A new GPS unit

After a couple of years of using my original Garmin eTrex Legend I finally decided to upgrade. After looking at the various models I decided on the top-of-the-line Garmin model, the GPSMap 76CSx.

My eTrex Legend had a lot of limitations. First off it used a serial port to connect to the computer, which was a bit of a drag. Serial ports are slow, don't provide power and most laptops don't have them anymore so you need an adapter to connect. Just the few maps of the Ottawa-Gatineau took 7 minutes to transfer. Secondly, the Legend only had 8MB of mapping memory. You could only fit a few maps into the unit, depending on the density of the maps. Another down point was the unit's inability to pick up a good signal in anything but perfect coverage. Deep foliage, buildings, etc. prevented it from picking up a signal.

Then along comes my GPSMap 76CSx. This puppy has expandable microSD card memory, a USB interface, a faster processor and an antenna that is unrivaled in its ability to pick up a signal. I bought a 1GB Kingston microSD memory card to hold a ton of maps and data. I also picked up Garmin's Topograhic Canada v4 map suite. This suite has excellent 1:50000 topo maps of all of Canada with trail markings, parks, and roads on it.

I haven't been able to try the unit out while hiking yet but I've had it out driving and already its superiority is evident. Where with my Legend I could only get a signal with the GPS on the dashboard, the GPSMap 76CSx gets a clear signal anywhere in the car. As well the driving direction functionality is vastly improved. The faster processing makes navigating through the map on the unit much quicker and easier. The color is a nice feature but not a 'must-have'. There are many nice extras like an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. The sweetest thing for me is that the unit floats in water and can survive up to 30 minutes at 1 metre depth exposure. This makes it ideal for kayaking!

For anyone out there considering buying this product I would highly recommend it!