Product ReviewsGarmin 010-00864-02 GPSMAP 78sc Handheld GPS

Not Garmin's Best

I have owned several Garmin GPS devices over the years. I had the one of the first GPSMap 396 units (aviation GPS @ $2500). Typically Garmin devices are very intuitive and insanely accurate. I purchased the 78SC to use in the Naples Florida area for navigating the many waterway islands and mangroves by kayaks and small boats. However, the 78SC is not as good as I expected. The menu system is completely non-intuitive. It takes a lot of button pushing through the weird menu layout to find anything. And the coastal maps do not show a lot of detail. There are whole rivers and interconnecting waterways missing. We often find ourselves following a waterway that the GPS shows as "land". Larger bodies of water are shown but often the interconnecting waterways are not. It appears I have the latest maps and software so I am not sure why so much detail is missing. At $300 it is a tremendous value. I just wish it was up to the Garmin standards that I have come to expect.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: pricebreak-deals

Garmin to small to use

Yes , it is so much easier to use a chart plotter you can see. You can only see limited space while in route. Which puts you way behind the boat. A full size chart plotter is the way to go. I feel I wasted my money buying thisRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dryflies97

Nice tool for your basic needs.

Nice product. I purchased and downloaded the inland maps and took it on a fishing trip. It recorded my path and I saved fishing spots. You'll need a micro SD to download maps. Battery life was sufficient. I fished 5 days with it. It does NOT have ALL lake maps just a select few in the map package you download at Garmin website. I am pleased with the unit. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: purpletechnado

Could be a much better cost comparison.

Everything is good, for what it is used for, except the screen size. The cost is to great, when compared to cell phones with bigger screens or Garmin GPS's for the street.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: electronicsware...

Good lower end unit.

does well for a small hand held unit. The screen is so small that it's difficult to use for navigation, but it can be done. It seems fast to acquire and respond.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: waldrop7070

GPS 78sc

Great little handheld for kayaking, canoeing and skiing. Invest in NiMH rechargeable batteries and a solar charger to plug into when you are in the bush for days or purchase a few lithium AA’s. Either way you can not go wrong with this unit. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: geekdeal

Excellent Handheld

I use this GPS for sailboat racing and it works great. Whether around the buoy races or long distance offshore this GPS is outstanding. Light weight, color screen, all the information at your finger tips. Great for keeping track of what is going on upstairs while you are off watch!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: alwaysadeal14

I have three

This is the cruiser's holy grail...if a lightening strike takes out the boat's electronics, you will still find your way, and track, and speed, and heading, and GPS coordinates (duh). User friendly and good battery life.Read full review...

Great Product

It was very user friendly and intuitive to use

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: alfredojunowhatnow

friendly user

easy to operate

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: segalilly