Garmin eTrex Vista HCx GPS Receiver

Neither deep foliage nor steep canyons will faze the rugged Garmin eTrex Vista HCx navigator. Equipped with a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, the unit locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover. The advantage is clear: whether you're traipsing through thick woods or strolling near tall buildings and trees, you can count on the Vista HCx to help you find your way when you need it the most. The Vista HCx also includes a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even when you're standing still, along with a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.

Adding maps to the Vista HCx is easier than ever thanks to the device's microSD card slot, which accepts cards preloaded with MapSource data for your land and sea excursions. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and the Vista HCx will provide turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Plus, the card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you needn't worry about it getting wet.

Besides appreciating its small size, users will also be happy with the Vista HCx's unique button layout, with five buttons located on either side of the unit. The benefits of this design are twofold: First, the Vista HCx is a breeze to operate with just one hand, and, second, with the buttons on both sides of the unit, the bulk of the front is dedicated to the 256-color, sunlight-readable TFT display. This makes it easy to distinguish map details regardless of the time of day.

The Vista HCx basemap, meanwhile, contains lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads, and coastlines--in short, a host of helpful details for your outdoor adventures. Other details include an IPX7 waterproof housing, 1,000 waypoints with names and graphic symbols, a built-in patch antenna, a USB interface, a hunt/fish calendar, sun and moon information, and a geocaching mode. The Vista HCx, which runs for up to 25 hours on a pair of AA batteries (not included), measures 2.2 by 4.2 by 1.2 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a one-year warranty.

What's in the Box
eTrex Vista HCx, basemap, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software, USB cable, wrist strap, quick start guide, user's manual.

Deep foliage, nor canyons phase the rugged eTrex Vista HCx. Its high-sensitivity receiver holds a GPS signal in the toughest environments. Similar to the Vista Cx, this handheld navigator also has a bright color screen, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, microSD card slot and automatic routing for wherever adventure takes you.With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, eTrex Vista HCx locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear - whether you're in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Vista HCx to help you find your way when you need it the most.The Vista HCx has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.Adding maps is easier than ever with Vista HCx's microSD card slot. Conveniently plug in optional preloaded microSD cards with MapSource data for your land and sea excursions. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and Vista HCx provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.Like the rest of the eTrex series, Vista HCx is lightweight and compact - the perfect size for all your travels.

This is an excellent product. I had an earlier version of the vista - this is a huge improvement. Very fast satellite acquisition, and with a 2G microchip, I can store lots of maps. I just wish Garmin had a 24k map set for Montana.

I called in for a support regarding the Topo map (SD card size difference) but I couldn't get through. Their phone system kept ask me to hold for half an hour! I gave up and going to return the product.

I bought the Garmin Etrex Vista HCx unit to go geocaching with my boy scouts and I have been seriously disappointed... The unit is not as accurate as I had hoped and does not contain detailed maps out of the box - additional maps are REQUIRED! Way to go Garmin Marketing Monkeys you have made the unit useless out of the box! I would suggest you put a warning on the unit that states the basemap is not accurate and additional maps are required for accuracy greater than 500 feet.

Very Durable and useful GPS. I have owned one for almost a year before it was stolen from me. During that time it has been dunked, bumped, dropped, crammed in bags, and on for extended periods. This GPS is a workhorse. We use it for offroading, Geocaching, and hiking. My family has never been disappointed. It is both simple to use and very accurate with it's readings.

works extemely well in setting way points even at altitude and the city navigator I bought with it works great