Advice On Garmin Foretrex

[kablufa]

Hi everybody! I am shopping for my first GPS (my budget is around $150.00, or so), and besides the Garmin Legend model, which I find many people recommend, I was drawn to the Foretrex model. I find the wrist-held feature of this model appealing, and was wondering if anyone here uses the Foretrex, and whether this model is recommended, in general. Any feedback/ advice on this matter is greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Paul James

Miami, FL

[+trail hound]

Pssst......Legend

[kablufa]

Thanks, I think it will be a Legend C indeed, based on all I'm reading. I am, however, still curious about the Foretrex...has anyone here at all used or owned one of these??

[+shawhh]

i have a foretrex 101 and a gpsmap76s. the foretrex is a good basic gps unit that has worked just fine for me. i really have no complaints against it except the wrist strap is just a bit on the skimpy side for my wrist. i use it when i don't need mapping, or when i just want to be less obvious in certain caching situations, or if i'm just in a minimalist mood. however, i would not discount the advantages to be had in a mapping unit. i mostly use the gpsmap 76s rather than the foretrex only because it has maps! if i was only going to have one gpsr i would certainly choose one with mapping. otherwise, they both will accurately obtain lock, plot your position, and will carry you to a waypoint. hope this helps. -harry

[kablufa]

Thanks Shawhh, it does help. It sounds like the foretrex 101 will do the trick for me at this time. I'll try the sport out and then I can upgrade to another unit with more features. Thanks!

Edited January 25, 2006 by kablufa

[Alphawolf]

I have owned the 101 for nearly a year now. I bought it for backpacking. I removed the wrist strap to save an ounce or so and now I just Velcro it to my pack strap.

I have no interest whatsoever in topo maps being loaded on the unit. They aren't detailed enough. I always carry a paper map, and a compass. Therefore, I wasn't interested in a mapping unit. I wanted the smallest, lightest unit I could find for backpacking. The Foretrex fills the need perfectly.

It performs flawlessly! It has now replaced my pedometer when I walk also. It is not much larger or heavier than a pedometer, yet it is so much more accurate, plus it will keep my weekly mileage totals running for me.

For geocaching, it will do anything the "big guys" can do, and do it as accurately. Spending more on a geocaching unit will not enable you to find the caches one bit faster.

I have taught GPS navigation clinics now for several years now, and the students are blown away now when they ask (as they always do) "What GPS do you use?" and I bring out that tiny, little Foretrex! Short of auto-routed city navigation, I will put this thing up against any receiver out there, and I have used them all at one time or another...And I mean them all. (O.K...I admit, I have never used any of the high priced surveyor grade units...)

Memory, color, internal altimeter, internal compass...They are all fun to play with, but in an "off road" application I would just rather spend my extra money on a new pair of hiking boots or something...

[+Crystal Sound]

I have both a Foretrex 101 and a Legend...

 

Although I like the basemaps (and topos) in the Legend, I think the Foretrex is a MUCH better unit. The FT seems to get a better "accuracy circle" than the Legend 9 times out of 10. The FT holds a satellite lock under heavy tree cover better than the Legend, also. Not to mention, it's nice not having to hold the Foretrex. I can wear it on my wrist, and it holds a lock in about any position. I cant say the same for the Legend - wearing it around my neck by the lanyard makes it useless, as it loses lock.

 

The Legend has a bigger screen, but I find the greyscale is sometimes harder to read than the crisp black/white of the Foretrex. And the FT backlight is *MUCH* brighter than the Legend.

 

As a previous poster stated, Garmin's topo maps are not that detailed. I much prefer using National Geographic Topo 24K series, and suffering with some "reference waymarks" and a printed map sheet, than what the Legend has (100K maps). Most of the time, i just connect my GPS to the laptop, and run Topo "live".

 

Note: I had purchased the Foretrex as my first unit. NO regrets. I later purchased about 4 other units (used) and quickly sold them. I also bought the Legend and Mapsource topo (exploration pack with accessories) due to the reviews that the Legend gets here in the forums. I'm afraid I've been rather disappointed with the Legend, and somewhat regret the purchase. The maps are nice, but I find I really dont need them. The performance of the Foretrex makes it my main unit, and I rarely fire up the Legend anymore. It's become the "loaner" unit.

 

I cant say anything about the Legend C - other than I've heard it's better than the regular Legend when it comes to satellite lock, and screen readability.

 

Edit: Clarifications.

Edited January 25, 2006 by Crystal Sound

[+benjamin921]

Can you hook up the 101 to a PC? I looked on Garmin's website but could not find anything. I see that the 201 can be hooked up but it uses a recargable battery. Also, how is the antenna in tree coverage?

Edited January 25, 2006 by benjamin921

[Alphawolf]

Yes, the 101 can be interfaced. The cable is an option. I would never buy (or recommend) a receiver that can't be interfaced with a PC. There are really only a few out there that can not be.

 

Tree performance is what you would expect from a patch antenna unit. It has been marginal in really heavy cover at times, but it has never once been an "issue" with me. If I lose signal for a moment or two, it has no effect on my hike or my day...It's an issue that (I think) is way overplayed.

 

Now, if the day comes that Garmin puts SiRF into the 101...Baby it's mine! But until then, I stand by my undying love for this thing.

[kablufa]

I'm definitely sold on the Foretrex 101; this will be my first GPS. Now, where should I get it? I have seen them on Ebay, Amazon, etc. I also went to a site recommended by someone else on the forum, lakepowelldiscountmarineelectronics.com. Before I go ahead and order it, are there any other suggestions on where to find it at a good price? Any dealers especially friendly to geocaching.com members? Thanks everyone!

[+daiichi]

I bought the foretrex 201 so that my daughter could go caching with me. It's a great unit. It's fast, accurate, light and convenient. Half the time I'm still putzing with my iPaq and she's already located the cache. It doesn't have a map, but that's fine, I carry the map and get us close enough to the GZ--and that's all that really matters. I asked her if she wanted a new GPSr--and she told me that she was happy with the Foretrex. I think it was money well spent.

[kablufa]

Excellent...it's feedback like this that made me decide on it. And I agree about the maps, I got plenty (I'm kind of a map freak- I have a degree in geography) so all I need at this time is the GPS to give me my exact coordinates and so forth. Not to say that in the future I won't buy a $600 gps, but to begin on the sport this will do. Where did you buy yours, locally or online? Thx.

[+shawhh]

i've used gpsdiscount.com several times and have nothing bad to say about them at all. very pleased with their service. -harry

[+Crystal Sound]

Can you hook up the 101 to a PC?  I looked on Garmin's website but could not find anything.  I see that the 201 can be hooked up but it uses a recargable battery. Also, how is the antenna in tree coverage?

From my experience, the Foretrex keeps the best lock of the 4-5 units i've tried, under tree cover.

 

As others said, the 101 will interface to a PC. You can buy a cable (separately).. Or, if you are handy with a soldering iron, you can easily build a cable from parts purchased at radio shack for about $10.

 

I have a friend that has a 201, and yes, it comes with the cable. It's also a little thinner than the 101. I went with the 101, so that I can change batteries if needed. I figured there might be times I couldnt recharge the built-in batteries, so it made better sense for me.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Crystal Sound

[moonpup]

The Foretrex 101 seems hard to come by. gpsdiscount only has the 201 listed. Other sites I checked only have the forerunner models or the 201... anyone??

Edited January 26, 2006 by moonpup

[moonpup]

I did find the Foretrex 101 on the adventurestation.com website for $110.95 which you can get to through backpacker.com

 

Are they reputable?

[kablufa]

I found a website that sells the Foretrex 101 for $91.00, free shipping! Too good to be true?

The site is http://www.1wow.com , has anyone ordered from there? I checked the Better Business Bureau and they seem legit, running since 2000, but they do have a moderate number of complaints. I already ordered my unit, although the way it works is you need to call during business hours to complete the transaction over the phone (if paying with a credit card).

 

I really don't know at this point if I'll go through with it or not, there's something a little odd about all this. If anyone knows anything about this outfit do share.

[+GOT GPS?]

I found the link to the ForeTrex on the Backpacker website HERE at this LINK.

 

Sounds like a good GPS for people that like to travel light.

 

-

Geoff

[kablufa]

I found that Target has the Legend C for $199...is the extra $100 over the Foretrex 101 worth it, for basic geocaching? Just wondering.

[Alphawolf]

is the extra $100 over the Foretrex 101 worth it, for basic geocaching?

Well, no one can answer that for you. Let me put this to you though. If you had the Legend C, and I had my Foretrex 101, and we both started towards the same cache at the same time, your Legend with onboard maps wouldn't get you there any closer or any quicker than my 101 with my paper maps.

It simply comes down to "Do you want maps showing you where you are on a color screen"?

[kablufa]

Well, I am now the happy owner of a Garmin Foretrex 101...what a fantastic unit! Granted, I haven't used any of the high end units yet (nor any other GPS for that matter) but I am very pleased with this unit as my first GPS. The controls are very easy to use, the manual straightforward and clear, and most important, the unit works like a charm! I went to my local botanical garden and tested it out on some waypoints, and was able to get to within 5-6 feet of the trees I had marked. Nice! So thanks to those who recommended the Foretrex 101, and for those shopping for a GPS, I join in recommending it as well. And now, on to geocaching!

 

K.

Edited February 17, 2006 by kablufa

[Alphawolf]

Well, I am now the happy owner of a Garmin Foretrex 101...what a fantastic unit! Granted, I haven't used any of the high end units yet (nor any other GPS for that matter) but I am very pleased with this unit as my first GPS. The controls are very easy to use, the manual straightforward and clear, and most important, the unit works like a charm! I went to my local botanical garden and tested it out on some waypoints, and was able to get to within 5-6 feet of the trees I had marked. Nice! So thanks to those who recommended the Foretrex 101, and for those shopping for a GPS, I join in recommending it as well. And now, on to geocaching!

 

K.

 

Go Get 'em! Great choice! Too many people getting to enthralled with a bunch of techno-whiz that just causes people a whole bunch of grief! How often do you see "trouble" or "bug" posts about a 101?

[toddm]

I do like the foretrex 101 for a no frils get your butt out and back gps unit. In fact for biking or hiking I'm tempted to get one when I just want the ability to get back from where I am at, and if needed give coordinates in an emergency. It would make a great light compact hiking unit. The 101 is the only unit of the foretrex/forerunner/edge series I'd buy, and you can't beat the cost.

 

I really really wanted to get a edge 305 for my bike, it could replace my HRM and GPS in one unit, but I won't use anything in the field that has a non-replaceable battery, and for that matter will not take a standard battery (AA, AAA etc) something that can be found in the middle of no where. A few hours of runtime is not enough if you get seriously lost or want to use it for a week of backpacking or biking, so to me any unit with a lion battery that cannot be replaced or does not have a serious runtime (an order of magnitude more than they have now), is useless in the field. Even using a proprietary spare lion battery system is expensive with the non-replaceable lions when you need to replace them, most lion's only are good for about 500 charges, then you have to send the unit in to get the battery replaced by garmin, no doubt at a significant cost. At least give the user an option to use AAA's or something along with a lion rechargeable pack if you want, or worst case let them use an external battery pack similar to what the ipod does.

[+La Perouse]

Well, I am now the happy owner of a Garmin Foretrex 101...what a fantastic unit! Granted, I haven't used any of the high end units yet (nor any other GPS for that matter) but I am very pleased with this unit as my first GPS. The controls are very easy to use, the manual straightforward and clear, and most important, the unit works like a charm! I went to my local botanical garden and tested it out on some waypoints, and was able to get to within 5-6 feet of the trees I had marked. Nice! So thanks to those who recommended the Foretrex 101, and for those shopping for a GPS, I join in recommending it as well. And now, on to geocaching!

 

K.

[+La Perouse]

Well, I am now the happy owner of a Garmin Foretrex 101...what a fantastic unit! Granted, I haven't used any of the high end units yet (nor any other GPS for that matter) but I am very pleased with this unit as my first GPS. The controls are very easy to use, the manual straightforward and clear, and most important, the unit works like a charm! I went to my local botanical garden and tested it out on some waypoints, and was able to get to within 5-6 feet of the trees I had marked. Nice! So thanks to those who recommended the Foretrex 101, and for those shopping for a GPS, I join in recommending it as well. And now, on to geocaching!

 

K.

 

Have you tried the transfer of data between the 101 and your PC ? I am a MAC user - so I know that I will have a challenge on my hands if I get a 101. But if it works flawlessly PC wise at least that is a start.

 

La perouse

[kablufa]

 

Have you tried the transfer of data between the 101 and your PC ? I am a MAC user - so I know that I will have a challenge on my hands if I get a 101. But if it works flawlessly PC wise at least that is a start.

 

La perouse

 

Not yet, I haven't gotten around to buying the cable yet. On sunday I plan on calling around some of my local computer/ electronics stores to see if they carry it. I don't mind the $10 price which seems to be the norm on Ebay, but I do mind the extra $4 (on average) for the shipping. *btw, anyone who has an extra cable out there that wants to sell it let me know! *

 

From what I've heard, however, I do not think it's a complicated process to download the waypoints to the unit. I believe that once you plug it in, and click the "download waypoint" button on the cache, you just choose your unit as destination, and done. So far I've been inputing the data it by hand, a little tedious, but it's good practice with the controls.

 

Cheers, K.

[+oldsoldier]

You're gonna love the simplicity of this unit. Its easy to DL points from your PC. I've never had any issues.

As a side note; my brother got me one while in Iraq, of all places. In 2003, he fought in Fallujah. About a month before the battle, They were trying to figure out routes and the like (if you've ever seen pictures, it doesnt do it justice. It looks like the city planners were absent during road planning. That, and half the city is a cemetary). He and a buddy wrote to Garmin, to see if they could get a bunch of discounted units, buying wholesale (they had to purchase 8). Well, Garmin sent them 12 of the 101s, for nothing, wishing them luck. These things performed flawlessly there, were simple to use, easy to read, and didnt require an extra hand to look at it with. That, coupled with airial overlays (no real maps existed of the areea), kept my brother from getting lost in indian country. He gave me one of his leftover units when he got back. I used mine extensively overseas as well as caching here, and have zero complaints. I, however, like carrying maps (also served in the army for 15 years), and, I feel that the combo of both the 101 and a map, you'll be spot on. That, and the fact that Garmin did that for my brother's unit, has made me a lifelong supporter of them. Ease of use, compactness, lightness (I am now a through and through lightweight hiker), and the fact that you can change batteries in the field, are pretty much the selling points, to me. That, and its not some crazy color . But, last one is just based on me.

Sorry for the rambling. But, I feel you've made a great choice. Stick with paper maps; mapreading is becoming a lost art. There is something about being able to plot you point on a paper map that is satisfying, at least to myslef.

[Alphawolf]

As I've said many times...Give me my Foretrex 101, a compass, a paper map and my grid card and turn me loose! I'll get anywhere with that combination that someone can get to with a $500 60csx and I'll get there just as quick. In fact, I'll get there a lot quicker! You see...I won't be busy posting questions on this forum about, and whining about, all the bugs in my GPS! I won't be busy calibrating my compass, and I won't be busy calibrating my altimeter, and I won't be busy trying to figure out which maps I need to buy from Garmin, how to download them, and posting more questions about the rotten lack of map detail in Mapsource TOPO...Nope, I'll just be happily on my way to wherever I please.

You made a great choice! Now...When Garmin releases the equivalent model with the new SiRF III, then watch out baby! I'm all over it!

Edited February 19, 2006 by Alphawolf

[+benjamin921]

Now...When Garmin releases the equivalent model with the new SiRF III, then watch out baby! I'm all over it!

Yup. Any word about this? Or just wishfull thinking. I guess I'll shoot an email to Garmin.

[+Crystal Sound]

Well, I am now the happy owner of a Garmin Foretrex 101...what a fantastic unit! Granted, I haven't used any of the high end units yet (nor any other GPS for that matter) but I am very pleased with this unit as my first GPS. The controls are very easy to use, the manual straightforward and clear, and most important, the unit works like a charm! I went to my local botanical garden and tested it out on some waypoints, and was able to get to within 5-6 feet of the trees I had marked. Nice! So thanks to those who recommended the Foretrex 101, and for those shopping for a GPS, I join in recommending it as well. And now, on to geocaching!

 

K.

 

Have you tried the transfer of data between the 101 and your PC ? I am a MAC user - so I know that I will have a challenge on my hands if I get a 101. But if it works flawlessly PC wise at least that is a start.

 

La perouse

 

I've got a FT101, and use it regularly on my MAC.. I didnt have any problems getting it to work.

 

Contact me privately, and we can discuss details.