Team Lemons

Not to flame, but this is not a 'fact' by any possible stretch of the imagination. Your unit has something wrong with it. That may or may not be Garmin's fault, but making broad generalizations about an entire brand is not helpful, especially since that brand has been so supportive of our hobby. No offense taken... Looking at this from a consumer's point of view, I am LESS LIKELY to purchase ANOTHER Garmin because of the problems inherent to this brand. Feedback from others has convinced me that this problem is NOT unique to mine, and the fact that several other have this SAME PROBLEM indicates that this is a manufacturing FLAW. Has this flaw been corrected, or is this model STILL in production with this flaw? Yes, I've had many enjoyable moments with this eTrex Venture, but as anybody will tell, it's the BAD experiences that stick with you, and I consider a unit that craps out AFTER its warranty expires, to be a bad experience. I've had my Garmin 12Map for over 5 years, and I have not had that first problem with it. Well, the only problem I've had with it is the need to power down and re-init after haveing left it plugged in and turned on in the car for weeks at a time and it not being able to get a satelite connection for an extended period of time, but that in itself is pretty amazing, I would say. Over all, I have been extremely pleased with my Garmin and have heard nightmares from Magellan users as well. The 12Map is a much more expensive GPSr, so maybe that has something to do with it. It is a lot more solid than some of the eTrex models than I have seen. Maybe that has something to do with it too. Plus, if you bought it through e-Bay, then maybe the previous owner wasn't as good to it as they should have been.

Two notes. First, the trash bag can also be used as a way to keep you warm. By placingthe trash bag over you, and if you carefully light a small candle well away from the trash bag inside with you, the candle will keep you very warm. Even without the candle, the trash bag will hold in a lot of heat. I have been working with the Monroe County Search and Rescue Team in Indiana for over 5 years now, and after joining the team I had recieved my 1st GPSr as a Christmass present (well before Geocaching was even possible). So, take my second hint with a grain of salt. Second. Don't get me wrong. A map and compass are essential to survival if you get lost, but even more important is the knowledge of how to use a map and compass together. You may have a map and compass with you, but if you have no clue how to read a map or how to use a compass with it, they will PROBABLY do you no good what-so-ever. It is possible that if you at least know how to read a map, not knowing how to use a compass with it could still get you out. So, word of advice is, learn how to read a map, but even if you don't know how to read one, take one with you. It could come in handy.