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Garmin GPSMAP 62s some Good and Bad


lflcache

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Hey guys,

can you help me by answering these questions: What kind of positive and negative have you heard about the 62 series and what are your personal experiences?

 

Google is your friend!! If you type in "Garmin 62s reviews", you'll get lots of feedback and good/bad reviews.

 

I have nothing negative to say about the unit.

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Hey guys,

can you help me by answering these questions: What kind of positive and negative have you heard about the 62 series and what are your personal experiences?

 

Google is your friend!! If you type in "Garmin 62s reviews", you'll get lots of feedback and good/bad reviews.

 

I have nothing negative to say about the unit.

 

I already checked google, but I want some stuff from Geocachers!

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I have been caching almost 10 years and own dozens of GPS units and we are currently using a 62S and Oregon 450.

IMO the 62S is the best unit you can buy for geocaching.

Nice bright screen, quad. antenna, great button layout ( same as 60 series), great software, 3-axis compass, paperless, etc.

 

You will read some negatives re. all units but with the updated firmware I see no issues with the 62S.

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I upgraded from the 60CX and it took some time to figure out how to do things on the new unit. In some cases the way the 62S does things is a lot more complicated than the older model. Now that I have figured out the things I like to do my only complaint is the screen readability while driving. My 60CX was easily read while driving to the cache. The new screen requires the backlight to be on in order to navigate. I removed the background colors from my maps as suggested to make it more easily read, but it still is barely readable and dangerous without the backlight on. I had assumed that since it did not have the touch screen this would not be an issue. I was wrong. Once out of the vehicle all is good. Very accurate and in direct sunlight easily readable. I also like the notes, though it took me quite a while to find where these notes are stored.

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I upgraded to a 62 about a year ago...haven't had any problems until this weekend....did a software upgrade from garmin site...then magically my PQs were invisible...when unit attached to computer the PQ was there...but the unit wouldn't display...called Garmin and they totally put the problem off on Geocaching.com....finally he told me how to re-boot and the PQs were now visible...but a new problem developed.....if I go to a cache...then attempt to page on something else screen of GPS goes blank and shuts off.....I have tried re-re-booting, re-loaded upgrade, re-did PQ and still the same problem...any ideas why this is happening????

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I'm very frustrated with mine. I've had it for 18 months now. Even after a recent software upgrade it does weird things. I think I have a lemon. I've had multiple quirky problems including not getting as accurate readings as I used to get with my 60. Never got complaints about my coords when I averaged with my 60. I frequently get complaints about my coords being anywhere from 10m to 40m off. My compass often points in the wrong direction so I end up following the numbers (meters) instead of the compass pointer, if the meters to the cache are declining then I'm going in the right direction. I don't understand the Profile settings. If I choose the geocaching profile shouldn't it automatically choose a direct route instead of a road/driving route?

 

The other thing that's a problem with my 62 is the keypad....it's eroding:

 

8021493574_408a359786.jpg

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I had mine for over a year, and generally no issues with sensitivity etc etc. Unit of choice for a while, I liked the screen and the old 60-way of button usage. Some operations were very fast on the unit compared to the many screen presses required on the Oregons. I had a random lock up bug which garmin helped a lot with trying to fix, taking my log files etc. It seemed to finally vanish after some updates. There was the "usual" gpx load bug that has happened on garmin since the Oregons came out, where if you sometimes loaded large gpx files with the same name over an old gpx file the unit would crash often needing a "user reset" (Enter + Page + Power together). Deleting the old file, rebooting the unit between gpx file refreshes usually negated that. I'm still hearing of multiple units being returned by friends, most likely by those who do not know how to user reset the unit.

 

My buttons eroded away, just as in the picture above (but far worse, the letters were starting to blend into the white back) and the rubber casing wore off too, so strips hung off the sides. I did use a LOT, but it seemed inappropriate wear.

 

I returned mine to REI and now have a Montana.

Edited by Maingray
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There are quite a few things I don't like about the 62, but they may or may not matter to others.

 

Here are just a few:

 

Custom POIs do not work the same on the 62 series that they do on previous models. You can see the POI icon on the map, but the name will not display. I've scratched my head many times wondering why Garmin would take away this functionality. Their answer is that POI names clutter the screen. How about this, Garmin: give us the option to turn them on or off, or set them to only display to certain zoom levels.

 

Tracking: much more complicated, and to me a serious loss of functionality. With all previous models you can turn the track log on or off. When the track log is off, you can still see previously recorded tracks. On the 62 series you have these options: (1) Record, Show on Map, (2) Record, Do Not Show, (3) Do not record. If you select "Do Not Record" you will not see any of the previously saved current track log. Sure, you can save it but it's a real pain and time killer if you do it often. Again, why doesn't Garmin simply offer a "Do Not Record, Display Previous Track" option? Also, if you want to record individual track segments, it's more difficult because when recording is turned off and back on, the track connects the last point of the prior track with the first point on the fresh track. With the 60 series each track was saved separately without connection. Yes, they can be saved and split up with software, but that's more work that shouldn't be necessary.

 

Menu functionality: to get to certain functions takes more button pushes. Again using the example of Tracking: on the 60 series "Tracks" could be set as a primary page. On the 62 the functionality to turn it on and off is under "Setup", and the functionality to manage existing tracks ("Track Manager" is under an entirely different primary page: "Main Menu". It takes multiple page operations to get to where you could more easily get to with prior models.

 

You cannot reset the waypoint auto numbering scheme. No big deal, but I prefer to always reset it to 001 when I start a new trip/adventure. Very easy to do on the 62 series; not possible on the 62 series without doing a master reset.

 

The ability to add multiple .img files is very nice.

 

It's my opinion, but I believe the 60 series epitomized the ideal outdoor GPS for Garmin. The newer models have added some features that are definitely nice, but Garmin took away some basic functions and made some harder to do in the process.

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I'm very frustrated with mine. I've had it for 18 months now. Even after a recent software upgrade it does weird things. I think I have a lemon. I've had multiple quirky problems including not getting as accurate readings as I used to get with my 60. Never got complaints about my coords when I averaged with my 60. I frequently get complaints about my coords being anywhere from 10m to 40m off. My compass often points in the wrong direction so I end up following the numbers (meters) instead of the compass pointer, if the meters to the cache are declining then I'm going in the right direction. I don't understand the Profile settings. If I choose the geocaching profile shouldn't it automatically choose a direct route instead of a road/driving route?

 

The other thing that's a problem with my 62 is the keypad....it's eroding:

 

8021493574_408a359786.jpg

 

The keypad wear issue is puzzling....after a couple thousand finds and lots of poking mine look virtually mint. My unit has seen lots of extreme heat but no temp. below about 45 deg or so.....I wonder if its a cold weather issue ?

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I'm very frustrated with mine. I've had it for 18 months now. Even after a recent software upgrade it does weird things. I think I have a lemon. I've had multiple quirky problems including not getting as accurate readings as I used to get with my 60. Never got complaints about my coords when I averaged with my 60. I frequently get complaints about my coords being anywhere from 10m to 40m off. My compass often points in the wrong direction so I end up following the numbers (meters) instead of the compass pointer, if the meters to the cache are declining then I'm going in the right direction. I don't understand the Profile settings. If I choose the geocaching profile shouldn't it automatically choose a direct route instead of a road/driving route?

 

The other thing that's a problem with my 62 is the keypad....it's eroding:

 

8021493574_408a359786.jpg

 

The keypad wear issue is puzzling....after a couple thousand finds and lots of poking mine look virtually mint. My unit has seen lots of extreme heat but no temp. below about 45 deg or so.....I wonder if its a cold weather issue ?

 

Must be a different lot number. I bought mine in Canada in the summer of 2011. For those that are interested, there's a forum topic that talks about the problem which looks like it's been happening since 2010: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=264941

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I have been caching almost 10 years and own dozens of GPS units and we are currently using a 62S and Oregon 450.

IMO the 62S is the best unit you can buy for geocaching.

Nice bright screen, quad. antenna, great button layout ( same as 60 series), great software, 3-axis compass, paperless, etc.

 

You will read some negatives re. all units but with the updated firmware I see no issues with the 62S.

 

Ma has the 450 and I have the 62S. We each prefer our own. The only thing better on the 450 on my opinion is the fact that it is easier to type in numbers,etc. I prefer the maps on the 62 because it is not touch screen, so I can use the cursor to see how far any point is.

 

I have had problems however with the 62 and had to reset it on a couple of occasions. For a while I had a situation where I had to verify if caches got entered into the gps, because sometimes they were not in the gps. But when I checked the gpx file was there but the caches were not showing up on the map or the list. That problem is now gone.

 

Last week n a caching trip the 62 was off by 25 meters for about 30 minutes.

 

What really bugs me now is that I always have to plug the 62 into the PC twice in order to access files. The first time, the gps turns on and I dont have access to the files. So I have to unplug it, turn it off and plug it back in. Kind of annoying.

Edited by Ma & Pa
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Regarding keypad wear, could it be from insect repellant? Some of that stuff is murder on paint and coloring.

 

Peter Hawkes posted an excellent synopsis (with photos) about the wear problem, here's the cut and paste:

 

Resized to 22% (was 3732 x 1664) - Click image to enlarge62s%20%288%20days%29%20-%2060CSx%20%2846%20months%29%20keypads.jpg

 

my 60CSx after 46 months with a lot of hard use, next to the 62s after 8 days light use (no squeezing through dense bushes etc),

 

Resized to 24% (was 3520 x 1640) - Click image to enlarge62s%20keypad%20%288%20days%29%20before-after%20dusting%20off.jpg

 

another double shot showing the 62s at the same time, before & after briefly rubbing the dust off on a soft cotton T-shirt (note the change in the quit button!) and:

 

Resized to 21% (was 4000 x 3000) - Click image to enlarge6%20months.jpg

 

the 62s at 6 months

 

Resized to 21% (was 4000 x 3000) - Click image to enlarge10%20months.jpg

 

and 10 months...

 

Note that I haven't simply worn through the black, but even through the next (white) layer, and into the underlying grey layer. I've looked closely at both units under a microscope and it's clear that the 62s buttons are made from a very fragile rubber with an extremely thin protective layer on top...as soon as this is slightly scratched, the underlying layers rub away rapidly (in contrast the 60CSx rubber, while equally soft, simply does not abrade as easily). And my wear is not from my fingers - it's mostly around the edges where the unit rubs against my clothing and the vegetation I'm walking through. I'll admit I'm hard on my GPSs (note how the rubberising around the sides of the 60CSx is worn), and I'm quite happy to accept cosmetic wear & tear...but before long the 62s button wear will no longer be cosmetic, as no-one who isn't very familiar with the unit will be able ti use it once the buttons become illegible...

 

Certainly the 62s is nowhere near as rugged as the 60CSx and given that "rugged" is what it's advertised to be, I reckon we can expect it to be at least as hardwearing as its predecessor.

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Software related, rather than hardware, but I wish that my 62st would show the names of tracks which one points to when scrolling around the map, much like it does waypoints and other POIs.

 

The tracks frustrate me too. I turn them off, but when I need them I want them quickly and easily. For instance when I'm off trail and can't find my way back to the main trail. Used to be really easy with my 60Cx. With the 62 I have to go to SetUp and reconfigure to view the track then it zooms way out and shows me a mess of tracks. When I zoom in it's no where near where I'm currently standing so I have to scroll around to locate where I am. Very frustrating.

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What really bugs me now is that I always have to plug the 62 into the PC twice in order to access files. The first time, the gps turns on and I dont have access to the files. So I have to unplug it, turn it off and plug it back in. Kind of annoying.

Have you tried setting your GPS to Spanner mode? Setup > System > Interface > Garmin Spanner.

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The pictures shown are from June , 2011.

I actually bought my unit in mid Nov, 2011 so its less than a year old....all is still mint despite a couple thousand searches, about 1000 in the dessert sand + heat.

I'm wondering if the key wear issue has been resolved in newer units......has Garmin ever said anything re key wear ( they have said squeaking doesn't affect unit reliability/useability.

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What really bugs me now is that I always have to plug the 62 into the PC twice in order to access files. The first time, the gps turns on and I dont have access to the files. So I have to unplug it, turn it off and plug it back in. Kind of annoying.

Have you tried setting your GPS to Spanner mode? Setup > System > Interface > Garmin Spanner.

 

OK Thanks will check.

 

But now it seems the problem may be related to my PC. MA's Oregon does the same thing on my PC but neither GPS does it on her PC.

 

PAul

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Hey all,

 

I think I've settled on a 62s as an upgrade. Questions. What size SD card is sufficient, and where does one go for free maps to upload? Is there anything I need to do to upload the maps prior to doing so? As you can tell, this will be a pretty significant upgrade for me.

 

Turtle Man

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Hey all,

 

I think I've settled on a 62s as an upgrade. Questions. What size SD card is sufficient, and where does one go for free maps to upload? Is there anything I need to do to upload the maps prior to doing so? As you can tell, this will be a pretty significant upgrade for me.

 

Turtle Man

 

Memory card really depends on how many maps you want to keep on it. I think a 16GB will do the trick for a while with room to spare. These are now $12.99 at Newegg.com (get a class 10). Click here(I just purchased this one).

 

Get free maps from gpsfiledepot (click here)

Edited by happydutch
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I upgraded from the 60CX and it took some time to figure out how to do things on the new unit. In some cases the way the 62S does things is a lot more complicated than the older model. Now that I have figured out the things I like to do my only complaint is the screen readability while driving. My 60CX was easily read while driving to the cache. The new screen requires the backlight to be on in order to navigate. I removed the background colors from my maps as suggested to make it more easily read, but it still is barely readable and dangerous without the backlight on. I had assumed that since it did not have the touch screen this would not be an issue. I was wrong. Once out of the vehicle all is good. Very accurate and in direct sunlight easily readable. I also like the notes, though it took me quite a while to find where these notes are stored.

absolutely correct - the 62s screen is only readable under bright sun/hazy sky. Once it's in a shade or under canopy the screen is very very hard to read. The angle of viewing is also very very tight - like 10%. The Magellan Gold (10 year old) and boring LCD can be read at all angles and in all kinds of lighting. The 62s screen readability is one of my biggest dissapointment. I think i know why goecachers like the 62 - u hold the 62 by hand and can move it till u have a good angle to be able to read the screen. It's not possible to constantly move the 62s to be able to read the screen better when it's attached to the car/bike mount....

Edited by Biker_121
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I'm very frustrated with mine. I've had it for 18 months now. Even after a recent software upgrade it does weird things. I think I have a lemon. I've had multiple quirky problems including not getting as accurate readings as I used to get with my 60. Never got complaints about my coords when I averaged with my 60. I frequently get complaints about my coords being anywhere from 10m to 40m off. My compass often points in the wrong direction so I end up following the numbers (meters) instead of the compass pointer, if the meters to the cache are declining then I'm going in the right direction. I don't understand the Profile settings. If I choose the geocaching profile shouldn't it automatically choose a direct route instead of a road/driving route?

 

The other thing that's a problem with my 62 is the keypad....it's eroding:

 

8021493574_408a359786.jpg

 

The keypad wear issue is puzzling....after a couple thousand finds and lots of poking mine look virtually mint. My unit has seen lots of extreme heat but no temp. below about 45 deg or so.....I wonder if its a cold weather issue ?

 

Must be a different lot number. I bought mine in Canada in the summer of 2011. For those that are interested, there's a forum topic that talks about the problem which looks like it's been happening since 2010: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=264941

My 62S looked like some of the above. I talked with Garmin about it and they told me to send them a picture of it. I did and they sent me another 62s. I believe the gps was still under warranty at the time. The one they sent me was refurbished but looked like a brand new case. Ive had it probably a little over a year now and the keys still look new. So maybe the issue has been fixed.

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I upgraded to a 62 about a year ago...haven't had any problems until this weekend....did a software upgrade from garmin site...then magically my PQs were invisible...when unit attached to computer the PQ was there...but the unit wouldn't display...called Garmin and they totally put the problem off on Geocaching.com....finally he told me how to re-boot and the PQs were now visible...but a new problem developed.....if I go to a cache...then attempt to page on something else screen of GPS goes blank and shuts off.....I have tried re-re-booting, re-loaded upgrade, re-did PQ and still the same problem...any ideas why this is happening????

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F.Y.I. I just got off the phone with Garmin...there is a software "glitch" with the recent update (September 2012)...the company is working on a fix but doesn't have one yet...but they are aware of the problem....so beware of update until they fix it

I have experienced the same problem with my GPS map62s...the screen blanks out and the unit becomes unusable after trying to use the geocaching features. Very disappointing...this happened after installing the recent update for the GPSr. I have had tremendous satisfaction up to this point, but this is very disappointing. It seems that Garmin and Geocaching.com are not on good terms over the past couple of years, especially since Garmin is trying hard to break into the caching world with its own app...not surprised that Garmin is blaming the issue on Geocaching.com.

 

Good to know, though, that they have recognized the issue. Any word on a patch for the issue yet?

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F.Y.I. I just got off the phone with Garmin...there is a software "glitch" with the recent update (September 2012)...the company is working on a fix but doesn't have one yet...but they are aware of the problem....so beware of update until they fix it

I have experienced the same problem with my GPS map62s...the screen blanks out and the unit becomes unusable after trying to use the geocaching features. Very disappointing...this happened after installing the recent update for the GPSr. I have had tremendous satisfaction up to this point, but this is very disappointing. It seems that Garmin and Geocaching.com are not on good terms over the past couple of years, especially since Garmin is trying hard to break into the caching world with its own app...not surprised that Garmin is blaming the issue on Geocaching.com.

 

Good to know, though, that they have recognized the issue. Any word on a patch for the issue yet?

The post you're replying to is almost 2 years old. Have you checked that your GPS has the latest firmware? The bug was fixed about 18 months ago.

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