Customer Reviews

Garmin Etrex Hcx, Cx, Hc CASE (**Not for the Newer 10.20,30 Models, but SEARCH 'GizzMoVest' to see all models) in Tactical 'Special Ops Black'. - Fits Only Color-screen Legend, Venture, Vista, Sunmmit C/cx/hcx/hc/cx. Ez-grip' Molded Protection, Includes "Peel & Stick" Screen Protector. Accessories Made in the USA By Gizzmovest LLC

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was looking for a case for my eTrex Vista CX, and couldn't find the traditional Garmin one on Amazon. This one has a kind of 'ugly chic' to it.

This case is flexible but quite resilient. It has a soft, nylon-type fabric lining and a textured rubber exterior. It is very easy to grip, and adds little weight or size to the GPS unit.

The case opens up like a clamshell, with the hinge at the top side of the GPS. The hinge is ~1 inch wide, and looks like it's stretched when the case is shut - this worries me that it will eventually fail. The two halves of the clamshell do not seal where they meet, but they rest together fairly uniformly.

The case is held closed at the bottom end by the lanyard, which is attached to the bottom half of the clamshell by being looped through two holes. It also passes through the end of the top half of the clamshell and is pulled tight by one of those plastic spring toggles. It looks like this arrangement is strong enough to leave the GPS dangling round your neck, but it's too heavy for my liking to do that anyway. I would probably just leave the unit clipped to the shoulder strap of my rucksack and use the lanyard as a safety chain.

The case must be opened up to allow the GPS batteries to be changed, which is easy thanks to the spring toggle.

Included in the package are two little self-adhesive transparent plastic rectangles which are for use as screen protectors. The instructions say to put a few drops of water on the GPS screen before applying the plastic, to allow it to be moved around. This didn't work. The stuff is so sticky that it sticks to the GPS screen the instant that it touches it. Squeegying the protector with a credit card as advised does not make the plastic completely transparent, so it mars the visibility of the LCD slightly. I may end up removing it.

One cool thing is that the rubber case adds enough height to the top surface of the GPS that the joystick/enter button is now recessed. It was a constant annoyance to me that the button would get pressed while the unit was in my pocket and create unwanted waypoints. Hopefully this is now a thing of the past.

The bottom line: this case for the Garmin Legend/Vista HCX GPS units is an order of magnitude better than any other case on the market. It is one of those very few products which combines intelligent design with outstanding material and build quality.

So what is so great about it?

1. It is significantly more protective than the cases from Garmin and other third party vendors.

2. It fits the Legend/Vista HCX perfectly--absolutely like a glove.

3. It is minimalistic and aesthetically clean. The reviewers who have called it ugly must have very unrefined taste--it integrates with the Legend/Vista in a way that makes it look like an intrinsic part of the GPS, which could never be said about the Garmin or other third party cases.

4. It actually improves function of the Legend/Vista by blocking extraneous impacts to the front toggle switch.

5. It is rugged and will last much longer than neoprene GPS cases.

6. The way it opens is clever and functional. The lanyard serves a second function as the clasp to this clamshell type case, and is a logical addition to the stainless clip on the back--allowing both convenient access to the GPS and security.

All in all, for anyone who appreciates truly outstanding design (even in something as pedestrian as a GPS case), who notices all the little refinements which make something pleasant to use over the long term, and who is difficult to please, you'll love this thing. Ultimately, this case will allow the Legend/Vista GPS units to be more useful out in the field where they were meant to be used.

One other key point: this case uses 3M film to protect the GPS screen. The manufacturer says to wet the screen with water and then use a credit card to gently squeegy the water from under the film. THIS DOESN'T WORK. THE CORRECT WAY TO DO IT IS TO USE SLIGHTLY SOAPY WATER AND THEN SQUEEGY IT OUT--JUST AS EVERYONE DOES WITH THE PROTECTIVE 3M FILM USED ON THE FRONT OF EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT ALLOW SOAP FOAM UNDER THE FILM, OR TO GET FINGERPRINTS ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE FILM BECAUSE BOTH WILL REDUCE CLARITY AND MAKE THE GPS SCREEN MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE.

I write VERY few product reviews, but when a product is truly outstanding, I think it deserves praise. This GPS case is definitely in that category.

A high quality case that allows the use of the unit in-situ. Excellent fit and finish; unhindered access to all buttons and view of screen(protected by an included pre-cut 3M self-adhesive urethane screen protector - 2 x pcs). Unit has to be removed for access to the battery compartment and USB port; not an issue here. The fabric-lined semi-rigid case provides a better grip on the unit but offers little or no shock protection unlike a Gilsson case(which is a hit-or-miss in the fitting department). Excellent protection from scrapes and scratches. Little or no protection from water. Does not add much weight and size to an already small handheld GPS unit. The removable SS belt clip is secure and sturdy. More colours should be offered; orange, yellow, black, woodland camo and etc. Only concerned with the integrated hinge of the two halves which probably has a limited number of open/close cycles. No mention of product warranties. Satisfied overall.

Product arrived in an air sealed bag that prevents the case from being crushed during mail. Case is of good quality & fits like a glove and performs as it should.
Would have liked other colors though. Generally a very good product!

Maybe that is a good thing, the yellow of the Venture really pops. Seems to do what it's suppose to, fits snug and all but you do have to take off the extra clip one would use with a motorcycle mount, that can be cramed into the standard eTrex case. I have both kind of favor the standard but this one offers more protection.

The Good
- Very solid case! Makes the GPS rock solid!
- The feel of the GPS is now similar to a spray-on bed liner that you see on some trucks. Gives it a nice comfortable grippy feel when you use it.
- The metal clip behind is very firm and secure, unlike some holders which were very flimsy.

The Bad
- I have only 1 minus point for this cover, hence the 4 stars. The hinge at the top of the cover for mine has started to wear out after only 6 months of use (mind you I'm not a rough user). It has not broken yet, i just have to be a bit careful with it when opening/closing it.

Wow. This is different.
Tough but tactle feel on the outside, but fairly rigid.
Last year I bought one of Foarm's Garmin 76 cases.
It was similar to this one on the outside, but softer overall.
Plus the 76 case had a zipper. This case closes clamshell-style.
This case seems great for point-impact protection, but probably
does not float like the 76 Case (have not tried that).
The fit is awesome. The Belt clip works great and obviously won't break
(metal). It can take an extra effort to get it on your jeans, but hey,
that just means it is not going to get stripped off you like with plastic belt clips.
The Lanyard clip is plastic, but plenty sturdy enough for that purpose.

The case weighs almost nothing, and half of that must be in the clip!
Came with a couple of screen protectors. Cool.

At first, I was skeptical by the very high and limited ratings when I bought this. Never-the-less, I decided to buy it. It truly has lived up to ratings it has received here. I would very highly recommend this product.

This case has several features that make it the best ever made for Etrex GPS. Even better than original cover Garmin:
- Rough material that does not slip on the outside of the hand and of excellent quality
- Prevents accidentally pushing buttons on the GPS
- To be strong and rigid truly protects against falls
- System of opening and closing genial
- Beautiful, but this is subjective
- I am 6 months and it seems that will last many years

As nothing is perfect, slightly increases the volume of the GPS, but as my Etrex Vista is small, anything that compromises the purchase.

The Removable Metal Belt Clip for being very fair, is a bit difficult to put on the belt.

Highly recommended!

A good product. I would have purchased elsewhere if I had found a vendor that was cheaper. Fit and finish good.