Garmin eTrex 30x GPS
This product is not available.
The Garmin eTrex 30x GPS stacks 3 choice features onto the already-robust eTrex 20x: a barometric altimeter, a 3-axis electronic compass, and the ability to share geocache information wirelessly.
Shop similar products- Features a 2.2 in., 65k color display with increased (240 x 320 pixels) resolution that can be viewed in bright sunlight
- 3.7 GB memory lets you load a variety of maps, including TOPO 24K, HuntView, BlueChart g2, City Navigator NT and BirdsEye Satellite Imagery (sold separately)
- Comes with a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief that helps you navigate with ease
- WAAS-enabled receiver locates your position quickly and maintains reception under heavy cover
- Compatibility with Russian Glonass system allows about 20% faster and more reliable satellite acquisition, helpful in challenging spots such as deep canyons or tall buildings
- 3-axis, tilt-compensated electronic compass shows your heading even when you're standing still and holding the unit upright or at an angle
- Altimeter tracks changes in barometric pressure to pinpoint your altitude while you're on the trail
- Supports geocaching GPX files for downloading geocache locations and details straight to the unit using the high-speed USB connection
- Allows wireless unit-to-unit transfer of routes, tracks, waypoints and geocaches; works with Montana-series, Oregon-series, Dakota 20, GPSMAP 62S, 62ST, 78S and 78SC devices
- Waterproof design meets IEC 60529 lPX7 standards (can be submerged to 1m for up to 30 min.)
- With an array of compatible mounts, eTrex is designed for use on ATVs, bicycles, boats, as a handheld, or in your car
- 2 AA batteries (sold separately) provide up to 25 hrs. of use
- MicroSDâ„¢ card slot for storing additional data
| Best Use | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Preloaded Map | None |
| Basemap | Yes |
| Wireless Communication | Yes |
| OS Compatibility | Windows / Mac |
| Display Size | 2.2 inches |
| Screen Pixels | 240 x 320 |
| Visual Map Display | Yes |
| Color Screen | Yes |
| Number of Routes | 200 |
| Number of Waypoints | 2000 |
| Internal Memory | 3.7 GB internal/expandable gigabytes |
| Expandable Memory | Yes |
| Compass | Yes |
| Altimeter | Pressure-based |
| Quad Helix Antenna | No |
| Compact Antenna | Yes |
| Position Accuracy | WAAS-enabled 3 meters |
| Battery Type | NiMH |
| Batteries | 2 AA |
| Average Battery Life | 25 hours |
| Dimensions | 2.1 x 4.0 x 1.3 inches |
| Water-Resistance Rating | IPX7 |
| Weight | 5 ounces |
Review this Product
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Pretty Good GPS
Overall I have had a good experience with this GPS over the two years that I have owned it. I have worked a lot with the Garmin GPS map 60 CSX and do not feel like the etrex 30 lacks much besides the little joystick being hard to use at times. The few buttons it has take a little getting used to, but they're not bad once you understand them. I got this GPS at the garage sale and it didn't have its owner manuel, but I didn't have trouble understanding the controls. Also, I downloaded some free maps from an online database that work great. There were instructions on the site and I didn't have any trouble getting them to work.
Convenient size, but takes some experience
The size of this GPS is just right for hiking and canoeing or kayaking. Fits easily in the hand and wirh some practice can be used with one hand, unlike touch screen GPS units. More importantly, the buttons and joystick controls are more positive than a touch screen. The chance of changing settings accidentally is greatly reduced. By using NiMH batteries, the GPS is rechargeable via the USB cable. As mentioned in otherreviews, it does take some practice, because the menus are not intuitive. U-Tube is a much better source of information than the provided manual; the manual available online is adequate.
Newby, initial impression
Not thrilled. $300 to buy it, then $129 to get a map of North East USA. Otherwise it would be useless, so know that you will spend about $450. I find it confusing as so much information is jammed on the little screen. It could use a much faster processor, as it takes awhile to think when you manipulate the button on the upper right. Things I would change: One, I would spend more for 2x the screen size. Two, I suspect it has an old, legacy cheap computer processor, that should be upgraded as this thing is slow. Three, the owners manual skips some critical steps, so you are left to call support (they are very nice, but still, call support?), for help. Don't but this, buck-up and get a bigger one, this is 2/3 the size of a pack of cigarettes. Go large or don't waste your money. I regret the purchase.
Easy to setup and use!
Picked it up this afternoon and used it an hour later. Other reviews talk about 5 apps, not true (any more at least). But you don't even need it to start using it. I did install it to download and install the maps for the Northeast and here lies my only gripe, using the supplied usb cable it took almost 4 hours to copy the map to the flash drive in the unit.
This is an upgrade of eTrex30.
The use of this eTrex30x is the same as eTrex30. I have used my eTrex30 for 3 years and drove it to the ground for frequent use. Garmin sent me a refurbished unit for $107.17 which malfunctioned. Rather than requesting yet another refurbished unit I went to my local REI store and bought their last one. So glad I did. This unit works just like eTrex 30 in maneuvering the software; so I didn't have to look into the owner's manual to study it. I walked in the neighborhood with it this morning; and I traced my old route with this unit. This unit is good. The color is enhanced. I like the mountainous topo map rather than lines of topos. Don't pay attention to any negative comments on this unit. Just buy it. Study this unit is well worth your trouble in achieving the hiking routes.
It serves well enough
This unit does the trick. It gets me where I need to go, and is proof against water, as advertised. However...there has not been a single case when I used the garmin when I had access to the Polaris gps on my phone. For $7.49 on the Google play store, Polaris gave better detail and is far easier to use, even in airplane mode with downloaded maps. With its small screen and awkward interface, the garmin unit is relegated to emergency backup.
Difficult and frustrating to get it to work
I bought this GPS for hiking and back-packing in Washington. To make the GPS useful for hiking you need to buy and download 24K topo-maps. This is fine - I find $100 for 3 states worth of maps cheap compared to buying paper maps for $8 each for small mountain sections. The first signs of a poorly designed product begin when you first plug-in the device to your laptop, in order to load maps and make the device useful. Before you can do anything useful with the device, you need to install 5 (that's FIVE) different applications! (1) Garmin Express for your laptop to "see" your device. (2) Garmin WebUpdater because your device has old software and needs updating (or so the site says when you first try to install maps). (3) Garmin Map manager (does nothing I think) (4) Garmin MapInstall (the useless application that later fails 10 times in a row to download and install 4GB maps) and (5) Garmin BaseCamp, the main application you will be using (if you ever get maps to your device) to plan your trips, waypoints, and analyse your data. After you install the 5 apps - the real trouble begins. You are now ready to buy and download maps. First, the memory in the device is too small to store topo maps. Yes, that's right, $300 in and you discover that your device doesn't have enough memory to be useful, you need to buy a micro-SD card, 4-8GB so you can install 24K topo maps on this device. This is already bad, but it gets worst - the application that is supposed to manage the download (Garmin doesn't trust the world with it's $100 maps so download and installing maps is a high security, difficult to use and in fact often impossible process which has turned off many of their customers as I am finding out across the forums). If you're lucky, after 8 hours of trying to download and install maps, you will be one of the lucky ones, who get to use the device in the field. If you're unlucky you will be too frustrated to try to resolve this, and you will return the product after having spent $20 on Micro SD cards and wasted many hours of your life trying to make technology work. I am an expert technology user. I am the person you call when you have trouble with your PC/Laptop and you need someone to fix it. If you're the kind of person who calls a friend when you have trouble with technology, then I don't recommend this product for you. When I wrote this review I had not yet been able to take the device out for hiking. I have spent 10 hours in total trying to make it work without results. I will update this when I succeed or return the product.
Has unreliable select mechanism
I can't say anything about the functionality of this as the frustration in trying to use the menu system has defeated my persistence. The problem is the cursor control is a joystick, which is fine, but the select mechanism is to press the joystick toward the front of the GPS. 90% of the time there is no select, but rather a movement on the menu.
Dag14187 eTrex Review
Seems good thus far but this is my handheld GPS so I need to learn to use it before I can render an opinion. The owner's manual could provide a lot more detail. I'm forced to look at a lot of other sources for info on using the device.
Bad gps device with lagging processor
I don't know what should i say, 300 dollars just for this almost useless device, even my smartphone's gps is better and easier to read, with lower price.