 |
Having only used the device for measuring how fast (and, more importantly how far... or should that be how lazy) my running is, I've found the Garmin eTrex Venture to be of considerable use. The screen is easily laid out and accessible, with large, clear print on the measurements pages, and a crisp, bright backlight for low-light use that doesn't require squinting to decipher the text on screen. The included route features and waypoint mapping are relatively straightforward (although entering names for custom points of interest is a little time-consuming), and the 4-way joypad in the top left of the screen is responsive and accurate. The device operates best in clear weather conditions and can reach an impressive accuracy of up to approx 3m (10ft). Battery life is also relatively good too, with my device sustaining up to around a day's usage on rechargable Li-Ion AA batteries (Garmin state 20hrs continuous usage, on batter-saving mode), so their estimates aren't too far off. Furthermore, cities and towns (to populations approx 30,000 in size) are pre-installed on the device's limited 8mb memory. However, for an entry-level device, I was surprised at a lack of a few basic features. There is no dashboard clip included for attaching the unit to the inside of a vehicle. More importantly, the device will not operate within the confines of any vehicle that I have travelled in - signal will drop to zero once the device is moved within 4 walls and a ceiling. The interface for entering waypoints is a little confusing, and difficult to find under the various settings menus. A USB data cable is not included, for downloading additional waypoints from CDs that the manufacturer sells at an additional charge. And sometimes the operating system is sluggish to respond to commands to move around the mapping pages (this may just be a graphics drawing delay, yet still noticeable). Overall, a good entry-level, value-for-money device for people who enjoy the outdoors on a Sunday afternoon, whether it's on foot or water, but I wouldn't rely on it to trek through sub-tropical Amazonian rainforest, hiking across the Himalayas or, for that matter, finding my way to my best friend's house when he's just moved 20 miles away and I've never driven the route before.Read full review
These are a little old, but very reliable. I use mine to geocache, jeep trailing, & hiking. Memory is small so only load the maps you need. Given it's memory limitations & inability to d/l direct geocache points I'm still pretty happy.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Garmin eTrex Venture HC is durable, well built, feels solid. It's fairly easy to use, with a little practice. I'm middle-aged; I imagine kids can operate it perfectly well right out of the womb. I bought the 129 dollar TOPO 24K map on DVD. The eTrex apparently only holds one county map at a time without the extra memory thing-a-ma-jig, not included. Still, one county is enough for me. Downloading the map was not easy or automatic. It took me almost an hour to figure it out, unlike most programs that simply walk you through it. Again, that might just be me, but I'm not totally computer illiterate. Anyway, I am happy with this unit and am confident that with it, I won't have to play Hansel and Gretel with my husband like we used to when lost in the woods. I would recommend it to others.Read full review
Some people consider this product to be obsolete and limited in features. I have used similar products and can attest that it is as useful today as when it was new. Newer products have more features, better looking maps, but the performance is still about the same as this Venture HC first offered new thirteen years ago. And, at about $50, it's a deal. I use these products for training people in wilderness navigation. Personally, I use them for my own canoe trips in Northern Minnesota and Canada. They are well made, reliable, reasonably easy on batteries, and quite durable. I highly recommend this product to anyone with a similar need.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought this GPS because I originally bought the eTrex H (High Sensitivity) GPS and just wasn't satisfied with the features it offered for geocaching. On this GPS, the Garmin Venture HC, there is built in USB connectivity for computers, a nice color screen, a base map, and built in geocaching features. I would have given it 5 stars if only you could store the description and hints for Geocaches as well, but other than that I think this GPS rocks so far! It seems to be very accurate for the caches I have looked for so far the accuracy was within +- 10 feet of the actual cache. Also the USB functionality is great for caching because it means that you never have to manual type names or coordinates into the GPS! I love this thing so far!
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in GPS Units
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on GPS Units
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
