Garmin Etrex Vista For Trail Running?
I am thinking about getting a Garmin eTrex vista to help keep me on track for off road fell or trail running. Has anyone tried this? If so, would you recommend it, if not, why not?
I am thinking about getting a Garmin eTrex vista to help keep me on track for off road fell or trail running. Has anyone tried this? If so, would you recommend it, if not, why not?
If you want a device that is versatile (you’ll be using it for more than just training), the vista is a great device. It’s smaller than some, yet gives you maps and the ability to do turn-by-turn directions.
If you’re going to be using the GPS for exercises only, you may want to check the Forerunner 205 or 305. It gives you some great features including virtual training partners and the ability to store all of your training sessions. The 305 model also gives you a heart rate monitor to make you that much more efficient.
The challenge with the etrex as a trainer is that it is bulky, and although it’s pretty rugged, it has it’s limits. Where are you going to carry it? It won’t be to comfy in a pocket, if you just hold it you may damage the screen by scratching it or dropping it (it’s easy to lose concentration when trail running), while the forerunner series straps to your wrist like a watch.
Finally, if you don’t mind waiting a bit, you may also want to check out the Forerunner 405, just announced at CES. It’s supposed to be the same price as the 305 currently is, plus it’s a gps that I would actually wear after training. Supposedly it’ll be in stores within the next month or two. (I attached a You Tube video from Garmin’s blog with details).
The vista (mine is an HCx) is a great unit.
Forget the suggestion to use a car unit. bulky and lack of usefulness off the streets.
I will disagree with Bob on the durability of the screen. I dropped mine while skating and it went bouncing down the street at about 12 mph. I would generally suggest not carrying it in your hand but I was exploring at the time.
I know a person who attaches the case for the gps to a wrist band. If I was going to carry it running, I would probably make/get a simple arm band similar to mp3 players use.
The advantage that the etrex’s have is that they can also be used for in car navigation with street maps loaded or hiking with topo maps.
The vista has a barometric altimeter that handles tracking your altitude differences more accurately (once it has gotten a good lock on the altitude).
The smaller wrist ones did not have the ability to have maps loaded last time I looked, so if you are interested in more than how fast you went, you need to find one of the computer programs (there are some free ones) that will take a data dump and map it.
There are a couple google groups you can find by using the word etrex. Ignore that the one says Legend, anyone can talk there.
The H in the name indicates that it has the higher sensitivity receiver. It does much better than the earlier units if there are trees or you wear it lower on your body (it should work in a waist pack, which never worked for the older B&W models).
The C is color. If you load maps, they are much easier to read on the color version. (the Vista Cx model has a longer battery life than the HCx but both last for most of a day with one set of batteries.)
The x indicates that it uses a microSD memory card to expand the memory. The newer maps take up more memory than the ones of 5 years ago (and have a lot more detail). The entire US and Canada take up slightly less than 1 gig and 2 gig cards are cheap.
I would not recommend the e trex. The Garmin street pilot is much better. Look at the new Garmin Street Pilots, they are touch screen and east to navigate.
Go with a Garmin Forerunner. I’ve gone through two different models and currently use the 305. I’ve had nothing but success. It works like a champ, even in the woods.