Wonderful for the Amateur
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 10! out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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I'm not one of those extreme high-end geocachers. I just love a walk in the woods. However, I want to find the cache when I go to look for it. Last year I upgraded from a Garmin Explorer to a 60CSX and was in love. Unfortunately that got stolen. I've saved my money and now have the Colorado 400t. It's everything my 60CSX was and more. The new rocker control is a lot easier to use than the controls on the 60CSX or the Explorer. The accuracy is fantastic. With the City maps plugged in the road navigation is wonderful. This really is the best GPS unit I've used for hiking caching. I'm really impressed with the ability to swap between profiles, using the Automotive until I hit the trail and then switching back to the Geocaching mode. Start up time satellite acquisition are good. They're now supporting SD instead of the mini-SD cards and that's a good choice on Garmin's part. A lot of the new interfaces are improved over the old ones plus, like the old ones they're customizable.
br /Like everyone else, the fact that only one cache at a time is visible is a pain, but all the other features quickly wash that away. I haven't found the maps to be inaccurate, but then I mainly use it for off-road hiking and the hills, mountains streams are pretty solidly in place, even in Massachusetts. It is a little dim in bright sunlight.
br /Despite these small shortcomings, this is a wonderful GPS unit. I intend to get years of use (and hang on to it more tightly).
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br /UPDATE: Garmin released a software patch that fixed the problem with displaying multiple cache's. That's one less of the few and small negatives to worry about. I'm still loving this GPS unit.
Accuracy unreliable
Rating: 2 out of 5
Weight: 8.0 out of 10
Created: Apr 22, 2008
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This would be a fantastic unit if the accuracy was there. The Geocaching functionality is great, the 3D topo maps are beautiful for a base map, and the unit is fun to use. Compared to Garmin's star product, the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS, it's a little harder to figure out how to do various things such as enter a route, and figure out the distance between two points. I would have kept the unit if only it were accurate. I had trouble finding a cache and noticed the location of the cache kept bouncing all over the place. I started to test the unit by taking a reading and checking it against Google Earth and Nat Geo Topo! software, as well as another GPSr. It was off by as much as 400 ft, and only as close as 40 ft. I also tested it with a few known benchmarks. At that point I did some research to determine if there was some calibration I could do to solve the problem, and found that other people have experienced the same problem. Several people reported it as a recurring problem cured by a power reset. My guess is the new chip Garmin put into the Colorado is not as reliable as the SiRF Star III chip used in the past. If that is the case, an update will not cure the problem. I personally want a unit I can rely on and needed to purchase now, so I exchanged it for the well regarded but older Garmin 60CSx, which contains the trusted SiRF Star III chip. If you really want the new features and can hold off buying, I recommend you wait until the accuracy has been tested by consumers for a longer period of time. If you don't mind an occasional reset, and having to guess if your unit is giving you accurate readings or not, this is a good GPSr.
Fantastic, but not perfect.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 7.9 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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I bought this item with the understanding it had flaws. It is a new line, and it is a big step to take. Almost like moving from Windows 98 to Windows XP. It takes a lot of getting used to, and it is cumbersome to set up. I spent over 3 hours backing up the maps that come on the unit (not viewable on the PC, but do back it up because if lost they are not recoverable), customizing the "profiles," and rearranging the shortcuts to an actual usable rotation.
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br /The unit runs off of shortcuts, rather than buttons on the front of the unit (like to 60C series). One button pulls up a menu of options to scroll through. You can change profiles to bring up different sets of shortcuts and settings.
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br /I.e. I start in Automotive, which has a map viewed form above, with on-road auto-nav to a location near a geocache. Once I find a parking spot, I press the shortcuts button, and change to "geocaching" profile. It automatically switches to 3d topographical, "off-road" map that I follow to the cache. When I get close I shortcut to the option of compass o get right to it.
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br /I have not had the bad experience of draining batteries. I accidentally left it on the first night after using it, and even after caching with the backlight periodically on, it still had bars left on the gauge the next morning.
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br /Accuracy is not an issue (it is quite phenominal, 7-10ft 90% of the time) and I get full strength GPS signal inside the middle of my house (never ever got that with my 60CS).
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br /The basemap roads are off significantly, but since I purchased the city-nav software with the unit, I only had to deal with the basemap for the ride home from where I bought it :). 80ft accuracy on the topography mapping is not so hot when driving (which side of the knoll am I on?), but when hiking it is more than accurate enough with the path tracking turned on (if 80ft off gets you lost while hiking, you probably shouldn't be hiking off the path).
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br /The geocaching options are fabulous, being able to view the full name, description, previous logs, and an option to view the hint is great.
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br /My only complaints are that geocaches don't show on the maps (only waypoints do). You can't edit/delete/mark-as-found geocaches at all. The marketing for this unit is a complete lie when they say "bright display even in the sunlight". Truth be told, on a sunny day like today, even in the shade, with the backlight fully on, it is hard to see the details on the screen. Also, only certain mini-usb chargers will charge the unit. The one I use to charge my cell phone puts the unit into "computer linking" mode rather than as a power supply (rendering it unusable as a GPS). Other phone charges work fine for some reason, there must be a difference between Type-A mini USB and Type-B mini USB that the unit is sensitive too, while most cell phones and the like are not.
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br /Overall with the 400t, city nav 2008, the dash mount (60cs version doesn't fit), new car charger and protective case, it came to a ridiculously high cost, but understand this: I would buy it again. If you do so, just remember that the effort you put into setting it up to fit your needs makes a huge difference. Take the time to learn it inside and out and you will experience how the complexity of it turns into versatility and enjoyment.
Needs work
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 6.2 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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I've had mine for a few days. Comes with a very superficial manual so it takes some playing with it to get to know the unit. Very accurate GPS, nice interface. The ability to carry all cache information is great for geocaching, but getting the full caches on the unit is far from intuitive--the manual simply says "download them," but it's a bit more involved than the usual process of simply clicking on the "Send to GPS" button.
br / You cannot see more than one geocache on the map at a time. I'll expand: Geocaches are visible only on a separate geocache page, and only the selected cache shows up on that map. To see multiple geocaches on the map page, you have to load them separately as waypoints, without the additional information for paperless geocaching. (and you have to tweak it to see waypoints on a map--a simple bug but you'll have to research how to do it) Check out the online forums--the inability to see multiple geocaches on the map is probably the number one complaint of Colorado users so far, at least those interested in geocaching. In addition, the Colorado offers no means of marking a geocache on the unit as "found," or deleting it from the unit without the use of a PC.
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br /I was also interested in the ability to pair the unit with the heart rate monitor or cadence sensor. I've tried it with my Garmin Heart rate monitor and it pairs just fine, but so far I can only view current heart rate. Unlike my Garmin Edge, there is apparently no way to upload heart rate history for later review. When asked, Garmin support implies that the unit will not work with Garmin's MotionBased website, but that it will work with Garmin Connect, a revamped site for uploading activity history and sharing that will supposedly be active for most Garmin GPS units "in a few months." (It currently works only with the Garmin 50 fitness watch.) In fact, I managed to get the Colorado to upload its track log to Motion Based (which I currently use for my Edge), but no luck with the heart rate data from the Colorado (though I routinely upload this from my Edge). Here's hoping this is resolved with the roll out of GarminConnect---the Heart rate monitor is far less useful without the ability to analyze how it changed throughout an activity.
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br /I like mine fine, and I'm holding onto it in hopes that software fixes will be forthcoming from Garmin. If they integrate it correctly with GarminConnect, enabling sharing of files over the internet and full history analysis, this will be a fantastic tool/toy. Garmin seems to be aware of the potential of utilizing this kind of community-based knowledge-- First, the unit can share waypoints, tracks and routes, as well as basic geocache information, wirelessly, though the chances of me running into another Colorado user and needing this function seem minimal. Second, Garmin's purchase of MotionBased must have been for some reason--the idea of going online, viewing others activities and downloading their track files is a great one. Sort of like an online wiki trail guide. There needs to be more ability to comment on your own and others' tracks, but the potential is there.
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br /Garmin separates its lines between "trail" "automotive" and "fitness." This unit, I had hoped, would attempt to do it all--it has an automotive mode, and supposedly, with the addition of another map, it will give turn-by-turn directions (though it has no speaker, so I doubt they'd be audible as they are in the Nuvi). It's ability to pair with the Garmin heart rate and cadence monitors is promising, if later software fixes address the inability to view history of that data. If you want a GPS for hiking, there are other mapping handhelds out there that are cheaper (including some nice ones made by GarminGarmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS). If you want the enhanced Geocaching functionality or the fitness monitoring, you might want to wait a few months to see if Garmin follows through with the necessary software fixes.
A Great MultiPurpose GPS
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 6.0 out of 10
Created: Apr 7, 2008
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I've had my 400t for a couple of weeks now and have had it on several day hikes. I've also used it in the car hooked up with the car kit. Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase. Is it perfect? No, but the last firmware update dealt with the most egregious issues and it seems to be improving all the time. The shaded topo maps are great-looking and extra features like those for geocaching are a welcome addition. The rock-and-roll controller works well when operating the unit with one hand.
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br /I would suggest using either high-capacity (2500 mA or higher) NimH or lithium batteries for maximum battery life. In addition, make certain to set the battery type correctly. If set incorrectly, the unit may indicate low battery, even when the batteries have life left in them.
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br /My biggest complaint is the woeful inadequacy of the manual. It is more of a quick start guide than a detailed manual. There is an online Wiki that can be helpful, but Garmin should release a much better document.
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nice allround navigation tool
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 4.9 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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Pros: this is undoubtedly an excellent GPS. It does an excellent job in both outdoor and car navigation (with optional Garmin maps). The screen is very detailed and the display is usually very clear. The rocknroller is actually a very nice tool for quickly entering data.
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br /Cons: creating custom maps for the 400t is very laborious, as it only can take vector maps. It does not communicate with Oziexplorer, but this will probably be solved. It is a bit too big and heavy; it is not as light as my old Etrex.
Great after the update
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 4.7 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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Many of the problems with the 400t were fixed with the recent firmware update. you can now view all caches on the map page, maek them as found and various other fixes. this is now a great GPS to use if you have the money.
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br /All I have to say is i love the paperless caching
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Best GPS I Ever Owned
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 4.6 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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This is an extremely cool GPS.
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br /The screen is gorgeous. Big and sharp. The Topo 2008 maps look so cool with shading and 3-D.
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br /The new control wheel really makes it easy to use. Far easier than any other Garmin unit.
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br /It is well built, looks very cool and feels really good in your hand.
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br /The recent firmware updates have solved most of the problems early buyers encountered when it first came out. I have no real complaints or problems that bother me.
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br /I use it for hiking, biking, and driving. I put a 8GB SD card in and was able to load a lot of maps. I am really enjoying using it on my weekend explorations here in New Mexico.
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br /I highly recommend it. Well worth the price.
Opportunity lost
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 4.3 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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I've put off buying a GPS for a long time and finally took the plunge with the Garmin Colorado. I feel that this is a great unit, marred by aspects of the software implementation and the Garmin model of dealing with map data. I gave the Colorado 3 stars in an uncharacteristic fit of generosity.
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br /First, the good:
br /* This is a great looking, great feeling piece of hardware. It's light, but has a good heft. It's solid. The rubber material used for the battery cover feels very good in your hands. The physical interface is above par. The interface wheel is very well executed, a great bonus for a motorcycle rider like myself (gloves work well with the wheel, but just OK with the "soft buttons").
br /* The screen could be brighter, but is clear and the screen updates seem to be pretty good.
br /* Garmin seems to have the hardware down, reviews indicate that they used their own hardware for GPS reception (as opposed to the well regarded SiRF chipset). It is accurate (based on by tests with Google Earth), and very sensitive. It quickly makes its satellite acquisition and does so within my home.
br /* It seems to have some good integration with geocaching.org and wherigo.com, although I haven't tested it yet.
br /* The basic navigation and UI of the device is pretty good.
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br /And... the bad.
br /* As a first time Garmin customer, I wrote off the tales of Garmin's terrible software. I was wrong to do so. Learn to use gpsbabel and Google Earth to supplement your needs for waypoints and tracks. There are some tricks for custom POI's and some more I'm sure I haven't discovered yet. The PC software is poor. The device loaded maps are not usable with the PC route planning software (no included DVD??).
br /* Maps. OK, they're serviceable. However, here in the Bay Area, I have already found some areas where they are wildly inaccurate: mislocated, missing parts of existing roads, missing roads. The unit is apparently capable of turn-by-turn routing; however, not with the loaded map set. Plan on spending another $150 on making your investment roadworthy. I can't tell yet, but it doesn't look like you can enter an address for road navigation, you must use a waypoint entered on the unit or from the PC software. All of the road name data is included in the unit but unaccessible to you. Welcome to Colorado.
br /* More on the previous point. This model is the 400t. The "t" stands for "trails". I live in Marin County, CA and this area could have been used as an example of fantastic trail coverage, but not for this version. There are really no trails in this unit as far as I can tell. I did find some trails in Pt. Reyes National Park, but other popular nearby hiking areas (Mt. Tamalpais) do not have any trails available. There are a number of trailheads marked, but no trails. I assume this means that there is little chance for trail coverage in more sparsely populated areas.
br /* OK, this is just a nitpick. The "Rock and Roller" is a good input device, but it is a copy of the wheel from the Apple iPod. That's not bad, but mouse over the map to the Apple campus and you will find that the Garmin dunderheads renamed the infamous Apple driveway to "Infinite Loo". Cute, but Garmin could stand to learn more than a few things about software engineering from Apple. Scratch that. Garmin should fire their software engineers and throw caution to the wind.
br /* Again, based on reviews, this unit is apparently capable of using the freely available (and fantastic) USGS raster maps. We will apparently have to wait for Garmin to capitalize on this government funded resource. Garmin aren't the only offenders here: just note that they put their bottom line above customer satisfaction. Underline that last bit if you've followed me this far. If Garmin has used any of this free data in the generation of their maps, they should be fined for corrupting it.
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br /All in all, if I had to do it again, I think I would wait. If you need it now... It is good enough. I like the device, but I find the overall experience to be severely tainted. Soon enough there will be GPS enabled devices that can access Google Earth imagery wirelessly and this 400t might find its way onto an internet auction site.
A high end handheld GPS with lots of potential but hold off on your purchases for now.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 4.3 out of 10
Created: May 19, 2008
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The Garmin Colorado is the third Garmin outdoor handheld which I've owned in the last ten years. I use GPSs for geocaching, hiking, boating and auto navigation and I have used the Garmin Colorado in all of these activities. Currently I have the Topo maps which come pre-installed on the unit and I also have the City Navigator North America NT 2009 driving maps installed. This review was written based on the Software version 2.51 and GPS Software 2.4.
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br /I purchased the unit in January when it first came out. The first four months, like with many new tech products, have been bumpy. So far there have been 3 software releases which have made things much better but there is still much room for improvement. Overall I'll give the Colorado 3 out of 5 stars but I would recommend holding off on any purchase right now. Read on for more details.
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br /First the good stuff.
br /- Paperless geocaching mode. Works very well and eliminates the need to carry paper or a Palm/PPC.
br /- Compact well balanced case and design. The design feels sturdy and fits well in your hand.
br /- Lots of memory and preloaded map data. This handheld has 4GB of internal memory (2.7GB used by Topo2008 maps) and you can expand with an SD card. I use an 8GB San Disk card.
br /- Profiles allow you to save and recall configuration depending on your mode of use (e.g. auto or hiking) or by user if there are multiple users.
br /- Big, high resolution screen as compared to most handhelds
br /- Autorouting. The Colorado was based on a Nuvi platform so I guess it makes sense that it is pretty good at autorouting using the optional City Navigator maps. No speech and no touch screen but it makes a decent unit if you don't have money for both.
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br /Mixed bag.
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br /- User interface. The Rock'n Roller and soft key entry method works pretty well for most tasks except text entry. Text entry is very time consuming and I avoid it whenever possible. Garmin has improved some aspects of the user interface by making it more simple but in the process they have removed many of the nice shortcuts available on the 60csx series that "expert users" enjoyed. Context sensitive setup options are a prime example. On the 60csx when you entered something like the altimeter page you could easily access the setup and calibration functions, not so on the Colorado. The result is a simpler interface for new users but a much less optimized interface for power users.
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br /The not so good.
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br /- Screen brightness. As compared to the 60cs(x) the screen is hard to read and you'll need to use the backlighting more frequently.
br /- Battery life. You'll need to use NiMH batteries and you'll need to use good ones, 2500 mAh or more. If you are willing to invest in these batteries and a good charger you'll still only get about 10hrs out of a pair.
br /- GPS accuracy. A lot of debate on this issue but personally I believe the unit isn't as stable and mature as the Sirf receiver in the 60csx. There are times when the unit wonders and has errors in the 400-500' range. Unfortunately recovery is slow and sometimes power cycling is the fastest way to get it back to normal.
br /- Waterproofness. IPX7 rated but many reports of leakage. This may be a design flaw or just a issue with early units, time will tell.
br /- There are many (mostly minor) software features (as of v2.51) that you will find on the 60csx but not the Colorado including waypoint averaging, search from a location on the map, search by waypoint symbol, calendar based recording of events, personalized startup screen, night/day mode, custom waypoint symbols, proximity alarms, viewing multiple tracks on map page and trackback. Some of this will probably be added over time but the list is pretty long so I'm sure some won't.
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br /And the big issue:
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br /- Hardware issues. I've watched a lot of the forums and news groups associated with the Colorado and many early owners have had to exchange their units two, three and in some cases even four times. The issues vary and are well documented but for this reason alone I would suggest holding off on a purchase for at least a few months until Garmin gets the formula right.
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Mostly good stuff, a few not so good.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 4.0 out of 10
Created: Jun 8, 2008
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I got this from Amazon and played with it for a few days. I have 30 to decide whether I want to keep it. First let me say the unit is EASIER to see in the direct sunlight since its a transflective screen. Its hard to see in shadows because the backlight is very dim compared to GARMIN's Nuvi units. I couldn't see it when the light was on unless it was in direct sunlight. Hiking will be fine since I can look at it directly but in a car, forget it. I guess the backlight has to be dim in order to preserve the battery since the Colorado has some serious processing power which will use a lot of batteries up fast. I was able to get 10 hours on a set of enelope rechargeables. As long as you have at least 3-4 sets of rechargeable batteries, this is a non-issue on the trail.
br /The graphics are very good as this unit has a lot of pixels. I just wish it were brighter.
br /I haven't taken it on a hike yet but will update this within a few weeks on how that went. So far it seems to be a great device but a bit pricy. I got it for $482 with $18 overnight shipping with NO TAX so a total of $500, not bad considering most places are selling it for the retail of $599 not including tax. Amazon is really good about that and their return policy.
br /UPDATE JULY 3 2008:
br /Have done 4 Geocaches in Northern Michigan. The Geocaches worked great. I uploaded the info for each one paperlessly and has worked great. Battery life is ok, just bring along an extra set or two. So I've decided to keep it. Pretty happy with the unit after about a month of use and several geocaches.
Fast Acquisition But Hard to Read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 3.8 out of 10
Created: Jun 14, 2008
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I purchased my Colorado 400t from Amazon about a month ago. It was VERY affordable through Amazon, and fairly easy to use right out of the box. I recommend going through each Colorado function immediately after purchase and looking at all of the options available for each one, as many are not intuitively obvious. There are lots of nifty features available on the system.
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br /The default map overlays are okay, not very detailed but sufficient for street navigation. The maps are not very well geo-synched. E.g., With a position accuracy of less than 10 ft the GPS position of my porch appeared across the street when displayed. I attempted to install more topographic detail using one of the National Geographic software sets, but the software kept crashing during installation. It appears to be incompatible with Windows XP and/or the underlying Garmin operating system. One of the best enhancements to this GPS is to synch it up with Google Earth. That's lots of fun. I'm waiting for more detailed wide-area coverage maps from either Garmin or other sources.
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br /Satelite acquisition happens very rapidly and maintains good signal strength once acquired. The display of satellite positions, signal quality, and other information is pretty handy. It seems to work fine inside a car.
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br /My big problem with the Garmin Colorado 400t: The display contrast and backlighting is so weak that the system is vitually unusable in bright sunlight and difficult to discern in other than dim lighting. It would be helpful to have brighter lighting and I will retrofit my Colorado with a brighter manufacturer or second-source lighting system if one becomes available. Battery life is good, but I'm willing to accept less to get better legibility in sunlight.
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br /Big takeaways: Positives-Good accuracy, fast acquisition, lots of neat features, compatibility with Google Earch. Negatives-Dim display, lack of detailed map coverage available, not-very-accurate geo-synching of maps for precision placement of positions on the display.
Great product once I got a good unit...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.8 out of 10
Created: Jun 11, 2008
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After reading the reviews, both pro and con I decided to give the 400t a try. After all, a company like Garmin would surely have resolved such blantant faults as were encountered by some of the reviewers, right? Well, yes and no. The unit I bought was horrible. The promise was there, but so was the ridiculously poor battery life 4-6 hours with 2650mAh batteries, constant self-rebooting and shut-down, and freezing requiring the batteries to be removed to reset the unit. I installed the latest OS (2.51 beta) with no improvement. I called customer support who suggested I return the unit, which I suspected was just a lame response to my problem. Well, I was wrong! The new unit is great - battery life of 14-16 hours, no rebooting or freezing, and everything works great. As others have noted, the manual clearly lacks the necessary detail to fully understand some of the advanced capabilities, but that can be dealt with. Clearly, there is a hardware issue with earlier units and if you experience any of the known problems you should immediately exchange the unit for a newer model. However, once past that issue I was very pleased with the unit. Note that the preloaded US Topo map has inaccurate street locations. I purchased City Maps 2008 and everything is now dead-on. Note that the unit can use multiple maps at the same time, such as topo info from the base map and street info from City Maps. I also have the National Parks West, 24k Topo and have all three active most of the time. However, once off the road I shut off City Maps so the topo lines from the base and topo maps display rather than just the elevation shading which is the only elevation info that displays when City Maps is on. Excellent turn-by-turn navigation with routing and ETA times far more accurate than than the factory unit in my Expedition. After my initial dismay with the first unit, I have been extremely pleased with the replacement exceding all expectations.
Paperless JOY
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.8 out of 10
Created: May 9, 2008
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I have had my Colorado for almost two months now and I thoroughly enjoy it. I download all my caches from the website with hints, logs, etc all ready for my use. I completely appreciate the fact that I do not have to print out caches. I have found the accuracy to be very good in my area and have not had any technical problems. I absolutely love this item and would recommend it to anyone. I realize the price is high but it is well worth it to only have to carry one item and have all the information right there. I would buy it again in a second.
Colorado 400t
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.6 out of 10
Created: Aug 28, 2008
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I was concerned with the accuracy issue of this GPSr. I emailed Garmin customer service with my concerns and they assured me that it would not be a problem. I basically wanted some sort of correspondence for proof just in case their was an issue. Then the price became an issue. I tried to order the unit through an online camera shop for a price around 400.00 and found out that what they were selling me was a Japanese (no english installed) no warranty, no topo maps installed unit. How can it be a 400T without Topo maps? Anyway, I went to amazon for a higher price but a more comfortable transaction.
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br /This product is pricey, but I believe that it is well priced for what you get. It hasn't disappointed me yet as far as the accuracy goes. Base maps are preloaded but streetmaps are not. These are separate and will run around 100.00. I went with the SD card street maps and glad I did. This leaves the memory free for geocaches. I was able to load 400 caches along a route and made an insignificant dent in the 256MB memory. Map cards are a no hassle PNP operation. I have been told by Garmin Cust. service, that if you want to have the same maps on your PC Mapsource software (which comes with the unit) as your gps, then you should buy the DVD mapset. With this configuration you can upload the wanted maps onto the unit itself or a seperate memory card. The WAAS works wonders in dense foliage. The external antenna is a must if you are using in the car. Screen protection is a must if you aren't storing it in a case. Screen brightness is not as bad as I was expecting. I usually don't have to turn on the backlight unless It is dark of course or if I am in the shade. Only problem with screen brightness is that you have to reset it after every reboot, as it won't store the setting in memory. Shaded relief maps are nice to have and the topo features are great to have as well. If it wasn't for battery consumption I would have gave it a higher rating.
br /This unit will go through batteries very fast. For lightweight backpacking you might want to buy lithium batteries, a whole lot of them. Do consider buying rechargeable batteries and the car charger with alkaline spares as I have already found myself hunting down batteries instead of caches. Easy .GPX file transfer with www.geocaching.com and a windows machine but not a linux machine that I know of.
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br /Overall, this is a must for a geocacher
br / After nearly ten years of service my eTrex can finally take a rest.
br /One last thing. Phone calls to Garmin customer service are not fun. Expect a 30min wait time before you get to talk to anyone. I am rating their product not their customer service.
Pleased
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.6 out of 10
Created: Aug 4, 2008
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I decided to get into geocaching this summer. After reading a number of reviews expressing concern about the screen's readability, both here and on other sites, I was leaning away from the 400. Fortunately, I was able to try the 400 and the 60CSx side-by-side. In direct sunlight, I found the screen on the 400 to be just a little dimmer than the 60 but still perfectly readable. I also found both units to be harder to read when standing in the shade, lots of reflection off the glass.
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br /I've now been hiking and biking with the 400 for just under a month and absolutely love it. I like the jog wheel and find it easy and intuitive. Entering text is a bit on the slow side, but having never entered text on any other GPSr, I really don't mind.
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br /Using 2500 mHh NiMH batteries, I typically get 5-6 hours of life, more if I remember to turn down the backlight when not in use. So certainly take extra batteries into the field if the ones in the unit aren't fresh or you plan on being gone for more than a few hours.
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br /Overall, a great, easy to use GPSr.
Could be better
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 3.4 out of 10
Created: Oct 4, 2008
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There are several features about this unit that are very good but just as many or more that are not so good. It is very accurate and it holds the satellite signal extremely well. The color display is very good although difficult to see well in bright sunlight. The unit is very "power hungry" and this is probably why the brightness is limited. It is also why the unit is designed to power up with the display very dim. It is brighter when used in the vehicle if plugged into the power outlet using the optional adapter.
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br /I use the unit primarily for hiking and geocaching and I really like the geocaching features especially the ability to go "paperless". I do not like the method of entering notes or coordinates into the unit. Instead of the displayed letter, number and character wheel, a virtual "keyboard" display would be much easier to use even with the same controls. A system similar to the Delorme PN-20 would be much better. Geocache files are handled differently than waypoints. One cannot delete geocache information from the unit but must connect to the computer to manage geocache files. Waypoints can be deleted individually directly from the unit without the computer.
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br /A word of caution: the base map files and preloaded Topo files are all combined into one large file which is NOT isolated or protected and can be deleted accidentally very easily. Be very careful!
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br /Road routing is excellent with the optional City Navigator software.
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br /One does not have an option for sorting geocaches or waypoints; default is by distance. If one knows the name or GC code, a search can be done fairly easily. It would be nice to have the option to sort either alphabetically or by distance.
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br /Although the Garmin Colorado is quite functional, it is far from the unit I expected. If I could return it now, I would do so. Then I would buy the Delorme PN-40 which will be available later this month.
Getting lost...no more
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.4 out of 10
Created: Jul 15, 2008
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Finally a device that really works in the deep woods. If you like to go mountain biking, hiking or do any type of outdoor exploration, in areas that you're not familiar with, this Garmin unit is a must-have. There's nothing worse than going out in the woods for a nice hike, and then discovering you have no clue where you are. The Garmin 400t will let you know where you are and better yet how to get back to where you started from.
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br /My major gripe with this unit (which is why the 4-star rating instead of 5-stars) is that after buying it and also buying the DVD for City Navigation I was hoping to use this unit for road biking as well. I assumed that the unit was compatible with Garmins Training Center Software because the unit is compatible with both Garmins heart rate monitor and cadence device. Why would Garmin make the 400t compatible with their heart rate monitor and cadence device and not make the unit compatible with their Training Center Software so that rides can be uploaded to the Web. Knowing that the unit was compatible with Garmins heart rate monitor and cadence device it was only logically to think that Garman would have made the unit compatible with the Garmin Training Center Software so that rides could be loaded into the training center software. Unfortunately, Garman decided not to make this unit compatible with their Training Center Software. I think this is a big drawback for anyone that wants to use it for road biking.
Field Test of the Garmin Colorado 400t
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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The new Garmin Colorado 400t, one of a series of four Colorado models, was introduced in early 2008 as a next-generation handheld GPS. The Colorado lives up to that promise with an innovative new control wheel, easy-to-use menu system, big, sharp color screen, 3D map viewing, and more.
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br /There's a lot to cover, starting with the "Rock 'n Roller" input wheel and companion menu system. With the Colorado, for the first time ever, I was able to pick up an advanced handheld GPS and work my way through virtually all of its features just by intuitive selection and a little bit of experimentation, with no manual needed. That's a big plus, and a step forward in GPS design. What's more, the Rock 'n Roller wheel is so easy to use and compact, you can operate the unit one-handed (or rather, one-thumbed).
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br /The wheel part of the Rock 'n Roller rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, and can be used to move through menu lists on the screen, or to zoom in or out on a map. The wheel also responds to up, down, right and left presses to pan a map, for example. The "enter" button is positioned in the middle of the Rock 'n Roller to make menu selections, etc. Overall, the wheel is an ingenious and complete navigation tool (there are only two more buttons on the unit) that has been compared to an iPod control.
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br /Rest of the review...
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Nice unit once I upgraded the operating system!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Dec 22, 2008
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I purchased a Garmin Colorado for Geocaching and love it (I had an etrex Vista Cx). I initially had major problems with the unit locking up, and the only way to reboot was to remove batteries. I then found out that my unit was running an old version of the software which was easy to upgrade to the most current from the Garmin web site(seems to have fixed the problem but still need to give it a work out). The only other issue I see is that it sure doesn't look very waterproof like the other units do, even though it claims to be. The battery case has no rubber seals, and the clip that secures it looks like a location water could easily access?
I would not recommend a Garmin Colorado 400t
Rating: 1 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Dec 20, 2008
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I have a Garmin 60CSx and upgraded to the Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps. My preference would have been an Oregon model but I am frequently out in cold temperatures that hover in the single digits all day so a touch screen was not an option. I opted for a Colorado 400t model. I initially thought the wheel design would be an improvement over the 60CSx but after using the unit it is just a gimmick that only leads to frustration. I have found the unit operations cumbersome and less than friendly. I also have had a number of problems with the software, struggle to delete tracks that have been imported, and the screen goes white and the unit locks up. Yes the data collected up to that point is lost and if you were relying on backtracking to get home forget it. I have return to using the Garmin 60CSx; it is straight forward, reliable, and I know that it will get me home.
Great for Geocaching
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Dec 2, 2008
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I only bought this for geocaching. No more print outs. Also the sunrise and sunset feature is nice for us that tend to stay in the woods to long. If you use standard AA alkaline batteries they probably won't last the day. I use NiMH 2650 mh rechargable batteris and they seem to do fine. Great little unit has more features than I will ever use. I read in one review that the recieve was not very good. I did not find this to be the case.
br /I would recommend this unit to any serious geocacher.
Top of the line...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Oct 18, 2008
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After checking out several handheld GPSs, I went with the Garmin Colorado 400T because of the many state-of-the-art features. The tactile feel is of top quality, it's highly accurate, very sensitive, and the ergonomics make it a pleasure to use! My primary use is for geocaching and this puppy rocks in that application. One problem: when I encounter other geocachers, they want to play with it and have numerous questions!!! Note: the Colorado 400T takes regular size SD Cards, NOT mini SDs, (that's GOOD!) Another plus: Garmin's customer service is unsurpassed if you ever have any questions...
I like it!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Jun 23, 2008
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I previously used an e-trex legend, and was frustrated that it did not have a compass and barometric altimeter. I was looking to upgrade, but was quite concerned about all of the negative reports about the colorado series. There are some things I would like different, but all in all, I am very pleased with the Colorado. It does what it says it does. I do have to brighten the back light every time, but doing that makes it work well in low lighting conditions, and I can see it perfectly under bright sun! After running through a set of alkaline batteries I switched to rechargeables, and they are working great. I also bought some lithium batteries to use, but am saving them for a long backpacking trip.
Awesome!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Jun 18, 2008
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The maps are the most detailed yet and were very helpful on a recent hiking trip in the Great Smokey Mountains. The screen is very clear in direct sunlight. The roller interface is also easy to use, but not the best for entering POI searches. Turn-by-turn navigation is not avaiable with the included database. You will need to add the seperate upgrade to an SD card if you want this ability. However, once loaded this becomes an amazing all purpose device. Especially great to geocaching using the beta firmware. I expect to see even more improvements with future releases.
First GPS and it works great!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Jun 12, 2008
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This is my first GPS and I did a lot of research to find the right one. After looking at all the reviews and waiting for Garmin to clear up some issues I pulled the trigger on this unit. I am not disappointed. The shaded relief is great, the wheel is very intuitive, and maps are pretty detailed. I haven't had any issues with my unit and the battery life lasts plenty long. The price has came down so it makes this a steal compared to any other unit with what you get. I definitely recommend this product to anyone that is looking for a GPS.
Amazing...once you update the firmware
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: May 26, 2008
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I used to have a Garmin eTrex Vista and loved it. I used it for geocaching, driving in unfamiliar places and other stuff. I recently sold it and bought the 400t. I had read reviews talking about poor battery life, inaccurate tracking, and complex interface and was a little apprehensive about getting it. I did take the plunge and have no regrets. The first thing I did when I got it was update the firmware (2.51 right now) which has corrected just about every major and minor problem I've ever read about this unit.
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br /It is super accurate, very easy to read, and navigation is a one hand operation thanks to that "Rock 'n' Roller" gadget on top. In fact, the only thing that really bugs me about this unit is that when the USB is plugged in, I can't use it for anything except xferring of data. That means that when plugged into a car mount and wanting to use the car power for the device, it won't function, and that just makes no sense to me what so ever. Garmin, if you're listening...this thing could be a five star product if you'd just allow the thing to be used on vehicle power!
so far So Good!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Nov 23, 2008
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This is a big step up from the etrex vista that I had been using. Operations are more intuitive. Large color screen is a big plus.
br /Reception is better. (it will even pick up satelites in my house) And the software is great. The controls are easy to use, and can be manipulated one handed. (try that with a touch screen). In short I am very happy with this unit.
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Garmin Colorado 400t GPS
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Oct 3, 2008
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This is an excellent GPS. I use it exclusively for hiking even though it can be used for car navigation. It is easy to use and the "Rock n Roll" control button enables all controls with just one hand (somewhat similar to the iPod). Even when stored in a case on my back pack belt it receives satellite signals clearly. It has a built in compass, records stop time and average hiking speed, and can record hundreds of waypoints. I also like the route planner feature. The only downside is that it "eats" regular alkaline batteries. I purchased rechargeable batteries (make sure the amperage meets the standard recommended by Garmin) for short hikes (less than 5 hours). For long hikes, I recommend Lithium batteries. Even though not rechargeable they last about 7 times longer than regular batteries ensuring that the GPS will continue to operate without battery changes during extended treks. It comes with a 1:100,000 Topo map of the U.S. which is pretty good; however, I bought a 1:24,000 Topo of California/Nevada which provides much more detail and is loaded on the GPS via a flash memory card. This is the first GPS I have ever had and now that I have used it on several hikes in California, I will never be without it in the field.
Love the Colorado 400t
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Sep 22, 2008
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I really like this thing a lot. It had some issues at first, battery life being the main one, but I started using the quick charging Energizers and have had no problems since. Another problem is with it shutting down intermittently when the batteries become weak (this is my notice to change the batteries), it does tell you when the batteries are weak and it only shuts down occasionally. I have recently downloaded a firmware update for it which has fixed a lot of these things.
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br /I especially like the Geocache features it comes with. I can log my visit to a cache and it now lets me put comments in for the individual caches. That is a great feature!
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br /I highly recommend this unit for all uses. I have the City Navigator NT 2008 on it as well and this thing will take me anywhere I want to go. I love taking it hiking, fishing, ATVing, on the road, etc. It is very versatile.
The best all around gps!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Sep 11, 2008
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Very easy to figure out to use. I think this gps is the best all around gps for all conditions, on the road and off the road. If you just want a driving gps, get a Tomtom, for trails and the road this is the ticket! Very good for Iraq! Get the SD card fot Iraqi streets when you get to Iraq. They are available there, not here.
GPS
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Aug 1, 2008
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I found the product perfect for my needs. I like the many features the device offers, such as the 3D viewing of the terrain and the topographic features are great. It does not work well with automobiles, i.e., that it takes the most direct route - like a bird flies - rather than the road routes - and that's ok, because that's not what I purchased it for. It is a battery hog - so until you learn how to use it, be prepared to put some extra batteries in it - otherwise it is great.
Getting better
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Jul 6, 2008
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As delivered I wasn't real happy with it. It would freeze when I would get close to a cache. I installed the new Beta 2.54 software and now it seems better. I love the features and fuctionality of the unit and I'm sure that Garmin will get the software figured out soon. If I was writing this review solely on the out of the box unit I would give it one star, with the upgrade four and after another update or two a 5 or 6.
Thrilled with my Colorado!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Jun 17, 2008
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First let me say, I purchased this unit specifically for Geocaching so I can't speak to it's usefulness in other ventures. I took delivery of my Colorado just in time to take it to Geocaching's largest yearly event, Geo-Woodstock. I spent three solid days Geocaching and found almost 150 caches! I stepped up to the Colorado from Garmin's 60CSx (which I still have) and I have to say that the Colorado has got to be "the" tool for Geocachers. The "paperless" features have allowed me to carry fewer items on my cache runs as I no longer need the Palm Handheld as all the cache info is right at my fingertips. Speaking of fingertips... I love the ergonomics of this new unit. It fits nicely in your hand and all the controls seem to fall right where they should. I have not experienced any of the firmware issues mentioned by others. I spoke with a friend who purchased a Colorado right after they were released and he confirmed that the more recent units (like mine) seem to have the new firmware already loaded. As for battery wear, it does seem to burn through batteries quicker than my CSx, but I haven't really made and effort yet to see if I can change anything to help that issue. Count me as one of the satisfied customers.
Nice
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Jun 1, 2008
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This thing is killer. I previously had bought Garmin before and enjoyed their products. It is easy to use with the wheel and i had it downpacked in five minutes. Maybe it would be harder if i never used one before. The 3D feature is nice, it does slow down a little when i use it. I really do not have gripes about this product except the slowdown in 3D. It aquires the satelite signals well. It is well worth the price.
No idea why some bad reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: May 26, 2008
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This is my 2nd GPS after using a magellan 500le from costco that I returned due to a very difficult file system that was not user friendly. After reading several reviews on the colorado I was very concerned but decided to try it since it seemed the firmware updates fixed many glitches. As soon as I received it, I did the updates and have not had one problem with it. The display that many say is impossible to read is as bright as my computer monitor. I believe these people who cant see the display did not have enough intelligence to read the first page of the quickstart guide which tells you how to turn the backlight intensity up and down. Even with the backlight on, it wont work unless you turn up the intesity. I have never had the unit crash, the file system is super easy to use with the roller, and the unit has been very accurate so far. Battery life is ok and better than the Magellan. I now use rechargable NiMH batteries and left the unit on with backlight on 100% to check the life and the unit worked for 7 hours straight with the backlight on nonstop before draining the batteries. If using the unit with the light on and off I'm sure it would last most of the day. The only beef I have is that the 400t with topo map which shows the city streets will not give you turn by turn directions unless you purchase the city navigatior map also which at this price point should be included. Other than that I am very happy with my colorado after about 3 weeks of use. You will have no regrets as long as you do the firmware update.
Nice unit
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 2.6 out of 10
Created: Aug 12, 2008
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I have not used this much, but so far it is quite good. I got the extra street map and after a little config. It works great for driving directions. There is a nice mount for my motorcycle and car for this unit and I look forward to many off road jeep trips, national park trips and camping trips. It also suggests local attractions with the add on software which is really nice if you don't know the area.
Review of Colorado 400t
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 2.6 out of 10
Created: Jul 21, 2008
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This product is an excellent purchase for hiking, geocaching, and setting up orienteering courses. The unit can also double as an auto GPS if you buy the GARMIN CITY NAVIGATOR NT ON MICROSD CARD NORTH AMERICA. Some of the best money I ever spent.
Garmin Colorado GPS
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 2.4 out of 10
Created: Aug 2, 2008
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This unit represents a huge advance in GPS navigation technology. It has a remarkably large and inclusive data base. The sensitivity of the receiver is a great improvement over earlier models.
Greatest GPS Ever Made
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 2.4 out of 10
Created: Jul 14, 2008
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I have had a variety of GPS products over the years - hiking, mountain climbing and recently geocaching. The 400t is the best by far. I would like to try the new Garmin Oregon, which had not been announced when I got the Colorado, but it would have a way to go to beat this one. I use mine for geocaching and street directions (I got the streets card -$100), and it is perfect. I have an order for the Western parks, which I am looking forward to. Viewer is crystal clear, unit is easy to use and has unsurpassed paper-free Geocaching features.
Geocacher's dream
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 2.2 out of 10
Created: May 21, 2008
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This model is everything I wanted it to be. I got it as an upgrade to my 3 year old Garmin eTrex Legend which was a solid starter model. The Colorado overflows with well thought out features designed for the groundspeak fan, including the new WhereIGo game. It is also more sensitive than my old model, allowing me to rapidly log several caches that had eluded me in the past. Having cache logs, descriptions hints on the go is a huge plus and the screen is vibrant and easy to read. The Colorado has absolutely enhanced my caching experience.
Garmin Colorado 400t - Is Garmin for Dummies...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 2.0 out of 10
Created: Aug 17, 2008
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It's ergonomical, simple to use (thus the dummies part), inaccurate due to a more inferior chipset designed by Garmin (rather than the SirfIII), does not play well with Google Earth, although it is possible with some additional software and alot of technical know-how to export track data to Google Earth! The screen is unacceptable...Poorly lit, you cannot even see it in the dark well! I'm not sure how you are supposed to use it hiking on a highly sunlit trail! This is a major, major flaw! For that flaw alone, I would shave off 2 points! I hate the simple childproof interface...It's not sophisticated enough for serious GPS users, especially on topo! You cannot find roads, addresses or heck, even navigate manually to a waypoint! It's ridiculous...I mean if I want to see the location of a waypoint on the topo map, I just cannot do that, cause it takes you back to your original location by default! I also want to be able to get distances between points! No you cannot do that either...What the heck can you do with it? I mean yeah, this simple minded individuals out there that want to follow the cursor around a JPEG bitmap image of a topo map think this is great, but for the rest of us, we want a little more bang for the buck...Weird enough, the competitor Magelan, uses National Geographic topo maps which offer way more resolution than the basemaps in Colorado or even the latest Garmin touchscreen model Oregon! I can go on and on about this unit! It's slow to acquire signal, slow to start up and try loading geocaches in it and at times they become scattered POI's that are unmanageable. They will show up on the map, yes, but scattered on the map without a management list. I find their software to be at best retarded and without extensive capabilities. I find Google Earth better at keeping your POI's and tracks, etc. than this device! To be honest for $600 + you would expect much much more! You get a simple device that has predefined functionality and no custom features! I find that unacceptable this day and age! I returned mine to the store and got a refund - restocking fee! Perhaps many of those people that find this great in the beginning will have later on decided to probably return theirs! It's just not worth it given the available featureset until they come up with next gen beyond this simplistic, yet dummyproof design! BAD GARMIN!!!
Eclipse chasing - having trouble
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 1.8 out of 10
Created: Jul 14, 2008
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I purchased the Colorado 400t to chase eclipses. I need to get to very specific places on earth and cannot be off target.
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br /My primary trouble with this: I ran into problems loading in custom POI's. I have had the unit for a week now and I am trying to prepare it for my upcoming trip to Mongolia. I want to load in the eclipse track coordinates which I have saved in a .csv file. I used the Garmin software available on the Garmin site for loading in custom POI's. The first time I used it it worked great - for the first 30 coordinates or so. I think it ran out of space. I then used the same Garmin software to "delete all custom POI's", created a new .csv file with only the 14 coordinates that I needed, and tried to upload again. This is where the problem came in - although it tells me that the load was successful. when I go to the custom POI area on the unit there are "no matches found". I think something may have messed up the unit when I used their delete option. I am going to call Garmin directly later today because I have found no other reference to this problem online.
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br /my second problem with this - the international maps are awful if you plan on going someplace unusual. I do not expect to get street names but something more than a blank peach colored field would be nice.
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br /My third problem - no satelites can be found in my city! This is very strange as I am standing under an open sky. This makes me a little apprehensive - what if this happens to me in western mongolia?
closer to 4.5 stars
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 1.8 out of 10
Created: May 27, 2008
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so far it is great....easy to use etc...the only thing adverse would be that it doesn't show the found geocaches open in the map part like the vista does..
disappointing
Rating: 2 out of 5
Weight: 1.8 out of 10
Created: Apr 24, 2008
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I have owned 3 garmin units and its a surprise to find out I should have kept my old 60cs or gotten a 60csx instead of the colorado. Battery life is awful, system is unstable with far more glitches than the previous units.
br /Garmin can not afford such a great disappointment as this one. I am returning my unit.
not ready for prime or any other time
Rating: 1 out of 5
Weight: 1.4 out of 10
Created: Jul 7, 2008
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I worked with this product extensively for two weeks on a trip to the Southwest, and it's just too buggy to be useful. Sometimes geocache logs show up; sometimes they don't. About 20% of the time, it won't even navigate to a given geocache; you have to enter the coordinates manually using the little scroll wheel. (Hardly a painless process.)
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br /The idea of paperless geocaching is great, but the 400t just doesn't implement it in an usable way. I've already mentioned the straight out bugs in the product; the UI design is awful as well. I got a copy of the Garmin's street database to use the 400t for finding my way around; good luck! If you're navigating to a location and do pretty much anything (check out a local geocache, for example), you have to start navigating all over again -- including going through the not inconsiderable pain of entering your desired destination without a keyboard.
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br /Garmin's documentation is pretty much nonexistent (as others have indicated) [...]
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br /All told, this product has brought far more frustration than joy into my life. Geocaching is supposed to be fun!
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Good to get if you don't have the 2008 Topo maps already.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Dec 25, 2008
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I have to consider this unit along with the 300 model. The 400t is basically just the 300 with 10 times the memory at 4GB AND the 2008 Topo loaded. If you own the 2008 Topo already, you can just go buy a 4GB SD card and it would be the equivalent of the 400t.
Unusable, inaccurate maps, power battery life, bad display
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Apr 18, 2008
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Edited: Downgraded from 3 to 1 stars
br /Edited: Want to return item and can't
br /Edited: Trying to save my money by getting this to work
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br /I slightly hacked it and created a theme that was slightly more readable ( I tried solid white and black themes. I guess next I will hack more seriously? ). The display is still inferior.
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br /In the Bay Area, the maps where I am are always off about 500'!! I checked with a 60CSX and it was off too. ( The Garmin StreetPilots are dead on. The unit is reading the correct lat/lon, it turns out, it is just that the maps are worthless. I put the lat/lon in the google satellite map and it practically showed which room I was in. This is what you would expect based on the current achievable GPS accuracy. As I said, the problems are the maps. I have seen map problems in all Garmin products. In some areas, as much as 1/4 to almost 1/2 mile. I suspect that there are systematic bugs in the algorithms but I haven't studies this too much. ).
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br /Since these units are buggy, you will have to eventually update the software. Read Garmin's disclaimer - Ie updates are at your own risk and, if there are problems, YOU PAY. Look at their flat rate repair charges for this unit )
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br /Since I couldn't return it, I tried to make it halfway usable. Why should I have to do what Garmin isn't.
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br /BTW, google this model and you will see that other reviews are equally negative. I try to be honest, unlike the people who are paid to post glowing reviews or who are paid to place good reviews on seller's websites, or the magazines who contain Garmin advertisements.
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br /Note that this unit apparently has major power problems ( from other reviews, too ). If you read the manual or look on Garmin's website you will see that you have to take steps to preserve power. Probably as the software is bloated.
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br /To me, it seems that this unit takes much longer to acquire satellites than does the normally speedy 60CSX. I have noticed this a lot of times. The 60CSX acquires satellites easily indoors, the Colorado, much less so. I don't know if it is the GPS chip or the smaller antennna ( You see a similar problem with the Garmin Edge 305, etc. They work well outside on a bicycle but NOT inside a car. This is probably because of the small antenna in the Edge or maybe they use a different chip. I was too lazy to ride by bicycle to map a route so I put the edge in my truck. It didn't work. )
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br /+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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br /This unit is GROSSLY defective; as noted it reads off by ONE BLOCK. Display is almost unreadable. I decided to return this lemon and I can't as it was purchased from one of amazon's partners.
br /RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF
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br /++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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br /Are you going to spend $500+ for a unit that is almost unusable? With all the "good" reviews, apparently yes.
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br /This unit is just plain no good
br /1) The display is eminently unreadable, I mean UNREADABLE. Inside you have to turn on the backlight to a battery draining HIGH; outside you have to carefully orient it so you can SEE anything. Garmin obviously doesn't use it's own products because this one is UNUSABLE. Either I am hopelessly colorblind ( or just plain blind ? ) or the displays are an unsable low contrast. Garmin manages to chose schemes/displays that aren't usable. DON'T BE DECEIVED BY THE PICTURES ON THIS SITE ( they don't look that way in reality because the ones on this site are being displayed on a backlit monitor )
br /2) I have done several full resets now; right now the accuracy is ca 20' and YET it has me located a FULL BLOCK AWAY from where I am. You figure.
br /3) I loaded the pdf documentation on my computer and looked at it with adobe acrobat ( not the worthless Mac Preview ) trying to find needed information. Can't find it there are on the garmin website.
br /4) When you look at the satellite display ( which you have to search for on the unit ), again, the color/contrast is trash. Garmin, every hear of green ( good ), yellow ( in acquisition process ) and red ( not yet acquiring as SNR is too low )? Obviously NOT. What a bunch of jokers. They apparently outsourced intelligence and good design, to boot.
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br /COMMENT: it is up to you whether you want to waste time trying to get something to work that does NOT work. Remember, you just threw away $500+ for a PREMIUM unit? Garmin blew it, big time. I mean BIG TIME. Buy a Garmin GPS 60CSX and get something that is actually usable ( for garmin, at least. at least the screen is readable )
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br /+++++++++++++++++++++
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br /I own at least a dozen garmin units, although this is the first Colorado 400T that I own, so I am reasonably familiar with garmin gps units. ( StreetPilot, 60CSX, 76CSX, Edge and this Colorado )
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br /This is a very handsome, solid feeling unit. It is built like a brick sh-thouse. To me it feels quite heavy although the manual says only 5.9oz w/o batteries.
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br /Upon receipt, after initial testing, I thought that the unit was defective - the display was all but unreadable ( very low contrast; you have to turn on the backlight and turn it on higher to read it; this quickly discharges the battery ) and the displayed elevation was off by 1000' !!! Also, the backlight intensity has to be readjusted every time you turn the unit on - a pain. I didn't see anything about saving the intensity setting. Also, the unit takes about 30 seconds from pushing the power button until anything is displayed. This is true even with a warm start where you turn the unit off and then immediatel on. ( apparently there is a lot of overhead due to initializing the maps, etc. )
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br /After trying to get it behaving properly ( and failing in that endeavor ), I wanted to reset the unit to factory default ( figuring that I had configured myself into a hole ). Naturally, as others have commented, the manual is useless. I mean USELESS. You have to read the whole thing.
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br /Others have commented on the substandard, inferior display. Garmin goes out of its' way, in this unit as well as others, to chose or allow color schemes that are low contrast and all but unreadable. ( it is hard to believe that they use their own units. possible, the engineer in charge of human factors WAS using one of these units and he never made it to work? that bad ). HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY. HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY! Hear that you Kansas schmucks? It may be possible to install your own jpeg background but, from what other reviewers have said, this doesn't work?
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br /The elevation was off because the altimeter needed to be calibrated. Bad human factors, to say the least. Really bad; how many beginners are going to do this?
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br /The manual is typical garmin - more omissions than inclusions. More of an outline than a manual.
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br /Not a whole lot of blinking, which is good for people like me who have seizures when exposed to any blinking ( apparently only on the "satellite" page )
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br /Conclusions:
br /1) This is a premiliminary review; 50-50 whether I return it? DECIDED TO RETURN IT AND CAN'T
br /2) Someone said that you have to back up the internal maps? If so, typical garmin cheap, cheap, cheap. They ought to supply a backup on a CD. CHEAP!
br /3) If you already have a 60xxx or a 76xxx ( I have both ), you may want to either wait to see if garmin cleans up it's act ( not likely based on my years of experience ), or pass?
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br /As I said, "not close, and definitely no cigar"
Awesome GPS
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Apr 15, 2008
Thanks for your feedback
Awesome GPS. Be sure to buy the world map from Garmin, really increases functionality of this GPS if you go outside of America.