I'm writing this to save other new users from the time consuming research and expensive lessons I've learned about the Garmin 60C, and Garmin GPS in general.
br /
br /THE GOOD:
br /The Garmin 60C is a beautiful GPS. It is compact, fits nicely in the hand, has a clear color screen, has great battery life, is fast to acquire satellites, has a good antenna which works even in my truck, has clear button layout, has easy to navigate screens, and is intuitive despite its many many options. I love the basic machine.
br /
br /As for the 60C vs. 60CS, I prefer to carry an actual compass as backup, thereby saving more rapid battery drain on the 60CS. And the 60C will give you compass and altimeter functions using the GPS. True, it doesn't have an actual altimeter chip, but pressure-sensitive altimeters are quite inaccurate anyway as they fluctuate quite a bit based on the weather. And the 60CS altimeter uses the GPS altimeter to calibrate itself!
br /
br /THE BAD:
br /It is difficult and frustrating to expand its use beyond how it arrives in the box.
br /
br /I *thought* GPS units would connect to other devices, upload and download data, and otherwise be configurable however the user desired. They are not.
br /
br /For example, the included basemap is practically useless. It mostly tells you where the major freeways are. When I'm in the woods, I have very little use for knowing where the freeway is.
br /
br /So, my first plan was to upload some detailed maps to it. After research, I really liked the TOPO series of maps. So I bought the TOPO for my state, and thought I'd upload whatever part of the state I wanted to the GPS. Uh-uh. Doesn't work that way. The ONLY map that will upload to the Garmin GPS is the Garmin series of maps. For those of you who know that already are probably chuckling at me. But I didn't know, and it made sense that you should be able to upload *any* geo-referenced map to your machine that you want. Why not? Garmin already got good money from me for the hardware. The software should be a choice, not a lock-in requirement. Okay, so another chunk of change to Garmin for their map-tax so I can upload maps to the 60C.
br /
br /And, as if that's not enough of a discouragement, you can't simply go buy, for example, the City Select map software and upload it to your machine. You have to call or visit Garmin to register your device and unlock your GPS. Let me restate that: If you go buy a brand new top-of-the-line Garmin GPS, and brand new full-price Garmin map software, you are not allowed to load the Garmin software on the Garmin GPS until you call or visit Garmin to get *permission* to use your items together. And every time you buy a new GPS, you have to call or visit Garmin again to unlock your new device. Want to upgrade your map the the newest version? Call Garmin again. Does that seem fair?
br /
br /Next, I wanted to connect the GPS to my laptop, to track in real-time my position on the laptop screen with a nice, big, color view of the map area. When I bought the 60C one of the selling points was the cool, simple, small USB connection. "New and Improved" I thought, over the slow serial connection. Those of you who know are probably chuckling again. The problem is the USB connection is a closed, secret, proprietary, locked connection by Garmin, that *only* allows the GPS unit to communicate with Garmin software. So, you can't use the software of your choice on your laptop and have the Garmin plot where you are. You have to use the alternate serial connection on the GPS device, which is bulkier, cumbersome, and requires the extra purchase of a serial to USB converter.
br /
br /Why is the Garmin so locked down? I mean, it's a basic consumer device! I should be able to upload and download whatever I want to the device once I've bought it.
br /
br /CONCLUSION:
br /I love the 60C. I hate being locked in to Garmin for every use of the 60C.

I had to throw my experiences in here after reading many negative reviews about Garmin customer service.
br /I first had a Garmin V Deluxe then upgraded to the 60cs.
br /
br /I love my 60cs... I'm certain there are some cons, but I can't think of many right now.
br / It would be great to have expandable memory.
br /
br /Customer Service:
br /I had trouble with my Mapsource software CD. I got a response email within 48 hours... and they replaced my CD within the week.
br /I had a question about function on my GPS V and I got a reply again within 48 hours.
br /Two different occassions I got great support from Garmin. It may not be typical, but it does happen.
br /
br /Back to the 60cs...
br /I really like it.
br /I use it while hiking to keep track of the trip (odometer, time elapsed, back tracking)
br /I use it geocaching.
br /I use it in the car. (smaller screen but still useable)
br /The color makes it really nice and clear.

I have been through hell the last three weeks trying to find the right gps for myself. The first one i bought was the garmin legend C. The unit was handy, but it took a hair longer to lock on satellites than my friends magellan meridian color. It also came with little onboard memory with no option for additional memory. These factors led me to return it in exchange for magellans explorist 600.
br /
br /The explorist was a nightmare. It is absolute crap from its poor physical design to its software / performance. JUNK JUNK JUNK....
br /
br /I returned the explorist 600 and bought the GPSMAP CS. This unit is a godsend. Accurate up to ten feet, easy to use, great antenna, WORKS WITH GOOGLE EARTH PLUS, great battery life, plenty of onboard memory for most uses........
br /
br /My journey has come to an end.
br /This unit is, like many others have said, the best on the market.
br /Thank You and God Bless America

I just purchased this unit after using a Garmin Etrex Vista for the last 3 years. I love this unit. It does exactly what it advertises to do. I use it a lot for mapping on the roads and so far, it works pretty good. Screen display is great. I was worried about the colors in daytime but it is very easy to see. I also geocache alot and it works great for that too. All in all, I would say you can't beat this unit. I did notice that the head of www.geocaching.com actually rated this as the best all around GPS... so take that for what it is worth. I don't think you will do any wrong by purchasing this unit... and shop around... I found mine for under $400.

I just received my map 60cs-x recentlly from Amazon, I don't know why they say its not released yet. It's been available since December 2005. Anyway, I really like my Map60cs and its 56 mb of internal memory, but that is now my daughter's unit. The Map 60cs-x comes with 64 mb of trans-flash memory which is "semi"-removable. Garmin intends to sell trans-flash cards w/ pre loaded maps, but they are as yet un-available. However, 512 mb Scan-Disk trans-flash cards are available for about 45 bucks. That aughta hold just about every map in existance. I just purchased one, put all 40 mb of maps i had in my Map 60cs, and, as you can immagine, hardly put a dent in the available memory of that gihugeic memory card. I'm sure a 1 gb card is not far off in Scan-Disk's future.
br /
br /Scan-Disk says the trans flash card is "semi" removable because its tiny size, about the size of your pinky nail, is rather delicate. However, once you lock one in, i doubt you'll ever need to remove it.
br /
br /Other improvements: the Map 60cs-x seems to lock sattelites better than my Map 60cs and the backlight seems brighter, but that my be my elaited sense of reality.
br /
br /My only criticizm of either unit is that the stated battery life of either is grossly exagerated. Also, i wish, in some conditions, that i could make the screen brighter. Oh, and Garmin needs to make their products MAC compatible. But Magellin dosn't work with MACs either (nativelly) so, whatchagonnado?
br /
br /Either unit is tough and rugged and probably the best choice for a hand-held. I also have Garmin's auto mount and handlebar mount, which work pretty good as well. I don't do product reviews very often, but I like this product so much that i have to say: GET ONE! (either one...) You won't be dissapointed.
br /
br /If it wern't for my two and 1/2 criticizms, I'd give either unit a "5".
br /
br /-jg

The Garmin 60cs is a very great piece of technology. I got my unit about a week ago and have slowly been learning its functions. To use the general gps functions are pretty self-explanatory, especially if you have had any previous gps experience.
br /
br /Pros:
br /* The color screen is very easy to see in daylight and looks sharp.
br /* The screens load relatively quickly, especially compared to the old garmin etrex vista that I used in the past.
br /* The setup is highly customizable to your preferences.
br /* Satellite accuracy is great.
br /* For me, the basemap that comes standard on the unit was fine. You can still figure just fine how to get to where you want to go, you just have to use a little more logical reasoning.
br /* This unit is very easy and fun to use for geocaching (I found my first cache yesterday, and the gps was right on on locating the cooridinates)
br /* Battery life seems very good- I have probably used 15 hours and still have 2 of 4 bars left on battery display
br /
br /Cons:
br /* Unit is slightly bigger than what I was expecting. Especially the thickness. (About 1 inch thick). Doesn't fit quite as well in my hand as what I was hoping for. Overall tho, this is a very minor gripe as I grow to love this gps more and more each day.
br /*The manual is not very well written, especially in regards to hooking up the gps to the computer and downloading and uploading maps/coordinates.

I picked up "GPS for Dummies" book to begin my education on GPS units before plunking down my money. After deciding that I needed a unit which could be used in my truck, as well as for hiking to selected spots in the desert, I decided on the Garmin 60CS. I must say that I was very pleased and quite impressed with the multitude of features that this unit has. Displaying phases of the moon, altitude and barometric readings, not to mention the best times for fishing only added to the excitement that I felt as I mastered its very configurable interface.
br /
br /The only point that I would mention is that it is almost imperative that one purchases the additional Mapsource map CDs, as the base map which comes with the unit contains nothing but the main highways and interstates. I purchased the Mapsource Topo and was amazed at the amount of detail it contains. While not containing the detail of, say DeLorme's Topo USA, it fills the screen of the 60CS with all the info I would want on a unit of its size.
br /
br /I will be carrying this very portable and ergonomic unit with me everywhere!

I have used Garmin GPS units for many years and am impressed with the improved features of the 60CS model. It is as accurate - within 10 ft - as advertised.
br /
br /The USB port is especially handy for connecting the unit to my laptop and desktop to upload and download data points.
br /
br /The compass and altimeter are great features that grow in importance with use of the unit.
br /
br /No buyers remorse here!

Incredible handheld GPS! This little guy works as advertised! The display is very legible and sharp. It even shifts to high visibility mode at night. The page sequence is customizable which means you only have to scroll through what you want to see. The autorouting is very smart an capable. The games offer challenge and fun for kids... sort of a cross between a GPS and a Gameboy. The construction is solid and controls are easy to use.
There is only one way to find out just what is right about this GPS... buy one! The only remarkable limitation to this device is the limited storage. Even so, I could load all the maps of Michigan, Northern Ohio and Illinois with a little room to spare. The competition will have to try very hard to top this one!

First of all i think that this gps is awesome, the display is brilliant, the colour screen is wonderful, the battery life better than expected however the aquision of signals and locking on to signals sucked big time. I am a forest ecologist and i am currently working in two forests in Jamaica. I previously had a magellan 330 map GPS and this baby would remain locked under the canopy of any forest, whether it was clouded or not (of course a few times it could not pick anything up). But i lost the bloody thing (insert crying face here) and had to search for a new gps. I was impressed by what this GPS had to offer but my main concern was it's sensitivity in forested environments because the last garmin i borrowed flaked out as i passed under one (1) tree...and unfortunately this gps (despite having an antenna) lost reception as i hit the edge of the forest..the magellan did not even loose reception in this forest..i was and still am bitterly dissapointed... So i am now faced with the prospect of having to purchase an external antenna to boost its reception...but saying that the base map that came with this baby was good enuff for me to use in Jamaica (considering that other base maps i had only showed Kingston!)...This base map had small and large towns...I have bought the world map cd and can't wait to see how detailed it is....Also compatibility with macs suckx big time..I have a 1.5 GHz powermac g4 (just showing off here!) running virtual PC 7..but the gramin software cannot pick up the gps...bummer so i might have to use a regular PC (oh for shame!)....but all in all it worked really well in my vehicle picked up and remained locked and this is in Jamaica...

Pros: Screen quality is excellent, battery life superb the altitude feature is great the base map is adequate for somewhere like Jamaica (especially since i couldn't get any detail before)...when the signal is lost it can re-aquire the signal pretty quickly if conditions are good..Oh yeah and it's very easy to use....

Cons: Not Mac compatible (big bummer) reception is very poor in real outdoor environments even under a tree with a large canopy (if the canopy is continuous by the time u hit the second canopy the signal is lost)...when there is cloud cover it gets even worst...Oh also it's very difficult to import waypoints from other brands into the garmin software despite having similar file formats (.wpt)..I had to enter them manually (up to 50 points!)....

Conclusion: A great product, the size and weight is fine, the clip that somes with it is a big plus ( i just clip it to my backpack and forget about it)...It is a worth while upgrade.
[...]

I have several GPS receivers, and I recommend this unit above all. If what you want is a reliable gps unit, count on the GPSMap 60CS. I have been in bad weather, under heavy rain and this unit always delivered.
br /
br /I like this unit for its colorful screen, easy to read and many menus. I live in Costa Rica, and I have uploaded all Costa Rica's standard 1:50.000 base maps. The amount of memory is enough, unless you want to upload bigger areas.
br /
br /Most of the time I use it with an external antenna, especially if I'm in the car, so the gps can be anywhere and still receive a good siganl.
br /
br /I use this unit not only for geocaching and driving, but also for working purposes, good and simple data collection, with proper configuration the download of waypoints and POIs is acceptable.
br /
br /Finally, I recommend this unit for the Serious GPS enthusiast or for the hard working geographer whos requirements are meet by this units capabilities (WAAS, waterproof, altimeter, etc).

I received the Garmin GPSMap 60CS about a week before leaving for a short vacation trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I used the GPS as my map to get from Wichita Falls, Tx to Santa Fe. The unit took me direct to the driveway of my motel located about 2 blocks from the downtown plaza of Santa Fe. I then used it later in the week to navigate to Taos, New Mexico. I had no problems with the unit and I continue to learn more about the unit's features. It is a great device that works exceptionally well.

Garmin has several features that relate to the time of day. Some examples are sun moon times, estimated time of arrival. If you have traveled into a different time zone out of your original setting, the GPS unit leaves it up to you to calculate the correct time based on your original setting. This is very inconvenient when you have traveled from the west coast to the east coast thru four time zones. It also provides a problem when your destination is right on a time zone border. A Cell Phones automaticly changes for time zones, but NOT a GPS unit that can calculate exactly where you are in the world???? This is a Garmin overlook that I believe they should correct.

I have owned my Garmin 60CS for about 1 yr. I have been impressed with the hardware, durability, fix time, accuracy etc. I have also been impressed with the off-road uses, (auto-track feature that allows you to return via the route that you took) altimeter etc. These are all great and if they were the only uses that I had for the GPS I would give it 5/5 stars.

However, I also got this GPS with the expectation of using it for road navigation. Having gotten spoiled on the Hertz Neverlost system, I thought this unit would function at somewhere close to the accuracy of routing of the Hertz system (which I think is made by Magellen). I have been incredibily disappointed on the street routing of the system. Using the Mapsource MetroGuide software (purchased seperately) I have had this system send me 60 miles out of the way on routes. It has sent me to the location of businesses where they were 5 yrs ago, and seems to be completely incapable of selecting the closest route between cities without using a US Route or Interstate even if the route it selects is 60-100 miles longer than a perfectly good secondary road. I was once near Salt Lake City, UT and programmed in the Brighton Ski Resort. The system routed me to Park City, Utah (about 30 miles away) and then instructed me to turn onto a road that didn't exist. In reality I was about 5 miles from the resort when I started (thus I traveled an extra 60 miles). This isn't an isolated incident, and I could share many other examples. The unit is great for finding out exactly where you are, but as far as routing... you are going to have to have a map to double check what it tells you.

The other problem that I have is that the database seems to be very dated making the business and point of interest function useless for any hotel or business that was built or moved in the last 5-7 yrs.

When driving along on a highway trip the system automatically zooms out so that you don't see smaller roads and have to continually press the zoom in button to see the smaller streets.
When instructed to turn onto interstates etc, the system will simply show a left turn and not take into account the entrance to the expressway that was 1/2 mile back (oops a little late now). If you get off track or sometimes when you start a route, the system seems to pick a location on a major road that may be miles from your location. The only guidance that it tells you to get started on the route is something like "NW to I-20" rather than step by step specific instructions on how to get to I-20.

In summary. An excellent piece of hardware to tell you very accurately where you are within a few feet, but if you asked it to calculate a route to the corner - it might send you across town and back to get there. My advice - if you need off-road (martime, aviation, hiking etc) - it is the best on the market. For road guidance - there are plenty of other options that have got to be better (including a good old fashioned map!).

If you are a self contained bicycle tourist this is the computer for you. Giant digits, wireless, holds your maps, and tells you when to turn. 56 MB is plenty for most tours, just lay out your trip and download the maps you'll need. 56MB is enough to hold all of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Nova Scotia. You'll get better coverage on tours because you don't need most of the big cities that take up the most memory.
br /
br /You might prefer the 60C because of better battery time. 30 hrs versus 20 hours on a set of AAs. But you give up digital compass and altimiter, not big losses if you stay on the roads.

Basically the unit is very good indead. It is well made, easy to read and performs its functions well. HOWEVER, my unit was defective in that the altimeter/barometer proved not to give correct readings when being adjusted to a known source. I have sent it back to Garmin for repair. While this won't cost me anything other than shipping cost to the manufacturer, Garmin has told me that they could very well ship me back a used unit in place of my brand new one. I am not pleased with that aspect of Garmin's merchandising.

This handheld gps is awesome. I recently purchased this device and the topo Canada maps for a fishing trip. The map downloaded easy and were easy to use. I traveled over a hundred miles on the water, small stream, and portages. I never once had a reception problem even under a fairly heavy canopy. The bread crum feature was great and was eay to mark waypoints. The color screen is ten times better than the gray. It made the maps easy to read in the sun light and the topo maps stood out more. The battery lasted about 18-20 hours. I highly recommend this unit for hiking,camping and fishing.

The 60CS has been a really great unit. I purchased it to start Geocaching and also for automobile navigation. It has exceeded all the expectations I had for it.
br /
br /The display is crystal clear and is not hard to view even in direct sunlight. The size is pretty nice too. It's compact enough, but the screen is big enough to view w/o having to put it at eye level. The buttons are very intuitive and the geocaching mode is helpful. The compass function is invaluable when navigating to a cache destination. The unit can switch bewteen rechargable and regular AA batteries and even has a setting that allows for the different voltages in each. The AA batteries last about 17 hours of continual use. It holds tons of waypoints and routes.
br /
br /I also purchased the Garmin Automotive Kit that included the City Select Maps v. 6.0. That software gives you all the detail that the base maps of the Garmin are missing. It also gives points of interest like gas stations, restaurants, etc. Garmin also offers customers free upgrades of the City Select software if you purchase an older version after a newer version is released. So Garmin shipped my v.7.0 for free. The autokit's dash mount is pretty slick. It's like a little sandbag that keeps the GPS from sliding on the dash. The navigation w/ the GPS is right on the money. When you input a destination and ask it to plot the route, it'll tell you to turn, merge, and exit at exactly the right time. If you get off course, the GPS will automatically replot the course for you.
br /
br /This GPS is a very solid unit at a pretty good price. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
br /
br /

I've had the Garmin 60CS for 4 months now. I use it with a mounting bracket on my Bike and also use it in my car. I will be getting the car kit and additional map software for it when I go RVing with the in-laws this summer. My job is in sports, fitness, and recreation and I find a lot of uses for this device. When I map out road races participants are always impressed at the amount of information I can give them concerning courses including elevation gains / profiles and very precise measurements. So getting the devices has paid off big time for me when it comes to work. Personally I also use the device a lot because I normally mount it to my bike when I ride to work and am out and about. The GPS gives me more information that any car dashboard could offer. The only drawback for me is the fact that I live in a foreign country (Asia) and Garmin does not make any maps for where I live. Even so there are ways around it (creative third party vendors). Even still it's hard to get maps if you are outside of US or Europe. Bottom line:
br /
br /1. Good Reception
br /2. Feels good in your hand
br /3. Feature rich (provides a lot more information than I use it for i.e. marine, aviation / parachuting, hunting, fishing, etc.)
br /4. Lots of accessories
br /
br /Garmin has a good reputation when it comes to producing a quality product. Fortunately I have yet to deal with their customer service department. From previous reviews it looks like it can be frustrating.
br /
br /All the good things you see in the reviews are accurate. I shopped around a while before making a choice and although Garmin is a little on the pricey side they do offer a quality piece of equipment and there are a lot of maps (if you live in the right area and at a price) for you to choose from.
br /
br /I would have probably given it 5 stars if Garmin made maps for my area.
br /

I have been using it a lot and i am amazed. Although it is not intended for beginners, it is a complete tool for fun and survival. The signal reception is good even indoors, what is a new thing for me. This is my third GPS device, and it is as tough as my early GPS12 and handful as my Ique 3600.

I used this unit in Colorado while hiking in dense forest and had excellent results. It was intuitive, updated quickly and accurately and all the information I needed was clearly presented. The altimeter (a function I did not think I would use) was as it turned out very useful. I looked online for nearly a month before deciding to go with this unit and I am not disappointed. The only negative I've identified is that the GPS uses appx 2 AA batteries a day. I've heard that older units are even worse so I just planned for that

I've had this unit for about a few months now and I must say it is a very handy and versatile unit. It picks up satellite signal in matter of seconds and finds POI very quickly. I am currently using the Garmin-City Select software that is sold separately. My guess is the software not the unit has some quirks, it has a tendency not providing exits while on freeways.

I would have given it 5 stars if POI provided phone numbers.

Recommended!

I originally picked up an etrex legend, but quickly realized that it was deficient in several areas. The memory was too small, it had a black white display, used only a serial port, and had no external antennae port. So I took it back and ordered this GPSMap 60CS, I love it. The USB connection is much easier to use, the size of memory is much better, and the external antennae port is great when using this unit in the car. The controls are easy to use, and the unit has been very accurate. I use it for hunting, fishing, hiking, geocaching, and even for in-car navigation. My only complaint is the high price of the mapping software. You can drop a couple of hundred bucks pretty quickly. However, this appears to be an industry standard, so I'm not sure that it is an avoidable problem. Gilsson makes a great external antennae that is much cheaper than Garmin. I have no regrets about this purchase.

I took this hand held to the Appalachian Trail. Some say that the GPS will not function on this trail as we were up, down, and in between these mountains on our trail. But let me say that this GPS handheld held up to it's advertisements. Because I was excited to find WATER all the time, I used the Eastern Topo map (bought separately) and it showed me all that I needed to see except for the big black bear that took my backpack. I got it back, but thankfully my GPS was with me! I even purchased the car kit, and it also works wonderfully. The clear bright screen and audible beeps work just fine. There was one road however on the way to this trail where it got a little confused and told me to turn on I-515 and head north. Well, the "actual" turn was about 1 mile further down the road. I found out that this junction went under construction improvements. So hopefully Garmin can kep up with these changes. Overall, VERY pleased and would recommend.

This is my first GPS system and I am very pleased with it. I did alot of research before purchsing this unit. I was very much set on a garmin vista C but the reviews i had read swayed me to this one. It is a very user friendly the buttons are very easy to push. I have not had it out long enough to see just how long the batteries do last. the only downfall to the unit is to get the most out of it you need to purchase the different maps that garmin has and they are not cheap nor are they compatable with any other unit. however all the companies are the same as their software is only compatable with their unit. I personally love it and would purchase another if this one takes a crap on me.
br /
br /Eric

I got the GPS unit after a lot of hassel. Basically I purchased it for use outside of the US and it was a chore having it delivered. All headachs aside it was the cheapest on Amazon and some sites in the UK were charging something like British Pounds 500 - 800 ( A lot of money). I have used the GPS a few times since I received it and it has been great. The battery life is pretty good considering that I keep it on most of the time when I drive around town. Some of the features are a bit unfriendly but it's not that hard to master. The backlight is great and there is generally good visibility during the day. There are also customizable color screen options available which makes it much easy to tailor the device to your environment and needs. The default was in miles and feet and I had to go through the book to convert to metric.
br /
br /The path that you travel has to be sprinkled with waypoints to get the right curvature but that is a granted shortcoming. Measuring between points is very simplistic because it tells you distance between two way points in a straight line. Finding the distance between three waypoints will force you to do the math.
br /
br /The altimeter feature is very cool because I have realized how up and down the terrain is... for example my home is 430 feet below my office and my village is 1600 ft higher than my home. So small little information like that is pretty useful.
br /
br /There is also a USB cable to connect to the computer and I have yet to upload info into the PC for better management. I am curious as to how well it will work under Linux because that is primarily the OS I use.
br /
br /Other than that the geocaching feature is very neat as well. Too bad there are no geocaches in my area :-S I guess I should start placing some myself.
br /
br /Overall it a great device and definitly worth the money.

I would recommend this product to anyone needing a personal GPS. It is compact easy to carry. The rubber on the sides make it a secure grip. One draw back is short battery life if you have the "backlight" on for very long.br /But overall a very easy enjoyable unit to use.

I have bought and used many many Garmin GPS products (XL12,Rhino, Legend, Vista). This one is suppose to do it all except for radio communications! I do not like the size, unless it means the antenna is more responsive, but I do like the USB interface, exterior antenna port, note fields for waypoints and color screen. I haven't used it enough to know about the battery life but I hope it is at least like the Vista. On the downside, this is the second unit I've tried. The first had a system defect (the screen blanked out) and Garmin support suggested I return it to place of purchase. Garmin said they didn't have records of any problems of this type for this unit but I found several users mentioning a similar problem when I searched on GOOGLE. Of course, AMAZON exchanged the unit quickly with no questions asked. I will be putting this new unit to the test, in the following year. It will be used daily in very harsh working conditions. I can only hope it will hold up! Wish it were smaller! I already carry too much junk!

I've been using my Garmin GPSMAP 60cs for a couple of weeks, and it's been great. I've used it for geocaching in Georgia (over the holidays) and Colorado, and it's been a blast. Very quick to acquire satellites, and the quad helix antenna gives very accurate readings (compared to my Garmin Vista). The color screen is clear and easy to read, and the USB interface has worked perfectly (I use Geocaching Swiss Army Knife as the interface between geocaching.com and my Garmin; I also highly recommend Google Earth Plus -- works great with geocaching.com). The dedicated geocaching mode has been very useful. The battery life has been good also -- I used it for almost two weeks (about 25 hours of use) before I had to replace the alkaline batteries.
br /My only complaints: lack of expandable memory and the cost. I also recommend InvisibleShield as a screen protector.

The Garmin 60CS is terrific. I love the colored sceeen and easy to use buttons. I have not had any problems with this unit. Before purchasing the 60cs, I did extensive research on many GPS units. The 60CS fits my needs perfectly. I mainly use it for geocaching and with it's own geo menu it's easy to find waypoints. Road navigation is terrific as well. I highly recommend this product. I don't think you will be dissapointed.

With the Glisson external antennae, the reception is great, even under thick forest canopy of tropical rainforest. I use it for scientific research, and have no problems mapping my route. Even to use and nice display.

Good product. Updates now available for Mac users also online. I like this one, better battery life than some of the newer ones. No SD card slot.

I bought my 60CS shortly after they arrived on the market, and I have used it on the road in the U.S., Europe (multiple times) and South America. I have used it a little for hiking, but I have not used it for hunting or fishing. It was my first GPS, and I was swayed by the few reviews that raved about its improvement over other available units. First off, I was amazed at how primitive it is compared with other electronic gadgets. While 56MB was apparently a big step forward, it is a small memory that is limiting - especially on a long trip without carrying your PC with you. There is no possibility of a fast connection: instead of an IEEE 1394 connection, you get a Serial Communications Port (for those with ancient PCs). For those of us who struggle against a Microsoft-dominated world, it would be nice to be able to run the requisite computer software with unix (linux) or on a Macintosh. Alas, Windows is required.
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br /Even with time, I have found that the software on the gps is not intuitive. You can relearn what you really need, of course, but it can be frustrating when first turned on if you haven't used it for months.
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br /The base map is only for rough orientation. One must purchase maps to download. Don't bother to purchase Garmin's Worldmap, as I did. It just does not have enough detail to be useful. The US and Europe maps from Garmin are OK. There are occasional mistakes and new roads or trails not marked, so don't blindly believe the GPS, but it generally will pinpoint your location. In this regard, it is often useful to have a hardcopy map in hand as well. Tracking and routing works well, but ideally should be done on the computer and then downloaded, since it's slow to do on the GPS unit.
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br /This ruggedly built, power-efficient (I said there were some pros - not just cons) unit is most useful for hiking. I have found that downloading waypoints for certain trails (e.g., in Torres del Paine in Patagonia) gave me useful info. Please remember to calibrate the altimeter before a hike, as it doesn't maintain its calibration well.
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br /If you thought about getting this unit so you could take it when you are driving in unfamiliar territory in a rental vehicle, then I suggest you forget it and spring for the small amount more to rent a vehicle with built-in navigation. It will take lots of rental hires to overcome the price of the GPS plus maps. Besides, the in-car navigation systems I've used in rental cars are much better (satellite reception never lost compared with the 60CS constantly losing signal) and safer (big screen and voice compared with little screen and beeps).
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br /The basic idea of using a GPS unit is terrific - thank the US govt for that. I've sometimes thought how wonderful it would have been if Apple or Sony had decided to do GPS instead of Magellan and Garmin. Well, maybe someday a bright young engineer will start a company that will blow the current inferior products out of the water - I assume the other products are inferior, because many people have said the 60CS is so much better, and I find it to be disappointing.

Nice enough for the trail when you're on foot and not depending on it to tell you how to get somewhere. But it has turned me the wrong way on the road more times than not, one time it told me to turn right when the route it was displaying turned right.
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br /Also its plug locations are just plain stupid. You may want to pop for a bracket if you do use it in the car.
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br /Otherwise the software is quirky and the maps quite expensive.

This GPS is great. A color screen is a must and we have need no problems viewing the screening in direct sunlight. This unit is very durable too with a sporty look. The best part you can take it everywhere (hiking, biking,walking, running, even on trips). Money Well Spent!!!

I upgraded to the 60CS after my M4 cracked the screen on my Etrex while out marking UXO (unexploded ordnance). This is a great little GPS that is easy to use and highly accurate. A few of us had and used them all over Iraq while escorting convoys and running patrols. Choose your own icons to mark checkpoints, the latest IEDs you encounter, small arms fire, etc. Then when you get back to base, share your points with your buddies by just uploading them onto your computer. It is much easier to use than the crap the Army gives you. Its nice to have something that works when your life depends on it.
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br /One down side is that you cannot get a signal through the ballistic glass on a Humvee. You have to buy the external antenna. If you're out on a foot patrol it works just fine though. (I know, not an issue for 99.9% of people).
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br /If you use it all the time at night like we did either carry a lot of batteries or use a flashlight to look at the screen. I couldn't get through one convoy without changing batteries. I finally wired in cigarette plug in my humvee and bought the car adapter for my Garmin. Problem solved!
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br /More storage space would be nice for tracking routes. You can only store a few routes before its full and you need to delete something. Granted, we were using it on convoy runs over 100 miles long. If you just use it for hunting, hiking, or fishing, you're going to be just fine.
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br /This thing is very durable. Wile escorting a convoy through Baghdad my humvee was hit by an IED that blew everything inside to bits. Every piece of electronics (radios, Army GPS, etc) was blown up and quit working. Everything except my Garmin that is. Other than a small nick in the screen from a piece of shrapnel, it works just fine. Even the external antenna survived, and that was outside the humvee. I am definitely sold on Garmin, and this GPS.

Defect in the altimiter function (no graphing) with little factory feedback after multiple attempts to reach support.
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br /Otherwise FAST signal updates and unbelievable accuracy!
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br /Reception is reliable as well.
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br /I have owned 5 gps prior...other than the frustration with POOR (NO) factory support it is GREAT!
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I purchased the Garmin GPSMap 60CS a month ago for use on my business trips between California and Arizona and have found it to be a great tool. I also started using it to Geocache as I had some down time while in Arizona. The fact that it can easily slip in and out of the car was one of the biggest selling points for me as I did not want to just leave it hanging in the car for all to see. I like the fact that it automatically changes from daytime viewing to night time mode and that if it does loose a signal it recovers very quickly. The color screen is easy to read and the size of the letters can be changed if the unit is going to be mounted far away from you like on a dash board.

I too would have likes a little more memory, say 128 Mb. With all of the USB memory sticks out there I would think there could be a way to upload from one. It would also be nice if the mounting base that had the power plug built into it so it is not a 3 step process to mount the unit. A simple trickle charge to the rechargeable batteries would also be nice.

PROS:
So easy to use.
Light to carry.
Can move from Car to bike to handheld with ease.
The auto-navigation of this unit works well for me out in the South-West USA.
Ability to change audio tones
This is great for Geocaching

CONS:
Window suction mount is a bit shaky at times to read.
Attaching external power supply doesn't recharge NiMH batteries.
Have to hit "find" to view Waypoints list.
Poor coverage when clipped to your waist.

All in all, for what this unit will do and how portable it is I found it to be the best in class on the market and I am sure I will find more good and bad things as time goes on but it is, for now, the right tool for the job at the right price.

I purchased my first GPS unit and I am very satisfied. I read many reviews, and researched about a half a dozen candidates before I settled in on the GPSMAP CS. When I bought it, I knew that it was being replaced with a more expensive unit that had a removable SD chip, but I did not need that feature, as the unit had 56 MB on internal memory, plenty for my needs. I bought the unit basically for Geocaching, and it has performed as expected and I would recommend it, or it's new, more expensive upgrade, to anyone who wants a unit that is relatively easy to use. The car mount is a little tricky, but it also performs well, once mastered. You have to attach the external power cord, if you are conserving batteries, before you put the unit in the car mount. Sort of clunky, but not so much as to be a problem.

A very accurate GPS and works everywhere, also a great tool for Geo Cashing

The 60CS replaced my Etrex Legend. I found the larger color screen very helpful. It acquired the satellites quickly. Controls were intuitive except for finding waypoints and landmarks. Overall an excellent product I would recommend to anyone.

I've had this unit about three weeks and so far I am very pleased with it.The menu is fairly simple and easy to use and It locks on and tracks quickly. It even works well on the console of my truck,but I did get the external power cables, both 12volt and 120volt,and the window bracket to make it easier to see and use. Well worth the price.

Great unit. Works very well under tree canopy (compared to others).
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br /Definately worth spending a little more money on this one.

If your using a 64 bit OS you will not be able to download maps to unit until Garmin provides driver support. Other then this it's a great product!

I had been wanting a nice color GPS unit for a while. My wife purchased this one for me and I love it. I purchased the City Select Maps to use with the autoroute system. It would be nice if the maps were included with unit. I've had it out on several caching trips now and it hasn't let me down yet. Make sure you take the time to read through the instruction book so you will know how to use the many features that the unit has built-in.

I purchased a Garmin GPSMap 60CS in mid-May (2005). After loading the topo Canada map set I had also purchased, I was keen to try the unit. Boy was I ever disappointed. The unit worked but locked up constantly and frequently crashed and then restarted. I immediately contacted Garmin to find a solution (May 19th). After two weeks of emailing back a forth and several firmware updates, I was instructed to send the unit to Garmin for repair (June 1). I finally received a replacement unit on August 2. I contacted tech support on several occasions to determine when a replacement would be forthcoming however I was literally given the run around. As I work as biologist and require a GPS for my field work, I had to purchase a second GPS unit while waiting for my Garmin. I purchased a low-end Magellan which worked splendidly. Since receiving the replacement GPSMap 60CS it works much better than the previously however it does still occasionally crash... but it is usable. I would highly recommend looking at other products and testing a unit thoroughly before purchasing.

My wife research and purchased this unite. Many more features than if I'd shopped myself. I am VERY VERY happy with this. The best birthday present she every gave me. I am stunned that it can do so much in such a little package. The screen is big enough but I sure wouldn't want it any smaller. It has locked up three times. Garmin Customer Support told me I was the first to report that. They walked me through a Version 4 system update and it has worked flawlessly since. Garmin has been great to work with. The manual leaves something to be desired. It assumes that this isn't your first venture into GPS. For example, it doesn't detail why you may wish to change a field from A to B, it just shows you how. It is a battery hog (fourth set in four weeks .. but I'm playing with it all the time!). I went back and tried to second guess her choice in unites and I would have picked the same thing. She spent more money on me than I would have on myself. On near the 45 parallel and Garmin suggests not to bother with WASS (it uses additional power and I'm too far north) I didn't notice one foot difference in accuracy between the two (it's generally +/- 20ft.) I am patiencly waiting for mapping CD.

Pat

Amazon has the cheapest price, but for some strange reason since we bought through Amazon we couldn't get our $50 rebate that Garmin was offering on color units.
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br /Comparing to our low end model of a geko 101 without WAAS, reception is about the same (surprisingly). The only new feature that we are impressed by is the ability to bulk download pocket queries for geocaching. That makes life so much easier! We still bought a cheap PDA though, to store cache page info. Perhaps we will invest in detailed street maps for the GPS someday...cause the base maps really aren't that helpful.

Don't waste your time looking around, if you can afford this one, you will find this is the best GPS for outdoors!!!

I love this GPS unit! The size, features, display, etc. are exactly what I wanted for my bike or hiking. However, I have had to return the unit for replacement 3 times. Garmin has more than stood by the product thus far; the 4th replacement is on the way, so lets hope there are no problems this time. I think they could have offered a some free maps (software) after all the problems, but otherwise I would buy the unit again. My final verdict will not be in until the fourth replacement arrives and actually works with no problems.

If it's a portable GPS you're looking for this is a great product. Works as well in the car as it does on the trail.

An excellent walking GPS, with all needing features. Good price comparing my home country.

Ok, I had owned a Garmin 45XL It lasted 10 years ! Wow !!! So, I knew I was going to buy a new Garmin. Just what Unit? After all my research I got the Garmin map 60cs. It sure is nice to have your maps in your GPS not on paper. 56 MB of memory is great! The battery life was around 18 hours (2 AA batteries)Very good! I love the electronic compass, Need not move to get your compass reading. :-) Love the highway tracking routes the way it promts you to turn ! cool..... off road, Most of the areas I hunt will fit all @ once on this unit.with the base map still on the unit. I also got the MapSource United States Topo ! The Only fall backs on this unit are no expandable memory ! But, 56 MB will do for now. The other fall back is that the Topo mapsource only comes in 1:100,000 scale.....Needs to be 1:124,000 scale.. maybe in the future!!!! Over all it's a great unit for hunting getting around town.

This review is not actually about the product, but about the service from Amazon. I placed an order for this product from Amazon and was promised the GPS would ship and arrive before Christmas. They have now informed me (at a date too late to order from someone else) it may not arrive until January! For me this was an unforgivable business practice and I do not plan to order from them again. If they hadn't promised it to arrive before Christmas I would not have ordered it from them. I see this as similar to "bait and switch". Don't believe them when they give you a shipment date at the time of your order.
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br /Addendum to original message -- After sending an e-mail complaining about their service, they responded quickly with an appology and an "e-coupon" for my next purchase. In addition, they shipped the GPS via overnight air and it did arrive in time for Christmas. I did appreciate Amazon's quick response to my complaint. I would have changed the "star rating" but it wouldn't allow me to do that.

For years, Garmin has refused to produce mapping software that works with a Mac, or open up their protocols to other companies that do. Alternatives such as Virtual PC are cumbersome and add unnecessary expense to an already overpriced device.

Very good. Excellent in the car. Sometimes a bit quirky - I have found myself going around in circles a couple of times. Would love to see more topo maps.

great product. I have used GPS's in the past and this is by far one of the nicest ones I have ever used. I would not recommend as a first GPS however.

This purchase was above and beyond what I expected. I even used normal delivery and still received my GPS in less than a week. Everything went well. This is my 5th purchase through Amazon and I have not had a bad experiance yet.