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> Now things like Garman have no real purpose (offline maps > was their niche as Google Map's version of the same was terrible). I see you've never used a GPS

> Now things like Garman have no real purpose (offline maps > was their niche as Google Map's version of the same was terrible). I see you've never used a GPS in the back country for days at a time. Things that are still wonderful about my eTrex 20 [0] is that it's cheap, it takes AA batteries, those AA's can last for 16+ hours continually, and it's not my phone. (phones are great, but I need it to operate as a phone, when I do need it). And yes, I know your phone can do may wonderful things, and I am as grateful for that as you are, but of the few things they still are not getting right is: use in incremental weather. Like: winter outside, in a snowstorm, on a mountain. Or, being dropped onto things, like rocks. They seem to be allergic to those. [0] http://sites.garmin.com/en-US/etrex/ http://sites.garmin.com/en-US/etrex/

hyperbovine 11y ago
If Garmin's remaining market share consists of extreme edge cases like the one you have outlined, then they are history.
- justinator 11y ago
  I would wager outdoor enthusiasts were always their primary consumer market. Who do you think bought a GPS 10 years ago?
  - scott_karana 11y ago
    Ten years ago, sure. In the intervening period, car GPS was likely their biggest seller. Now, that market is fading again. Sure, they're back to their core audience, but it's a much smaller one than they've become accustomed to.
whyenot 11y ago
The best thing about the eTrex is that it has a much more accurate GPS than in a phone, at least an iPhone. The worst things about the eTrex are it's utter crap screen, how bulky it is, how expensive it is (they start at $250), the fact you have to spend a significant amount of additional money on maps and map updates, the added bulk due to the fact it uses AA batteries, and the poor battery life (I know this contradicts your experience, but that is MY experience using one 12 hours a day mapping plants). I think for many people buying something like the Gaia GPS app and a waterproof case for their phone will be a much less expensive and more flexible option. If you are worried about running down the battery, buy a rechargeable lithium ion battery with a usb jack and take along your charging cable. If you need more accuracy, get a GPS puck for your phone. Garmin sells one.
- justinator 11y ago
  > The worst things about the eTrex are it's utter crap screen, There's been a refresh of the eTrex recently, one of the improvements is a better screen. > how bulky it is, It's 2.1" x 4.0" x 1.3". You know, big enough to hold in your hand. > how expensive it is (they start at $250) Here you go: $163, I'm sure there will be many sales in many outdoor enthusiast stores in a few days. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1149968&gclid=CPqiy-bYh8kCFQuSaQod158Ivw&is=REG&m=Y&A=details&Q= http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=11499... > the fact you have to spend a significant amount of > additional money on maps and map updates Here you go, all free: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ > the added bulk due to the fact it uses AA batteries, Again, I'm not sure if I'd call AA's "bulky" (compared to what?) but one of the merits of only needing AA's is you can find AA's literally anywhere, which is important to me, as I'm sometimes found in the middle of nowhere. > and > the poor battery life (I know this contradicts your > experience, Lithiums work incredible on this thing. The majority of the time, I use rechargables, as my use is < day, but if I'm out for a few weeks, I bring along a few pairs of lithiums, and life is good. The refresh again had improvements in battery life. The eTrex literally has the best battery life of all the Garmin consumer models. > think for many people buying something like the Gaia GPS > app and a waterproof case for their phone will be a much > less expensive and more flexible option. My use case is different than yours (backpacking, mountaineering, bicycle tours across the country). Ever have a phone shut down because it's too cold? Ever use a touch screen with enormous gloves on? Ever needed to use your phone, but its dead because of an app? All of the above in a storm? Phones are great. I have one! They are also very fragile. I could throw an eTrex across the room in an attempt to do harm to someone and it would work just fine, once I find it again. You think I'm going to put my phone, in a cradle, and mount that on the handlebars of my mountain bike, then go out and ride a singletrack trail across Colorado? (because that's what I do) Nope. Batteries not going to last, screens not going to be visible, the thing will get damaged the first time I go over the handlebars (because again, that's what I do). Dropping my phone off a cliff is something that's happened to me in the last week. I dropped an eTrex down a cliff, and I searched for it, for like an hour, because I knew it was still on, still functioning, and damnit, it's been working for 4 years, no way did I want to lose it. The phone, when found, was destroyed.
- 11y ago

hyperbovine 11y ago

If Garmin's remaining market share consists of extreme edge cases like the one you have outlined, then they are history.

justinator 11y ago
I would wager outdoor enthusiasts were always their primary consumer market. Who do you think bought a GPS 10 years ago?
- scott_karana 11y ago
  Ten years ago, sure. In the intervening period, car GPS was likely their biggest seller. Now, that market is fading again. Sure, they're back to their core audience, but it's a much smaller one than they've become accustomed to.

whyenot 11y ago

The best thing about the eTrex is that it has a much more accurate GPS than in a phone, at least an iPhone. The worst things about the eTrex are it's utter crap screen, how bulky it is, how expensive it is (they start at $250), the fact you have to spend a significant amount of additional money on maps and map updates, the added bulk due to the fact it uses AA batteries, and the poor battery life (I know this contradicts your experience, but that is MY experience using one 12 hours a day mapping plants). I think for many people buying something like the Gaia GPS app and a waterproof case for their phone will be a much less expensive and more flexible option. If you are worried about running down the battery, buy a rechargeable lithium ion battery with a usb jack and take along your charging cable. If you need more accuracy, get a GPS puck for your phone. Garmin sells one.

justinator 11y ago
> The worst things about the eTrex are it's utter crap screen, There's been a refresh of the eTrex recently, one of the improvements is a better screen. > how bulky it is, It's 2.1" x 4.0" x 1.3". You know, big enough to hold in your hand. > how expensive it is (they start at $250) Here you go: $163, I'm sure there will be many sales in many outdoor enthusiast stores in a few days. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1149968&gclid=CPqiy-bYh8kCFQuSaQod158Ivw&is=REG&m=Y&A=details&Q= http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=11499... > the fact you have to spend a significant amount of > additional money on maps and map updates Here you go, all free: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ > the added bulk due to the fact it uses AA batteries, Again, I'm not sure if I'd call AA's "bulky" (compared to what?) but one of the merits of only needing AA's is you can find AA's literally anywhere, which is important to me, as I'm sometimes found in the middle of nowhere. > and > the poor battery life (I know this contradicts your > experience, Lithiums work incredible on this thing. The majority of the time, I use rechargables, as my use is < day, but if I'm out for a few weeks, I bring along a few pairs of lithiums, and life is good. The refresh again had improvements in battery life. The eTrex literally has the best battery life of all the Garmin consumer models. > think for many people buying something like the Gaia GPS > app and a waterproof case for their phone will be a much > less expensive and more flexible option. My use case is different than yours (backpacking, mountaineering, bicycle tours across the country). Ever have a phone shut down because it's too cold? Ever use a touch screen with enormous gloves on? Ever needed to use your phone, but its dead because of an app? All of the above in a storm? Phones are great. I have one! They are also very fragile. I could throw an eTrex across the room in an attempt to do harm to someone and it would work just fine, once I find it again. You think I'm going to put my phone, in a cradle, and mount that on the handlebars of my mountain bike, then go out and ride a singletrack trail across Colorado? (because that's what I do) Nope. Batteries not going to last, screens not going to be visible, the thing will get damaged the first time I go over the handlebars (because again, that's what I do). Dropping my phone off a cliff is something that's happened to me in the last week. I dropped an eTrex down a cliff, and I searched for it, for like an hour, because I knew it was still on, still functioning, and damnit, it's been working for 4 years, no way did I want to lose it. The phone, when found, was destroyed.
11y ago