Garmin  GPSMAP 67i

I purchased this from another retailer a couple of weeks ago before it was available at REI -- if REI had it back then, I would much rather have purchased with them. This device performs exactly as expected and allows me to stay in touch with my family back home via SMS as well as by sharing my location with them via an online map portal as frequently as often as every 2 minutes. The only thing I would suggest to a first-type buyer of any brand of this type of product is to research what the subscription fees in advance so you know what you're getting yourself into -- which I did -- and even with one of the more expensive plans -- am extremely pleased.

Not remotely rugged - do not buy. I have owned a number of Garmin products over a 20 year period and generally have found them to be phenomenal. I've got a ~2008 eTrex which has sustained all sorts of abuse and still works as expected. I've got an InReach Mini2 which has survived multiple dunkings, a biking accident and the general mashing/abuse that happens on the outside of a pack. This unit was a real splurge replacement for the eTrex, and I am bitterly sorry I didn't go for the cheaper eTrex. The first trip out with this unit, and the screen is cracked - 24" fall. My Google Pixel is more durable. Do Not Buy, it's not suitable for an outdoors backpacking environment.

This unit as a 1 megapixel and 3 MB limit on custom maps. Which essentially means you can't make custom maps. As a map maker who spent $600 on a GPS, I hate Garmin's business model which forces their customers to buy their maps. I make better maps, and I can't use them because Garmin has throttled their product in order to milk their customers.

I decided to get the 67i because it's an all in one for hiking (satellite communicator, GPS, and maps). The battery life is amazing. That alone is worth it. The maps have more trails shown than National Geographic trail maps and All Trails. I was worried about having to spend extra for more detailed maps, but I can't honestly see why hardly anyone would need to have that extra expense. So, I would advise any one to not buy the extra maps until you at least have tried it out. The only negative thing is that it takes awhile to figure everything out. Garmin needs to do better at this.

This product is great! The battery life is amazing even in the cold, super durable. It was a small challenge learning to use it versus Gaia or Alltrails on my cell (which is more intuitive). There is a phone app that you use to make routes as well but even that is just a bit behind the other major apps. I like to record my hike so it eats cell battery even in airplane mode. This unit lasts forever days without needing to use my cell at all. I needed an SOS button anyway so for the added cost it was more than worth it. I don’t care about the extra ounces stuck on my pack strap vs the inreach mini

Just got this Garmin 67I. My first GPS device. What a bad design. Can't use it without reading tutorials which are not very clear to understand either. They all require that you already know how to use a GPS devices. Although I could learn all that - I am getting frustrated that there is such a high learning curve. My main complaint is that there are too many options. No intuitive user interface. Too many buttons to press... After all I want to enjoy and being in touch with nature and not being constantly in touch with the GPS device instead. There must be a better way Garmin.

It is my first Garmin and the following points are my personal opinion/experience, exclusively for hiking. I bought the Garmin GPSMAP 67i for longer backcountry trips. So far I used my phone with offline maps and additional battery packs to extend the runtime of my phone. Pro: - fast device and fast satellite connection setup. - fast and stable Bluetooth connection. Easy download and synchronization of new routes - incredible runtime, battery lasts extremely long - good quality of the device and stable feeling - Decent operability through buttons in rain/dust - nice idea to add the SOS function (additional subscription necessary) - like the carabiner in the pack, but would still trade for the Garmin Backpack Tether Cons: - Software / interface way too outdated! The biggest Zonk so far. - not intuitive, you have to invest some days to understand the functions - only a manual with the basic functions, nothing to learn how to use the device. Also the tutorials on the Garmin homepage are a joke. - weather updates exclusively with an internet connection via cell phone - limitation to only 32-gigabyte microSD card @ Garmin: Please improve the interface / software and include a reasonable manual for new users Buy recommendation? Yes, for multi-day trips without power supply and internet connection. However, you need access to additional tutorials / explanations via the Internet.

The 67i really is a great for travel. I’m traveling through Morocco and it’s been very helpful to communicate via text to friends and family when I don’t have Wi-Fi. Its maps are helpful but not complete without paying for additional map that I didn’t want to spend money on. I also share or trave location with family to enable them to follow or movement. It’s a wonderful communication tool with great gps. I recommend it for traveling to exotic or remote places.

I 'upgraded' from a GPSMap 60CSx, this 67i model feels like a downgrade in almost every way. Pros: Very fast acquisition of satellites. Much more accurate than the 60CSx. inReach communication technology. Larger screen. Better battery life. Maps can be downloaded and updated on the device itself, although it is very slow even with a fast internet connection. Has a built in flashlight which might be useful I guess. Cons: No way to disable unnecessary menu animations. No option to change the map orientation to track up below a certain distance, the GPSMap 60CSx had this option, why doesn't this one. The battery cannot be replaced, thus reducing this devices' potential lifetime. My 60CSx still works perfectly fine to this day, I've had it since 2007. No way the Lithium battery in the 67i is lasting 18 years without replacement. Cumbersome and horrendously optimized menu system: The 60CSx's menu system is more compact and easier to use, the 67i's menu system is bloated, laggy, and cumbersome. Scrolling on the 67i is completely broken. On the 60CSx if you hold the up or down arrow to scroll through the list of waypoints and release the key it will instantly stop on the last selected item. Now on the 67i however it's like it has momentum, depending on how long you hold the up or down arrow it will keep scrolling for a long time when the button is released. The device will become completely unresponsive to button presses. Viewing and editing waypoints on the 60CSx is quick and simple, literally one button press. I can edit the waypoint directly and have three options on the bottom of the screen: delete, show it on the map, or route to it. On the 67i it's much, much more difficult and excruciatingly slow: Select the waypoint, wait 3-5 seconds for it to open the waypoint on the map with a single 'GO' option on the bottom. Want to edit it? Press menu, select 'Review Point' wait another 5 seconds for that page to load, Select menu AGAIN, select 'Edit Waypoint' WAIT ANOTHER 3-5 seconds! Finally in the edit menu. The 67i does not feel and rugged as the 60CSx. I've dropped the 60CSx several times, had it fall out of of my pack and into a creek once. Still works just a few scratches. I'm afraid to drop the 67i, it just feels different, like a cell phone. I got a silicone case for it so when I inevitably do drop it it hopefully doesn't break. I only bought this because I always carry a dedicated GPS and wanted the SOS/Satellite functionality since I often hike alone. Do yourself a favor and get the inReach mini instead of this. I do NOT recommend the 67i it is NOT worth $600 for the buggy/broken software on this thing and such a bad user experience. STAY AWAY!

I bought this newest model after my old Garmin 60cs was starting to reach its end of life. I figured that Garmin had to have made some major advances in GPS technology. They absolutely did, right out of the box it found over a dozen satellites from 3 systems. Pinpoint accuracy and decent map details. Then I tried to look at my hiking areas, needed more details. I soon realized that Garmin had advanced the technology but not its maps. There are 6 different topo 24 k map sets that you need depending on what states you hike in, so I bought West and North Central to cover my main areas. You have to switch SD cards as you cross state lines between the sets, but this is fairly easily done. Then I tried to navigate from my starting city to a waypoint in another state, and all I got was a straight line. 2 hours in two separate chats and 1 hour long phone call with Garmin, trying EVERY possible setting in the unit, I was finally told that I would need to purchase another map set to navigate highways from state to state. So if you're a beginner GPS user, this is not the unit for you. If you are a patient and experienced user and are willing to purchase all of the separate maps and spend MANY hours learning how to use the features of this unit, maybe give it a shot.