Jump to content

Any eTrex Touch reviews yet?


EEKJeep

Recommended Posts

The user interface tweaks look compelling. I really like the ability to select activities like on my Fenix 3. However, the same could be done on my Oregon 6xx by customizing profiles. I also use the BlueTooth LiveTrack feature on my 64s for work. Great feature and I'm glad to see it make the new eTrex!

 

Eagerly awaiting first impressions.

Link to comment

I'm in the market for a new gps and looking at deciding between the Oregon 600 and Etrex Touch 35. They are very similar and can be had for the same price although I know I could get the Oregon cheaper if I waited for a sale... The Oregon looks to have a much better screen, almost double the pixels but the Etrex sounds like it might have a much better interface. Decisions decisions. I'll wait awhile longer for some Etrex 35 reviews or comparisons to the 600 I suppose but I'm leaning toward the 35 as it's the new kid on the block.

Edited by Nocturnx
Link to comment

I'm trying to decide between the eTrex Touch and the 30x. Not sure how happy I would be with a touchscreen in the rain or in weather cold enough for gloves, but I've been using an eTrex Vista Cx since 2006 and I like its simplicity. It never let me down once until I dropped it on concrete... <_<

Link to comment

I was initially torn between the Oregon 600 and eTrex Touch 35. And then I eliminated the Oregon and was also between the Touch 35 and 30x like you. But after doing a good amount of research and some hands-on time with a couple different models I'm leaning toward getting a GPSMAP 64s now. It must have a better processor than the 30 because it seemed to respond better and zooming in and out on the map was a lot quicker. And I think, but don't know for sure, that the 30x uses the same processor as the 30 so it would operate at about the same speed. So I plan to get the GPSMAP 64s unless I hear that the Touch 35 is getting a better processor than the 30x. Also I thought the screen size on the 30/30x was really small.

Link to comment

Well, I stopped by REI recently and lo and behold, some of them are just now getting the Touch series. They had several of the eTrex Touch 25 models in-store, so I decided to jump in with both feet and try one out. Here are some very quick first impressions...

 

Specs & Likes:

* Screen is the same dimensions as the GPSMAP 62/64. It is a 65K TFT at 160 x 240 pixels.

* Screen visibility is very good -- if you're used to the GPSMAP 62/64 series, this looks the same. Should be no problem viewing this in the shade.

* Satellite reception is excellent -- have even seen down to 9-12 ft. "accuracy" indoors (near window). Further indoors and I've seen anywhere from 16-32 feet roughly.

* Map scrolling seems very quick, no issues there. There is a "normal" and "fast" menu setting, too.

* Filtering & scrolling through a couple of thousand geocaches (installed from pocket query GPX files) seems to be just fine so far.

* Unit size is just a little bigger in width than the previous eTrex 10/20/30 line. Probably to accommodate the touch screen.

* Nice to have a 3-axis electronic compass in all models, including the base model Touch 25.

* Similarly, it's great to have an SD card slot in the Touch 25.

* Had multiple previous third-party maps loaded to an SD card and the unit recognized & loaded them with no problems. You are still able to turn on/off each map set individually through the menus, as you have been able to do with more recent Garmin GPS units.

* Supports road routing / turn-by-turn directions. You can also switch to direct routing (best for caching) and others through the menus.

* Battery life appears to be pretty respectable. Using partially-depleted Eneloop NiMH cells, I still managed to get 8 hrs. of solid use, including backlight, until one battery bar was showing in the menu. (Though I still wish Garmin would show the actual battery voltage.)

* You can use the newer interface view (focused more on profiles) or switch to a "classic" view which appears like the Oregon 600 menu system. Either way, briefly pressing the power/light button brings up the main menu where you can access everything.

 

Issues / Bugs:

* Out of the box, installed firmware was 2.20. There was already a firmware update for 2.50 once connected to the computer.

* A pesky small pop-up menu (home, start/stop track, battery life, satellite signal, etc.) on the bottom of the screen keeps activating. Only seems to go away if you press "start" and record a track. Once you press "stop" the menu keeps popping up, blocking the ability to view & use the map screen. At first I thought it was a hardware issue (something touching screen), but it turns out to be a software issue.

* Word-around for above right now seems to be to: 1) start track log, 2) press power button to access main menu (instead of pressing "stop" in pop-up menu), 3) go to current track icon, 4) pause current track. You wind up with one or two track points in the background, but the pop-up menu doesn't keep activating.

* Saved track log colors default to teal and if you change them for saved tracks, the color reverts back to teal after a power cycle.

* No way to set a default track log color for future tracks.

* When searching alphabetically for map database items, the unit has locked up only a of couple of times, requiring the batteries to be pulled.

* Using Eneloop NiMH batteries, Garmin recommends setting the Battery Type system menu choice to "Pre-Charged NiMH". But that still seems wildly inaccurate (fully charged cells still show 2-3 out of 4 battery life display bars), and using the regular "NiMH" choice seems better. Again, it would be nice to see actual battery voltage displayed!

 

Per Garmin Customer Support:

* Unit supports around 4 million caches, similar to other more recent units, dependent on memory available.

* The screen on the eTrex Touch line is plastic, *not* glass like the Oregon 600 line.

 

Brief Conclusion:

Overall, the eTrex Touch 25 seems pretty stable out of the box. I haven't had a lot of time to test it out, but first impressions are favorable. It takes a little while to set up the home screen and various menus & settings to your preference, but that was expected. The screen can be a little cramped (such as when spelling out waypoints), being only 160 x 240 pixels, but works fine. Will know more overall once I take it out caching and record some track logs. So far, so good.

Edited by Pacific NW
Link to comment

Great information, thank you!! I guess we can almost expect software issues out of the box with Garmin... I just found a place willing to repair my Vista Cx for about $45, but I'm still leaning toward a new unit just to get that electronic compass and better paperless abilities without using my phone. This is a great review, thanks so much for taking the time to do a write-up! :)

Link to comment

I was initially torn between the Oregon 600 and eTrex Touch 35. And then I eliminated the Oregon and was also between the Touch 35 and 30x like you. But after doing a good amount of research and some hands-on time with a couple different models I'm leaning toward getting a GPSMAP 64s now. It must have a better processor than the 30 because it seemed to respond better and zooming in and out on the map was a lot quicker. And I think, but don't know for sure, that the 30x uses the same processor as the 30 so it would operate at about the same speed. So I plan to get the GPSMAP 64s unless I hear that the Touch 35 is getting a better processor than the 30x. Also I thought the screen size on the 30/30x was really small.

 

Yes, I think you're right that the 30x has the same processor as the 30. And the screen is pretty small--I got to play with an eTrex 20 for a while and it wasn't too much of a problem, but a larger screen would be nice. Especially as my eyes age. ;) I hadn't looked at the 64s because I do like the smaller size of the eTrex units, but I'll have to go take a look at one in a store to see what I think. It does look like it has nice features!

Link to comment

Great information, thank you!! I guess we can almost expect software issues out of the box with Garmin... I just found a place willing to repair my Vista Cx for about $45, but I'm still leaning toward a new unit just to get that electronic compass and better paperless abilities without using my phone. This is a great review, thanks so much for taking the time to do a write-up! :)

 

More than welcome! Hopefully folks can use it to make an informed decision. There doesn't seem to be much out there at the moment, as these units are so new to the market. And honestly, I can't think of a single Garmin product I've used over the years that hasn't had a firmware update (or many) during its lifespan. But, some are admittedly more glitchy than others.

 

Unless some major issue crops up, I think the eTrex Touch series will be really popular. It feels like a cross between an Oregon and a GPSMAP 62/64, but crammed into a smaller body with a touchscreen. Basically... exactly what I was waiting for Garmin to release. B)

Link to comment

Basically an updated Dakota.... Like the difference between and Oregon 450 and 600.

 

The whole calling it an Etrex has confused people. It is a modernized Dakota and has no relationship to the Etrex series in reality.

 

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=156873&compareProduct=156867&compareProduct=30926

Edited by Red90
Link to comment

FYI - there is now a firmware update of 2.60 available from Garmin for the eTrex Touch 25/35 lineup.

 

** Ongoing first impressions of the eTrex 25:

 

Overall, there are still a few kinks and hiccups, as mentioned in the longer post above. Based on multiple replies from Garmin, they stated that the bottom pop-up menu is supposed to keep activating every 5 seconds or so, until you press "start" and begin recording the activity/track log. IMHO, I still think this is a bug, not a feature, and there needs to be a way to keep this pop-up menu minimized when not actively recording a log.

 

Speaking of logs, I recorded several, with some set to the "normal" recording interval, and others set to the "maximum" interval. The tracks look pretty good when overlaid on a map. Similarly, when kept in a static location, the track log performs well, with only a couple of stray data points. Compared to something like the GPSMAP 64 series, I think the 64 still has the upper hand on reception and track accuracy.

 

Battery life is still good running Eneloops and setting battery type to "NiMH" (instead of "Pre-charged NiMH) in the setup menu. The processor seems speedy, and there isn't much of a wait to scroll the map, view lists of around 2,000 caches, or search for map items by name. I do notice that when scrolling & zooming the map for an extended period of time, that sometimes the screen will become less responsive or glitchy (always wants to put a pushpin waypoint marker where you touch, instead of just scrolling/zooming). But a quick return to the main menu seems to cure that problem. Probably another small bug that needs to be worked out.

Link to comment

I read Pacific NW's review here and was convinced that I needed this new toy. After returning from REI with a Touch 25 (the only model in stock), I commenced fiddling around with it. So far, I am very impressed. You may consider this a new and improved version of the Dakota series, or a smaller version of the Oregon series. I like the ability to select different profiles with a single swipe. The display is smaller than my Oregon 600, but also a heck of a lot lighter to carry around my neck. I have no problem (even with my old eyes) seeing the map display or reading text.

 

As far as the annoying "pop up" menu mentioned above, I think I found a way to get rid of it. Here's what I did: I selected the "3 bar" menu at initial start up, then I selected "tracks." In the tracks menu, there's a selection for "Auto Start." Turn that on, and the GPSr will start tracking automatically when you start the GPSr (just like all previous Garmins). So now it won't constantly pop up a menu to ask if you want to start tracking.

 

Another nifty feature I discovered is found on the map screen. It prevents accidental "touches" when the GPSr is bouncing around on your neck or while you're holding it. It's an icon that looks like a solid circle surrounded by four direction arrows. Pressing this icon permits you to "swipe" or move the map. On my Oregon 600, I accidentally set new waypoints all the time without this feature!

 

I have no buyer's remorse. I love this little unit! In fact, I've got a couple of new listings on Ebay for GPSr's replaced by the Touch 25. It's small size, light weight, and generous features make it a great buy for geocaching, hiking, and biking. Just my two cents.

Link to comment

Posted some pictures on my blog site... http://cascadiarecon.com/2015/09/04/first-impressions-garmin-etrex-touch-25-gps/

 

Attaching them to this post as well just in case folks want to see what the new unit looks like:

 

20524642953_352f15f471_c.jpg

 

21145749235_2e453c5da2_c.jpg

 

21119522256_ca26202656_c.jpg

 

(Note: Unit doesn't come with the belt clip, and applied an aftermarket Zagg Invisible Shield to the screen.)

Edited by Pacific NW
Link to comment

I got an etrex touch 25 a few days ago. Seems nice, but the software doesn't seem ready to

ship yet. Saving a track doesn't seem to work. There is a button for it, but it doesn't

seem to actually save the track. Track Manager then shows only Current Track and Archived

Tracks (which is empty).

 

The list of activity Profiles has odd bugs too. When I first got mine, it had 3 separate

but identical hiking profiles. Today I did a reset to factory defaults, then the hiking

profile had a picture of a hiker, but was labelled Biking! A second reset seemed to fix

that.

 

I'm at 2.60 of the firmware, which is the latest available. I have contacted support by

email, so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully just some bugs in the software that will be

fixed by another update (or several).

Link to comment

I got an etrex touch 25 a few days ago. Seems nice, but the software doesn't seem ready to

ship yet. Saving a track doesn't seem to work. There is a button for it, but it doesn't

seem to actually save the track. Track Manager then shows only Current Track and Archived

Tracks (which is empty).

 

The list of activity Profiles has odd bugs too. When I first got mine, it had 3 separate

but identical hiking profiles. Today I did a reset to factory defaults, then the hiking

profile had a picture of a hiker, but was labelled Biking! A second reset seemed to fix

that.

 

I'm at 2.60 of the firmware, which is the latest available. I have contacted support by

email, so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully just some bugs in the software that will be

fixed by another update (or several).

 

I found a solution (or at least a workaround) to the problem. There's a setting that seems

to do the trick. Hike, Power button, Track Manager, Current Track, Menu, Setup Tracks,

Advanced Setup, Output Format (set it to Tracks (GPX/FIT), rather than the default, FIT).

After that, saving a track actually saves the track!

Link to comment

This from Product Support:

 

"By default the tracks will output as activity files so you will be unable to find them in Track Manager.

You will access your saved tracks (and current track) through Activity History, which should be located next to Track Manager."

 

I took a look in Activity History and found that the missing tracks were indeed there. I also found that while they don't seem to import into Basecamp, they can be converted into tracks, which do. I will mention that the options for Output Format aren't the same as is specified in the Owner Manual. The manual says there are three options, Tracks (GPX), Activities (FIT), or Both (GPX/FIT). Mine shows only two options: Activities (FIT) or Tracks (GPX/FIT).

 

I did a bike ride with both the etrex touch 25 and my old etrex venture HC mounted on the handlebar. The display on the 25 was always more readable at any angle of the sun, and sometimes WAY more readable. Quite usable.

Link to comment

I was able to get hands-on time with the Touch 25, GPSMAP 64, and Oregon 650. I ended up purchasing the Oregon 600. It had a noticeably better screen with better resolution was the tipping point. Even through I had previously planned on getting the GPSMAP 64s, after playing with them I ended up much preferring the touchscreen over the buttons, just personal preference. I also thought the map panning and zooming was quicker on the Oregon. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them though.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...