Garmin eTrex Solar GPS handheld navigato
Garmin eTrex Solar GPS handheld navigato
Garmin | eTrex Solar | Hiking GPS Handheld
Water-resistant Don’t worry about the weather. It’s water-resistant and rated to IPX7.
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Which device is right for you?
 e-Trex Solar |  e-Trex SE |  GPSMAP 65 |  Montana 700 | |
| Display | 2.2″ monochrome | 2.2″ monochrome | 2.6″ colour | 5″ colour, touchscreen |
| Multi-band GNSS | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| ABC sensors | ✔* | ✔* | ✘ | ✔ |
| Water rating | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Preloaded TopoActive maps | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| BirdsEye view | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| TrackBack | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garmin Explore App compatible | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Torch | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Geocaching | Live | Live | Paperless | Live |
| Dimensions: | 6.38 x 10.52 x 3.05 cm; 141.75 Grams |
| Model: | 010-02782-00 |
| Manufacture: | Garmin |
| Dimensions: | 6.38 x 10.52 x 3.05 cm; 141.75 Grams |
I like several things about this device. For one thing, it literally sips power. I like the fact that not only is it economical in its power consumption, it is constantly changing during daytime use.Any time it’s in the sun, it’s changing; whether it’s on or off. When it’s turned off and changing, the screen tells you the amount of power generated and the battery time gained. I also like not having to worry about battery replacement. Additionally it has the option to use either GPS or Multi Band GSS. The first significantly extends battery life, while the second enhances accuracy. Garmin teamed up with Geocaching giving the ETREX models the feature of “Geocaching Live “. That means it connects with Geocache and downloads the caches, locations, descriptions, hints etc. directly to the unit. When I locate a cache I can upload this into directory to my geocaching app.
The ETREX syncs via Bluetooth to the Garmin Explore app allowing me to access maps, waypoints and activities.
I’m not what I would term a “power user” so this basic model has all the basic tools and functionality that I need.
This works as a smartphone peripheral. It records and measures routes very accurately and synchronises these with the phone app where they can be viewed on a map and shared, eg with strava. It is also easy to plot a route on a map on the phone and load this plot onto the unit where it appears as a black line on an otherwise blank screen with your position against the line and your actual route marked as a dotted line. Your current co-ordinates can be obtained for pin-pointing your exact position on a paper map. All of the tracking functions can be used without the phone and the track downloaded later. There is an electric compass that works well and a variety of other information, such as time to sunset and moon times. The solar charging works well. I charged the unit by USB when first received and have not needed to recharge it since for 3 weeks. I like this to use as an adjunct to paper maps, and as I would use a GPS sports watch with the clear advantage of extremely long battery life, but don’t get this if you simply want to follow a dot on a map.