Decided to wait for the next generation of the Colorado

[+Quiet-Tiger]

I Decided to wait for the next generation of the Colorado

 

Every one has an opinion on the Colorado and I respect that. I’ll share mine here. Perhaps Garmin will come across it and make note of it. Perhaps other prospective buyers will get something out of it.

 

First I love Garmin products and in my experience Garmin after sales support is GOLDEN. That said I think that after several great product homeruns, the Colorado is a bit of a foul ball.

 

When the Colorado was first announced I was chomping at the bit to order one. I very nearly did on several occasions. While I was shopping for my Colorado I came across a link to a review that put a bit of a shadow on the Colorado. I then began to search the forums for feedback and opinions. What I saw convinced me to wait a little while.

 

I finally got my hands on a real Colorado 300 this week with all the updates. A local retailer lent me the unit for a few hours. My initial reaction was a 50/50 mix of WOW and OWW. There is no doubt the Colorado is a great PNG. Unfortunately for me it does not quite fulfill the promise. I already own a 60Cx and given the price point of the Colorado I don’t see much reason to upgrade.

 

If I did not own a 60Cx it would be about an equal call which way I would go 60Cx / Colorado.

 

Some will jump down my throat, but in my opinion the Colorado is being marketed as a replacement for units such as the 60Cx and the Vista Cx. One reason I say this is Garmin is attracting a lot of attention to the paperless caching function. The 60Cx is one of the most popular caching GPS units, so presumably a large segment of their intended market already owns a Garmin. Also I’ve noted that a large number of Colorado posters constantly compare the Colorado to “their” 60Cx.

 

In this respect the Colorado seems to have lost some of the functionality that was integral to units such as the 60Cx. Yes the maps are more colorful and you can import Gocaching information (paperless), but the geo-caching interface has some issues at the moment.

 

While the Colorado display is nothing to get overly excited about it is a marked improvement in some respects to the 60Cx. Unlike some I did not find the display difficult to read without the backlight on even indoors. Without the backlight the display certainly does not POP. The display really shows its true colors when it is connected to a car power adapter. Nice, bright and stunning color.

 

Some have complained of battery life. For my part I did not see a big problem (2.4FW). While the batteries in the Colorado do not last as long as the 60Cx that is something I am very much willing to sacrifice for the improved display. The owner of the unit I used gets 6-10h using about 50% backlight. That is great in my opinion. I certainly WOULD NOT want to see the Colorado go to a built in lithium cell!

 

In the end I still gave Garmin my hard earned money, but I put the money down on a Nuvi. The Nuvi is one of Garmin’s homeruns. The Unit does exactly what it says on the box and does it amazingly well. Since I already have two hiking handheld units I figured I’d spend the money I set aside for the Colorado on something my wife and I can both use. I don’t regret it.

 

Colorado

 

Pros – Nice large hi-res display

Colorful maps

Geocaching (paperless)

 

Cons - Beyond items listed above not a significant improvement on the 60Cx

Some functionally on the 60Cx missing or less conveniently accessed.

Apparently some units have hardware faults (time keeping etc)

Price

Occasional lockups

Map updates are slow.

 

Final comments

 

Garmin keeps brining to market new and very effective navigation products. I am sure Garmin is already hard at work designing the next generation PNDs. For now I’ll hold fast to my trusted 60Cx and Vista Cx. I’ll wait for the next generation Colorado.

 

If I did not have a 60Cx I suspect I would have taken the plunge and gone with the Colorado. The Colorado is certainly an attractive unit. Sure it is not perfect but as many have pointed out, it kicks the crap out of the Tritons.

 

As an aside I don’t get the NT maps. Presumably the non NT Maps were compressed so that more data could be shoehorned into GPS units. The down side is that the GPS now has to spend a significant amount of time decompressing data and that has a drastic effect on screen update rate.

 

Now that you can get SD cards and even micro SD for as low as 5-8$ per Gig why burden the GPS with the unnecessary work. I tried both compressed (NT) and uncompressed (Non-NT) maps in my Vista Cx and the difference was amazing. The most obvious was getting POI information. Place the pointer over a POI using NT maps and it takes several seconds to get a label. Do the same on the Non-NT maps and the label is almost instantaneous.

 

Garmin if you are listening here is a suggestion. Sell one map set, but include the compression option in Mapsource. Yes I know that will probably mean more map segments… or does it?

[moonpup]

Hi,

 

I can agree with your sentiments, but I just ordered one and it's being delivered today. I was an early adopter of the 60CSx when it first came out and it had numerous issues as well. Over time Garmin addressed them all with firmware updates and I am confident they will do the same with the Colorado's. For now I am willing to live with it's shortcomings and quirkiness but know it will smooth out over the next few months as users report these issues to Garmin.

 

If it's a hardware issue, then a replacement will be necessary but most things can be fixed with firmware.

[moonpup]

duplicate post... server error

Edited March 7, 2008 by moonpup

[+jotne]

You did forget a very important feature.

Profiles

[+Red90]

Unlimitted saved tracks....

 

I'm a fairly serious cacher and GPS freak. In my mind the Colorado is a much better Geocaching tool than the 60Csx for many reasons.

 

For a non-cachers, the differences are not substantial. With only 175 finds, you are probably not a big enough cacher to appreciate the differences. For someone doing a lot of caching, it is a wonderful upgrade.

[+LifeOnEdge!]

You did forget a very important feature.

Profiles

 

People don't like either change or to have thier (sometimes uneduated) expections not lived up to.

 

Can you IMAGINE the uproar if the Colorado had come before the GPSmap 60 CSx units? My god!

 

"Sure, its got a few (almost useless) features that the Colorado does not have, but there are sooo many buttons, and they wear out in less than a year! Its a dull, almost unimaginative unit with a flaky compass and feels cheap in your hand. It may have a few more hours of battery life than my previous unit, but the display has gone backwards in design several steps. I miss my (place your favorite feature here: cache descriptions, cache logs, hints, picture viewer, backgrounds, Wherigo, profiles, stable electronic compass, greater flexibility, redesigned screen displays, etc., etc., etc.)!"

 

For all the naysayers out there: You and your wife can have a brand new GPSmap 60CSx for the cost of ONE Colorado 400t. GO buy yourselves some!

 

Back on topic: I got my Colorado 400t on January 23rd. If someone would come into my home and take my GPSmap 60CSx and my Colorado, and then leave me a brand new GPSmap 60CSx and $500 in cash ... I'd be pissed!

[moonpup]

so in a nutshell... you like it

[+g-o-cashers]

As an aside I don’t get the NT maps. Presumably the non NT Maps were compressed so that more data could be shoehorned into GPS units. The down side is that the GPS now has to spend a significant amount of time decompressing data and that has a drastic effect on screen update rate.

 

Now that you can get SD cards and even micro SD for as low as 5-8$ per Gig why burden the GPS with the unnecessary work. I tried both compressed (NT) and uncompressed (Non-NT) maps in my Vista Cx and the difference was amazing. The most obvious was getting POI information. Place the pointer over a POI using NT maps and it takes several seconds to get a label. Do the same on the Non-NT maps and the label is almost instantaneous.

 

Garmin if you are listening here is a suggestion. Sell one map set, but include the compression option in Mapsource. Yes I know that will probably mean more map segments… or does it?

 

I'm curious, did you try the NT and non-NT maps on the Colorado to compare? I know there have been lag issues on the Vistas, but I haven't heard any complaints on the Colorado.

 

Personally, I'm running the NT CN 2008 maps on the CO and I haven't seen any significant map performance issues. I've actually been pretty happy with the map performance in general.

 

I would agree that the CN map thing (v8 v 2008, NT v. non-NT, upgrade v. non-upgrade) is super confusing right now.

 

GO$Rs

[+Quiet-Tiger]

Unlimitted saved tracks....

 

I'm a fairly serious cacher and GPS freak. In my mind the Colorado is a much better Geocaching tool than the 60Csx for many reasons.

 

For a non-cachers, the differences are not substantial. With only 175 finds, you are probably not a big enough cacher to appreciate the differences. For someone doing a lot of caching, it is a wonderful upgrade.

 

If its numbers that drive you I bet I've cached in more countries. I would love to get more caches but my international work can be somewhat demanding. I have done a few more extreme caches in the Oman desert and in the mountains in Spain.

 

In my experience the toy does not make the man. The best example of that is photography. A $2000 camera will not make great pictures but a astute observer with a $200 camera can take some amazing shots.

 

I started to cache with a compass and topo maps. I know cachesrs in Spain and England that have several hundred caches to their credit and still use paper maps and non mapping GPS units.

 

Yes I concede that the Garmin Colorado is a great little unit, but for me it did not offer a substantial improvement to my 60Cx + Palm TE.

 

Please do not be offended. Like I said in my post its just an opinion. I've been waiting eagerly for a faster, high color GPS hand held with paperless caching. I just did not particularly like the Colorado's implementation.

[+Red90]

If its numbers that drive you I bet I've cached in more countries. I would love to get more caches but my international work can be somewhat demanding. I have done a few more extreme caches in the Oman desert and in the mountains in Spain.

 

LOL, don't try to start a pissing contest with me about extreme and worldwide caching. You'll lose.

 

The point of the discussion is that the Colorado is the best single caching device that has been made to date. Period. It is much better than the 60 series. In my mind it does everything needed (right now) to not have a PDA, or printouts or whatever you need to get the information. This is a big deal when your two weeks into the bush.

[+nicolo]

If its numbers that drive you I bet I've cached in more countries. I would love to get more caches but my international work can be somewhat demanding. I have done a few more extreme caches in the Oman desert and in the mountains in Spain.

 

LOL, don't try to start a pissing contest with me about extreme and worldwide caching. You'll lose.

 

The point of the discussion is that the Colorado is the best single caching device that has been made to date. Period. It is much better than the 60 series. In my mind it does everything needed (right now) to not have a PDA, or printouts or whatever you need to get the information. This is a big deal when your two weeks into the bush.

Yeah, I heard that you did this cache just for a bit of brass,

[+Quiet-Tiger]

Your impressive list is well impressive. That is not the point of my post. I have other activities that take up my time. Geocaching is a fun diversion when the opportunity presents itself. You have climbed some impressive hills... Kudos to you and other hardcore cachers that take this sport / hobby to the extreme.

 

"I, me myself" find that I would rather wait till the next device in the Garmin product line. I'm very happy that you have fallen in love with your Colorado. Love is a wonderful thing even if I do not share your enthusiasm. I've simply read too many negative posts, and my first hand impression was not earth shattering.

 

The most fun I've had caching has been with paper maps and a map-less monochrome eTrex Venture. My current units will suite me just fine until it breaks.

 

I don't know what all that stuff about bad buttons. I use my GPS 60Cx for work as well as play and I can assure you my units get a lot of action. All my buttons still work. The only issue I've had with the 60Cx is the loss of the lug on the back on two occasions. O and a damaged battery cover. Not bad for a unit that fell nearly 25m off a radar tower!

 

While it is clearly obvious that you have completed way WAY more caches than I, according to your logs I have traveled more extensively than you. Sadly some of my work locations do not lend themselves to this particular hobby. Israel, and Afghanistan for example... I'd just as soon not log my first IED thanks!

 

I'm home in Canada for the next six months maybe I can get a few more caches under my belt.

[+Cacheoholic]

Put me on that alleged short little list of happy Colorado owners. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on many GPS’s and was completely content (or so I thought) with my 60CSx. Then I got a Colorado. I’m still kind of dazed and what this thing can do. I continue to have jaw dropping experiences when I discover a new feature. I no longer have to worry about having to drag my fragile $300 Pocket PC with me out in the wild. It’s so quick & easy to copy and paste a few gpx files and go. I haven’t used my PPC, 60CSx and nuvi since I bought the Colorado. In my worthless opinion, Garmin’s biggest shortfall with the Colorado is the users manual. I can not imagine a newbie buying a Colorado as a first GPS and figuring out how to use it!

[+Red90]

Did a 25 cache day yesterday with friends. It is wonderful. Does everything it needs to do and is leaps and bounds more useful than the 60Cx when caching. I never looked at the PDA all day, no need. One unit to rule them all.

 

Online logging at the end of the day was so simple.

 

I doubt that the one guy using the 60Cx that was with us will be able to resist buying a Colorado for very long.

[+geognerd]

I'm not waiting for the next generation of the Colorado as much as I'm waiting for a cheaper and more basic Colorado. Drop the barometer, electronic compass, and wireless data transfer (these things are not essential to geocaching) then knock $150 off the price.

[+qlenfg]

When I was caching with my other units I would transcribe to PC / paper the finer points of the cache location and description as well as an interpretation of the physical location based on the outdated Google Maps satellite view of this area. I had my non-mapping GPS and a pocket full of papers every time I went out. Several times I entered bad coordinates and wasted lots of time trying to find something that wasn't there.

 

Decided it was time to move up to the 21st century and buy a color mapping GPS. Looked at the Magellan models and thought the camera, MP3 player, flashlight and touch screen on the Triton 2000 was a cool idea. Glad I didn't saddle that horse.

 

Anyway, the Colorado looked pretty cool and I was happy with other Garmin products and their support. The only thing I was wary of was the wheel and how it was mounted at the top of the unit. Seemed to me your fingers would get in the way. Found a good price and took the plunge anyway -- glad I did. Yeah, its a bit buggy still, but I figure they'll work it out in the near future, and I don't have to carry a wad of papers in my pocket.

 

Being able to transfer the GPX files straight to the unit is great. Marking the cache as found on the unit and uploading the field notes is really spiffy too. Pocket Queries are even better. I still transcribe and print the puzzle caches just in case, and I wish the Garmin Communicator would download and store the photos from the cache listing on the unit, but other than that I'm a happy camper. We've found 32 caches with it so far, including two we couldn't retrieve due to muggles, but no big deal.

Edited March 11, 2008 by qlenfg

[+bobkeenan]

I am another happy camper. I bought the etrex when it first came out. Then upgraded to a Vista when I started geocaching ... but as I got addicted to geocaching quickly went to a 60Csx and a Palm z22. I was very happy with that combo for the past year. Although I am a lazy person at heart and the extra steps to load the z22 (using GSAK & Cachemate) and then doing double fisted caching was a little annoying.... I kept hoping that Garmin would upgrade the 60 firmware to allow for more notes (yes i did have abbreviated notes and hints). I then bought a new Nuvi for the car. So I am a little Garmin crazy.

 

When I saw that the Colorado had the paperless capability I started tracking the progress of firmware. I bet I read every posting from Dec Thru Feb. When it looked like 2.4 fixed most of the problems I ran down to REI (yes I could have saved more money if I bought it online or waited a couple months) and got a 300 and stopped at Frys for a couple of 4mb sdhc cards.

 

I have had it now for a couple weeks and have gone out geocaching and traveling on several occasions. I had a problem with it shutting down at first but I called Garmin. We did a reset and have not had a problem since. I kept the 60 and palm for week to make sure I liked the colorado. And those are now sold.

 

I have had NO problems since the reset. I have NT NA and most of California TOPO 2008 on my unit. Last weekend I loaded a GSAK gpx file with 1900 caches. It all worked flawlessly.

 

My complaints are minor. Battery usage is higher. The screen does not seem as bright. Cold startup time is longer. It is a little tedious going from autorouting on and off street. the 60 was better at that but I bet Garmin fixes that. I consider all of these nits.

 

I am a happy geocacher with my Colorado 300.

 

If you wait they will iron out more of the bugs and it will get cheaper... so maybe it is good to wait.

 

On the other hand..... I am having fun with mine NOW

Edited March 11, 2008 by bobkeenan

[+Right Wing Wacko]

I am another happy camper.

me Too!

I have NT NA and most of California TOPO 2008 on my unit. Last weekend I loaded a GSAK gpx file with 1900 caches. It all worked flawlessly.

I have had some minor issues with certain caches. Some simply will not take a GO-TO, and others hang the unit when attempting to display the cache description. If we could figure out what causes this, we could filter those things out.

My complaints are minor. Battery usage is higher.

This is an annoyance. I alway carry spare rechargeables anyway, so ither than the inconveniance of having to actually swap them....

The screen does not seem as bright.

I beleive this is because you (and most others) have both TOPO and CN active at the same time. The TOPO shading makes the screen appear darker. When I turn off TOPO and only show CN, the screen looks every bit as bright as my 60C.

Cold startup time is longer. It is a little tedious going from autorouting on and off street. the 60 was better at that but I bet Garmin fixes that. I consider all of these nits.

Ditto.

[+Quiet-Tiger]

Thanks for the feedback. I have begun seeing more positive feedback. I really can't do much caching right now in the Ottawa area... for you guys that missed it we have been getting pummeled by snowstorm after snowstorm this year. The Ottawa area is buried under nearly record snow levels.

 

Perhaps when the snow clears this spring and I get around to caching again I'll take the plunge. Maybe by then the price point will have dropped and the few remaining bugs will be ironed out. I borrowed the unit again this last week and took the opportunity to try out some of the paperless caching functions.

 

I admit the convenience beats the sometimes laborious process of converting GPX files to Plucker for my Palm. But I have a good setup sorted out now so its normally a petty smooth process.

 

Try as I might I could not get Topo Canada to give me any DME shading, with or without the base map. In fact when I selected the Topo Canada map, I appeared to loose all other maps including the base map. In this example I had the Ottawa area topo maps loaded. With the base map and Topo Canada selected, when I zoomed out all I saw was the Ottawa area and a BIG blank area around it. Was I doing something stunned.

 

Has anyone managed to get DME shading with Canada Tapo maps?

 

While I concede the Colorado is one hot little unit... my gut tells me there is the perfect little unit just around the corner. Garmin I am sure are all ready hard at work on my dream GPS.

Edited March 14, 2008 by Quiet-Tiger