bigfoot
New member
I've been a big fan of Garmin GPS units and have used them for both work and play for years. In that time I've had everything from the original eTrex to the latest Oregon 450.
Lately though, I have seen my iPhone 4 replace the GPS as an everyday mapping tool. While you won't win any accuracy awards with it, the ability to immediately download maps of your area and navigate around them is great for urban use.
But for wilderness use I still wanted a dedicated, standalone GPS to go with a good map & compass. This is where the Foretrex 301 shines -- simple, no frills, and highly accurate. It sports Garmin's high sensitivity GPS chipset, runs on two "AAA" batteries (alkaline, NiMH, or lithium), and is tiny. It comes with a velcro wrist strap which is easily removable, making the Foretrex even smaller.
Reception is excellent. Moving, standing still, in cover or treeline, out in the open, in the car glove box, and even inside the house I am seeing 10 foot accuracy. No joke! I opted for the Foretrex 301 over the Foretrex 401 model because I don't need the additional electronic compass and altimeter. Battery life is excellent as well, even when recording a track log for hours on end.
Another nice touch is that the Foretrex 301 and 401 both come with a USB cable in the box, and the GPS units save tracks and waypoints as GPX files. This means you can easily upload and download your trip data to/from a computer.
Overall, this is an excellent buy for those seeking a simple, accurate, and low cost GPS to throw in their EDC bag or pocket.
Lately though, I have seen my iPhone 4 replace the GPS as an everyday mapping tool. While you won't win any accuracy awards with it, the ability to immediately download maps of your area and navigate around them is great for urban use.
But for wilderness use I still wanted a dedicated, standalone GPS to go with a good map & compass. This is where the Foretrex 301 shines -- simple, no frills, and highly accurate. It sports Garmin's high sensitivity GPS chipset, runs on two "AAA" batteries (alkaline, NiMH, or lithium), and is tiny. It comes with a velcro wrist strap which is easily removable, making the Foretrex even smaller.
Reception is excellent. Moving, standing still, in cover or treeline, out in the open, in the car glove box, and even inside the house I am seeing 10 foot accuracy. No joke! I opted for the Foretrex 301 over the Foretrex 401 model because I don't need the additional electronic compass and altimeter. Battery life is excellent as well, even when recording a track log for hours on end.
Another nice touch is that the Foretrex 301 and 401 both come with a USB cable in the box, and the GPS units save tracks and waypoints as GPX files. This means you can easily upload and download your trip data to/from a computer.
Overall, this is an excellent buy for those seeking a simple, accurate, and low cost GPS to throw in their EDC bag or pocket.
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