Garmin Etrex Venture HC GPS Receiver Reviews

• An outdoor GPS receiver as revolutionary as the original eTrex

  
  By AU7O296O6PXZM on 2008-02-04
  Before buying this new Venture HC, I had spent many hours trekking with several of the original eTrex models over the years. I think it's fair to say that while the concept of the original eTrex was great, the execution was frequently disappointing.
  
  It disappoints no more. This new Venture HC is the eTrex perfected. It remedies almost every shortcoming that plagued the original models. The new high-sensitivity receiver is amazingly effective. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've stood in wide open spaces cursing my old eTrex because it wouldn't acquire even a single satellite. Last night I turned on the Venture HC on the bottom floor of my two story house, and it locked on to 7 or 8 satellites...through the roof and the upper floor. No more "need a clear view of the sky" messages. Amazing!
  
  The screen has gone color, and the user interface is now substantially more intuitive, while adding even more functionality. The old serial cable has become USB, another welcome improvement. The case is somewhat redesigned (it's wider), but it remains very similar to the original. If you owned an old eTrex you will find a lot of familiar design elements in the Venture HC.
  
  A basemap is included but it is just that...basic. It shows the largest highways, bodies of water, and has some limited capability to display highway exit services. Still, if you need turn-by-turn street directions, an eTrex is not what you want. This is a GPS receiver true to Garmin's outdoor heritage.
  
  Promised battery life (14 hours) is near the bottom of the range when compared to the existing eTrex models, but is still perfectly adequate and has posed no problems.
  
  One weakness that remains is Garmin's waypoint manager PC software. It has the feel of a product whose version 1.0 was released circa 1992 and has never been updated. Garmin could certainly include a better PC interface. For $59 you can buy ExpertGPS, which is excellent. Or Topografix is giving away EasyGPS for free on its website. Either is superior to the Garmin OEM software. If anyone at Garmin is listening, you guys really should consider licensing the rights to ExpertGPS and throwing your current PC software out.
  
  Still, this criticism is a quibble when third party workarounds are available. The Venture HC itself is great. It is a market changing product, in my opinion. Finally, an outdoor GPS receiver that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
  
  
  

• Better Reception with the eTrex Venture HC

  
  By A39E2HW2QAONQF on 2007-10-19
  I was very pleased with the purchase of my new eTrex Venture HC. I've used a Garmin Legeng Cx for geocaching for the last year and coords jump off too much under heavy canopy. This is not the case with the new eTrex Venture HC. I was also able to load Topo and City maps without any trouble using my old software. I also had no problems loading waypoints directly using GSAK software.
  
  

• Great for geocaching, astronomy!

  
  By AUBCNMWY64TMQ on 2008-03-10
  I got this unit after much research into different brands and, after settling on Garmin, different models. It's a great all-around GPS at a great price. It's my first, so I can't comment on the increased sensitivity of the HC chip, but I get plenty of coverage inside my house, and when I step outside the accuracy goes to about 9'. I would have liked the compass and altimeter of the Vista, but really don't have much need for them since I'm not an avid hiker, and didn't need to spend the extra money.
  
  The Venture HC is great for geocaching. I took my family out on our first hunt last weekend, and although we only had about an hour to spare, we had a great time finding caches stashed around a park nearby. I can see this as a fun family activity on road trips as well. The Venture has built-in geocaching features that let you download waypoints directly from geocacher.com (using the free Garmin browser plugin), and even mark caches as found right on the GPS. The color screen is very readable in sunlight. Although the Venture HC doesn't have a proper compass, the "compass" page is very useful for closing in on the target.
  
  The Venture HC is also great for amateur astronomers. My computerized telescope needs to know lat/long/time to accurately slew to and track objects in the sky. I can get coordinates on standard addresses on geocoder.us, but if I just want to set up at a dark site somewhere, a GPS is a must. Rather than pay $200 to get the GPS option on my scope, I can use this general purpose GPS and just plug the numbers into the telescope's controller, or even connect through my laptop. Although any GPS will give you the time and location, not all have as nice a backlit screen as this one, a good thing when you're out in the dark. The customizable color schemes (with automatic night mode) and the variable backlight intensity are also great for astronomy to keep stray light to a minimum.
  
  If I'm disappointed with anything it is with the built-in base map. Again, because this is my first GPS I was somehow expecting more detail, not necessarily in terms of street names, but certainly with respect to canals, mountains, even major cross streets etc. The only features I've been able to distinguish are freeways, lakes and cities. There are many mountains where I live and none of them are shown on the map. More detailed topo maps are available, but cost anywhere from $80-$120. I'm not subtracting any stars for this, because I'm sure all basemaps are pretty much the same. And with 24MB of memory, there's room for decent quality maps.
  
  Garmin updated the firmware for the Venture in February 2008, so one of the first things I did was download their free WebUpdater utility to automatically install updates. I had one scary moment when my GPS lost the USB connection in the middle of the process, and I was worried my unit would be disabled. But after turning it off and back on it came right back up and, after a second try, the new firmware was installed in about 5 minutes.
  
  All in all, I'm very happy with the quality of this unit. It feels sturdy yet light weight, with a nice rubberized feel to it. It's also waterproof, so no trouble using it in the rain. The interface took a little getting used to, but after a while it becomes second nature. The Venture lets you customize almost every screen to your taste; for example, I wanted to have time, elevation and location on the same page for astronomy purposes, so I set one of the screens up to show all these fields. At $130, the price point was perfect: significantly lower than the next model up (sacrificing only the compass/altimeter and microSD slot), and not much higher than plain-vanilla black & white units without geocaching features.
  
  I highly recommend it.
  
  
  

• Great geocaching unit at a good price (with notes for Mac users)

  
  By A18R1UKX8M1KQ4 on 2008-02-11
  I was totally chessed off at Magellan when my Explorist 100 died under warranty and they refused to support or repair it (this was a new unit!). So I only considered Garmin based on liking my car unit.
  
  Mac Users:
  It's a bit tricky, but I am able to use the USB cable and the 'send to Garmin' to automatically load waypoints from geocaching.com. One warning is that they have a Mac firmware web updater and it's very new and froze on my attempt to use it, which blanked my unit. [...]. I did the update for this unit on a friends PC and it went fine.
  
  There are some Mac caching software, but none of them are working for me with this unit. So keep that in mind if you really want to go beyond the web waypoint downloads. That's a bummer, since Maccaching and GeoJournal look like they'd be great.
  
  The included software does not work on a Mac, so ignore that CD. From the Garmin site, you can download the plugin for Mac to make Safari aware of the unit so you can do the "send to Garmin' trick. They also have the Mac version of their WebUpdater (the one that hosed my first unit) on their site. Finally, you don't need any USB drivers for Tiger or Leopard OSX, so don't worry about them only being for Windows on the Garmin site.
  
  Usage:
  Crazy fast turn on and acquiring satellites. We are thrilled that we can turn it on in the car and it will start to pick up satellites right away. Our Magellin (an cheap 100 unit) would take awhile even outside in cloudcover.
  
  It also seems to save all the time, as the shutdown is very fast, with no 'saving' note like our Magellin made us wait for.
  
  I guess our only complaint is that we like to use the backlight a lot and that sucks batteries. It's winter now, and so many days and locations are dim, and without the backlight, the unit can be pretty dim to read. It takes 2 AA's. It also has a system pref for the type of battery you use (Alkaline, NiMH or LiOn), why? Maybe to only USB charge when they are NiMH's?? But remember to set that to the correct type.
  
  We really love auto loading the coordinates. And even with the free account on Geocaching.com, we get the cache name, GC# and coordinates. That saves tons of time and mistakes. We find ourselves loading up any cache that interests us, just in case.
  
  Accuracy:
  The unit seems right on. Our other unit would usually be more like 20-30 feet accurate in the woods, and this one led us right to the cache and showed 16' accuracy at that point under normal tree cover. It also refreshes more often than our old unit, so it feels more responsive. No more going 20 feet and then seeing that the arrow just didn't update to show we were going the wrong way, or overshot.
  
  Build:
  It seems solid and took our last rainy hike well. The back has a bit of a gap, but the seal must lock in fine. It uses the 'D' lock, so just half a twist to lock and unlock, which is fast and appreciated on a cold cache while changing batteries. We always had to dig to get the Magellin's ring out and turning to pop the back.
  
  Thumb toggle:
  If you've used the old Garmin's with button input, the toggle on the front is really welcomed. We zip through data entry and you push the toggle in to accept an entry. It's also a shortcut to Mark your current location (holding down the toggle button). Another tip is that holding down the lower left button brings up the 'Find' menu quickly.
  
  Speed:
  One thing I noted was that when I went just one setting more on 'detail' for the maps, it really cut the redraw speed (which is a tad slow to begin with), so that was disappointing.
  
  Hope that helps someone and happy caching!
  for Team Spiderweb4-2
  
  

• Vast Improvement over earlier models.

  
  By AE8WXXN8BE7L4 on 2007-10-04
  This is my second Garmin GPS. I was the first kid on my block to get their original eTrex and, at the time, it was a super help for someone who spends many days afield each year. Suddenly, wandering around became do-able for someone w/o orienteering training. I bought this unit because I was looking for quicker acquisition of satellites and better reception under the tree canopy. And it does those things well, and more! With 24mb of internal memory, and available topo maps to download, the Venture HC is a powerful tool for the newbie outdoorsperson and more advanced traveller alike. I'm very impressed with the power, size, and price. You can't go wrong with this little GPS!
  
  
• I use this for geocaching.
  By A2YP67O95I46LR on 2007-11-22
  The Venture HC is great. Its easy to use and it is pretty accurate. The H in the HC means high sensitivity chip. This wont make it any more accurate but it will help you still receive a signal under tree cover.
  
  If this unit is in your price range but the Vista is not then get it. Otherwise upgrade to the vista as it has better battery life and you can get the removable memory.
  
  For me it was at the right price and has enough features for me. This was my first GPS unit and I havent had any issues with it. It has worked very well for geocaching.
  
  
• Excellent GPS
  By AVV1W0HMG96NH on 2007-11-20
  I wanted a GPS primary for hunting and have used Garmins with good success in the past. This model provided all the features I was looking for and more. I never once lost reception while hunting even in the deepest woods. The unit worked equally well in a pocket or inside the truck which wasn't the case with the previous GPS units I've used. I've recently started using my GPS while running to track milage and speed. The Trip Computer will track distance, max speed, average speed, time spent moving and time spent stopped. While you have to reset the data each time it's still a very useful tool.
  
  
• I love this GPS
  By AAYXAV1RINPN8 on 2007-11-11
  Great GPS for Biking even though it doesn't show all of the streets but it shows and directs to where you are, and Great Service from Amazon when they told me that i had a defected one before this one. Thanks amazon
  
  
• Acceptable with upgrades
  By A23LHPDQT3ZW4V on 2008-01-15
  I've had this unit for about a month now, and it's been working fairly well. It seems to be able to get satellites readings pretty easily and accurately. It can even acquire a signal in an jet plane, and it's pretty fun being able to tell what towns you're flying over and how fast the plane is moving. The display is really nice. It can operate with a backlight of varying brightnesses or without, depending on the light level and your concern of battery life. The included software isn't bad. All and all product is basically as described, EXCEPT...
  -the "detailed base map" that the Amazon product description talks about is bull. There's only a dozen or 2 roads listed in all of Manhattan. (Other US cities have similar detail.) If you want to do anything interesting, except know the exact coordinates of different points you load, you've got to upgrade the map.
  
  PS - "Beast Hunt", one of the included games on the unit, is more fun than I'd like to admit.
  
  
• Garmin Etrex Venture HC
  By A1ZXCJV2RZRVKY on 2008-09-18
  This is a typical Garmin Etrex product. I had an Etrex legend that pooped out, so I bought the Venture thinking it was a step up, but I was wrong. It does have a nice color screen, which is a plus, but I was very disappointed to find that Garmin's Topo 24K maps cannot be loaded as they can on the legend. Garmin doesn't hide this fact, by neither do they make it readily apparent. My legend is several years old and has a B&W screen, so I assumed that a newer model with a color screen would not have less map loading capabilities, but it does, and Garmin makes no effort to make this fact apparent. However, if you don't plan to use the Topo 24K maps, the Venture HC is a nice unit.
  
  
• Great GPS
  By A102EC3XGCBZ81 on 2007-12-31
  I bought my Venture HC this fall and it's great. Picks up sat quickly and keeps working in the woods. This isn't a routing gps, If I wanted a routing gps I'd buy a nuvi. I also bought the TOPO 2008 which is great.
  
  
• Garmin Venture HC
  By A3AN47JMXKYGT5 on 2008-05-03
  The HC model's high-sensitivity antenna really works!! I have an old model without the H-antenna, that really had trouble receiving a 3D signal under cover. The HC was able to maintain a satellite link even under forest canopy (but with pockets of holes in the canopy), and under sheltered walkways (open sides). However, if indoors or under extremely dense canopy the receiver loses all signal; but this is expected. The lock-on after turning-on the system is quick. I was not able to test the WAAS function as my location is not covered. However, without the WAAS, I have verified that the GPS tracking was accurate to within 5-10m, and that was good enough for me.
  
  The colour display is very readable, even under bright sunlight. The controls are intuitive. I can use all the basic functions without reading the manual.
  
  The unit is small, compact, and rugged. Battery life is OK, although the Legend HCx lasts almost twice as long. However, I can't justify the big jump in price to the Legend HCx. It would be good if Garmin decides to increase the batt life of the venture hc.
  
  There is considerable lag when scrolling the map. It takes a while for the unit to redraw the map. This is not a problem with the GPS, but rather, the processor chip that is being used. They should come up with a faster processing chip. If you are in a hurry, the slow redrawing of the map, when you want to quickly scroll-search a new location, can get on your nerves.
  
  Overall, at US$137 from Amazon, this is a good buy. I use it for mountaineering and adventure travels. I bring extra lithium batteries for cold conditions. Not for car use. This model doesn't come with the barometer, altimeter, compass that the Summit has. And this is a GOOD THING. Use your GPS purely for that function: GPS. Carry a separate magnetic compass and topo map. And bring along a dedicated altimeter/barometer/digital compass. This is the only safe way of navigating remote mountains and extreme environments.
  
  Amazon packed my GPS unit very nicely in their cardboard box lined with air bags to protect the unit. I appreciated that. The product arrived flawless.
  
  
• REturned item
  By A1N9IC83R2FODE on 2008-01-19
  The description of this was very different than what received. I think this might work for hiking GPS but I wanted one for cities and everywhere...so I returned it.
  
  
• Advanced GPS
  By A1F1S0JP6F2CCK on 2008-01-22
  I bought the eTrex Venture on sale over christmas as an upgrade for some Geo-caching
  with my kids. The new unit is very sensitive -- showed 7 locked sattelites while indoors-- on the ground floor of a large 2-story house and locked in about 15 seconds.
  I especially liked he averaging mode for fixed waypoints -- allowing a high precision fix (down to about 15M 3-d) at my location after 15 minutes. The screen was easy to see in daylight (why I bought this model). I like the pointed stick and
  most of the menu org.
  Quibbles: Default backlight lifetime is far too short for a novice user of the interface, figuring out how to fix it generated a lot of issues for a child (10 year old) user. (First time -- he thought he had broken it...) Does not come with socketed sd port -- I know this is the market point for the $100 higher version -- but as a designer of electrical equipment, also know the 'real' cost. Given the choice, should have a GB built in...
  
  
• Happy Again
  By A354OVU5DU050Q on 2008-03-20
  We had gone Geocaching last year and then wondered if we were going again. Rather than have the Garmin we had sit around while we made up our mind we sold it. Decided earlier this year that we really did like the idea of the electronic treasure hunt we decided to purchase another GPS. We bought a Magellan Explorist 500. After using it for a short time we were very unhappy with it. Sold it and bought the Garmin again. The Garmin is far more user friendly. You can download the coordinates directly from Geocache.com without having to use another program. Also find that the Garmin seems more accurate. Very happy that we went back and bought the Garmin.
  
  
• Garmin Venture GPS
  By A3HDP5ZU8ESYY0 on 2008-03-23
  Nice GPS for the field. Creating/deleting Waypoints not user-friendly. Locks on up to 10 satellites in just a few minutes after turning it on. Nice color display.
  
  
• Great for geocaching
  By A3MKZ9ASGHULRK on 2008-06-22
  I did the research for a first-time geocacher gps and decided on this model. I haven't been disappointed, although my 13 year-old son is the expert on using the gps. It locates satellites quickly and is very accurate. On one trip, my son was frustrated because the unit said we were right on top of the cache. Turns out we were, in fact right on top of the cache. Can't go wrong with Garmin. We use the car nuvi 660 to get us in the area and the etrex to take us to the cache.
  
  
• Great unit for geocaching!
  By A1NADKSHMF3S6K on 2008-07-28
  I purchased this unit several weeks ago, have used it a lot so far, and I'm very pleased with its performance.
  
  I began geocaching several months ago and had been using my Nuvi 350 Garmin nüvi 350 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Text-to-Speech for that. It worked well (and is fantastic for driving), but I was afraid I would damage it or that it would get wet from so much outdoor use. I wanted a unit that was more durable, with an excellent satellite receiver, but economical. Therefore, I ordered a Garmin eTrex Venture HC, just to use for caching. (It would probably also work well for hiking, etc.; I've only used it for geocaching.) This is the current basic eTrex model that has the new receiver (H), color screen (C), USB connection, but no card slot (x).
  
  This little GPSr has all the features I need for geocaching, and a good many that I've still not used.
  
  *Small size, shaped to be handheld, has a lanyard, is lightweight and easy to carry, very convenient to use
  *Waterproof and durable for outdoor use
  *Easy to read screen in sunlight
  *Simple to use, with lots of features
  *Locks on satellites quickly and holds signal very well, very accurate
  *Has geocaching mode with ability to mark caches as found (not a necessity, but nice)
  *Two screen choices to look for waypoint/cache--map screen and compass pointer screen
  *Batteries last a long time--I've just now changed out the first set of regular alkaline batteries. I've found a couple dozen caches, placed a couple, and worked with the unit at home a lot to learn its features, usually with the backlight on, on one pair of regular AA's.
  *Connects to computer with USB cable, can send brief cache info directly to unit by clicking on "Send to Garmin" on geocaching website. You can also enter the info manually, and there is space for some brief notes.
  *Great price--around $115 here the last time I checked.
  
  I really can't think of any cons. I was afraid the screen might be too small on this smaller-size unit, but it's big enough and not a problem at all. I wish it had a setting to automatically turn the backlight on each time, but it's very easy to turn it on so that's no problem.
  
  The maps are very basic without much detail (as on most of the "outdoor" units), but I use the Nuvi if I need driving directions. After parking, I use the eTrex to find the cache and haven't needed maps for that. I haven't loaded any extra maps (I don't do wilderness caching) or used any of the 24 MB of internal memory. Forums have indicated that this is enough space for loading a good many topo maps, but not for many driving navigation maps. If you want to buy & load City Navigator for driving, you'd need a model with a card slot. For me, the Nuvi 350 and Venture HC make a great combo to cover all bases better than a single unit would.
  
  One of the friends that I often cache with has the more expensive 60CSx, and our units usually give almost identical information. I know there are technical differences, but the eTrex performs very well in comparison.
  
  This is the Venture HC, not the older eTrex Venture model. The more expensive eTrex units (Vista HCx, etc.) have features like an additional electronic compass & altimeter and a card slot, but I haven't needed those. I think those are the major differences in the newest eTrex models, they basically work the same and have the same receiver. Garmin's website lets you compare features on different models, and you can read the manuals there.
  
  If you need a great unit for caching, consider the Venture HC.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Great Product But High Learning Curve
  By AWPODHOB4GFWL on 2008-08-05
  Garmin makes a great number of high quality handheld GPS devices. I particularly chose this one for hiking and remote camping uses. Specifically, I purchased a 2 GB mini memory card (SanDisk) and then the Garmin US TOPO 24K (National Parks East, for starts). I was able to pick specific quadrants from the US TOPO CD software and download it to my Garmin handheld through my PC (MAC also works). It worked perfectly. I will admit that the learning curve is high on this and I tend to get excited about electronic devices in general. This took taking the instruction manual and going step-by-step to learn all the functions available.
  
  For starters, I simply went outside and turned it on. Within a minute I had several satellite acquisitions and was immediately shown where I was (in the world). The basic map included on the device is not that particularly detailed, so I purchased additional software data. You can read all about the functions that are installed on this unit here at Amazon. Some are marking a waypoint, finding a position, tracking, highway plans, a calendar, alarm clock, calculator, stopwatch, sun and moon schedules and various games. You also have access to its compass and a driving set-up that will tell you your speed, distance reaming (to your destination), estimated travel time, etc. If you were hiking and got lost, you would be able to backtrack your steps, as if you had left markers or `breadcrumbs'.
  
  The unit itself is extremely well made and could survive several `drops' and is waterproof. The display (approximately 2" X 1.5") is plenty for view-ability. The screen actually changes from a bright daytime screen to a nighttime mode. Every function is verified by a slight "beep". Unfortunately, you do need to buy Garmin maps to download to the unit, as the one included is not very detailed and for additional data input, you really do need a mini memory card. But for the price and the number of functions, this is really a good value. Nothing beats a map and compass, but this is a great addition to any hiking that you may do. Also, for driving directions, the only thing lacking is the voice response. I highly recommend you research other Garmin models and all the accessories you might want to purchase for your personal use.
  
  
  
• Wonderful, having a blast with it Geocaching
  By A2GC0J8P8PEFKZ on 2008-02-18
  When you get it make sure the Datum is set correctly otherwise you will get very frustrated. Once the Datum is set its perfect.
  
  
• Very impressed!
  By A3P5YS5DPXAS8P on 2008-02-27
  I tried other brand name GPS systems but this one is the best hands down. I primarily use the Venture HC to geocache with my family. The supplied USB cable makes it a breeze to simply download waypoints to the unit or upload data to the included MapSource software. I am impressed with the accuracy and I normally arrive within meters of my intended target. The menu is intuitive and easy to navigate. The battery life so far has been outstanding but I always take a back-up pair just in case. I am right handed and my only complaint would be the location of the rocker button. When I use the Venture with my right hand I cover most of the screen with my thumb reaching across the unit. Overall, I love the Venture HC and I would recommend it to any beginner or intermediate geocacher.
  
  
• Terrific sensitivity, lots of features, typical (poor) user interface
  By A2RA73E55YUERX on 2008-05-08
  The etrex Venture HC is an outstanding GPS. I could tell from my first week of using it that the Venture was sensitive and could get a signal in some difficult environments. However, I was really surprised at its performance on a recent trip to Washington, DC. My previous experience with GPSs in commercial aircraft led me to expect that I would probably have to hold the unit against the bottom of a window at exactly the right angle to have a hope of getting a lock. In contrast, the Etrex Venture HC locked onto its location within two minutes while I was sitting in an aisle seat of a Boeing 717. I was delighted. The unit had no difficulty keeping its lock onto the satellites for the entire trip (until time to power down all electronic devices).
  
  At a more practical level, I loaded the locations of the Washington Metro stations from a (free) POI database before the trip. That turned out to be quite useful despite the fact that I only have the factory-installed base map so far.
  
  The USB cable works well with the GPS, my tablet PC, and Microsoft Streets and Trips. I use the GpsGate software ($12.95) to convert the proprietary Garmin protocol to the open NMEA protocol so that a complete array of free and commercial software will work with the Garmin.
  
  My main criticism is that the user interface takes a while to learn. The push buttons are black with nearly-invisible black identification symbols. The rocker key is very sensitive and appears quite fragile (time will tell). The sensitivity of the rocker key leads to many inadvertent button presses. Finally, the menu system has a maze-like logic similar to Jorge Luis Borges' "Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge." That is, the user interface is no better and no worse than that of most consumer technology.
  
  All in all I am very pleased with this device.
  
  
  
  
• not worth the money
  By A34B9WQ1Q7OO4W on 2008-06-08
  The maps that come with it are worthless. Got it for hiking then found go topo and trail maps cost more then I care to pay. It does a very poor job of distance and time tracking.
  
  
• Very Good Basic Unit - high sensitivity receiver is great
  By A2NFX5X2QT7K1I on 2008-06-20
  I used this to replace an older basic eTrex model before a camping trip. I work with GPS in airplanes (that cost more than my car) but was not famiar with outdoor models. It should be noted that the "H" part of the Garmin model names refers to a new-generation receiver that is much more sensitive and I found it to be fantastic- it will locate my position indoors and under a thick rainforest canopy it always found its location within 20 seconds. When in a new location I would say it always located itself within 3 minutes. The only trouble it had in locating itself was when it was under the canopy and against a steep mountainside (and also inside the airliner when I didn't keep it against the window).
  
  This is an older model with an upgraded receiver so the battery life is not as good as other Garmins but at around 7 hours with the screen set to dim it never bothered me. It also has less internal memory than more expensive models so you might have to load base maps more frequently (you might have to pay dearly for some good maps). You can easily up/download tracks and waypoints, which I found to be pretty fun. This comes with WAAS capability turned off by default, probably to save power (it can be turned on easily from the settings page); I'm not sure why someone would want it when hiking. My unit got soaked in the rain several times and had no problems. More expesive Garmin handhelds can figure out driving directions but refurbished car models are going for $100.
  
  General advice: I'm very happy with this model but make sure you get a Garmin model with the letter "H," or another brand with a Sirfstar III receiver for higher sensitivity. The free software from topografix doesn't work as well as the Garmin software that comes with this GPS but I suspect the non-free topografix software may be a bargain (don't waste money on the amazingly detail-free Garmin world map software). I found the array of 3rd party software options overwhelming. Google Earth does not require a $20 subscription to display tracks & waypoints from this GPS, just save your stuff in the open *.gpx format from the Garmin software and open it in the free Google Earth - it's fun.
  
  
• Awesome reception, well worth the money, but one feature does not work
  By A22Z5DRCKHMMKH on 2008-01-02
  I purchased the venture HC because it's new chip provides top notch reception deep in the woods which renders all the other units without the "H" worthless, unless you operate in wide open area. My concern is that under Map Setup-General I have the option to "Lock on Road" but upon turning the feature on nothing happened to my route from one city to the next. The route is a straight line from one city to the next(as the crow flies). Lock on road is supposed to do just what it says it does lock the route on the roads, but nothing happens when I turn this feature on. The Garmin support line followed my every screen on the same unit over the phone and they said there is no "Lock on Road" option under Map Setup-General. Oh yes there is and it isn't locking on any roads. So Garmin took down my email and added me to the list. Great unit buy above all the rest as long as you don't need it to follow the roads.
  
  
• Perfect for Geocaching
  By A3TNFOJ3UMBZW3 on 2008-02-13
  We use it for Geocaching. It is perfect. We are having lots of fun! Glad we bought it!
  
  
• We all make mistakes
  By A2X76OXQU1BUKO on 2008-02-26
  Don't bother reading the product description - it's more than a tad misleading. In order to make it function as described you need to purchase a more advanced design and m ore than $100 in additional software. If you really want a GPS that can give you more than a "home's that way", step up a notch or three and plan on another $100 in software. This product will serve the most basic of functions, but little more.
  
  
• Garmin Venture HC
  By AQ0VFB0APYOF3 on 2008-03-13
  I love this GPS handheld! Take note though, in the picture provided from Garmin, you see a topo map, this is an add on to the product (about $80) called "Garmin Map Source-United States Topo" for the US, other countries are available also.
  
  That being said, this is an excellent product! I use it primarily for geocaching. It is an upgrade from my Garmin Gecko. It seems much more accurate as to the location of the cache. I usually end up right on top of it, as a matter of fact. You turn it on and it almost instantly locates satellites and gives you your location, even indoors. I've yet to lose reception in a canyon or deep forest, and I've used it a lot!
  
  My Only regret is that i didn't get the next model up, with the removable SD card, that would have been handy!
  
  This is a good deal for good product!
  
  
• Great intro unit for geocaching for the price!
  By A3EM0VPO9CBVI6 on 2008-09-29
  You wanna do geocaching? Get this. I bought this as my first unit, it was a toss between the eTrex H, the generic unit with no map and only an arrow, and then spending more money on this. I am glad I spent more money on the Venture HC, because I don't think the eTrex H would be useful at all on long hikes in the hills.
  
  The Venture has an easy to see and read color screen and comes pre-installed with a basemap that is basically entirely useless. If you want to do any serious hill and hiking geocaching you need to get the topographic maps that Garmin offers. These are expensive, but are pretty much necessary when navigating terrain and trails with changes in elevation. I can recall several instances when I needed to check elevation levels to make sure I was on the right trail to get to the cache I was chasing.
  
  The topographic maps that Garmin offers also have street data on them, but this device has no turn-by-turn and, but it's great to compare what is on my Garmin to what is in my car's GPS so that I can navigate easily to caches.
  
  I only use this unit for geocaching, however I see no reason it wouldn't work great for regular hiking and out door activities. This is a good unit at a great price. Everything about it is pretty much golden.
  
  Pros:
  - Easy to use. I figured out how to use most functions without even reading the manual, but I am a bit of a geek.
  - Easy to read the screen
  - Battery life is great even on non-rechargables
  - Very accurate! Usually if the geocache you're hunting has accurate coordinates, GZ on the unit will be exactly where the cache is. Make sure to turn on WAAS, as it seemed to be off by default.
  - Unit is pretty much weather proof and has been banged around by me a fair bit and stays strong!
  - Onboard memory is more than enough to have all the topographic maps for Southern California (LA County to SD county and everything in between) in it.
  
  Cons:
  - Base map is entirely useless.
  - Draw time is a little slow, but nothing that could possibly hold you up.
  - Only holds data for 500 geocaches, but, really, who needs more than that really?
  
  
• Excellent Geocaching Tool
  By AIX2V2C78OZJS on 2008-07-18
  I purchased this item with geocaching in mind, and it has gone above and beyond my expectations. First, it has a special folder just for geocaches, which (because this product is a Garmin) can be downloaded directly from the geocaching.com website to the device, or you can enter them manually using the geocache symbol and it automatically sorts them. Secondly, it is accurate. It keeps a signal even in the woods, and is correct about coordinates to within 10 feet, usually even closer. It beeps when you are in range of a cache, which is especially useful when driving, because it tells you approximately which exit to use on the highway. Lastly, when you find one, it saves the information to its calendar so that you can log it later, and brings up the next closest automatically. This can be a drawback if you have a lot of undiscovered caches stored, because the next one on the list might actually be behind you on your route, but it's useful if you're looking for many in the same place.
  
  This is a fairly good GPS for general use, also. It stores information about highway exits so that you can track them similarly to tracking geocaches. You can enter waypoints of all sorts and design paths among them. It has a very accurate speedometer and odometer feature, which calculates your maximum speed, moving and stopped time, and average speed across trips. As mentioned in other reviews, the default map is not great, but it does have the major highways on it, and it stores your path so you can check where you've been. It won't give you turn by turn directions, but if you want a relatively inexpensive GPS for geocaching or other waypoint finding tasks, this should be it.
  
  

• GARMIN 010-10314-00 Carrying Case
• Garmin MapSource Topo U.S. 2008
• Cta Digital Dc-rmc Rapid Mini Charger Kit with 4 A
• NAVGEAR ME201133 Universal Dash Mount
• Garmin MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager (010-10215-04)

• GARMIN 010-10314-00 Carrying Case
• Garmin MapSource Topo U.S. 2008
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
• Garmin Bicycle Mount for eTrex and Summit (010-10267-00)
• GARMIN 010-10563-00 12V Adapter Cable