| Brand: | Garmin | ||
| Average Rating |
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GARMIN eTrex Venture HC Hand Held Receiver w/ Built in GPS Patch Antenna. New high sensitivity GPS receiver. 24 Mbyte of internal memory for storing detailed maps. WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver. Built in GPS patch antenna. Display: 1.3 in W x 1.7 in H, 256 color, high resolution, transflective TFT /176 x 220 pixels. LED backlit display and keypad. Battery life: up to 32 hours typical use using two AA alkaline batteries.Includes a built in Americas autoroute basemap with automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits and tide data /USA only. 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol; 20 reversible routes, 50 points per route. Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS, user grid, and more. Audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off course and clock. Large numbers option for easy viewing, dual position display mode. Trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed and more. 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks /500 points each/ let you retrace your path in both directions. Elevation computer /Summit HC/ provides current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Built in celestial tables for best time to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. Fully compatible with MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. TOPO 24K, U.S. TOPO and US Inland lakes. Waterproof, IEC 60529 IPX7, /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes more info
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Great starter GPS
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Great starter GPS. Eventually I will get a better model but this one has been great for Geocache work. I’m glad I did not try to get a cheaper GPS as my first one. this has been able to find the locations under cloudy conditions in heavy forested areas. Friends with “normal” (cheap) GPS units get no locations under these locations. Only thing I wish I had that is not persent in the SD card slot.
Great for geocaching
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this gps for geocaching. It is the first one I have ever used. My husand was very helpful as he has a gps but I feel that it is user friendly and the directions were easy to follow. Downloading the geocache location is very helpful.
Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This GPS Receiver was purchased to replace an earlier model that had been successfully used by Wycliffe Bible Translators survey teams in Indonesia. These teams frequently travel on foot in tropical jungles or by boat up uncharted rivers to reach people groups whose language has not been previously documented. This Garmin GPS Receiver is an invaluable navigation tool that “survives and thrives” in very challenging environments.
Geocacher friendly
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Worked well will Geocaching in the rain. Like this GPS very well so far. It is only my first though.
Perefect product for me
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I used this product to mark my lanscapede mesurement and very accurant for position and the sea level mesurment perfect product for me a my partners
Bought for Geocaching
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this GPS to do geocaching with the family. It’s easy to use and it’s a lot more accurate then what we were using before. On the first outing one afternoon we found 11 geocaches with very little problem. I wish now I have the Electronic Compass, but you have to ask is that feature worth the extra money? For most people I believe this GPS will do a good job.
Fun Toy.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Its best if you get the next one up in the range so that you can add memory to it. Otherwise you can’t upload maps to the paltry memory that’s built in.
You can, however, upload waypoints which is OK.
As a beginners first step its OK but after a day you will want the extra memory.
Also, it had a tendency to switch itself off after being left on. Annoying if you are tracking your movements over a day.
Do not buy this item!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this item in hopes of using it on my bicycle to travel down many different country roads in my area. The explanations for what this unit does were not clear and the unit did not live up to my expectations. It comes with a base map that tells you basically that you are in North America. I already know this and wanted more detail so I ordered the Maps on DVD recommended by Garmin. These cost an extra $100. I recieved them and found I wasn’t able to put them on my unit because it doesn’t have enough internal memory. Of course Garmin never mentioned this.I finally called the manufacturer who told me that the unit just doesn’t do what I want it to do, mainly, show me detailed road maps for when I bike around my area. I don’t know if I can return this useless item but I’m going to try. I’ll never buy any Garmin product again.
No brainer for the price, but watch out for…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Keep it far, far away from heat sources in your car (meaning the defroster vents, dashboard, etc.) because that will mess up the rubber baby bumper; dissolve the glue and stretch it out, and you can’t get a replacement. (I ended up cutting off the bottom of the rubber and resticking the rest with double sided tape, it works but looks bad).
It has annoying storage limitations. It can only hold 20 dumbed down tracks and 24 megs of maps. If you try and combine two tracks into one, it draws an extra line between them. 24 megs in maps might cover 1/100th of the lower 48. So unlike your typical car gps, you’ll be doing some track and map transfers with a computer before going places.
The good stuff: the display is very clear, very bright. It picks up satellites relatively quickly. It seems about as accurate as these things get. Battery life isn’t bad, it uses the common AAs, and works with cheap rechargables.
It’s all most people WITH A BRAIN need. It’s maps are very basic (only the very most major highways). But it pretty much knows where every city and town is. It points like a compass at the city or town you to go to, tells you how far away it is, and how long it is going to take you. However, riding companions not familiar with a hiking gps may get impatient with the lack of maps and turn by turn.
Garmin’s maps are pricy, but there are good free ones on the internet.
Perfect Device for what I needed
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first GPS. I shopped and reviewed several and landed on this one due to the cost and functions. It was the best value for my needs. I took it hunting that past month, and was very very glad I did. This was a new location that I was not familiar with. This device saved me from hours of unwanted hiking, trying to find my way back to my ATV. It was always right on the money. I even thought I knew better than it, and decided not to follow it, since in my mind it was taking me the wrong direction… I was wrong… won’t do that again. If you are looking for a great GPS for a great price.. this will do the trick!
Lost in the Sierras, 911 Search and Rescue Called
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver
Getting lost in Nevada Sierras while hiking on our last vacation nudged me to search for an off-road GPS. We were so lost that we had to call 911 for a search and rescue.
I already own 4 on-road GPSes, 2 of which work and two of which no longer function. Unfortunately, I neglected to carry either working GPS, not that they would’ve helped much, since neither have tracking (electronic breadcrumb) capabilities, long battery life and/or take AA batteries, etc.
I needed a basic off-road GPS that has electronic breadcrumb capability at the very least.
What sold me on this unit is (after reading reviews) the fact that it can maintain a signal under heavy canopy (tree cover) and the fact that maps can be loaded freely [...] .
I haven’t tested the signal hold yet but have found it to obtain a signal indoors not that close to a window, with the blinds closed.
As for downloading maps from GPSfiledepot, it’s not difficult at all. My only regret in choosing this unit is that I am limited to internal memory. I should’ve paid for the upgrade unit that uses SD memory cards as an option.
Still, I have maps for Neveda and Maine, my last two vacation areas and my local area of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania loaded with plenty of room to add more.
The MapSource software terrific and is easy to use, allowing me to add and subtract maps, tracks, routes, and waypoints at will. I can view a recent hike to find all kinds of information including the route, waypoints I set, elevation, speed, position, length of time, length in distance, etc. at set intervals. I can even view a track or route graphical vertical profile. Then I can copy and paste the information to share on hiking websites for others to review.
Likes:
1) MapSource software is fantastic!
2) Obtains and maintains signal quickly and in place you might not expect it to
3) Takes AA batteries that last pretty long (8 hours ?) versus internal rechargeable batteries which require electrical outlets to charge (not found when out hiking in the woods).
4) Customizable map as for data fields (if any desired)
5) Finds POIs that on-road GPSes will not find, such as beaches, streams, mountain peaks, etc.
6) Breadcrumb tracking for folks like us who hike and get lost while doing so.
Dislikes:
1) Not the easiest GPS to use but manageable for those who have some technology skills.
2) Belt clip cost extra, WHY? This is not a big deal for me since the neck strap can be closed for wrist use for those who want to go that route.
3) There should be an option to set the screen to some level of brightness when first turning it on. As it is now, you have to manually set the brightness to your liking every time you turn it on. I can’t imagine ever wanting to turn on the device and not being able to view it at the brightness you desire. This is an annoyance that lowers the score at least half a point.
I’d recommend this GPS for anyone who wants a simple off-road GPS (hiking, geocaching (haven’t tried yet), etc.) at a good price.
Okay.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this GPS for the geocaching mode and for that purpose it has worked out okay. It usually only gets me around 25ft from the cache, even in WAAS mode, but I have found what I am looking for – usually. The one very big downfall is the basemap is so that – a base. To get any map it will cost you $99 in the United States. I think that is hugely steep considering I already paid $128 on sale for this GPS. I’ve seen them for $199 on other sites. Amazon is great for deals! Also, you can’t get a straight answer from Garmin’s support site either. They just give you the runaround, and the directions to use the GPS are virtually non-existent. You have to pretty much just figure out everything on your own. So if you need a map, plan on spending another $99.
poor instruction/confusing performance
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
the manual that comes with the etrex does not cover the unit and requires a lengthy delay to access factory help(about 20 minutes).there is nothing in the manual on down loading maps or how to delete any stored way points etc.
the entire operation is complicated to say the least. i probably was expecting the operation to resemble it’s automtive counterpart in operation but such is not the case. in all it i a big disappointment.
Never get lost again
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this because I had gotten lost hunting grouse on state property twice already this year. I figured, why ever get lost when I can have a gps unit for a little over $100.
Heres what I like:
it seems pretty tough, and its water proof (does not float though)
it picks up satelites quick
its icon based menus are easy to work with
it is accurate
As a hunter, it provides me with all I need
If you are savvy enough, you can get topo maps loaded for free
it is fully geocache ready (added fun)
what I dont like:
limited internal storage. 24 megs gives me just enough room for the maps of the areas I hunt in NY and western Ma.
no SD card support.(next time I will buy a unit that accepts external storage)
other than that, its good. If you are like me and on a budget, this unit will work out very well.
Great unit for geocaching
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We purchased this unit for geocaching and absolutely love it. Battery life is excellent. Very accurate and easy to use. The only downside is that Garmin does not support linux.
Very poor map provided
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver itself, syncs up well and the features provided seem to work as advertised. The problem is, the map provided with the unit is less than poor. Further, Garmin charges an arm and a legg for any additional maps. Any prospective buyer should consider the costs of additional maps along with the base price of this unit in doing any comparitive shopping.
good unit
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Lots of commands and capabilites – beware that you need maps to make this truly useful, but they can be downloaded for free from garmin.com
Venture HC great value for amateur geocaching
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m new to geocaching, and this is my first GPS, so take this review as a newbie perspective. I bought this GPS soley for the purpose of geocaching and casual hiking. I already have a vehicle GPS and would not reccomend purchasing the VentureHC for any kind of road navigation, as its maps are severely lacking and primitive. Having said that, I’ve been very satisfied with this unit for geocaching. If you want something on a budget that is reliable and easy to use, you can’t beat it. The $125 investment for this is well worth it. I think any GPS that’s $100 or less would be inadequate and unreliable.
It comes pre-equipped with a usb cord, which makes it very easy to download waypoint coordinates quickly and efficiently. The only drawback to this feature is it does not allow for any additional information besides the coordinates and the name of the cache(i.e. no cache descriptions, ratings, maps, hints, logs). If you download lots of coordinates and search for mulitiple caches at a time, it could get a little confusing. If you’re more of a casual geocacher like myself, this is not too big of a problem since I ususally do not search for more than a few caches at a time. Also, if you’re a more advanced geocacher who wants to download maps, this does not have the memory, nor memory card slot to support the extra data.
Tha accuracy isn’t perfect, but it usually will get you within 15 to 20 feet. It has very good satellite reception and will still be pretty reliable in thick woods. The interface is very easy to use, but it doesn’t have a whole lot of technical features. But if you don’t need them, what’s the difference? One of the convenient upsides of this unit is it automatically records “breadcrumb” waypoints as you travel, so even if you get completely lost you can follow your trail of breadcrumbs back to your starting location.
I really like that it has a color, sunglight-readable screen (as opposed to the cheaper eTrex which is monochrome). This comes in a lot more useful than you’d think. The compass pointer can be a little jumpy at times, but always gets me to within a few feet. The only thing I don’t like about this gps is that it DOES NOT HAVE AN INTERNAL ELECTRONIC COMPASS. What this means is that you have to keep moving in order to get an accurate direction and heading. The minute you stop to look around, the compass freezes up and will point in a random direction. You have to start walking again in a straight line in order to reobtain your compass heading. This can get very annoying with more difficult caches where you have to stop often, but you get used to working around this flaw.
All in all, if you’re new to the hobby of geocaching and want a GPS that won’t cost a small fortune and is still accurate, reliable, and easy to use — then is is the right choice.
Good Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I received this product and was up and running after just a few minutes with the manual. I had to spend an hour or so to understand all the functions. This was not bad considering this was my first time with this type GPS. I use this product for Geo Cacheing and it is terrific. I have found the accuracy to within 5 ft most of the time and I do not even have the WASS capability turned on. The unit picks up the satellites very fast when first turned on and I have had no trouble even under dense tree cover. This unit comes USB capability which is great for downloading GPS coordinates or Geo Cacheing locations.
Garmin eTrex GPS used for geocacheing
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I finally used this for the first time to find a geocache. Turns out, I chose one of the hardest ones to find (a micro multi-cache) and didn’t make it past the 1st location but at least I was able to follow it quite easily. Inside, I was concerned about the screen contrast and brightness but outside in the light, I was able to see the screen ok without it being lighted. I am a bit concerned about the battery life. Time will tell. I bought 4 NiMH rechargeable batteries to use with it. From time to time I take it out of the drawer and turn it on. It didn’t seem like the batteries lasted too long before it told me battery low. I haven’t used it enough to tell how long the true battery life is but I want to take it hunting to find the blind and the car. It wouldn’t be to cool if the batteries gave out. You usually walk to and from the blind in the dark so the lighted display will be used a lot. Accuracy finding the first geocache was to 14′.