The Garmin 60CSX is the new version of its so-called earlier unit Garmin 60CS. At Garmin 60CSx you find a several additional features which make it a lot better than the 60CS. The ‘x’ in the device naming offers a removable memory card for detailed mapping memory. The capability to upgrade the memory has become a great improvement to the handheld Gps navigation device. With USB and serial port interface you can load map data through the fast USB connection that can make loading maps easy and quick. You can also use the memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that include topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts.

Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx comes with a 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display that lets you find your way on the map in almost any lighting. Garmin 60CSx also has a good acquisition and refresh speeds, multitude handy features, a long life of the battery, decent ergonomics and outstanding accuracy. It has good reception under trees as well as inside your home, and have really good battery life, with up to 20 hours of outdoors adventuring on merely 2 AA alkaline batteries. This GPS unit has a one-year manufacturer’s warranty time. Overall, the 60CSx is a good deal for variety of activities in which it can serve as an electronic compass, biometric altimeter.

What’s in the Box

* The 7.5-ounce GPS unit

* 64 MB microSD card

* Belt clip

* USB interface cable

* MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager CD

* Lanyard

* Owners manual, and quick-start guide.

Although Garmin 60csx is a proven and tested unit, price is still a issue in determining where you should purchase. To get the best price you should shop around and comparing prices.

The latest addition to the higher end of the handheld GPS devices’ spectrum is the Oregon series. The main distinguishing feature of the Oregon series is the large, 3-inch diameter touchscreen. Yes, you no longer need a dozen buttons on the handheld unit, which means there’s finally enough space for a large, color LCD screen.

All the models of the series come with many features. Actually, I can’t think of any more really useful features. Here’s a complete list, with some description:

Electronic compass

This is a very useful tool. Most GPS devices can only determine your direction while you’re moving. A digital compass however, will always show your direction with pinpoint (2 degrees) accuracy.

Barometric altimeter

This shows your altitude wherever you are, with 3 feet accuracy. Another important function for hikers.

Wireless unit-to-unit transfer

Now this is a feature I’ve been looking for a long time. You can share trails, waypoints, caches and other information with your travel mates very easily, if they also have Oregon GPS units. No cables or SD cards needed. Be aware that the Oregon 200 doesn’t support this feature.

Other features include:

Custom points of interest, picture viewer, hunting and fishing calendar, geocaching mode, area calculation and many more. Garmin Oregon is the swiss army knife of handheld GPS systems.

There are three different models in the series:

Oregon 200

This is the basic model for a list price of 450 dollars. It lacks some of the features (wireless unit-to-unit transfer, digital compass, altimeter) and has only 24 MB of memory. I don’t recommend this one, because the additional price of a microSD card (you’re gonna need one, 24 megs isn’t enough for anything) will make it cost almost as much as the next model, the Oregon 300. Also, it doesn’t have some of the important features I mentioned.

Oregon 300

The next step, with all the features and 850 megabytes of memory. It costs only 50 bucks more than the Oregon 200, making this the best handheld GPS unit in this price range.

Oregon 400

This model is an extended version of the 300. It comes with 4 Gigabytes of memory and some maps installed. Three versions of the 400 are available:

- 400t, which comes with a topographic map of the US.

- 400c with Bluechart g2, and

- 400i with maps of inland lakes.

All three models cost 600 dollars. Make sure you buy the one with the map you need.

The Oregon series is the choice of the professional hikers, fishermen, hunters and other adventureous individuals. For its price, the Oregon 300 is the best handheld GPS system currently on the market.

Accuracy

The Garmin Approach golf GPS is a breeze to use and its highly-sensitive readings give you quick, reliable and accurate distance readings on most golf courses throughout the United States. Its waterproof, lightweight and sized to fit right in the palm of your hand. In an instant you’ll know exactly how far you need to make that next shot, all displayed on a brightly-lit 3-inch, touchscreen.

Improve Your Golf Score

To begin playing, simply load the map of the golf course your playing and let the Garmin handheld golf GPS do the measuring for you. Need to know exactly how far away that green is? Simply touch the green on the GPS screen and it will instantly calculate the distance. This distance will be updated in real time as your position on the course changes, for an ever-accurate shot. Once that pin in is sight, simply click on the flag displayed and drag it for a better view of the shot. You’ll even have the ability to zoom in on the pin so you can see the shot up close for the most accurate shot.

Save Your Shots

No more scorecards for you, my friend. This handheld golf GPS keep score for up to four players. Once your game is done, simply download the data on to your computer to save and analyze. It’s never been easier to watch your golf game improve right before you eyes.

You’ll receive up-to-the-minute course map improvements and have access to any new courses added to the database-and, unlike many golf GPS units, you will never have to pay for these updates via an extra membership fee. If you’re serious about improving your golf game, the Garmin Approach handheld golf GPS puts the power of accuracy in the palm of your hand.

The new Garmin 72H is at the lower end of the price scale for handhelds but features a high sensitivity receiver, USB connection, is waterproof and floats, a large screen and is lightweight and easy to handle. This receiver acquires satellite signals easily and does not lose those signals in difficult conditions such as canyons or tree cover. It will keep track of your location so you know where you are and where you want to go. It can store up to 500 locations in the memory and point you towards your destination. It does not have street names or terrain maps capability. You can transfer data from or to your computer.

It is an excellent modest priced unit for boating, fishing or most any outdoor activity.

The Garmin GPSMAP 76 is another receiver that is inexpensive and is capable of using an Americas, European or Pacific base map has 8 megabytes of storage capacity. It also is marine friendly and floats in water. It can save up to one thousand of your favorite places and can take you directly to your favorite fishing spot or other location. It comes preloaded a basemap of principle cities, roads and highways, interstates including the exits and contains navigational aids such as buoys, day beacons etc. It has an 8 megabyte memory storage capacity also. It is at home on land or water. With the high sensitivity receiver this unit is very capable and rugged. Garmin handheld GPS receivers are held in high esteem because of their reliability and accuracy.

Owning a GPS mapping unit is great way to help you enjoy outdoor activities without the fear of getting lost when out alone. Of course, there are a lot of units on the market to choose from, but some are definitely better than others. So in this article, we will focus on units from the company that offers what are considered the best positioning devices: Garmin.

Why Buy a Garmin Handheld GPS Mapping Unit?

You’re probably wondering why it is suggested that you choose to purchase one of these units over the other brands found on the market. On the record, I’m actually not asking you to choose Garmin because there are so many great options to choose from that might just suit your needs perfectly. However, the units coming from this company have a better reputation on the whole for offering high quality service with a multitude of features that make time outdoors exceptional.

So what can one of this units do for you? Plenty! We’ll look more closely at their functions and features when we review specific models, but to give you a brief overview of what you can expect, think about it this way: if you’ve ever wondered about your exact geographic coordinates, you can find out with this device; if you’ve ever wanted to know how to track back to a location that is so remote and hidden that you barely know how you got there in the first place, then you can find out with this device; and if you want to know how in the world you’re going to find your way home after leaving this remote location, this device can help you.

Now that we’ve looked at some ways that you can benefit from one of these units, let’s look more closely at some that are available for purchase as we speak.

Garmin Series

There are three different GPS mapping series that Garmin offers to the public. Between the three series you can choose from over a dozen devices. Below, we will look at some of the models in each of the series so you can better choose which might be beneficial to your next outdoor journey.

Colorado Series

The Colorado Series has recently been released to the public (around January 2008) and is great for the outdoor enthusiast who spends time on land, water, or even participating in fitness activities. All of the devices come with a Rock n’ Roller wheel that lets you operate their menus with one hand – usually one thumb – and they each have color screens that allow you to view very precise map details.

At present, there are four Colorado GPS mapping units that are available from the company. They include the 300, 400c, 400i, and 400t. The 300 is the least expensive of the series costing a little over $500. For the price, you get a WAAS-enable receiver with a built-in basemap, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD card slot, and picture viewer. Some other features of this model include the ability to store and exchange tracks, waypoints and routes.

The other three models fall into the $630 price range and come with a variety of unique features such as BlueChart g2 coastal charts, maps of inland lakes, and topographic maps with 3D views. Choosing which you like depends largely on your personal preferences.

eTrex Series

The eTrex GPS mapping Series has been available for years and offers six models including the Summit HC, Venture HC, Legend, Legend HCx, Vista, and Vista HCx. Each model in this series has features that make them unique, but to sum up the entire series, you can expect to receive a rugged, easy-to-use, waterproof device with bright yellow casing, the ability to store up to or beyond 500 waypoints, a TrackBack feature for reversing your routes, and up to 22 hours of battery life.

GPSMap Series

The GPSMap Series comes in seven models that include the 60, 60Cx, 60CSx, 76, 76S, 76Cx, and 76CSx. Similar to the previous to series, these models have their unique features and similarities. Some of the similarities include being able to retrieve maps for the most remote backwoods and waterways. They each come with either high-resolution monochrome or color screens depending on your budget, and are waterproof as well.

Garmin’s three unique GPS mapping series can offer you the best in on-land and on-water tracking. But don’t just take my word for it. Go find out for yourself. Do the research necessary online and at your local retailers. Then purchase the best GPS mapping system you can find at a great price. You’ll be happy you did.