colorado waterproof?

[+toil&trouble]

Okay, I bought an Oregon and it was okay, but then we looked at some Colorado's with a friend and really liked it. We use our GPSr mostly for geocaching. (We have Nuvi's in the cars) We love the paperless caching that they both offer. We weren't happy with the touch screen, it wasn't very sensative, seems like sometimes it just wouldn't respond, except that every time I tried to back a page, I marked a waypoint instead. I like everything about the Colorado better than the Oregon, the wheel is easier to use, the default geocache screen is great, it shows an overlay with the cache name, dificulty/terrain, type and compass arrow, over a map. If you zoom the map in, you can navigate right to the cache without using the auto profile and having to switch back and forth. That screen isn't available on the Oregon. So, here's my question, is the Colorado really not at all waterproof? I had a GPS60c for years and never got it wet enough to hurt it, but it would be just my luck to drop this brand new one in a puddle or pond. I hear that the OR is totally waterproof, as advertised, but I've read so much bad stuff about the CO not being at all waterproof. Some people think it has something to do with the gasket/seal, but I can't see what they're talking about. It seems that the CO just got a lot of bad press initially, and nothing I've read is recent and seems so biased. Can anybody help me out? Right now I have both an OR 300 and a CO 400t, but I want to sell one and recoup some costs.

[+Tequila]

Read this thread:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=221051

[+splashy]

I owned a Colorado before but I swapped it to a Oregon because of malfunction and I like the Oregons touchscreen very much, maybe you have to realign your screen, because it's working like a dream compared to the Colorado R+R wheel, but that might be personal.

 

Garmin admitted the Colorado is NOT waterproof and beside the hole in the back ( if it's still there?) the O ring does not keep the water from the electronics, so if you need it to be rainproof think about a zipbag.

 

The Colorado did get a bad press, because almost everything IS wrong with it, the reason you don't see bad press lately, Garmin solved some issues, people gave up complaining and MANY people swapped, these gps'es are refurbished and sold for dumpprices and shorter warranties, as it looks right now Garmin is not supporting the Colorado with software updates and dumping the model.

 

Have a look also at this site,

http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/Issues+List

[brett_monkey]

I owned a Colorado before but I swapped it to a Oregon because of malfunction and I like the Oregons touchscreen very much, maybe you have to realign your screen, because it's working like a dream compared to the Colorado R+R wheel, but that might be personal.

 

Garmin admitted the Colorado is NOT waterproof and beside the hole in the back ( if it's still there?) the O ring does not keep the water from the electronics, so if you need it to be rainproof think about a zipbag.

 

The Colorado did get a bad press, because almost everything IS wrong with it, the reason you don't see bad press lately, Garmin solved some issues, people gave up complaining and MANY people swapped, these gps'es are refurbished and sold for dumpprices and shorter warranties, as it looks right now Garmin is not supporting the Colorado with software updates and dumping the model.

 

Have a look also at this site,

http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/Issues+List

 

I love my Garmin Colorado 300. I have yet to find that it has any faults whatsoever. I use it for mainly for hiking and some for automotive travel. The accuracy is dead on. I paid 250 bucks for it brand new from Costco. Some of the best money I have spent. But when it comes to the waterproof part, I have yet to test that personally.

Edited May 7, 2009 by brett_monkey

[+Tequila]

Some people have reported no waterproof issues while, as mentioned above, many have experienced it.

 

In my case, I was geocaching in a steady downpour (not a hurricane) and was shocked when I found the batteries with drops of water on them. Not damp but actual drops of water.

 

When I reported this to Garmin, the response was that rain is harder on a unit than submersion. I found that hard to believe but the dealer immediately swapped the unit. Since I also use it for search and rescue, waterproof is a critical requirement.

 

Garmin support also asked me if there was a gap where the back cover meets the body of the unit near the top. There was. They said that was part of the problem. I have yet to see a CO that does not have a gap there although some gaps are much more pronounced than others. I have seen gaps large enough to slide a dime into.

 

Subsequently, Garmin redesigned the back cover to address the water on the card issue. They also stated that the battery compartment is IPX5, not IPX7.

 

I had other issues with two subsequent CO's and Garmin eventually replaced it with a OR and I have had no trouble with it.

 

Most, if not all, of the other issues with the CO (i.e. accuracy) have been addressed. I don't think they ever fixed the irritation of having to reset the backlighting every power on.

 

I would also be concerned that Garmin does not appear to be actively supporting the CO. New products announced yesterday are based on the OR platform and the OR continues to receive firmware/functionality improvements.

 

One other point. A friend recently had his CO replaced by Garmin. They sent him one of the very original units with a very very low serial number.

 

I think the CO had great potential and unfortunately, has become another classic symbol of a product rushed to market before it was ready for prime time.

 

Having said that, if you truly like the way the CO operates, have no concerns/requirement for waterproofing, then you should consider it. No question there are great pricing deals available as stores clear inventory.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Tequila

[+toil&trouble]

Thanks for the responses so far, I really appreciate the input. I have read the posts by the guy in Hawaii, but it really does seem to me that he is just angry and hates anything CO at this point. Everything I've read talks about the o-rings bunching or coming loose, and I haven't seen that in mine. I guess a lot of it is personal. I had problems with the OR and have had none with the CO. I am afraid that Garmin is dropping the line and will not continue to support it. REI is no longer selling the CO, and since that is just a large retailer, I see that as a pretty big sign that is is going to be discontinued. I would still appreciate any input from anyone else with expierence with both devices.

[+splashy]

Actually I was also angry, because Garmin sold me a Colorado that wasn't 100 % working and they knew from the beginning.

They just waited until you complained, then they swapped, so the people who did not complain because they didn't know something was not working or didn't see messages on a forum, many are stuck now with a not 100% working Gps, even worse, if I see people have refurbished Colorado's with very low serial numbers I wonder did they solve the problem at all, because many issues were hardware problems.

A gap or not, the first serie had a hole in the backcover, so the water could reach the batteries.

Edited May 7, 2009 by splashy

[+Red90]

Mine is.

 

[+Timpat]

Mine is, too. I took it trolling thru some rapids behind my kayak last Fall. Unintentionally. Glad I thought to tether it.

[+Maingray]

If you zoom the map in, you can navigate right to the cache without using the auto profile and having to switch back and forth. That screen isn't available on the Oregon.

 

eh?

 

edit: oh yeh. i know the screen you mean. Yes that is a nice overview page.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Maingray

[docjames]

Okay, I bought an Oregon and it was okay, but then we looked at some Colorado's with a friend and really liked it. We use our GPSr mostly for geocaching. (We have Nuvi's in the cars) We love the paperless caching that they both offer. We weren't happy with the touch screen, it wasn't very sensative, seems like sometimes it just wouldn't respond, except that every time I tried to back a page, I marked a waypoint instead. I like everything about the Colorado better than the Oregon, the wheel is easier to use, the default geocache screen is great, it shows an overlay with the cache name, dificulty/terrain, type and compass arrow, over a map. If you zoom the map in, you can navigate right to the cache without using the auto profile and having to switch back and forth. That screen isn't available on the Oregon. So, here's my question, is the Colorado really not at all waterproof? I had a GPS60c for years and never got it wet enough to hurt it, but it would be just my luck to drop this brand new one in a puddle or pond. I hear that the OR is totally waterproof, as advertised, but I've read so much bad stuff about the CO not being at all waterproof. Some people think it has something to do with the gasket/seal, but I can't see what they're talking about. It seems that the CO just got a lot of bad press initially, and nothing I've read is recent and seems so biased. Can anybody help me out? Right now I have both an OR 300 and a CO 400t, but I want to sell one and recoup some costs.

If you need your GPS to be waterproof. Just don't buy the Colorado. If you're using it in good weathers and hiking, tell you the truth, the colorado' ok. I was telling Garmin the other day that they can just take the IPX rating off their box. Just treated like it's a regurlar GPS. If you're counting on the Colorado during crucial events where water will be met. Just don't by it. when Garmin finally give way and swap me for the Oregon. The store owner told me he'll send back the defective unit to Garmin, and they'll just put a new O-ring into it then repackage it to be send back for sale. Garmin should just tell everyone that this unit's just simply do not live up to it's claim. That's all.

Edited May 10, 2009 by docjames

[+webscouter.]

My Colorado and my camera went swimming with me while taking pictures of the sea turtles in Hawaii. The Colorado survived including a pretty stiff hit on the rocks under the water. The camera didn't

[+toil&trouble]

Thanks for all the input, seems that it just depends on luck, some people have had complete waterproof units and some, not at all. Owning both the OR and CO, I have to say there are advantages and disadvantage to both. Still haven't decided which to keep and which to sell.

[jinj]

There is a hole in the Oregon's back cover too, its filled with clear glue/rubber.

 

Why is that there??

[+HedgeMage]

I picked up a new CO about a week and a half ago. I love it. There is no hole in the back as I've heard others describe, and it has the new, bigger O-ring around the SD card slot. There is a gap between the cover and unit, however, as that isn't the waterproofing point, I am not certain if it matters. I did take the step of coating the o-rings in silicone grease* to improve the seal.

 

We haven't submerged it yet, but it was used in a light rain with no ill effects. I plan to bag it if we go anywhere it's likely to be submerged in more than a puddle.

 

I am upset with Garmin for falsely advertising the Colorado's IPx7 rating, but in the end, I needed something my 6yo could easily use, and the Colorado's interface won hands down. Waterproofing is not a mystery; I sincerely hope that Garmin fixes the cover issues and continues the Colorado platform.

 

--Susan

 

*The silicone grease I have seems to be much thicker than what others I've met are using, and this may make a difference. I think some use the thin stuff meant as a lubricant, while the grease I have was designed as a sealant (I had it in my fountain pen repair and retrofitting toolbox).

[+Tequila]

There is a hole in the Oregon's back cover too, its filled with clear glue/rubber.

 

Why is that there??

 

I think it has to do with the barometer but I am not certain.

[+david5kfull]

I had a hard time wading through all of the reviews of the Colorado in order to determine if it was a good unit or not. I actually have the Colorado 400t and the Delorme PN-40. I like both units and like all things, there are good and bad in both.

 

I think something to consider is to keep in mind what you are expecting to do with the unit. If you want an overall good GPS that you can take caching, hiking, biking, etc… They are both good for this.

 

The Colorado has prettier maps and a bigger screen while the Delorme has some better paperless caching features. They are both accurate (I have done several side-by-side tests). The Delorme is more waterproof while the Colorado navigates streets much better.

 

I have not submerged mine, but I have been hiking in a few storms and not had any issues. Maybe it will be fine, maybe it won’t. I have also never rammed my car into a guard rail to test to see if my airbags work either… I also do not intend to mount this to my boat nor have the need to scuba dive after caches… so full submersion would be done by accident if ever at all.

 

I am running the latest firmware on both and they both appear to be very stable. I have not experienced the battery life issues that others have complained about either. In fact, batteries last longer in my Colorado than in the Delorme.

 

I think the best advice would be to always buy anything like this, a GPS, phone, computer, radio, etc… from a retailer that has a good return policy. This will give you the opportunity to test out these items, determine if they meet your expectations, and either keep or return them if needed. That is what I do.

Edited May 12, 2009 by david5kfull

[+solo63137]

I bought the Colorado 400t despite the horror stories and it may be my ignorance with Handheld units as this is my 1st, but have not experienced any bugs or problems with it...

 

I have been caught out in the rain with it, but I'm scared to test its waterproof claim... I'm guessing mine is a latter model, so hopefully a lot of the bugs and issues were worked out...

 

I have several of those clear water proof boxes made for cellphones, wallets, keys, etc... that I keep it and other goodies I don't want wet in, when we go out on the boat or Wave runners...

 

If I had to buy another hand held at this point, I get another Colorado 400t... Not saying that there isn't anything better or that this unit is the best, but I really like it so far...

Edited May 12, 2009 by solo63137

[+StarBrand]

...even worse, if I see people have refurbished Colorado's with very low serial numbers I wonder did they solve the problem at all, because many issues were hardware problems....

Pure myth!!!

 

I have a low serial number one that has survived a few dunkings in water and rain and works perfectly with the latest upgrades. Never been back to Garmin since I bought it in Early Feb 2008.

[+TeamAldridge]

There is a hole in the Oregon's back cover too, its filled with clear glue/rubber.

 

Why is that there??

 

Well, I thought maybe it was made using a blow-molding process, but that's just an educated guess. I'm really not sure, but I wondered the same thing.