Handheld GPS Reviews

Price:$167.93

Magellan Triton 500 Waterproof Hiking GPS Product Reviews

Not for Macs, January 9, 2008

I purchased this unit hoping to download maps from NG’s TOPO. Unfortunately, this unit doesn’t work with Macs–at least not yet. And no word as to when (if ever) it will. So if you’re using a Mac you might want to hold off or look elsewhere.

Physically, the unit feels solid enough–except for the battery cover, which is cheap plastic and does not close flush with the unit itself, leaving a noticeable gap that you can see and feel. I don’t think this compromises the unit since there is an inner gasket that actually does the (IPX-7) waterproofing.

You’d think Magellan would know what the SD card size limit is for their own product. On their Website they mention 2 GB as a general limit for all their products. In fact I’m using a 4 GB card with no issues. Well… One issue is that the unit will not tell you how large the card is or how much free space the card has. The associated PC-only software will tell you, but the unit really ought to provide this basic information on its own.

Speaking of which, there is a serious lack of options on the Magellan, especially if you’re used to using a Garmin. The Triton’s user interface is really sparse, and it’s not simply because options are hidden; options simply aren’t there. The Garmin eTrex, for example, must have ten times as many screens, each with its own set of sub-menus. Heck there are even games. With the Triton, you don’t even get an alarm clock. There is way too much dependence on the associated PC-only software to do simple things like delete files from the SD card.

Those of you thinking you’ll be able to transfer an entire state map to the unit should think again. Despite having more than enough room to accommodate such a map, I get errors every time I try. 200 MB maps seem to be the limit so far.

You can only activate one TOPO map at a time. So if you’re driving through various areas that you happen to have maps for, you’ll have to manually switch to them as needed. The obvious solution is to transfer the entire USA as one map–but of course you can’t do that.

Another incredibly annoying and pointless limitation: if you’re using the unit “offline” to study some map, or to look ahead to see what’s coming, the unit will automatically return you to its last known position after an extremely short duration of inactivity. This makes it impossible to plan ahead or to use the unit as a digital map. What should happen is that the unit should show you what you want to see for as long as you want to see it–just like the Garmin units. When you’re done browsing, the ESC button should return you to the last known position. As it stands, Magellan has crippled the Triton with a pointless and annoying viewing time limit.

Personally, I prefer the vector-based maps that Garmin uses to the raster-based TOPO maps. With vector-based maps you have more control over which map elements you want to see. For example, if you only want to see contour lines then don’t view the place-names. With raster you have no such options, since the unit has no idea what information the TOPO map is conveying; it merely takes the raster image and overlays its own vector basemap information. On the other hand, Garmin’s vector-based maps are not as detailed as the TOPO maps (not yet, anyway). The Triton series would be so much more compelling if you could use any digitized maps and not merely TOPO’s.

Overall, the lack of Mac support, the lack of options, and the annoying usage limitations suggests that they rushed this out the factory door before it was ready. Hopefully firmware updates will address most of these flaws in time.

You get what you pay for, January 10, 2008

This is my first time purchasing a hand held GPS system. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a unit, and frankly I wasn’t looking for a lot of bells and whistles. In retrospect, I am happy with my purchase, however I would not spend more money for the pricier Tritons.

When I first booted it up, I was a little disappointed with the base map which only included major highways. For my first test run, we took it for a drive in my friend’s car. It tracked us very well, and the speed seemed spot on (judging by the speedometer). This morning, I took it out for a bike ride down to the beach. The unit fit easily in my bike jersey pocket and was able to get a signal for the 8 mile ride. When I got home, I exported the data to Google Earth, and the GPS path matched my actual path. I also checked the vertical profile for my trip which seemed accurate based on USGS maps for the area.

I have a few complaints about the unit. The compass is not 100% accurate. If I needed an accurate heading, I would use my old-fashioned compass. I also think the interface could have used some work to make it flow better. The included Vantage Point software could’ve been a little more robust, but it gets the job done. If I was expecting a top of the line GPS unit, I could have purchased a much more expensive unit. But for the simple things I was looking for, the Triton 500 works just fine.

nightmare gps, March 16, 2008

I hate this GPS unit. In fact, I hate Magellan. I’m a pilot and had previously purchased the Magellan GPS that is designed for airplanes. I found that it was ackward and complicated to use and I eventually just threw it out and bought a competitor’s product, which I have now used happily for several years. So, at Christmas, when my wife gave me a Magellan Triton unit, I almost said something about my previous bad experience with Magellan, but bit my tongue and imagined that maybe Magellan had figured out how to be more user friendly than it was a few years ago.
Unfortunately, I found this morning that this is not the case. My wife also bought me three packages of Topo software and maps, which on the box assures us that it works with Macs, so I first tried getting Topo to work with my Mac, thinking that Topo might then be able to update the Triton with a Topo map (it comes with no installed maps of any kind.) Apparently, that was a wrong assumption, as the Triton itself does not recognize the Mac and apparently the Topo driver interface won’t work through the Mac.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I also have a Viao PC. So, I started over again, loading Topo, allowing Topo to update itself from the Topo website, then loading the Magellan disc and the Magellan drivers, then allowing it to update itself, all of which took a fair amount of time. It of course asked repeatedly for the various serial numbers and so on, as they apparently spent lots of time developing software to make sure I actually purchased their products and very little time in figuring out how to tell me how to use their product. Then I hooked up the Triton to the computer and … nothing. I then downloaded the manual … which has all sorts of information about using the Triton and establishing waypoints and so on, but no information whatsoever about downloading any maps into the Triton. Without the maps, this GPS is no better than the most primary GPS units that became available about 10 years ago.
At this point, I’ve wasted about six hours trying to figure out how to put topographical maps into the Magellan Triton unit. That’s about my threshold for pain. I’m throwing it out and going hiking. I will never again buy or even accept as a gift a Magellan product.

Don’t waste your money or time with this one., September 17, 2008

I purchased the Triton 500 prior to going on vacation in Kauai, HI. I wanted to go hiking on some of the many trails. After I purchased it, I found out that it had no topos pre-loaded. Why would one buy a handheld GPS without topos. I live in the SouthEast, so I purchased a Southeast set and a West set of maps (found out that they were keyed only to that unit S/N). I downloaded the maps to the Triton and it worked for the first day (of 9 days). The next day, during a hike, the Triton lost the maps including the street maps that were preloaded. That night, I attempted unsuccessfully to re-load, then to get help from tech support, but no response. It was useless the rest of the vacation. My son had a Garmin and we used it. When I got home, I returned the unit for a refund and attempted to get a refund on the map packages. Magellan refused, even though it could only be used on that unit. I did not trust the unit, so I didn’t exchange it for another Triton. I finally did what I should have done in the beginning. Do a cost comparison and check the ratings. I found out that the Delorme PN-20 bundle had topos for the whole US for about the same price as just the naked Triton. If I got the equivalent topos for Triton it would have cost me 5 times the cost of the Triton. I decided to take the loss on the Magellan software and purchase a Delorme. In summary, someone would be crazy or down-right stupid (like I was) to have purchased a Triton. I won’t purchase another Magellan product. There is too much quality competition out there. One star is too many.

Sending the Triton 500 back, May 12, 2008

My Magellan Explorist 600 was in the shop for a couple months before Magellan told us they weren’t making them anymore and didn’t have parts to fix it. Magellan said they’d give us a great deal on a Triton 500 instead. What a mistake. The unit can’t Go To Trails or Tracks because those features “aren’t available yet”. The big screen navigation page doesn’t allow you to change a field to the odometer… one of my key fields. We are sending the Triton back. Why fiddle with Magellan and their poor customer service when you can get a Garmin? I’ve been using a friend’s Garmin 60. It’s easy to use and easy to read. I’ll buy one.

“Seamless Convergence between Software & Hardware” (Windows software), January 9, 2008

The brochure for the new Triton GPS units says “Seamless Convergence between Software & Hardware”. As a Mac user that sounded like a great deal: a GPS that works with no problems or crashes and is completely plug & play, drag and drop!

However the brochure was misleading. It IS a “Seamless Convergence between Software & Hardware” for those people still forced to use computers with inferior operating systems (Windows). That means it works just as poorly as Windows! In the first 15 minutes of setting up the 500, it gave me a “Fatal Error” message in a Windows looking window and froze up. So they even put in a Windows interface for when it crashes! What a drag. I guess that’s because there aren’t Mac “fatal error” interface messages. I guess if you’re going to say your machine can’t work properly you say it with a familiar screen for those people who are used to their equipment not working.

The brochure also says “I-Phone-like” menu and “Works like iTunes.” Then on the page talking about National Geographic Maps it says “Compatibility – NG maps are MAC/IBM compatible”. These claims are completely misleading and I’m going to file a formal complaint with the BBB. The machine does not have an “iPhone-like” menu any more than my LG cell phone. There’s no way it “Works like iTunes” because iTunes works on Macs! Then to say “Compatibility – NG maps are MAC/IBM compatible” leads one to believe it’s Mac compatible. All these things are designed to infer to the consumer that this product is Mac compatible which it isn’t. Very misleading!

On a better side:
I’ve been an outdoors enthusiast for over 25 of my 35 years. Knowing how to use a compass and map, I’m a bit disappointed in this unit. They could have made it much more functional for experienced use. However, it lacks the ability to view important info on the map window which means you have to keep switching back and forth between info and map. Kind of a drag.

If you’re like me you’ll be better off with the 200 and a good map and compass.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, this unit will seem really cool for geocaching and could get you into a lot of trouble. I recommend taking a course from REI so you know a little about what you’re doing before you head out. Always take a good map and compass with this unit.

On the Good side:
The unit looks great, handles great, and is fairly easy to use for a Windows machine. Don’t expect to turn it on and go like an iPhone (there’s a lot of hidden menus that you need to discover to even set the time zone) but it is easy to view everything, unlike the eXplorer models.

On the Great side:
It has great reception!!! I would bet my life on it’s abilities if it weren’t windows based (I need something I know won’t crash). I’ll use it for quick and easy navigation, but I won’t head out without a good map and compass.

Now I have to find someone with a PC to upload my NG maps. If it weren’t Windows based I’d expect it to be drag and drop, however after reading the instructions for upload I’m looking forward to a long annoying process: this menu, that menu, go back and set this selection then a new menu, change another setting, upload using a specific setting in the Windows only software which I have to “Install” to use.

This may very well be the best GPS on the market, but “Seamless Convergence between Software & Hardware” takes on a whole new meaning now that I know it’s Windows based!

DAY TWO…
I really doubt this is the best GPS on the market!

After a day of use it becomes painfully obvious that the “Base Map” is dangerously inadequate and that’s an understatement. The base map is a blank brown screen with red interstate highways. That’s it. No water masses, no rivers, no streets, nothing. In order to get the map you see on the box you need to have a PC and use the software.

I also noticed that the map doesn’t rotate to show the direction I’m going even though I’ve set it to GPS orientation. So I called Magellan, got a helper after holding for 15 minutes. They helped me reset the unit and now the fancy Compass spins around like I”m in the Bermuda Triangle.

That’s right, the compass spins around like it’s possessed and the map won’t orient itself correctly. Essentially this is a $250 paperweight!

The tech said it required a simple Firmware upgrade. Oh I forgot the firmware upgrade only works if you’re on a PC. So I can’t use the gps until I get to a PC so they can email me the info for the upgrade. This is a brand new product, why does it need an upgrade?

I would not buy this product again and I recommend against anyone else purchasing one. They’re just plain dangerous because they’re not reliable.

Did I mention that after the tech had me reset it the time is different from one screen to the other. It’s 12:56PM here. The top of the screen shows 00:56 PM. The nav screen shows the time is 12:56am. You’d think that with that fancy GPS technology they could figure out what time it is. What a piece of junk!!! But it does have “Seamless Convergence between Software & Hardware” with every PC I’ve ever used.

If I could re-rate this product I’d give it a big 0.

DAY 3
I got a friends PC and installed Vantage Point and ran a Firmware upgrade. OK

I went to upgrade the base map from the solid brown with no water masses etc to the one they show on the product in all the advertising and on the front of the box. No luck. So I called customer support. They said that if I want to get the map that’s shown on the box and in all the advertising for the unit I’d have to buy it. Are you freaking kidding me? Why not just advertise it with gold and diamond accents and a sherpa and rolls royce if you have to buy it separate after the fact. That is misleading advertising!!!

You do not get what is shown in the pictures. The background map in all the pictures of the Triton 500 is not what comes with the unit!!! You have to pay extra to get that or any map. Can you say Bait & Switch?

I was planning on purchasing NG topo maps anyway so I’m going to keep the unit if the compass stops spinning now that the firmware upgrade has been installed.

If this gives me any more trouble I’ll be switching over to the Magellan Crossover which I know comes with a functional base map plus a much larger touch screen!

I’d now rate this unit -3 stars!!!

Caution! Not What It Claims!, July 18, 2008

First off, I would recommend any hiking GPS system as a backup to a simply map and compass. That said, I want to clarify something about this particular model. This is a basic beginner’s device to learn about Navigation, Waypoints, Trails, GeoCache and all the additional methods that go along with these. It also has a good “Best Fishing & Hunting Times for Current Location” menu as well as “Viewing Sunrise, Sunset Times” and “Lunar Information”. The Triton has all these features and a USA map already included. I would highly suggest a class in GPS along with this.

The biggest problem with Magellan Triton products is they have had some problems with their software in the recent past. After contacting SUPPORT, they assured me that anything not up to date would be processed accordingly. Uh-huh. But, the biggest faux paus was to read, “compatibility with National Geographic TOPO!® maps”, stamped on the box cover and stated on-line, only to find out that it is not. Nor is the Triton 300 model. You are unable to download base map information to this device. I was able to download a trail (.gpx), but nothing else. The Triton Models 400 and above have an SD Card for this and they can upload map information, although I went through FOUR 400 models and could not get a ‘connectivity’ to my PC on any of them.

The overseas support for Magellan is terrible. I wasted over an hour with someone who knew nothing about the product. To make matters worse, not only did I pay for shipping, but when I returned the item, I had to pay for that as well, as it went through a third party. Not good business practices. I would try Garmin.

Not impressed, June 14, 2008

I only had this for a couple of days before returning it. On the one hand, it offers many features for a relatively low price [...]. It rapidly acquired a signal and locked in from inside my house, so I can’t fault the sensitivity. However, the overall fit and finish seemed poor. The battery door felt cheap and difficult to slide on and off easily. I got the impression if I dropped it on some rocks, it might break. Also, the rubber cover for the SD card slot was so difficult to remove that I was very concerned it might tear, especially a thin edge that had to lay flat in a shallow recession for it to fit properly.

My biggest disappointment was in its highly touted compatibility with the National Geographic Topo! software. It wouldn’t connect properly, and I had to search the support groups to find a work-around hack to get the Topo! software to even recognize the Triton. Then it took hours to transfer a relatively small geographic area (less than a 7.5 minute quad) – and all I got was a poor resolution raster image of the original map. Since my primary use for the device was to be backpacking and cycling, I decided this was not the GPS unit for me. [...]

Not at All User Friendly, Even for the Tech Saavy, July 14, 2009

I ordered this GPS because I thought it would be useful for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and maybe for emergency use in the car. After two weeks of struggling with it, I think I’m ready to give up. Neither I nor my husband, can get the software to load properly, and therefore when we turn it on we can’t get an accurate reading of where we are on the map (we just get our location on a tan background–which is not very useful). My husband and I are both fairly computer saavy, so I’m shocked that we can’t figure this thing out. It also runs on regular non rechargable batteries and seems to run through them pretty quickly, so plan on carrying lots of extra batteries when you go anywhere with this unit!

I’ve had other GPS units and this is hands down the WORST unit I have ever had. Don’t waste your time with the Magellan Titon 500.

Worthless GPS, April 2, 2008

Don’t waste your money on this unit. The track feature on the unit doesn’t work. I have contacted Magellan over a dozen times and each time they say they are working on the problem. They sent out update 1.34 and that was to fix the problems and it didn’t fix even one. Customer service is POOR, Product POOR. Look elsewhere for a GPS. One good point the USGS maps are great to upload to the GPS. It is one expensive map. On the bad side, to move around on the maps they are very slow and cumbersome.

DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 Waterproof Hiking GPS Product Reviews

great maps for hiking, July 12, 2007

The Topo 6.0 maps that come with this unit contain surprisingly detailed topographic information. Most popular hiking trails are included. You can preview them at (you need to create a free account)…

data.delorme.com

The PN-20′s main rivals are the Garmin units. The Garmin mapping software can be previewed by following the appropriate links here…

www8.garmin.com/cartography

These topographic maps are generally inferior to those of the Delorme unit (you can discover this for yourself by accessing the websites above). The PN-20 nicely superimposes street and topographic/hiking info into the one map which I don’t believe the Garmin units do. The mapping software is included free with the purchase of the PN-20. You have to pay an additional amount of more than $200 for both topo and street maps with the Garmin units. One drawback of the PN-20 mapping software is that is highly user UNfriendly. Also, if you want to cut a large map section (say of the entire state of California, with all contour information included), it will take your computer many, many hours. It is possible however to download all street information, from interstate freeways down to tiny alleys, for an entire state, without contour information, in an hour or so. On the plus side, once you master it, the mapping software can be very powerful.

The screen is full-color as opposed to the Garmin models which only display 256 colors. The PN-20 can display aerial, satellite and usgs topo quad images that you download for $0.25 per square kilometer. The unit comes with a free voucher for $100 of image downloads (400 sq. kilometers). This can be a very useful feature for hiking, as many unnamed trails and paths are visible from the air, and hence appear in the aerial photographs. One warning, if you have poor eyesight you might have difficulty reading the small type on the screen.

The signal reception is good. It works inside a car and under moderately dense canopy. Under very dense canopy it will loose the signal. The initial lock can take a few minutes, depending on how far you have moved since the device last registered a location. I haven’t used the Garmin units but my guess is that the PN-20′s signal reception is significantly better than the Etrex’s but not quite up there with the 60cx’s, which apparently acquires an initial lock within a few seconds. I’ve found the typical accuracy the device settles down to is roughly +/-50ft under some canopy, +/-30ft if you’re driving down a suburban street, and +/- 10ft if you’re on a freeway.

The battery life is good, ~8 hours with moderate use and medium backlight.

Auto-routing functionality is built in, but limited. If you want the unit to direct you from address A to address B you have to use the Topo 6.0 software on your computer, to create the route and then upload it onto the device. The procedure is fast and straightforward once you learn how to do it. The software enables you to create via and stop points for your route, which can be useful. You can also calculate road-routes by clicking on start and end points on the map (ie without entering addresses). Once you enable auto-navigation, below the map will be displayed the distance and expected time to next turn, the name of the street or exit, and an arrow indicating the direction to turn. It will beep twice for each turn, once to alert you in advance, and a second time to indicate when the actual turn should take place. All in all I found the auto-navigation feature was quite effective, though not as user-friendly as a purpose built auto-GPS such as the Garmin Street-Pilot. Perhaps the biggest downside to using this device for auto-navigation is that you have to wait a minute or two after switching it on for an initial-lock.

One general drawback is the slow processor. Map redraws can take up to 30 seconds depending on what information is being loaded, though typically they take 5-10 seconds. At times it can be frustrating, though for conventional use the delay is tolerable.

Another drawback is the street maps are a tad crude. For example, a curved street will appear as a couple of straight lines joined together. Also, some sections of the street maps are misaligned by more than 100ft. These are typically streets in suburban (non-metropolitan) areas but it can occasionally be frustrating, particularly when driving, as the unit can display your position as in between two roads. I believe the Delorme Street-Atlas maps don’t have this problem, but they are not compatible with the PN-20 yet (apparently Delorme is working on a patch to make them compatible).

All in all, the ability to display aerial photography and accurate hiking information makes this a break-through device, though the slow processor detracts a little from the novelty.

SOFTWARE INTENSE, August 18, 2007

Well…I rated it down due to the very powerful but extremely cumbersome software.I have 17 hours invested and a long ways to go.It will DO what Delorme says as far as functions of the PN-20. Do not buy if you want to take it straight from the box and travel!. The world base map is absolutely
useless. There is more information on a globe. The 16 section USA regional maps that you must load are not much better. For the PN-20 to shine you must
use the software and select the high detail maps to send to the PN-20 via SD card!!. If you dont do this you will not get street level detail. You can still set up a route without the download but why? Isnt that why I bought this unit in the first place.
I did get the PN-20 to lock on 7 satellites inside a commercial industrial building.
If you like to fool with stuff more so than use it for its intended purpose than the PN-20 is for you. It will keep you off the street for a LONG time.
Be very careful about “Whats in the Box” on Amazons site versus what the vendor says is in the box!!! I was very disappointed as I did not get the travel package mentioned here. Live and learn!!

Great for the outfoor enthusiast, July 23, 2007

I find the Delorme PN-20 to be one of the most exciting GPS models on the market–although, as a new model, it has a few rough edges to be smoothed out. Those who use it primarily for outdoor activities like hiking or biking should be pleased; those who want something mostly for automobile use will probably be happier with something else.

On the plus side, the maps are the best I know of that can be transferred to a GPS. I particularly like that trails are routable (although at the current time these routes must be created in the included Topo 6 USA on the PC and transferred to the GPS). Also, user-created tracks can be saved to Topo6 as routable trails. Personally I have not found the aerial or satellite imagery that useful–but the USGS 7.5 topo maps on a GPS are pretty cool. The display is somewhat on the small side, but of great visual quality.

Secondly, the support available from Delorme by phone (email support seems to lag) and in the Delorme user forum is top-notch. When the PN-20 was first released, a serious bug soon emerged. Delorme had a firmware fix available 4 days after the bug was identified. Delorme appears to be solicitous of customer input for improvement, and seems committed to regular firmware updates (the first major update came about 3 months after the initial release). PN-20 packages purchased directly from Delorme allow for a 30-day no-questions-asked return. It’s less clear to me how generous Amazon is on GPS returns.

Third, I think the PN-20 gets power options right: one can use a variety of AA battery types or an optional Li-Ion that can be internally recharged. That battery is a standard CRV3 rather than some proprietary design–although not all CRV3 brands seem to work properly (checking in the forum advised).

The last thing I would note on the plus side is that reception and accuracy seems quite good. Compared to my Magellan Explorist 500, the PN-20 seems to do slightly better. While accuracy is diminished under dense foliage–as with any unit–I have always been able to maintain a signal lock while geocaching or hiking.

Shortcomings include the fact that PN-20 does feel soggy in executing tasks. Redraws usually only take 3-4 seconds, but scrolling the screen takes patience. Although the PN-20 handles a file of up to 1000 waypoints, I find the unit works much more efficiently if I hold the file down to a couple hundred. Creating a street route on the PN-20 can take several minutes, and I find address searches intolerably long. It *does* all these things, but users will be happier if they can plan routes and searches ahead of time on the PC for transfer to the GPS. The PN-20 does allow for the insertion of via points to shape a route in the GPS, so it has a leg up on Magellan’s MapSend DirectRoute. Improving the efficiency of firmware algorithms may help, but it might be until we see a PN-30 with a beefier processor that autorouting becomes a satisfying experience.

Another minus is that the PN-20 does not currently allow for more than a single waypoint file, and neither waypoints, tracks, nor routes can be saved to the SD card. I fully expect that a future firmware upgrade will change this, so a large number of such files can be available for field use.

The PN-20 is not for everyone. It’s a new, cutting-edge model–Delorme’s first integral handheld GPS–and I think it will be a little while until the firmware is tweaked and smoothed to allow for the full potential of the hardware. For those who place a high priority on map quality and plan to use their GPS primarily for outdoor activity, I think it’s a good choice that shows favorable signs of becoming even better.

Best mapping on a GPSr, June 13, 2007

The DeLorme PN-20 has the best mapping hands down. With the included $100 worth of free imagery (which include DOQQs, Sat-10 colorized satellite imagery, and scanned USGS 7.5-minute quads) make this a very useful GPSr to use. I use my PN-20 mostly for mountain biking, hiking and geocaching and being able to have the aerial imagery on there is very very cool. Some places have changed and some places have not, I am usually in places that have not changed too much in the recent years and have been able to find trails that I had not known about.

One of the things that blows me away with this unit is the many ways to utilize the features in Topo USA and have that same data appear on the PN-20. I have a separate map cut with all of the fire districts on it for my county and then a another map with all of the EMS districts on it. These are all done using polygons. There is just so much that can be done, it is truly amazing.

If you are worried about how long it takes to load maps, I strongly suggest getting and using an SD card and card reader reader to load larger maps. Loading smaller maps to the PN-20′s internal memory is not that big of an issue.

On the lines of customer service, it is very hard to beat DeLorme’s, they have been very responsive to customer needs and quick turn around time for a replacement unit if needed (When I had gotten my first unit, there was an issue with the reception and DeLorme promptly replaced it and have be been happy with it since then). As with any mass produced item, there are bound to be some that have their problems (the same thing happened to me way back when I got my brand new Garmin 60CS, the mini USB plug on the back of the GPSr became loose).

There is a lot of good help for new users on the DeLorme forum by knowledgeable users and staff! Yes, there are still a couple of minor buggies but DeLorme is working on another release to address these issues and to add more user requests. This is another reason why I like DeLorme so much, they actually listen to their users.

The Best for Back Country Travels, June 13, 2007

I just got back from the better part of a week out in the back country of southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. The PN-20 is an amazing device and did everything that I wanted for off-highway, 4WD touring, sightseeing and geocaching in those remote areas.

The DeLorme Topo maps have long been recognized by back country hikers, campers and 4WD folks as having the best features and capabilities for their activities. And now the PN-20 handheld GPS unit is available to make those maps even more useable.

Do not confuse this device with those stick on the windshield devices or GPS NAV units that come as options on new cars nowadays. I have that also on my new Jeep and it is useless off-highway. That thing will not show any road or trail that is not paved. I don’t even run that thing when I’m in the back country.

So if you want a handheld GPS unit that is as good, if not better, than all the others and the best in maps, the Earthmate GPS PN-20 is the ticket. I don’t leave home without it, not even in town!

Time For Change, January 15, 2008

I used to use a Garmin 60CSx and then this came along and there is no going back. The maps and imagery provided by DeLorme are integrated into the system in a unique and innovative manner. I think because DeLorme has been making maps for consumers and governments for years they understand mapmaking at a higher level than the other GPS providers. and as such they have blown me away with this exciting new GPS. The sensitivity is exceptional and the total experience with the included maps and software makes for a tremendous value

Not all I’d hoped., August 15, 2007

Although I am familiar with the DeLorme Topo software, getting 7 ½ minute maps from Topo 2.0 up and running on the PN-20 was a day-long project. Don’t read the manual because the information you need isn’t in there. Use the on-screen help. If you want to use both 7 ½ minute and Topo 6.0 map displays simultaneously, there are some software problems that make route planning a frustrating experience. If loading detailed maps, you will definitely want an SD card and reader.

Unfortunately, I expected more than the tiny Earthmate display can deliver. The screen is just too small to see much. Zooming in and out is so slow and scrolling so sluggish that I didn’t find the map display very helpful. If you are hiking an unfamiliar area you need a paper map as backup anyway and the paper map is more useful.

Comparing it to my old Garmin eTrex vista, signal acquisition speed is about the same, and the PN-20 is not noticeably heaver, but it’s larger and more awkward to use. The Garmin is designed for one-handed operation. You can keep hiking. The PN-20 requires two hands. You have to stop.

If you’ve never owned a hand-held GPS before, this might be a good choice. If you already have one, it’s probably not worth upgrading.

Super GPS – one stop shopping, January 9, 2008

I am not a GPS nerd, meaning I haven’t had GPS for years and have 5 or 6 models that track the history of the technology. I wanted one for a long time, but none of them were “it”. I wanted it all in one box – everything I might need including a waterproof GPS that I could take hunting and kayaking and fishing as well as use in the car for long trips as well as sync with my laptop, etc. etc. Well, this is it. This is one stop shopping as far as I’m concerned. This GPS does absolutely everything I want, right out of the box. DeLorme’s products are top drawer. The unit is tough, the screen is bright, the controls are intuitive, the mapping software is incredibly detailed, customer support has been fantastic. I got the PN-20 that came with DVD’s, as well as all the possible battery charging cables you could hope for, and I can’t think of a situation where I don’t have the right stuff. I couldn’t be happier.

Well thought out design, January 19, 2008

I chose PN-20 over Garmin Vista HCx for its overall value. It was a tough choice between the two. Vista HCx is more compact, faster graphics redraw, and more sensitive receiver than PN-20, but PN-20 came with a much better map package, more intuitive and flexible menuing, a better physical design, and a good enough sensitive receiver. I’m very happy with the PN-20.

A really great GPS unit, February 19, 2008

I bought this unit to use outdoors because I have been a big fan of their paper Atlas for more than a decade and more recently of their software. This GPS unit is a real gem! Extremely rugged, water proof (it even floats in case you ever take it with you fishing). Initially, I had planned on only using it recreationally, but I have Delorme’s XMap software for work and discovered that I could scan our company system maps and download those onto the PN-20, too.
I do however wish that the screen was a little bigger, sometimes it is a little difficult to see the small screen.