Handheld GPS Reviews

Price:$399.00

Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps Product Reviews

Good Unit But…, January 31, 2008

I have used this GPS on hikes with navigational requirements and just general testing. These are my conclusions after a few calls to Garmin Support and searching GPS forums. The good news is that it is well constructed, has many features. If you buy the city, topo, and marine mapping, you can probably do it all. It has a fairly basic ease of operation (after you get the settings customized). The bad news is that the manual is way too general and if you want to do basic custom setups, you might have to call Tech Support but the unit is so new that even they don’t always know the answers (do not e-mail them questions, call instead. Much better support). That’s were the GPS forums can come in handy. The problems I have encountered is first and foremost how difficult it can be to view the screen outside (especially topo detail) unless you have the sun shining directly on it. The backlight under low light conditions (shade, early morning hours) outside will not help. The altimeter does not seem to be the most accurate at times and when you have the unit turned off, drive to a new location, turn it on, the altitude can sometimes still read your last location until you recalibrate it. Even with it set to auto calibrate and full satellite bars. NMHI rechargeable batteries do not work well with this unit if you value the backlight. There is a bug in their firmware (hopefully they will get it fixed soon) that will turn the backlight off permanently after a very short time and in some cases, that I have been reading, completely shut the unit off even when the batteries have a full charge. Some people have had problems with the current time not updating even after the GPS has locked into satellites and have been told to return the unit for an exchange, but mine has worked fine. The manual tells you how to access settings but gives no detail as to what the settings mean, leaving you to experiment, dig, accidentally find what you want, or call tech support for even basic things as transferring archived (saved) tracks to your PC, transferring topo map detail, or deleting archived tracks. Some of the things I have mentioned are bugs that will hopefully get resolved with firmware updates but right now, I can only moderately recommend this GPS. It has taken me a lot of time playing with this unit, experimenting, calling tech support, and reading blogs to operate it to my satisfaction (minus the bugs).

Love it, but am on my third one, May 3, 2008

This replaced my 60csx. The detail on the screen is a big improvement. NIMH battery performance has improved with recent firmware upgrades. The back cover is extremely hard to get on and off. After a couple of weeks of daily use, the back battery seal tore. Garmin support via email (3 day response time) said I had to return it for warranty repair. Instead I took it back to REI and they exchanged it no problem. This happened again and am now on my third one. Now, I never fully close the back cover unless I am in a situation where it could be submersed in water. This has prevented the seal from tearing, and makes the back cover much easier to get on and off. Also you do not have to remove the carabiner to get the cover off with this method. TOPO and City Navigator work great! I recommend this unit but be careful with the back cover!

Garmin Colorado – NOT ready for prime time, June 8, 2008

The Garmin Colorado is a LONG way from being all that it should be for th price ov over $400.. Read the review if it on BACKPACKINGLIGHTWEIGHT.COM

I STILL haven’t got my 300 model’s SD card loaded w/ the topo map. Don’t use an “Ultra” SD card. Garmin says they don’t work well with this unit. It would have been nice if they would have SAID SO on the box or the tiny instruction leaflet so I could have known before I bought one.

Garmin’s customer service is helpful but you MUST call them to learn how to use all the features properly. The included instructions are so basic as to be laughable. In short, this may be a good GPS in about a year – after Garmin gets the bugs out.

Colorado 300 is a Good Value for the Money., December 6, 2008

I have had a lot of experiences with GPS units and systems. It seems that a lot of people are expecting too much from these inexpensive GPS units. None of the relatively low cost handhelds that I have used or tried come with detailed maps. You are not going to be able to get Google Earth levels of detail in a handheld GPS, at least not today. With optional map software you can get good details of limited areas. That said, I do take issue with every handheld GPS manufacturer’s inference that useable Maps are included with their units. The Garmin 300 is described as “with North American Maps”. True but it will only show Main Roads. If you were expecting your street to show up, you will be disappointed. I knew this would be the case so I did not factor the lack of detail into my rating score. I bought it for accuracy, a useable compass and primarily for tracking while trail riding.

The Colorado 300 that I bought worked properly right out of the box. It quickly acquired satellites and determined position correctly. I never had to use the manual, all the functions were easy to use and understand (but probably not for a novice GPS user). I really like the menu wheel and its functionality. Easy and quick to get to any of the functions and settings. One function that worked much better than early GPS units was the Compass. The Compass in the Colorado works in any position, all the others that I had with a Compass required it be level to the ground.

I am surprised that one reviewer said they were able to use an 8gb SD card as Garmin says the Colorado 300 will only accept a 4gb non-HC SD card. Garmin said that HC SD cards are unreliable if used in the Colorado 300. I cannot find a 4gb non-HC SD card, Garmin’s response was to use a 2gb non-HC SD Card. At this point though, I am not planning on buying any additional map software but perhaps later.

Great unit overall, January 29, 2009

Using it for a few hours, this are the attributes I’ve observed:
Pros:
-I love the wheel interface as it makes the overall navigation very handly and can be operated with just one hand.
-This gadget is one of the most precise and accurate GPS unit I have used thus far. So if precision is important, this is great. The position fix is also the fastest I’ve seen. I can easily get a position lock at home.
-Brightness of the screen is acceptable.

Cons:
-While I like the wheel interface, but the unit size is slightly larger than what I feel comfortable. Thus, people with small palm may not be able to operate it with one hand comfortably. But this point is not exactly very important once you’re use to it.
-The backcover does not seem to be able to close tightly. Leaving a small noticeable gab which I’m not comfortable with as dust might enter. Worst, water may enter too.

I gave it 4 stars as it has served my purpose of having a multi-function GPS gadget. The profile is great as we can customise settings for Car & Recreational usage. The 1 star reduction was due to the battery cover issue that I am concern.

Good GPS overall, January 20, 2009

I was a little apprehensive about purchasing this GPS because of the number of negative reviews online. I am happy to say that after a couple of weeks of heavy use while traveling I have had no major problems or complaints about this unit.

Pros:

The screen has good visibility in sunlight and cloudy conditions with no backlight.
The screen is high resolution and maps are well rendered.
Battery life is very good with the backlight off, I can get up to 15 hours of use with 2500nimh batteries if I avoid using the backlight.
Settings are highly configurable and are useful for power management.
It has a compass (I didn’t think this was going to be useful, but now I wouldn’t buy a unit without one).
Satellite reception is very good.

Cons:

As expected, the included map is almost useless. Not only are there few roads, but the ones that are there are not very accurate.
The software for loading maps is garbage, loading non Garmin maps requires 3rd party software and some dedication (fyi, garmin maps are pricey).
Entering text with the wheel is cumbersome, although I still would not pay extra for an Oregon since I don’t the gps every day.
The backlight is very power hungry and is necessary in shade and at dusk.
It seems to be much bulkier than necessary.
The compass seems to require frequent calibration (maybe this is a firmware issue?)

Those things being said, if you want a high resolution, waterproof, handheld gps there really is no other option at this time (with the exception of Garmin’s Oregon which is essentially the same, but touch screen). I purchased a Vista HCX before buying this unit and immediately returned it. The difference in readability between the units is night and day. The Screen on the vista much lower resolution, the maps are rendered using some vintage software, making the unit difficult to use.

Overall I’m pleased with the colorado 300. My only real gripe is the bulky size, but again there are no alternatives with the same feature set at this time.

Gorgeous Screen, March 27, 2008

This is an extremely cool GPS.

The screen is gorgeous. Big and sharp. The Topo 2008 maps look so cool with shading and 3-D.

The new control wheel really makes it easy to use. Far easier than any other Garmin unit.

It is well built, looks very cool and feels really good in your hand.

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.

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.

I highly recommend it. Well worth the price.

Not as good as Expected, July 12, 2008

Product i received had problem staying up. It abruptly shutdown without warning fewminutes after power up. Amazon sent me a replacement. The replacement fared better But after a couple of days wouldn’t work saying “Cannot find system software” OR “Missing system software”. I am trying to work it out with the customer support.

not bad + not great=meh, April 4, 2009

First off let me preface this by saying i’m not a world class Geocacher. to date i’ve found about 57, about 9 of which are Micro size.
i started off using a Garmin E-Trex Venture HC about a year ago and logged a good amount of caches. a few weeks ago i got my tax refund (who needs to pay off car loans when you can get more gadgets!) and did some research. it came down to the Colorado 300 and the Delorme PN-40. i checked user reviews, professional GPS sites and even groundspeak Forums on what people would suggest betwixt the two. finally, after a week, i gave in and bought the Colorado. plus using Amazon to get almost $150 off Garmin’s MSRP, it was a sweet deal. i’m just being honest here–Amazon’s got some great deals for GPS, whether they’re new or old. so, Here are my thoughts:
*compared to the Venture, it’s got a larger screen + touch wheel + true paperless geocaching (that means it downloads a snapshot of the webpage off geocaching.com and allows you to read the Logs/Hints and description of the cache including size/terrain/difficulty). That feature alone is worth paying the extra money for this unit. the comparable Garmin GPS 60SX also offers paperless caching, but only the Colorado has a digital compass. Trust me–you need one!
*calibrating the compass is fairly easy the 4th time you try. a small indicator tells you what speed to turn the unit and it can make a huge difference doing it before each hunt.
* the basemap is, as it states, BASIC. i’d strongly suggest upgrading–but don’t worry about buying a map from Garmin. i found a site off a groundspeak forum (www.gpsfiledepot.com) and after a little background research, it’s legit. i downloaded the NC topo and NC IBYCUS20 map set. what a HUGE difference that map can make. i can now see what street each cache is near so no more guessing what street to take when i use only the compass feature. it’s a free download, but a large one (877MB) so you have to use the internal SD memory port (though i couldn’t find any literature on this GPS that was extensive, i actually used a 4GB SDHC (secure digital High Capacity)card. it’s a newer style of card with an increased write-speed to transfer information from a computer/camera to the card. Trust me–download the map for your state–and any topo map. even in forests with micro caches i’ve been able to get a better idea where it’s hidden if i can judge how far away it is from a nearby creek or stream (data NOT included in the basemap).
*the battery life is poor. definitely buy rechargeable batteries. i took a fresh pair of AA’s geocaching yesterday and you’ll get about 6 hours worth of juice. this isn’t bad, by any means, but it’s just more cost effective in the long run.
*backlit feature= pretty average. compared to my previous Venture HC–this Colorado is worse. i’d rate the Colorado backlit feature at 6 out of 10 and the Venture at 8 out of 10.
*the user manual was probably written in about ten seconds by a low-end Tech, so if this is your first unit you’re gonna be searching forums for a while to figure out how to use it. if this is your second GPS unit–you shouldn’t have a problem.
*geocaching.com offers Direct-to-GPS data transfer for Garmins (And now Delorme) so transferring caches is so incredibly easy.
*i originally loaded the MapSource software that came with this, and my previous Garmin, but after logging all my caches online and on the unit (you can actually Tag a cache as Found and it removes it from your actively-sought cache list) it’s really not necessary UNLESS you download additional maps like TOPO or IBYCUS. you need mapsource to transfer those maps to the unit.
*battery compartment= it’s a tricky little bit of mechanics. the battery compartment is a slide-off cover held in place by a latch. God help you if you’re not strong with your finger tips to release it. it’s annoying, and they could have done a lot better with it.
*receiver==it does have an input for an external antenna, and the built in does have WAAS (wide area augmentation system===it means it uses earth-based receiver satellites to get a better fix on your position) enabled feature. it’s got a pretty strong antenna, and i was able to get a strong fix on my position in about 25 seconds Cold Boot inside my two story house.

so overall, based on battery life, backlit screen, compass accuracy and overall user-friendliness, i’d give this unit a 7 out of ten.
Pros=paperless caching, large screen, antenna reception.
Cons=battery life, back lit screen, battery compartment.

if this is your first unit- you’re in for a treat with paperless caching.
if it comes down to deciding between the DELORME PN-40 (keep in mind the delorme has a free map download and annual 29.95 unlimited map downloads), i’d suggest the Delorme. the delorme even has Black and White areial pictures, color satellite imagery (think Google Earth on a GPS unit), and the highest durability of most GPS units.

[...]

Worth the money! Great for hunting, February 23, 2009

I think most of the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews on the Colorado 300 were written before Garmin released several software fixes. This unit may have been released for sale before all the bugs were corrected in the software. Kinda like Microsoft Windows 95. That thing crashed all the time till the bugs were fixed.
I purchased mine on Feb 13, 2009 and am very pleased with it. I use it hunting and scouting our 650 acre deer lease in a very remote part of Georgia. I have marked almost every deer stand, food plot and landmark on this property, thus creating my own map of the area. You can do this with any GPS without buying other maps, however the addition of Garmin Topo 2008 map adds elevation, remote roads, streams and other landmarks making the experience so much better. I recommend you buy the map on DVD not the SD Card. The DVD version allows the PC/Mac, map and GPS to interact and makes for a great experience plotting trails and waypoints. You can also send info from the PC/Mac to the GPS (or SD Card) memory and vice versa.

The learning curve was slight,took me about 2 days fooling with it to master all features and the system works as promised. Yes, I agree with others that the base map is very, very limited. One reviewer said worthless, that’s not true in my opinion, because the roads that the basemap does show are good reference points if you become lost.
I gave the unit 4 stars due to battery life of about 10 hours on alkaline batteries. I have switched to 2500 mah Energizer rechargeable batteries and have seen improvement to 12-16 hours depending on back light usage. I have not yet tried Lithium batteries and 2900 Mah rechargeable batteries are available but very expensive. The back light is the critical factor in battery life. Unlike some other units, most of the time in daylight, no backlight is necessary at all.
I picked the Colorado over the Oregon due to lower price (-$200.00) and the fact that the Colorado uses the full size SD Card. The full size SD card reader in the Colorado allows me to view pictures from my game cameras in the field. In addition, Many of the reviews said the touch screen on the Oregon did not work well in very cold weather, that could be overcome by putting the Oregon in a warm inside coat pocket but it was a factor for me.

What I like about the Colorado:
The Rock and Roller, is great, it is truly a one hand GPS. I can access all controls with just my thumb. Entering text is not as fast as I would like but I can live with it.
Sattellite lock is very fast and will lock on in the basement of my home. Initial lock was accomplished in about 15 seconds after inserting batteries the first time for a cold start. After that it is about 1 second warm.
Accuracy is good I have had 6 foot accuracy in open areas, but most of the time under cover it is about 12 -15 feet.
The large screen and 3D views are awesome. Even better with the Topo Map.
The ability to customize the screen set up is also a great feature. If there are features you don’t use much you can move them on the menu and save the frequently used ones for the main menu.

What I don’t like:
Battery life needs to be improved. I can see this would be a big issue with backpackers that are on the trail for 12+ hours and changing batteries if they use the back light much. I just carry an extra set of batteries with me to overcome this issue.
The gap between the unit and the case that others have mentioned does not give me confidance that the unit is 100% waterproof as claimed. However, I am not concerned at all about using the unit in a rain shower.

Conclusion: I would buy this same unit again. This is my 3rd GPS unit in 8 years and the very best. I would recommend you buy it along with the Garmin 2008 Topo Map Set. Many of the people that reviewed this item bought it when it first came out and paid $500 or more for it. So, I can understand their disappointment for that kind of money combined with the firmware bugs. However, you can buy this unit for about half of that price now and most of the bugs are fixed.

UPDATE:
Battery life. I tried Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries and got 22 hours of use from them with limited use of the back light. They lasted about 4-5 hours in a low battery condition. Thats about 7 more hours than I get with my 2500 Mah rechargeable AA’s. The Energizer Ultimate Battery is susposed to be even more powerful than the Advanced Lithium. However Lithium batteries are over $2.00 each, so I think I will stick with my rechargeables.

Final update 5/3/2010
I have had this unit over a year now and it is still going strong, I would buy it again. I have switched over to the lithium batteries for all my use. The rechargeable batteries just don’t hold a charge over a day or two if you remove them from the charger. You can buy Energizer lithium batteries online at various auction sites much cheaper than in the stores. I have also found that even if you get a low battery warning on the GPS if you turn it off for a while it seems to recharge itself on the battery strength meter. I not sure that whats happening, but if you leave the GPS off in a low battery state the next time your turn it on it will indicate a fully charged battery and keep going although it does drain down faster everytime this happens. I am able to get 5 or 6 hunting trips (6 hours per trip) out of 2 Enegizer Advanced or Ultimate Lithium batteries. I just finished a 5 day hunt and used the same batteries the entire hunt with this procedure.
If you are on the fence trying to decide to buy a GPS for hunting, or any other purpose, let me tell you it’s worth the money. I park my truck on a lonely dirt road, wonder around the woods for several hours and the GPS let’s me navigate right back to the truck, not a mile away by dead reconing as in the past.