Cobra Gps100

[Crimsus]

A friend of mine recently purchased a Cobra GPS100. He was able to buy it at some sporting goods place for $80, which isn't bad, until we tried it out.

 

The unit is advertised as being able to achieve acquisition in 50 seconds cold. The truth is that the only thing you can get in 50 seconds cold is a beer, because you'll be able to drink a six-pack by the time this unit acquires anything. We tried it out in the middle of a farm field, under sunny clear skies. It took 6 minutes to acquire 4 satellites! Things got more interesting when the unit got too warm and froze. We took the batteries out (which was the only way to shut off the receiver after it froze), waited 10 minutes, then tried again. The unit froze again in less than 2 minutes.

 

Now the fun part, shipping it back to Cobra for it to be looked at. Guess what! They sent it back saying it was working within the standards it was designed under. We had to pay some labor and shipping costs to get it back, which at that point we should've just said forget, but we decided to hang on to it as a desperate backup unit.

 

Bottomline, Cobra has no clue when it comes to GPS receivers. This unit overheats real quick, takes forever to acquire 4 satellites and provide a location, and the company has no idea theirs standards are about 20 years old when it comes to performance.

 

Don't buy this unit. Go pick up a Garmin Etrex (just about any flavor will do) or a Garmin Geko 201. I own a Geko 201 and I must say, for $29 more dollars than the Cobra GPS100, the Geko 201 is a blessing. To this day, I haven't had ANY problems with my Geko 201.

 

-Crimsus

[+Tahoe Skier5000]

I agree with this. Garmin is a much safer alternative, and they have the experience to back-up their products. I would most definitely invest in an eTrex or Geko before a Cobra.

[Neo_Geo]

CLICK HERE to view other posts about Cobra GPSrs.

 

...Or I can save you time by saying that 90% of the comments about Cobra GPSrs are NEGATIVE!!! All the garbage that they spew about quick acquisition seems to be all LIES!!!

 

It boggles my mind how a company that builds such great radio scanners and transmitters ruined their reputation by allowing their GPS products to reach consumers

[+JohnnyVegas]

CLICK HERE to view other posts about Cobra GPSrs.

 

...Or I can save you time by saying that 90% of the comments about Cobra GPSrs are NEGATIVE!!! All the garbage that they spew about quick acquisition seems to be all LIES!!!

 

It boggles my mind how a company that builds such great radio scanners and transmitters ruined their reputation by allowing their GPS products to reach consumers

I would not consider Cobra a quallity name for anything.

[+Imajika]

CLICK HERE to view other posts about Cobra GPSrs.

 

...Or I can save you time by saying that 90% of the comments about Cobra GPSrs are NEGATIVE!!! All the garbage that they spew about quick acquisition seems to be all LIES!!!

 

It boggles my mind how a company that builds such great radio scanners and transmitters ruined their reputation by allowing their GPS products to reach consumers

They make first class radar detectors though.

[+Prime Suspect]

They make first class radar detectors though.

Third rate is more like it, compared to Valentine One, Escort and Bel.

[+Imajika]

They make first class radar detectors though.

Third rate is more like it, compared to Valentine One, Escort and Bel.

Okay well, I received a Cobra radar detector as a gift and it always works just fine for me. It was a gift, I'm not going to go buy another one and take away from my caching money.

[+Johnnie Stalkers]

Just to try and balance things out. We have been using the Cobra GPS 500 since September. The only unit I have ever used.

 

No problems with it at all except a brief experiment with NiMH, which caused the unit to lock up. The manual says don't use them, and it's right. The unit simply won't work with rechargeable.

 

Yesterday I was caching with a fellow cacher for the first time. Under heavy tree cover we both had intermittent signal but the cobra held longer and reacquired much faster than his yellow etrek. In fact the only times I have ever seen the cobra acquire in over a minute is when I have traveled more than a few hundred miles from home and turned it on.

 

Accuracy between the Etrek and 500 is hard to judge under the circumstances. The cache appeared to be about 150 feet off, from where the units put us. The 500 and Etrek where within 20 feet of each other.

 

I am not a die hard cobra guy. I am not trying to convince anyone to buy a cobra unit. There is just so much bad press here, mostly from folks who have never even held one. At some point I'll do the Pepsi challenge with some Mags and Garms. Until then our Cobra does and has worked fine. Don't be a GPSr hater.

 

Right now we are looking to upgrade. Somewhere between a PDA/GPSr, the 60 series and some yet untapped new fangled wonder photo/fax/gpsr/cell phone/coffee maker combo unit lies our indecision.

Edited May 30, 2004 by Johnnie Stalkers

[Neo_Geo]

Just to try and balance things out. We have been using the Cobra GPS 500 since September. The only unit I have ever used.

 

No problems with it at all except a brief experiment with NiMH, which caused the unit to lock up. The manual says don't use them, and it's right. The unit simply won't work with rechargeable.

 

Yesterday I was caching with a fellow cacher for the first time. Under heavy tree cover we both had intermittent signal but the cobra held longer and reacquired much faster than his yellow etrek. In fact the only times I have ever seen the cobra acquire in over a minute is when I have traveled more than a few hundred miles from home and turned it on.

 

Accuracy between the Etrek and 500 is hard to judge under the circumstances. The cache appeared to be about 150 feet off, from where the units put us. The 500 and Etrek where within 20 feet of each other.

 

I am not a die hard cobra guy. I am not trying to convince anyone to buy a cobra unit. There is just so much bad press here, mostly from folks who have never even held one. At some point I'll do the Pepsi challenge with some Mags and Garms. Until then our Cobra does and has worked fine. Don't be a GPSr hater.

 

Right now we are looking to upgrade. Somewhere between a PDA/GPSr, the 60 series and some yet untapped new fangled wonder photo/fax/gpsr/cell phone/coffee maker combo unit lies our indecision.

I'm glad to hear you're pleased with your 500.

 

And you got me - I've never held a Cobra in my hand. I remember when they were the big news in this forum (about 8 months ago), a few people rushed out and bought 'em. I wasn't interested - the best Cobra didn't offer anything my Legend wasn't giving me. Still, I followed the reviews with interest to see how a newcomer would do coming into the GPSr market. The first posted reviews were all negative. A few positive posts dotted the forum here and there, but the negatives ruled dominantly. I found it comical that there was no way for them to transfer data to the computer when they came out (still not sure if they can or not).

 

So, if I seem a little prejudiced against Cobras, well... I feel it's with good reason. Your positive comment seems to be an exception in this forum - far from the norm. From what I've heard, I'd never recommend anyone to purchase one. I wouldn't want that Karma cloud hangin' over me in my next life. In fact, I feel a sense of duty to warn people of what I've heard if they show an interest in buying one.

 

As always, ...Just my 2¢

[Danegar]

I have to say myself and Ankrham are both using GPS100s and we've had no problems at all with getting a lock in under a minute. Could it be that there was a problem with the early models maybe? Also (sticking my neck out on the line now!! ) I have to say that after looking at a Garmin Venture which felt like the case would shatter the first time it got dropped, the Cobra feels incredibly solidly made.

 

At the end of the day, it seems to do the job ok, which makes me a happy bunny

 

Danegar

[+quills]

my problem would be that they say not use rechargeables. i wouldn't want any part of it if i couldn'y use rechargeables. just my opinion but i'd rather payabout $15 for some batteries i can recharge as opposed to even at dollar store prices $1.00 just about anytime i want to go caching.

[+Couparangus]

I would not consider Cobra a quallity name for anything.

 

If I were marketing first-rate consumer electronics I probably wouldn't name them after a poisonous snake.

 

Speaking of which, I always wondered why Ford had a Mustang Cobra!(?)!

[+Marky]

No problems with it at all except a brief experiment with NiMH, which caused the unit to lock up.  The manual says don't use them, and it's right.  The unit simply won't work with rechargeable. 

You say "no problems", I say BIG problem! Not working with NiMH is a huge shortcoming in my opinion. I would never buy a GPS that didn't work with them (or buy one that only had internal rechargable batteries).

 

That said, I'm glad you are getting functional use out of your unit. Plus, it will make the next unit you buy seem even better.

 

--Marky