flop down another $30 to $60. After having shelled out over half a thousand bucks, I still dont have a case. Eh, whats another $20 for a nice leather case. After saying all that I am happy with the product, it is very nice and suits my needs to a tee. I just wish I knew I would have to spend over $560 to get the functionality I thought I was getting for $180.

It did not work, but I did get a refund quickly

I bought this GPS mostly for fun. Although the maps it ships with are not as detailed as I would like, I personally believe you get very nice features for the price.

I bought one of these a year ago and it worked really well for the first few months but more recently I've noticed that it has gotten more and more difficult to get reception even in completely open areas outside. I suspect that something has happened to the internal antenna - I have to admit that I'm not that easy with electronic devices and probably have abused it while traveling more than I should have but the same, cell phones have held up better.

I'm a private pilot and was looking for a GPS with a map overlay to replace my old Magellan 2000.Love this little GPS, true, unlike an 'aviation' GPS, you have to enter all the Lat-Long coordinates, manually for local airports,,, but what the heck,, doesn't take that long to enter the info from your Airport Facillities Directory.I don't really use it as a secondary or primary means of navigation, but I like to have it aboard because it serves as a nice cross-check to confirm that my other means of navigation are on the mark. Another cool thing that pilots will appreciate, is the ability to immediately know your groundspeed (quickly accounting for headwind and tailwind components) which you would normally need to tediously calculate times between waypoints on your E6B. It even gives you a running update on when you will reach your waypoints/destination. Love a handheld GPS when a tower (at an airport that I am not familiar with) asks me to report at 3 or 4 miles/whatever because I can give them a report call at exactly (or nearly so) the distance that they specify, rather than 'eyeball' the distance and give an approximate guess (important when there is no DME at/near the airport).Best part, is that it has most of the essential functions a private pilot would like, WITHOUT the high cost of some of those 'aviation' handhelds.What I would recommend is to also buy a remote antenna (Garmin Part #GA 27C) it comes with 8 ft of cable and an antenna that mounts with a suction cup holder on any smooth surface. This is something that I am having to buy now. The GPS works fine without it,,,, it is just that having the antenna increases your placement options in your plane.Good Flights!