iBuy GPS

If you’re looking into purchasing a GPS unit, there are a lot of factors to consider. Especially if you intend to use this GPS unit in the outdoors and in extreme conditions, make sure that the unit you purchase can withstand that kind of abuse. After all, many avid outdoorsmen will expose their GPS to weather conditions like snow and driving rain. They will also put the GPS into precarious situations such as taking the unit mountain climbing.

If you’re looking for durability and dependability, many people have been impressed by the Garmin eTrex Legend. The casing and product are shown to be durable, but people are also impressed with the usability and user-friendly interface. There’s also the benefit that this GPS unit is lightweight, which means it’s easy to store in a camping backpack and take on any outdoor adventure. These units are also designed to be handheld, so they are small and fit easily in the palm of the hand.

We all know that one person in our life that is absolutely and completely directionally challenged. They seem to get turned around just heading to the grocery store, even if they’ve been shopping there for years! If you know somebody in that situation, consider giving them a gift that steps outside the conventional gift giving box. One great gift idea for this type of person that’s a bit unique and different is a GPS unit.

Do some basic research and find out what type of GPS would be best for them. If they’re a bit adventurous, maybe a Garmin eTrex would be best. If they don’t generally stray from the city, consider a car mounted GPS that can help them get around town. Whatever type of GPS would be best for them, it’s something they would probably never consider buying for themselves, but it’s sure to be something they’ll use on a daily basis.

The Garmin eTrex Vista maintains the weight (5.3 ounces) and dimensions (4.4 by 2 by 1.2) of its predecessors and is housed in the same waterproof, pocket-sized casing. The main design difference between the Summit and the Vista is color (the Vista has a metallic-silver exterior). No changes were made to the 2.1-by-1.1-inch, high-resolution, monochrome LCD, and none were needed since the map detail is amazingly clear for such a small display.

Like the Summit, the Vista sports five convenient, black rubber buttons, including two Zoom controls, Power/backlight, Find, and Pages buttons, on either side of the unit, allowing for easy one-handed operation. However, Garmin has mounted a sixth button, called the Click Stick, on the face of the Vista. This five-position joystick-like navigation key lets you scroll through the various options within each of the main pages.

You can also use the onscreen keyboard to enter search criteria. Use the Page button to view satellite information, maps, compass heading, elevation history, or a trip computer (which displays an odometer, speed, average moving time, and more). The sixth page is a Windows-like menu where you can create routes, mark waypoints, view track logs, and find local points of interest. We were particularly impressed with the extended Find function, which displays the distances (”as the crow flies”) and a heading pointer to your desired location on both the map and compass pages.

As an avid hiker, it’s absolutely essential that I have a firm grasp of the lay of the land. I set aside an hour or two before every camping trip to plot out my hikes, making sure to bring the proper supplies and gear in accordance with the temperature and altitude. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way what happens when I don’t pay enough attention to the topography of a region before a hike.

Without realizing it, I found myself in a high-altitude area that became tremendously cold at night – so much so that I sat up most of the night with my teeth chattering. If I had simply consulted Garmin topo maps, I would have known to bring an extra-insulated, cold-rated sleeping bag. Ever since that embarrassing incident, I’ve always been prepared for the terrain and the elements to come

When most people think of GPS technology, it’s probably the version made for cars that comes immediately to mind. Still, one could argue that these systems are even more practical for use on boats. When ships and small craft are far from land on an overcast evening, natural navigational clues are scarce indeed. With no lighthouse or constellations to guide them, boaters can drift far off course.

By putting a navigational system onto a marine GPS mount, it’s possible to avoid these problems entirely. GPS can also save the lives of the crew and passengers by alerting them about the presence of rock outcroppings and other treacherous debris that might be waiting in the murky depths. Clearly it’s just as crucial to have easy navigation ability at sea.

Watching your precious GPS flop around your dashboard like a fish out of water can make your stomach turn. After all, you spent big bucks to obtain this technological savior. Why would you want to waste your investment by allowing it to become utterly beaten and scratched? It would be in your best interest to shell out a few dollars to buy a contraption to hold it securely in place.

Handheld GPS mounts come in several varieties and designs to accommodate each and every GPS model. You can also choose whether you’d like a windshield mount, a dashboard mount or a mount that clips to your AC vent. Never again will you swerve as you reach to rescue your GPS from bouncing throughout your car. Protect your technology today!

If you’ve ever moved to a new city and found yourself completely lost among the skyscrapers, one-way streets and heavy traffic, it may be time for you to consider investing in a global positioning system – more commonly to referred to as a GPS. When I moved to Seattle a little over a year ago, I felt like I had moved to the other side of the world having grown up on the East coast. I felt turned around, backwards even, and if it wasn’t for the water’s edge my cardinal directions would have been jumbled. Needless to say, I was in dire need of a GPS.

After reading multiple consumer reports, defining my basic needs and my budget I was ready to make my purchase. The Garmin NUVI 370 GPS was the model I chose, and boy could it do wonders! Instantly I knew back-road secrets, as if I’d lived there my whole life, that helped me dodge heavily congested traffic areas. My life quickly changed. All I ever needed to journey through the city was the address of where I was headed – no directions required.

When I turned fifty, I decided to use all the vacation time I had built up over the years at work and tour the 48 states within the continental United States.  I spent at least an hour or two in each state, even if it was just driving through and stopping at a restaurant for lunch.  I think I spent the most time in Florida, Utah, and the New England states, but with all the adventures I had, it’s kind of hard to remember where I just stopped for lunch or dinner and where I spent one or two days touring.  For the duration of the trip I kept my Garmin handheld GPS with me at all times.  The Garmin handheld GPS helped me to navigate foreign roads, find the quickest routes out of the city, and even find the best places to stop for a meal.  I would have been lost without it.

It took me a little under three months to visit all the states, and at the end, I was ready to head back home.  I think I discovered a lot about myself on my trip and I also met a lot of people who were different from me in the various states.  It was a life altering experience that every American should experience once in their lifetime. 

In my last post I mentioned Batteries but, only talked about their weight. The other features that are important about batteries are battery life and battery type. Battery life is how long the battery can produce enough juice to make the Garmin Handheld GPS work. If you have looked at the specs you know that the typical range for batteries is four to twenty four hours. I can hear you hikers groaning. To get the GPS to last you would turn the GPS on for only a few minutes every hour or so. Let’s do the math. If you turn the GPS on for three minutes every hour for ten hours a day then a battery life of four hours would last you eight days. Next post we will take up battery type.

We all know how enjoyable boating can be, but when boating on ocean or larger lakes, there’s always the danger of becoming lost.  Whether it’s because of adverse weather conditions like fog or rain, or just getting turned around, it’s important to be know your location.  A reliable GPS device is invaluable when you’re out on the water, and the Garmin eTrex GPS is great for all kinds of boating.  This GPS provides accurate information about your location on lakes, rivers, even on the coast.  You can also download some cool features including those that point out fishing hot spots on various bodies of water. You’ll be thankful that you have your GPS device should an emergency ever arise and you need to find your way.  You can also use the Garmin eTrex GPS for all kinds of road activities in addition to boating. 

You’ll be able to find addresses, streets, and locations of interest throughout the area.  For boating trips down the coast to different towns and ports, having a GPS provides an excellent opportunity to explore the local culture.  You might even find some places that you never would have discovered otherwise!