Garmin eTrex 32x, Rugged Outdoor GPS Handheld, GPS Device for Hiking and Geocaching, 2.2'' Sunlight Readable Display, 3-axis Compass, Baromtetric altimeter, Brown

I didn’t want the cost and complexity of a smartwatch but this works a treat as a reliable gps unit when conditions make a smartphone unreliable (cold, rain, wind). It’s button/joystick controlled (easy to operate in gloves or mitts), no touch screen to go wrong, no Garmin account needed, which are all a strength, and lasts a good 30 hours in gps using lithium AA batteries. Gps (2 satellites) is really good for a unit this price (Garmin do bigger, better, more expensive ones) and locks on most of the time, the only time it has failed was when I started messing with the settings mid-walk, the unit chucked me out of gps and as I was in woods it couldn't find a signal again when I restarted the unit. Luckily I knew where I was heading and gps kicked back in when I was out of the trees. But if you just want to follow a preloaded gpx track (via cable from your computer, no wireless) zoom in and out and record the route this works perfectly, and importantly isn’t affected by bad weather or freezing hands. I tend to plan a route on other software not directly in the unit itself, and load it in. If it is on and has a gps signal this thing is always recording, so remember to clear both track and trip just before recording a new walk and remember to save the track when you finish (it automatically gives it a date and time stamp). Altimeter works well but like similar devices it needs recalibrating each day usually at the start of the walk. Compass works well and needs far less calibration. Unit comes preloaded with Garmin active maps but these can be sparse and if you walk a lot in the UK hills you’ll definitely want to get OS Topo Pro maps which comes on a micro-SD which you can put in the SD slot in the back of the unit (another advantage over a watch where I don’t think you can load OS maps). The OS maps are expensive (more expensive than the unit itself!) but can come bundled with the unit for slightly reduced price, or search out cheaper prices to the RRP. I have 1:25k OS maps but to be honest I tend to stick at 1:50k because the screen is quite small (but still bigger than a large smartwatch) and also the maps are rasterised (not vector) which means zooming too far into 1:25k makes it pixelated but sometimes that level of detail is useful. An alternative to OS maps are the Talkytoaster ones which look very detailed, specifically for UK walking, and are a fraction of the price of OS maps. The gps unit has a joystick which is easy to use but I don’t think you can lock it, so if you are not careful you inadvertently set waypoints by knocking it, so I have a cheap 3d printed clip for the back of the unit so I can clip the whole thing onto my rucksack chest harness to keep it out the way. I use a cheap lanyard too (that I had already) as this thing is shaped and weighted like an old Nokia phone and despite having some grip looks a good candidate for dropping and disappearing down between rocks! Garmin do a backpack tether for the unit but it’s expensive and the set-up above works well. All in all I’m very pleased with this unit, and it complements OS maps on my iPhone (which is better to navigate with in good conditions but a liability higher up) and physical OS maps/compass which I always carry in my pack as backup. By the way, this unit and its harness clip squeeze perfectly into an Alpkit padded cell 1 to protect and store.

Excellent little pocketable GPS for hiking and general outdoors use. Very familiar interface if you have used any Garmin outdoor GPS before.. otherwise there is a learning curve to customise the settings to your needs. 'Back' button is the old Page button, and works as expected.. Battery LIfe is very good, and satellite acquisition is incredibly fast, even on just GPS without GLONASS running. Fitted with @TFolix screen for protection from clumsiness, this is a very rugged device for easy use. The 32X has the Compass which is very useful for static bearings, as a GPS based compass tned to give a wider variation. Altimeter is as accurates as ever - which means not very for height readings..(!) This is usual and to be expected, none of them are too good on this.. but the compass accuracy and use makes up for that.. and the barometer is useful in doubtful weather. The 22X is cheaper but without the sensors loses half its 'brain'.. so worth paying a little more for long term use. Topo-Active basic maps included are just about usable, but better to add a 2gb Micro SD card and get the Talky Toaster topographic terrain maps with truly high resolution for the best results. These maps work on most Garmin GPS units, and cost very very little. The British Isles map takes about 1.2GB on the card, so fits easily.... Highly recommended as a go-anywhere GPS that you can keep in your pocket knowing it will not lose the signal. About the size of a large egg, with a curved back, it takes up very little pocket space and seems not to weigh anything at all! Fantastic little unit.. Pricing was good, and from Amazon as a Garmin UK distributor.

Where to start.... I only bought this as a Garmin GPS is required for an offroad motorcycle race, and for that reason alone, I may not send it back. However, as a standalone GPS it's simply terrible. There are some positives: 1. It does look robust and claims to be waterproof 2. It's refreshing to have buttons instead of a touchscreen (which for motorcycling is a real benefit) But... 1. Updates - Trying to run the software and map update failed and the device lost the pre-installed maps. I have tried re-installing them three times but each time the device has failed in some way. Either not starting up at all or having lost the maps. In any case, you cannot restore it to as-bought state as you need a memory card installed to re-install the maps. 2. Mapping - Luckily, the installed maps are laughably bad so it's no great loss. I would never use them anyway. I bought a great alternative from TalkyToaster. However, I have OS mapping on my phone and it's like going back in time in comparison to that 3. Usability - I cannot believe how slow and clunky it is. It's literally like using a Nokia 3210 from 1999. I showed my wife and she just laughed. It's fairly usable when you know what to do but it's not at all intuitive (I work in IT so am not a spud) 4. Screen - tiny and terrible resolution but this is clear in all the reviews etc so no surprises there 5. Scrolling/navigation/using the map - don't bother, it's painful and horrible to use. So in short - compared to a modern smartphone with basic OS mapping or something like Alpine Quest (which is amazing), this GPS is a complete waste of money. The only positive I could say is that in a life or death situation where you really needed the reliability and the option to use AA batteries, this would be better than a smart phone. Otherwise, put your phone in a waterproof bag, pack a USB powerpack, and use the phone instead. I just cannot get my head around going from highly detailed, hi-res OS mapping and easy to use interfaces BACK to something that belongs in the 90s.

Un très bon produit, mais complexe. Nécessite de regarder des tutos sur YOUTUBE, c'est un manque sérieux de ne pas avoir de la part de GARMIN un site complet en Français et complet.

Good

Werkt perfect Doet wat ie doen moet

does the job real well

Utilisé pour les randonnées.