Features:

  • Features high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix for improved performance and reception in heavy tree cover or deep canyons
  • Keeps track of routes, tracks and waypoints, and heart rate with add on heart rate monitor (sold separate). Uses standard AAA batteries. 2 required.
  • TracBack feature retraces user's path on the easy-to-read LCD display;Display resolution 100 x 64 pixels;Battery life Up to 17 hours in GPS mode;Track Log 10000. Display size : 1.42 x 0.91 inches
  • Supports dual position readout so user can view current location in multiple formats. Audible tones. Hold the compass level when navigating to ensure maximum accuracy
  • Features trip computer, sunrise/sunset times, hunting/fishing information, electronic compass and barometric altimeter
Simple, Accurate, Tough

It takes a little practice if you are used to a more graphical interface type GPS. This is definitely a no frills unit. It is wrist mounted and will always get you home. I have used mine in snow and ice and ocean water, from deserts to mountain peaks and it has always gotten me home. It was left in snow over night at about 5F (maybe warmer in the snow?) and after a battery change it kept on plugging. I once dropped it in a freezing stream and still it kept on working. It survived a mini sand storm. I would recommend turning off electronic compass to conserve battery. And make sure you read instructions and practice before taking it into the field. It will not be intuitive if you don't have experience. It is MGRS compatible. It is due for an upgrade, and Garmin is exception to launch said upgrade in a month or two.

Five Stars

Awesome, I couldn't be happier with my foretrex plus the shipping was really fast. thank you so much

Used in Combat with excellent results

I am currently deployed in Afghanistan and have used this GPS during my combat patrols for about two weeks now. I have found that it performs perfectly. It is easily configured for MGRS, the metric system, and the compass can be set for Mils which makes calling for polar fire missions very easy. I love the fact that I have a 10-digit grid on my wrist. It cuts down on weight, not having to lug a DAGR around, and as I am taking notes during Community Engagements I can grab the grid right off my wrist as I write. So far it has stood up to the insane temperature differences from day to night. It has stood up to the dust (which gets into EVERYTHING - and has ruined two of my digital cameras [including a so-called dust-proof one]) with flying colors. The batteries last about 8 hours and it takes AAAs which are easy to carry. You can easily beam waypoints from one GPS to another. Several guys in my platoon carry the same one which makes it very easy. I am looking forward to using this when I get home to track my runs. So far I have found nothing wrong with this to speak of. I would definitely recommend it for whatever purpose you would use it for. I haven't tested its water-proofness yet; however, it stands up to my sweat very well.

Great product.

Great product. I'm a Marine grunt and use this in the field for getting MGRS grid and elevation. Pretty much all officers and NCO's/SNCO's in the infantry use this b/c it's so small, accurate, and convenient on your wrist or plate carrier. Lat/Long is default, but you can go into settings and change. Antenna is so sensitive that I've received satellite link inside a building, cloudy days, thick forest, and inside an up armor HMMWV. I have not tried using it in a very built up urban environment like a large US metropolitan city (I imagine you'll have problems getting link), but small towns or villages, and you're good.

Easy to use, accurate.

Have used this product in multiple areas of the US (Ft. Lewis, Ft. Huachuca, Ft. Bliss, Ft. Sam Houston) and many training areas in between with multiple different environments. This GPS is very easy to use and quickly acquires satellites for quick navigation. Can be used via MGRS for military use which provides 10-digit grid coordinates (although I would only use the 8 as accuracy depends on a lot of factors you can't control). Odometer has been fairly accurate, however when dealing with many changes in altitude this seems to skew the distance travelled a bit. Adding waypoints and navigating to them is fairly simple. When you are using the heading/compass feature, I would remove it from your wrist, this makes it easier to keep the GPS level and makes it more accurate. I would STILL use a legit compass along with this to double-check. All-in-all this is a great product, well made and fairly easy to use right out of the box with minimal instruction and/or playing around with it.

Simple, Fast, Accurate

Title pretty much says it all. I'm in the military so needing grid coordinates and zulu time on the spot or on the go is critical at times. This GPS can track satellites inside tents and vehicles and has even tracked indoors. Getting your initial position from the moment you turn it on doesn't even take 30 seconds. Very simple to you and setup and if you do get lost or wonder how to do something, youtube has all the how to's. Battery life is amazing as well, the first set of batteries in there has lasted me months and months and have ran this things for days tracking routes, running and out on mission. Worth the money.

I wouldn't go to the field without it.

I got this to go through a training course that involved patrolling through the woods and trying to find bad guys. Before we were allowed to start using GPS, it was difficult to accurately navigate wooded, hilly terrain using a compass and pace counts. We would often approach our objective from the wrong direction or have to search for it. Once we were allowed to start using a GPS, I brought this. No guess work at all. I had it hanging from my flack or on my wrist in the hot, cold, wet, dry, everything. This is great! Ease of use: It's a small computer on your wrist, it'll take a evening of tinkering to get used to all of its features. Once you take the time to understand it, it is so easy to use in the field. Push a button and find your current azimuth, push a button and see how far you are from your next point, push a button and get an instant 10 DIGIT GRID! Battery life: It'll last you a full day of continuous use. I left this thing on and hanging from my flack when we were driving vehicles through trails in the mountains all day for 10 days. I was the navigator and this is the only reason we made it back every night! I'm stubborn and don't always read instructions and toward the end of those 10 days I realized there is a place to plug in a charger rather than replace batteries all the time. It's safe to say its covered well and inconspicuous. Durability: When I hang this from the front of my flack and run, it bounces against the flack constantly. It doesn't break, it doesn't malfunction, it just does its job. Whether it's in the 30's and raining/snowing, or really hot outside and dry, this thing does its job. I recommend buying a screen protector to prevent scuffs. That's what I did and mine is still looking great. I have no fear of simply throwing this thing in my pack and heading out. I'm not concerned it's going to break in my pack or anything weird like that. Versatility: I've used this on the east coast and it was great. I got to Japan, changed the grid zones, and it was still great. I guess that what "Global" means. . . Need to find a place out in the woods? Punch in a grid and it'll take you there. It'll give you an arrow to follow, you follow it, you find the place you're looking for. Need to let someone know where you are? One of the screens give you a constant 10 digit grid. Need to follow a route? Take the time to insert points using grids, then select which points you want to visit and in which order. Then just follow the arrow. You can even label the points with words and icons. What elevation are you at? Yeah, it's on the screen all the time if you want it to be. I'm done typing. . . just buy this thing already!

So Nice

This straps on the outside, so there is no fumbling around trying to find it, or accidentally losing it. It's like a speedometer, just glance down and there's the information. Has a battery indicator, which is handy. The data port cover fell off, so the data port will eventually plug up to the point that it won't work, so I need to do something about that. The screen shifts around, trying to second-guess which direction you're going, which is helpful except when you're on a fidgety horse who is backing up and spinning and stuff, with the GPS constantly "thinking" and making one adjustment, then another, so the direction is not reliable in that situation. No internal map, which is fine, those maps are not detailed enough anyway from what I have seen. So I need this GPS. It is very good, a life-saver, makes a big difference especially when trying to find something and also in the cold, dark, and foggy. Can set waypoints easily. I carry extra batteries so can run the unit until the batteries in place are completely used up.

Garmin could just as easily put a 64 MB or 128 MB memory chip

With the default Garmin directories deleted (you should do this when you get your 401), the device shows 4.2 MB total, with 645 KB used by the system, leaving 3.5 MB available for routes, waypoints, and tracks. Garmin could just as easily put a 64 MB or 128 MB memory chip. This tiny memory might be due to an old processing chip with a puny limitation of memory addressing.

A best buy for tracking, backtracking, location/waypoint finding/marking elevation profile etc.

Exceeded my expectations. Tracking, back track, GPS location, elevation profile etc was accurate. Lots of options to display key data you want to see as you hike. A best buy unless you want to load colour maps - which I don't. Its a little bulky compared to the wrist watch style, but has a larger display, and easier to use wrist mounted than the larger and more expensive hand-helds. Only drawback - its not really waterproof, just water resistant. Don't wear it in the swimming leg of a triathalon!

Full Reviews