Garmin eTrex 20 Review
 | If you are looking for a new handheld GPS you should read this Garmin eTrex 20 review. I highly recommend considering the eTrex 20 for your next GPS unit. It resides in the middle of the three eTrex GPS receivers. The eTrex 20 has all of the features of the eTrex 10 and some additional functionality that gives it a leg up over the eTrex 10.
There is a very noticeable difference between the displays of the Garmin eTrex 10 and 20. The eTrex 10 is in black and white whereas the eTrex 20 is full color. The other big difference is that the eTrex 20 can utilize custom maps. You can get started with the included basemap but you will find it isn't very detailed. You'll need to purchase additional maps to get the most out of it. It will hold 1.7GB of data on the internal memory. If you are running low on space you can purchase Micro SD cards for a few dollars to increase the capacity. Garmin sells many map packages. Garmin also provides software that will help you make custom maps. The user interface for the eTrex 10 and 20 are just about the same. A great feature is the custom profiles. You can create a profile to customize the menu options how you like them or for the activities you participate in. You can have one for Geocaching that will make it easy to see the coordinates, hints, and terrain for the cache you are after or you can make one for hiking, camping, biking, etc. |
One thing the eTrex 20 is missing is an electronic compass. For those
features you will need to upgrade to the eTrex 30. The larger storage
capacity is quite useful though. You will get to store twice as many
waypoints as the eTrex 10. It also stores 200 user planned routes and
will record up to 200 tracks.
Other features you will enjoy include; 25 hour battery life, IPX7
waterproof rating, 1.7 GB memory, expandable Micro SD Memory, and it is
lightweight. The entire new eTrex line is compatible with the Russian
GLONASS network. One thing that GLONASS does is add more satellites
transmitting signals. It also utilizes WAAS to greatly increase the
accuracy. This can mean the difference of 40 feet in terms of accuracy.
There is nothing more frustrating than having your GPS in your hand and
not being able to use it because it can't find a signal. Garmin employs a
couple of different methods to ensure that the eTrex 20 can lock onto a
signal fast. For one, they employ their proprietary Hot Fix technology.
This is proprietary satellite prediction software. Basically, the GPS
knows where satellites should be so it reduces the time it takes for it
to locate a signal. The other way they speed things up is by utilizing
GLONASS. It is the Russian version of GPS. Early reports are that it is
up to 20% faster than GPS. Given that the eTrex 20 can receive signals
from both networks simultaneously it has more satellites in the sky to
work with. The end result is that it takes seconds to find your
location.
A a handful of capabilities I wish the eTrex 20 had is an electronic
compass and barometer. Sadly for these things you will need to go up to a
more expensive GPS. Having said that, the eTrex 20 is an excellent GPS.
See the whole Garmin
eTrex 20 review at allhandheldgpsreviews.com.
