Garmin eTrex Venture CX Color Mapping Handheld GPS Reviews

• Blown Away

  
  By A1ENKYF5J1U3VX on 2006-11-11
  I drove my wife crazy spending several weeks worth of nights researching which GPS to buy for my upcoming elk hunting trip in Colorado. After reading several reviews on Amazon about Magellan and Garmin, I decided to focus on Garmin, especially after my old Magellan stopped locking on.
  
  The price of the Venture Cx immediately jumped out at me. As did one of the Amazon reviews about buying the Venture instead of the Legend Cx. So I started comparing features of the various units on Garmin's website. Should I go with the Legend or Vista or Venture, or spend another $200+ on a top of the line GPSMap 60CSx? I soon realized the Venture Cx had ALL of the features of the 60CSx except an altimter, compass and the new top of the line SIRF II chipset/receiver. So I figured I would buy the Venture Cx and try it out hunting in the dark timber and deep canyons of the West Elk Wilderness, and if I kept losing the signal I would return it and upgrade to the expensive 60CSx.
  
  Well, needless to say, I am back from my week long hunt and was blown away that the unit never lost a signal in the deepest of dark timber, and I mean deep! Sometimes it would jump around a bit as you walked, but it always corrected itself in a second or two and never lost the signal. Before I left I bought a 512MB micro SD card for $15, the US Topo for $75 from Amazon, loaded the maps for the area I would be hunting, and I always knew where I was and even what road I was quading on. My other friends all had GPS's but not the mapping kind. They were also blown away by the mapping accuracy and how quickly the unit would start up and acquire a position, even in the dark forest. I kept the unit on most of the time as I hunted so it would leave my track in case I wanted to back track, and I still have 2 of 3 bars on my rechargeable NiHM batteries after 7 days.
  
  So, bottom line, if you want an incredibly feature rich, mapping GPS, don't waste your money on the more expensive Legend or Vista Cx, nor the top of the line GPS Map60 CSx. Go with the bright easy to find yellow Venture Cx, buy your own USB cable (or use the one that came with your digital camera like I did) and buy a higher capacity Micro SD card (the Legend Cx only comes with 64MB), buy the US Topo from Amazon and you are rockin and rollin for geocaching, hunting/hiking in deep dark timber, and turn by turn navigating around your home city and the USA.
  
  

• nice but comes without USB cable

  
  By A2YJ1K8M0KPHMF on 2006-06-21
  Just arrived yesterday and this is only an intro review, but I was surprised that this 200buck device doesn't come with the USB cable needed to connect it to your PC. It uses a fairly standard mini-usb connector that you can buy at a gadget store but annoying that this is the case. Be sure to get a cable when you buy if you want to upload maps and create waypoints.
  
  It also bears mentioning that the device comes with absolutely no software on CD at all. You get a very basic world map built into the device and that's it for maps. Any additional maps must be bought from garmin and cost 80-100bucks each.
  
  This model uses microSD memory cards which is a nice upgrade from previous models. There's now really no limit to how much map info you can store in the device if you buy a large capacity microSD card.
  
  I like the device, but Garmin is really nickle and diming the consumer of its products. For the cost, there should be a USB cable in the box. Maps should cost no more than 50bucks tops.
  
  
  
  

• Decent system, poor reception

  
  By A2D8838GCWS6Y0 on 2007-02-09
  I read every review I could find on this product before buying it. I guess I should have heeded the "doesn't work well in canyons or in heavily forested areas" ones. Most of my hiking is around the Pacific NorthWest. Somehow I thought that I was only hiking in not-so-heavily forested areas. Apparently I was wrong. Even on the top of a smallish mountain, the highest point for miles around, I didn't get a strong enough signal for the GPS to locate me. I could see that it was getting a signal from about 6 satellites, but they weren't strong enough to do anything with.
  
  So if you hike in the forest, don't expect this to be able to keep track of your location. My electronic breadcrumb trail was non-existent.
  
  Also, Garmin's products are among the LEAST Macintosh-friendly GPS units out there.
  
  Otherwise, everything else worked as advertised. But if I buy another GPS unit, it would probably be the 60Cx which has the better receiver.
  
  The other problem I had was that the first unit that I bought (directly from Amazon, not some other retailer or used seller) had been opened and used. It was covered with pocket lint, was missing the screen-protector sticker, and the screen was covered in fingerprints. I also ordered the memory card that Amazon suggested I buy. Bad idea! It told me to buy a MiniSD card, but it should have been a MICROSD card. That's entirely my fault for not double-checking, but still, Amazon shouldn't have suggested it. That card was direct from Amazon and was supposed to be new, but had been cut open and used.
  
  Luckily, Amazon customer service sent me a replacement for both immediately! I was happy about that, but not so happy when I opened the new shipment and realized that the Venture they sent me was even MORE used than the first one! The memory card had also been used.
  
  

• Great unit, a best buy.

  
  By AQZSBIJZQ9DOR on 2006-11-10
  I been using a standard eTrex for years and always liked it. But plotting positions on a map became a hassle, so I started looking for a mapping GPS. I was surprised to find a unit like this for $[...] after rebate. The rebate form was uncomplicated and I received it promptly within the time frame specified. Amazon shipped the same day that I ordered and I received the product ahead of schedule.
  
  I'm very impressed with this unit. Sharp display, intuitive operation, long battery life, very good reception, and more features than I can list here. The base map included in firmware includes all interstates and major bodies of water, plus information of amenities available near interstate exits; hotels, restaurant, service stations, you name it. But to take full advantage of it's capabilities, you'll need to upload detailed maps from disk, available separately. If you plan to use the device both on the road and afield, I'd recommend the USA Topo mapping software as it contains both roads and detailed topographics for the entire US.
  
  The unit does not come with a mini USB cable or a memory card. I found this to be no problem as the cables that came with my PDA and camera work fine with this unit. If you don't have a mini USB cable you can probably buy one for a few bucks as it's a standard configuration. I'd recommend updating the units firmware (a free download from Garmin) as soon as you get a cable.
  
  The lack of a memory card (Micro SD, 1 gigabyte max) isn't a problem either as it allows you to pick out the size you want. A 512 megabyte runs about $20 and will hold the topo maps for about half of the USA.
  
  Some people have complained that Garmin should have included the cable, software, and memory chip with the unit. If you want everything in one package, consider the eTrex Legend Cx, which is esentially the same unit with those items included. I prefer this unit because it will work right out of box; you can try it out and decide which accessories you want later. The bright yellow case makes easy to find.
  
  The combination toggle lever/enter key makes entering data quick and easy, but it has a drawback; if you carry the unit in your pocket it's prone to get moved about taking you to different screens. This isn't a major problem as you can return to the previous screens with a few presses of the page/back key, but can be a nuisance.
  
  I like the fact that this unit requires just two AA batteries; they're cheap and available everywhere. My tests have shown 29 hours of battery life with the backlight off.
  
  Finally, the small high resolution screen is very detailed, but if you have trouble reading fine print this might not be the right unit for you.
  
  Overall, this is an outstanding unit and the price makes it a best buy.
  
  

• Nice unit, bad documentation

  
  By A3BVNE5KS817EI on 2006-10-15
  This is my first GPS unit. I bought it mostly for hiking around in the wilderness, as well as measuring my speed while in a car (it is more accurate than a typical speedometer, like 1/10 of a MPH in the right conditions).
  
  The Venture CX feels very solid. One tiny detail I was not thrilled with is that the microSD card slot was not machined very well. I had to push the card (not included, of course) to get it in place harder than I do on many other devices I've used (Mp3 players, digital cameras). With a tiny microSD card, as fragile as it feels, it bugs me, but since I connect to my computer through a (albeit slow) USB interface, I don't have to take the card in and out.
  
  The included basemap is very weak, don't expect much. I had a 2004 version of Mapsource Metrosource 6.0, and using Metrowizzz (free) I am able to load the maps onto the unit and have the Venture CX calculate turn by turn directions to any address I enter. The cool thing about navigation is it tells you the distance between you and the next turn, and it beeps once in advance to tell you the turn is coming up, then when you're very close to it it beeps twice and tells you to turn (i.e. a message on the LCD "Turn left onto Main St.").
  
  Also, you can adjust the backlight level, and set the amount of time the backlight stays on. When you turn on the device and then turn the backlight on, it will go off on its own in the amount of time specified. If you are in navigation mode, when the unit beeps to tell you about an upcoming turn, the light comes on automatically. It's really a clever design and allows you to focus on the road, and not burn up battery power by running the backlight unnecessarily.
  
  The one major knock is the documentation, which is bad (a discussion forum search finds that the Venture / Legend CX are not alone when it comes to bad documentation). The manual tells you what the options are, but does not bother to explain them! An example is that you can choose a "battery saver mode". The manual does not explain, not even one lousy line, what this mode does (after doing a web search, I found out that it refreshes location every 5 seconds instead of every 1 second). There are other examples of this poor/missing detail. For that, I'm knocking one star off. I would hope that Garmin, whose GPS units are found in airplanes and boats all over the world, would like to tout the neat features of their GPS units by fully explaining to their owners how to use them.
  
  In summary, I love the unit and even though I haven't had it in the wilderness yet, it is such a fun gadget to have that I wonder how I got by without it! Loving gadgets, I like to know how they work and how to use them to their fullest and I think Garmin needs to seriously improve the documentation of these units.
  
  
• Lost In Space
  By A2TR8BKYUHG1Z2 on 2007-06-14
  This is a great unit, the whole GPS thing is better than sliced bread. That said, the base maps with this unit suck. That may not be fair if you only use major highways or for hiking but I was very unimpressed. I had access to City Navigator v8 since I have the Garmin GPS 18 set up on my laptop (my first GPS) and used for major auto trips. I purchased a 2 GB microSD (they can be had for south of $25) and loaded the entire USA on about 83% so IMHO getting the more expensive eTrex with the (tiny) microSD Card and data cable is a waste (if you have a digital camera you probably have the needed data cable). Battery life is unbelievable about 30 hours on 2 AA and for $10 one can find a car plug. A small unit like this won't give you verbal directions, it does beep to let you know that "something" is up but to be honest in a car you can hardly hear it. I've not really used it outdoors much for other than to track just how far I walk (workout) and tried (found) a Geocache for grins. A $14 motorcycle mount works very well on my bike Sportster 883XL (stock handlebars) and you do NOT replace the back of the unit, just add the clip that comes with the eTrex. That "new" back that comes with the bike clip won't even fit a Cx unit due to the microSD card and it's not waterproof, toss it.
  
  I don't need a GPS daily, if I'm going on a major car drive I'll set up my GPS 18. This unit the eTrex (Venture Cx) is my handy dandy quick grab and it's a compromise but can be used for the car, my bike or on foot. My wife and I recently had to go to a family thing in NC I'd never really been there, so this was my first real use of this unit and I was impressed. Prior to leaving using my computer (camera data cable) and my Garmin Mapsource I located the hotel, event location, and the house we needed to go to. I should have input the Airport (could have done it there but just didn't think about it) but the unit bailed me out (more on that later). It does take the unit a bit to "log on and lock" maybe a minute or two so it's not a big deal. Once locked on I lit up the hotel waypoint and the little unit took us there. I just held it (or handed it to my wife) and although a small screen it gave me the next turn, distance all the things a GPS is suppose to do. Later my wife found a restaurant and when I hit the find button with POI there it was and off we went, no muss no fuss. On another occassion we went out to another restaruant with a local who rode with us and took us in such away as only a local can. Dinner done we wanted to go back to our hotel and since his wife met us there we were going to be on our own, it was dark and we were clueless as to where we were. Not a problem, lit up the GPS and on our way, made a wrong turn at the start and missed a turn in a dark rural area but the unit just recalculated and took us on in. My wife who hates all these gadget but clearly does not want to be lost was impressed. On the way back to the Airport was a bit off only because I did not create a waypoint. Using the "find" button it kept finding the closest one which was not the one I wanted. Not a real problem, I got on the highway headed towards the right airport and about 10 miles out hit the find button, went to transport and there was a list of Car Rental places, even better. Found my rental office and the unit took me in the front gate. So I have to say this unit has the potential to be great but as I started out the base maps suck. It's not a perfect car/camp/bike GPS but it "can" do all those things well plus slip in your pocket. Since I already owned the map and could install it to the micrSD card that was a good thing, if I had to pay an extra $125 for a decent map, well that's another. I hope to return to Europe for a bit of an adventure but a decent map of Europe is like $225 from Garmin, nice to have but a bit steep for a few weeks travel. It's not quite as bad a buying printer for $30 then having to get ink for $300 someone should start a Map Library, seems if you can rent a movie why not a map. "Help Me Will Robinson"
  
  
• Best Bang for the Buck!
  By A17A98DT57BFI5 on 2007-01-10
  I purchased the Garmin Venture Cx specifically for geocaching. I had originally purchased the Garmin Legend Cx, but quickly realized that the price difference does not add up. The Legend Cx is essentially the same unit with a 64MB microSD card, a mini USB cable, and the Waypoint Manager CD. You can currently find 1GB microSD cards for under twenty dollars, most digital cameras come with a mini USB cable (I use the cable from my Blackberry phone), and the Waypoint Manager software is not really required (if you purchase maps later the software is included). Also, depending on the application, there are plenty of shareware programs that do a fair job of transferring data to your GPS. Also, I like the fact that the Venture Cx is yellow, as it is much harder to lose if you set it down while hiking. In my opinion, the only trade up for the Venture Cx is the GPSMap 60Csx.
  
  The Venture Cx has excellent accuracy, the only improvement being the 60x/76x line with SiRF technology. I occasionally get some settling issues in heavy tree cover or when close to tall buildings, but this is OK since geocaching in Austin, Texas, is much different than in other regions.
  
  I loaded City Navigator v8 on my GPS after some frustration with geocaching in San Antonio (mostly not knowing which streets to turn down) and have been pleasantly surprised with the autorouting capabilities of the unit. If I make a wrong turn it will calculate a corrected route. The unit beeps when I get within 0.1 miles of a turn, then beeps twice when the turn is within 100 feet. Incredibly handy!
  
  At first I was hesitant to purchase a Garmin based on the navigation button layout, since Magellan moved their buttons to the front of the unit and the buttons are clearly labeled. However, after trying out an Explorist 400, I realized the Garmin is right for me. It really comes down to a preference in interfaces. The Garmin seems more like the icon-based systems I am used to, whereas the Magellan is more folder based (Windows versus DOS is the only way I can describe it). This is not to be rude to the Magellan, as it is a fine unit as well, just different.
  
  The Venture Cx is also the lowest priced GPS unit with a color screen. This is a very attractive addition once you add maps to the unit. Color lines help delineate roads from rivers, and really help differentiate waypoint icons (restaurants, banks, hospitals, geocaches, etc.).
  
  The only thing missing is an electronic compass and barometric altimeter. These features are included in the Vista Cx. However, if you are going to make the jump to the Vista, you may as well get the GPSMap 60Csx or 76Csx.
  
  
• A great GPS for trekking - no need to get the more expensive models
  By A2RX2SOYUK7YZO on 2007-07-11
  The Venture CX is a great mapping GPS. I used it on a trip to Peru and Bolivia (including an 8 day trek through the Andes), and I have no complaints.
  
  Note that it has the same hardware as the other Garmin CX models, lacking just a few things that are all unimportant or easily worked around. Compared to the Legend CX and/or Vista CX, the Venture CX is *lacking* the following:
  
  - Electronic compass. This is only needed if you're standing still; otherwise, the Venture CX figures out which way you're facing by which direction you're heading.
  - Barometric altimeter. The Venture CX can still determine your altitude from the GPS signals. It might be less accurate than a barometric altimeter, but I didn't notice any horribly inaccurate readings during my trek through the Andes, which ranged from about 5000 to 13,500 feet.
  - 64MB MicroSD card. Getting a separate 1GB MicroSD card is about ten dollars these days, and 64MB is fairly small for storing things like topo maps, anyway.
  - USB cable. It uses a standard mini USB plug, so I just used the cable that came with my digital camera.
  - MapSource software. Several different free applications (including Google Earth) can be used to move data to or from the GPS. Garmin's MapSource software might be nice, but it's not necessary for most things.
  
  The unit itself is great.
  - Its battery life is excellent: I routinely got four or more days (~7-8 hours a day) of track recording out of a pair of alkaline AA cells.
  - Fine reception. On an 8-day trek, I only lost the signal a few times, total, never for more than a few minutes, and usually in extremely steep canyons. I was carrying it in a cargo pocket on my pants, which isn't the best place for signal strength, anyway.
  - The screen was clear and bright; it is transreflective, so there is no need for the backlight at all during the day. At night the lowest backlight setting was perfectly adequate, which helps the battery life.
  - Lots of useful built-in features. It is my first GPS, so I can't compare it to others in this regard, but I enjoyed things like the "trip odometer," which records time moving and stopped separately, giving average speeds for each, along with lots of other data. That was great for keeping track of our pace while hiking.
  - And the most important to me, though a bit esoteric, was the ability for me to load custom-made topographic maps. The process is fairly involved, requiring many different applications (all free downloads), but if you're up for it, know that it is possible to download digital elevation data (produced by NASA) for almost any region on Earth, produce a high-quality topographic map, and upload it to this GPS. You can't even buy topo maps for most of the world for this unit, so being able to make and use them for free is a great feature in my opinion.
  
  
• Great GPS
  By A2LY99H9SUMBG7 on 2006-06-30
  In June my family and I went a family vacation to Yellowstone. Usually when we go on an outdoor vacation we go hiking and such. I purchased this unit because my brother and I had discussed going on a 15 to 20 mile hike and I wasn't sure how well the trails were marked. The GPS was a great peice of equipment, it shows you everything you would want to see while hiking like speed, distance time, and most importantly where you have been so that you can find your way back. It also shows things like elevation and compass heading. The screen was easy to read and without being bulky. We also mapped our way around from Yellowstone to the Grand Tetons and all the way to Salt Lake City. It is kind of like having "mapquest.com" at your fingertips. If I had to say anything negative it would be that it does use batteries pretty quickly, the 32 hours that was specified on the spec sheet was not what I experienced, it was more like 12 to 14 hours, even so for the detail and peace of mind it is a great piece of equipment.
  
  
• Better than i thought it would be..
  By A10BWUB8LYV3V4 on 2006-08-27
  After careful evaluation of several reviews I chose this gps as the one to buy and Im glad I did. I also purchased mapsource US Topo to go with it, for back country hiking, driving or just knowing where you are it will do everything you could ask of a gps. It is accurate down to 7' which isnt bad, itll tell you elevation, speed, verticle speed, direction and a whole lot more. My only gripe is the little screen but I have excellent vision so its not that bad, however someone with bad eyes may find it a stuggle to read the screen if you have the device on the dash of a car while driving down a country dirt road, I love this thing. Dont buy the vista or legend buy this, then by the 512mb card to go into it and then get mapsource US Topo and youll be set. Oh ya, one more thing, more than half of the United States will fit on the 512mb card with detail on high! NICE!~!!
  
  
• I can't believe it's not butter
  By AFVXIWPV5XCI1 on 2007-01-04
  Opened my Venture Cx Christmas day (or Kwanza, Winter Holliday, Winter Solstice Celebration, season of daytime fasting for the crescent moon god or whatever you would like to celebrate...I am trying to be inclusive and politically correct in this new year, and keep reminding myself, it is ok for people to not tolerate my views but I have to validate their's). Anywho, as soon as I put batteries in the GPSr, it picked up 4 satellite signals, from inside my brick home (hut, tent, adobe cliff dwelling, or news paper lined card board box, these are all valid personal choices and I do not judge you). I have used it for navigation (although being lost is a valid democratic choice) and geocacheing. The back light makes it easy to see at night and can be used as a make-shift flashlight (although choosing to stay in the dark is a valid democratic choice). All in all, this is a great GPSr, and has features of a much more expensive unit. If you are torn between this and more expensive units that include the USB cord and media card, choose this unit. Even if you do not have a USB cord for a MP3 player, camera or cell phone they are super cheap. The media card the other more expensive units come with is a 64 mg, and a 1 gig card can be purchased from Amazon for under twenty-five.
  
  
• Venture
  By A3YND483WAZGL on 2007-03-13
  My first GPS and I have had no problems at all. Bought primarily for geocaching, but working well for car navigation as well. Able to get out caching right from the box. Still have more to learn, but has been a great first GPS.
  
  
• Bad GPS, already Opened
  By A31SKT0YXYHUPU on 2006-07-19
  I haven't had good luck with this model yet. First one I received was broken. Called Garmin was told to contact Amazon as they would take 7-10 days to just repair it. Had a new one overnighted to me. Was sent out late so it didn't get here until after 8PM at night, Garmin was closed, couldn't get a new unlock code because Amazon sent faulty one. This next one I received was already opened, not even brand new like listed. Amazon also forgot to give me the return mailing label for the old one, as I do not have a way to print it.
  
  
• Good entry level color unit
  By A3L2YYXTL4MRSB on 2007-01-29
  Our unit was purchased to replace a 3+ year old Garmin Geko 201 for Geocaching. The Geko was great, but the tiny screen was "shrinking" due to my middle-aged eyesight. Also, it was getting very tiresome manually entering caches into the unit.
  
  I considered the cheaper Garmin Legend, but found the display less readable than the Geko. Also, it came with a serial cable, not USB, so I would have had to buy an adapter or an expensive cable(s) to get it interfaced with my notebook.
  
  A word on interfacing with a computer: Be prepared to work a bit to accomplish this. The USB cable that came with my Sony digital camera worked fine. However, the USB drivers from Garmin's website DID NOT automatically install and set things up. I had to run the driver install executable, locate the drivers, then manually run XP hardware install wizard and point to the drivers. Not too bad if you are experienced, but might be a challenge if you aren't a "techie." I then setup and configured "EasyGPS" to interface with the unit and be able to load the .loc files from Geocaching.com, and we were off to the races. This was SO much easier/faster than entering coords by hand!
  
  The unit performed well in our field tests. The color screen was a bit harder to read than the Geko in bright sunlight. Also, I found the unit would "flip-flop" the display when I was standing still. No big deal, just start moving and it settles down. Has many useful Geocaching specific features.
  
  Overall, I'm satisfied with the build quality and features.
  
  
• Excellent unit for under $200
  By A1EPXD0829IE73 on 2007-03-23
  You cant ask for more at this price, and its got all the features you really need, and leaves out what you dont. (like baro pressure...who cares!)
  
  Note, to use the handle bar mount you MUST use the supplied clip that comes with the unit. The battery cover that comes witht he handle bar mount will not fit, and thats why they include the clip/adapter.
  
  
• Love This Unit!!!
  By A1EN2ZO0AG6LR6 on 2006-12-28
  I bought the eTrex Venture after much research. I wanted to be able to get street directions and off road but not spend too much. I already have the Garmin StreetPilot so the street directions weren't a big deal. Well, I bought a 1 gig microcard from Sandisk and could put a second unit on my City Navigator 8.0 NT map that I already had. What is so great is that I put the whole United States on the card and still had little room to spare. It works like a charm. I am amazed that one little unit can store so much information and is so easy to use. Hospitals, shopping, directions, everything is there just like Street Pilot except you get a beep instead of a voice telling you where to turn. If you know its limitations and don't mind not having a big screen, it is worth every penny because you will always have the ability to find anything you want right in your pocket or purse. Battery life is also great. I have used mine extensively since christmas day and still have 3 bars. It is so much more than I expected. Just remember the only downside is you have to buy a map to go with it to make it useful.
  
  
• "Venture" forth with this GPS
  By A24CX80G6RLGW8 on 2007-02-04
  A friend excitedly told me about geocaching and I pursue other activities where a gps would be handy. I'd been on-the-fence regarding the purchase of a gps for some time as I'm old-school and not very "techie". However, a couple of my buddies assured me that "even" I could do it, so I took the plunge. Before purchasing, I visited a local outdoor store and REI hoping to glean some wisdom or at least knowledge to fill the abyss of ignorance. I read the posts on this site and narrowed the choice to the Legend cx or the Venture cx. Finally, I even called the Garmin 800 number and talked with somebody there regarding the differences between the 2 models. I chose the Venture cx for the following reasons:
  1.Price - I just don't need all the whi$tles and bell$ of some of the $$$$ units that may be used in aircraft, with LORAN, etc.
  2.Color screen - a big plus in various lighting conditions and with most maps.
  3.Features - this unit does all that I think most (recreational, soft-core) users would ever need. If you need something more, then get the necessary unit.
  4.Physical size & color - fits easily in pockets and the yellow is a good color if you need to go looking for it. Waterproof, but does not float.
  5.User friendly - I say that with hesitation as early in my ownership I wanted to run it over with the car. I told my buddies and they weren't surprised as they know my phobia for any device where a button must be used for more than "on-off". However, after calming myself over a few days and sitting undistubed with the owner's manual (and websites), my daughter and I today found 3 geocaches. My buddy gave me a topomap cd and I even downloaded that and I feel I can use the installed data for its intended purpose. There IS a learning curve, but if you sit and push buttons long enough, the fog begins to clear. Even so, there are parts of the menus I haven't sampled and I plan to take the next series of classes offered by REI (just missed the last classes).
  6.Apparently same as the Legend cx for fewer $$ - BUT, as others have said, this model does not come with a memory disc or the usb cable. I bought a storage mimi-disk when I ordered the gps knowing I would need one, and my digital camera cord works just fine to connect to the computer. I believe Legend cx purchasers would be buyin larger memories for their units to replace the stock one, anyway, so the only difference between the 2 is the inclusion of the cord with the Legend cx.
  
  I gave it 4 stars because of the cost of the supporting software, lack of at least one of the things that comes with a Legend cx, and lack of flotation.
  
  This thing amazes me (which my buddies say is not hard to do). It does so many things, and I haven't installed the City Navigator map which permits it to do even more. I 've had it about 4 days now and I don't want to run over it anymore. Unless you absolutely NEED something more, this gps should satisfy/please anyone looking for a reasonably priced, compact, useable gps.
  
  
• Great Little Unit
  By AX7HRLJ5F77QA on 2007-02-18
  Pretty slick little unit although without some downloadable maps that I found, it would be pretty worthless. The built in base map does not have much detail. I specifically bought it for off roading and the TOPO maps are not locked so they work beautifully.
  
  
• Garmin Works!
  By A2EQKOB4NWPGOU on 2007-02-24
  I needed the Garmin eTrex for a train trip I was taking. It follows the train along its path and you can tell at all times where you are on the trip. I found the unit to work extremely well. It takes a few minutes for it to set up, by finding satellites. If you are in a rural area or big city where there is no reception or reception is blocked by large buildings it will come up with satellite lost. It automatically will refind the satellite when it can. It has night time mode which makes it easier to read in the dark. I also used it while walking and in the car. It can tell you how fast the car is going or the train for that matter. If you need a handheld device to pinpoint your location I highly recommend this product. It uses two AA batteries. The battery life is long. I had mine on 24 hours and did not need to replace the battery. It has many other features I did not have a chance to test out, but I am sure they work just fine.
  
  
• Worked just like it said it would
  By A1R9PMCZD72XDA on 2007-04-12
  I had previously purchased a Magellan Explorist Handheld GPS and mapping software as a bundle. Within hours of opening the box I came to realize that there was no way that the Magellan GPS was going to make use of the mapping software. Fortunately that GPS unit was stolen prompting me to buy the Garmin eTrex Venture along with the North American mapping software and a 2 GB micro sd card from sandisk. It all worked flawlessly right out of the box. The microcard fit into a SD card adapter. I loaded the map software onto my laptop and plugged the SD card into my laptop and downloaded maps of areas of interest. I removed the micro SD card from the adapter and plugged it into the GPS unit and it actually worked to show detailed maps and points of interest (e.g. gas stations, restaurants, etc). On the road the unit worked just like a car nav system to direct you from point A to point B. I couldn't be happier.
  
  
• Garmin etrex Venture Cx great for geocaching!
  By ALVTQFZEZMYC4 on 2007-05-23
  When I ordered this product Amazon.com said it would take several weeks, because I got free shipping. I received it in two or three days! When it arrived my wife said, "That is awfully small!" I said I wanted it small, because it would be easier to carry. I am not disappointed. This is a powerful little GPSr and it has proven to be an excellent choice for geocaching. The battery life is great and the screen is crystal clear. I haven't even purchased the mircoSD card yet, but have been able to go geocaching with no problems. It takes me within 10 to 20 feet of each cache. What fun. By the way Amazon.com had the best price over anyone else including the GPS store, Ebay, TigerGPS, and Target.com. With the free shipping deal I saved a bunch of money.
  
  
  
• Very good hiking GPS or backup auto GPS
  By A3PXEG07WCTERC on 2006-12-19
  Just received the eTrex Venture Cx from Amazon a few days ago. Very satisfied. The device is light and rugged, the holding perfect, and user interface intuitive. The battery life is advertised as 32 hours, and so far the claim seems valid.
  
  I intend to use it as a hiking GPS and occasionally an auto navigation GPS. My first GPS, still working, is Garmin iQue 3600. It is a good one but the battery life is only 2-3 hours. And it is too fragile to be abused in the wildness.
  
  Here are some comparisons between the two:
  
  - Satellite signal: The Etrex Venture picks up satellite signals faster than the iQue 3600. With good conditions it may identify the location in 5-10 seconds. It may take 7-8 seconds to start up before searching for the satellite, though. The 3600 is much slower. Neither uses the SiRF chip and it does show up. In a very cloudy day the Venture spent more than 30 seconds to get the location but that was unusually.
  
  - Performance: The Venture has comparable performance with the 3600, which has a 200MHz processor. Performance means showing the map, zooming, and auto rerouting. User interface has instant response.
  
  - User interface: The main difference is the use of a joystick as the input. To input the name, for example, you will use the joystick to navigate a on-screen virtual keyboard. It is indeed slower than the 3600, but is acceptable for one reason: You may only need to input the first few letters of the name and the rest letters may show up; e.g. wal for wal-mart.
  
  - Programs: Very similar to the GPS part of the 3600 (3600 is a GPS and PDA). Has some extra programs like Sun & Moon, Hunt & Fish, calculator, stop watch, and even some games.
  
  - Auto navigation: If you need a GPS daily for auto navigation, Venture is not the right device. It screen is less than an half of the 3600. Equally important, it does not have voice prompt. The 3600 will say, for example, "turn right at 500 yards" or "keep right", and you don't need to look at the GPS. What Venture does is to beep and show a turn sign on the screen. It gives two different beep sounds to distinguish the distance to the turning point. It is acceptable for occasional navigation if you get familiar with its behavior and does not have bad vision.
  
  - Mapping: I have Garmin City Select 7 with the iQue 3600 and I can use it on the Venture. There is no extra charge in my case because the map has license for two devices (most Garmin maps do).
  
  Overall it is very good product for its purpose.
  
  
• Great little GPSr that does it all!
  By A1H4IVXNXWWBLV on 2007-01-10
  I got this with a gift cert for Christmas, so that made it even more affordable than it is now! This has been everything I needed at a great price. I have been using it mostly for geocaching and also some navigation. I picked up an older copy of Metroguide 4, which doesn't require unlock codes, off ebay pretty cheap so I have alot of side roads that have been around longer than 5 or 6 years or so... I got the window suction mount from RAM so its right up there on the dash and the audible indicators and arrow icons work well enough for me to get where I'm going. The unit is reasonably visible up near the dash with the right sunlight, but I usually keep the backlight on. I am able to plug it into my cigarette lighter with my RAZR cell car charger since it has the USB connector. Accuracy is usually within 10 to 20 feet which is typical and I also manage to keep a signal in light to moderate tree cover.
  
  If you are considering some of the higher models for the eTrex, don't bother... pick this up and get a 1 GB micro SD card for around $25 and use your camera usb cable and your good to go! I would certainly get this again... thanks Garmin and Amazon!
  
  
• Great value
  By A1UN8YS8TJSUG on 2007-01-15
  This unit is basically the Vista without the memory card, compass, and barometric altimeter. The last two I thought I could live without and the micro SD memory I thought I could shop for one later. The maps out of the box are decent for navigating the trail, but don't expect to do very well navigating roadways without the City maps. I found that if you're hiking in mountainous areas you tend to lose signal in the valleys and when you lose line-of-site with the satallites, ie. big mountain in the way. The battery life is really good - I toyed with this thing for days before the battery died on me. There are some good websites for downloading waypoints to natural land forms - water falls, caves, arches, etc. This is a good all around GPS for the price with the ability to upgrade some.
  
  
• good things come in small packages
  By A1DWVVLDSYXBO7 on 2007-01-30
  The Garmin eTrex Venture Cx has variously been described as a stripped unit, or as a GPS for someone who wants just the basics. In truth, it is a Legend Cx in a different color. It's perfect for someone who already has Garmin software and a USB cable. No memory card comes with it, but the Legend Cx only comes with a 64Mb card, and virtually everyone will want a much larger card, so why pay for the small card to begin with. Bottom line is that the Venture Cx is a flat out bargain, just about the best "do-all" GPS unit for someone who needs power and portability.
  
  
• Adequate, basic GPS
  By A1JON1G6KVLFS4 on 2007-08-15
  I recently purchased this GPS to use mainly on my bicycle, as I tend to get lost fairly easily. :) I also own the much more expensive Garmin 60CSx which is my primary unit for geocaching, hiking, and using in the car. I've probably been spoiled by my 60CSx, which gets excellent signal even in my basement (!) and locates satellites very quickly.
  
  I've found that the Venture CX will only locate satellites outdoors, which to be fair is where they are intended to be used. But even in my car I have to hold the unit out the window and pointing upward to get a satellite fix upon turning the unit on. And even on beautiful clear days with no obstructions whatsoever the unit sometimes takes minutes to get a fix, whereas my 60 CSx takes far less than a single minute.
  
  As with other Garmins, the base map is virtually worthless unless all your traveling will be on major roadways. Fortunately for me, the Venture CX uses the same maps as my other unit, which was actually a major consideration before I purchased it. Garmin will give you a second unlock code free of charge for an additional unit, so I didn't incur an additional cost. I have issues with their software, but that's in another review. :) Oh, and you can easily match your unit to compatible software on Garmin's website.
  
  I love the USB connectivity. I had almost bought a different unit until I saw that it used the far less convenient serial connector. Does anybody use those anymore?
  
  I found the accuracy reasonable, but not outstanding. I seem to be off by about ten to twenty feet approaching intersections, which is okay if I'm paying attention. Occasionally the unit doesn't beep to alert me of an impending turn, and I haven't figured out why yet. It may be that I'm taking two turns too close together.
  
  Battery life is outstanding. The unit seems to be very well made and durable, and it fits nicely in my hand. The 'joystick' is somewhat awkward to operate with my fumbling thumbs.
  
  As another reviewer noted, if you buy the handlebar mount, do not attempt to replace the existing battery cover with the one that comes with the mount. It isn't waterproof, and doesn't fit anyway. Simple screw the clip to the back of the unit and slide it into the mount.
  
  Overall the unit works well enough for what I purchased it for, as long as I use it within its limits. It's probably fine for geocaching and hiking as well, but if you are looking for a automobile navigator I would look at one of the higher end handhelds with better sensitivity, or at a model made to be in a car. My review probably sounds somewhat negative, but I don't mean it to be. For the price, this model will fit the needs of many people who don't need a lot of bells and whistles.
  
  
  
• Find My Way
  By A21H6VCBC4B34P on 2006-08-02
  This GPS unit is great. The battery life has been consistantly greater that 16 hours and even longer when used during the day. The screen is easily readible and the mapping detail is excellent. I am using mine on my motorcycle. I also purchased the 1GB flash memory and the detailed North America City Navigator V8. You can not beat the price or the performance. Very delighted.
  
  
• Garmin eTrex Venture Cx Handheld GPS Navigator
  By A30PIDUXOA7SG4 on 2007-01-08
  Had a 5 year old unit and this was the perfect replacement. Easy, just took it out of the box and off I went. I thought the navigation would get me within a 15' radius of coordinates but so far it's been better - right on! The color display was a nice upgrade, too. Perfect for Geo caching searches. Looking forwarding to downloading the top map capabilities of it.Also, the company support was outstanding.
  
  Overall the functions, durability and ease of use make this the perfect GPS.
  
  
• Tough cookie.. Great for outdoors..
  By AW4CNUXRXRM1G on 2007-01-11
  This handheld will accommodate pretty much everything you would expect and require from an outdoor gps handheld. Although the screen is a bit small, the bright lcd makes up for it. The unit itself is well built, and could take a beating I really didn't expect (dropped it a few times during MTB). Ergonomic design comes in handy. The unit fits securely on the palm of your hand, and works well if you only have one hand to spare. it's light enough to wear on a belt clip. Perfect use for outdoor hiking, MTB, or walking through the urban jungle (don't suggest using it as an automotive nav system; it's like your 90 year old grandma driving and reading street signs with her only good eye).
  
  I like the flexibility of the microsd card. The only reason why I'm giving this review 2 stars, as everyone and their mother would agree, the softwares are still too expensive!!
  
  
• Do you want to fly with it? Go ahead!!!
  By A1M6LTTEF7AN6E on 2007-05-11
  I bought this GPS as a back up when flying on 172 Cessnas (equiped w Garmins 430). Every time has been great! I got the optional case and I clip it to the sunshades. You can download ALL the US airports to it from the internet for free (it's a text file, and you can load it to the unit using the basic garmin map software, 19.95). The unit works perfect and the altitude readings are quite accurate. It even has a Direct To (called Go To)!!! My favorite fuction is the track recording, which makes a path of all your fliight and later download it to the PC with date and actually see on the map where you have been flying that day (worried you have been flying into class B airspace that day? jaja). I trully recomend it. One note, the unit does not work on commercial airliners, guess is to much aluminium around...
  
  

• NAVGEAR ME201133 Universal Dash Mount
• Garmin Bicycle Mount for eTrex and Summit (010-10267-00)
• GARMIN 010-10314-00 Carrying Case
• Garmin MapSource CD ROM (USA TOPO)
• Garmin MapSource WorldMap

• GARMIN 010-10314-00 Carrying Case
• SanDisk 512MB TransFlash microSD Card (SDSDQ-512-A10M, Retail Package)
• Garmin Bicycle Mount for eTrex and Summit (010-10267-00)
• Garmin MapSource Topo U.S. 2008
• Garmin MapSource City Navigator, North America DVD-ROM for Garmin StreetPilot GPS Units