GPS wondertool
Written: Jun 29 '02 (Updated Jun 29 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A solid unit that performs as advertised
Cons: Wish it came with the beanbag mount
The Bottom Line: If you have the extra cash, this is a nice investment.
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| tgordon68's Full Review: Garmin GPS V GPS Receiver |
I bought the GPS V after doing extensive research and comparing features. I was concerned that it would not work as everyone has said it would, because, seven years ago, I bought a Magellan Trailblazer XL. It was impossible to understand the directions, impossible to use, and an outright waste of $300. So, needless to say, I was a bit leery of any GPS claims. Keep this in mind when reading this review!
I had to purchase the V from a Best Buy that was 20 miles from my home. This is 20 miles out in the BOONIES!! Well, I got directions from Best Buy (they told me to take a major highway, and make one turn off of it), and was off. Forty-five minutes later, I arrived. I bought the V, took it outside, plugged it into the car, and began to use it. It is menu driven, and very easy to understand and use. So, ten minutes later, I was telling it to get me home the fastest way possible. It came up with a route that, if incorrect, would have gotten me horribly lost in the backwoods of Ohio.
I started navigating the way it told me, and, within twenty minutes, was home. Incredible! It acted as promised, beeping when I was coming to turns and giving me a very accurate ETA, as well as other measurements (distance to next turn, distance to final location, MPH, etc.).
Next, I wanted to try hiking with it. I went to a local park, and used the tracking feature. If you turn this feature on, it will create a breadcrumb trail from your starting point to your finishing point. If you route yourself back from where you finish, all you have to do is keep the triangle pointer on the trail. If you want to go straight back to the starting point, you can do that too.
One final example of a real life use. My one year old son was sick last week, and was running a high fever. Our doctor did not think it was a big deal, but it kept going up! At 6:30 in the evening, my wife and I decided to take him to Children's Hospital in downtown Columbus. Now, downtown Columbus is a nightmare. One way streets, right turn only streets, etc. So, I did a search for the hospital, and told the V to calculate the fasted way there. Within thirty minutes, we were there. This was not a life threatening situation, as it turns out. But, if it had been, this unit might have made the difference between life and death.
All in all, I am very happy with this little tool. The directions are fairly easy to understand. My advice is to use it in a location you are familiar with, so that you can learn how it works.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tgordon68
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Reviews written: 1
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