Customer Reviews

Magellan eXplorist 100 Water Resistant Hiking GPS

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have been looking for an inexpensive unit to use for a couple of years while I wait for this market to really mature. This is the answer. My use is for trails and backpacking. I have been using my unit for several days, and it is amazing for a $100 price level. I especially like the rugged exterior, which is easy to grip. Also the satellite lock is fast and impressive. The screen has an excellent backlight for dark nights and in the house, but otherwise the readibility is just fine. Much better than an eTrex. Just remember, it doesn't allow you to install maps, if that is the case, you need a more expensive unit. But if you just want to track distance, and fix points once you get there, this is worth every penny.

I am fairly new to the GPS scene. I have an old magellan that
has a tough time getting position fix - even on a treeless hilltop. Not with this unit -

Very fast position fix. Works in the house. Got 7 tracking
right now.

I like the track log. It tracks the path you are
traveling. Simple to backtrack.

Controls are very simple and fast. Menues are nice and clear.

Great looking LCD.

For $100 bucks I can't imagine a better GPS.

I've had an Etrex. And I must say this product is 10 times better.

1)Satellite acquisition is good.
2) Really easy to use.
3) Fits great in the hand.

and last but very important. BIG LCD.

Great Buy.

Ok, listen up: I reciently owned a Cobra model 100 (which is the cheapest model that cobra makes; basically the same as Magellan's explorist 100 if your talking about the model category) and I found they are approx. the same price. The Cobra 100 had poor, very poor reception but had nice menus - But when you're talking about GPS's you don't care about nice menus, you want good reception!! I use my explorist 100 for hiking mostly which means I'm usually in a forested area. And also with my Magellan I have at least 4 to 7 satellites at all times in the woods with full tree canopy; where the Cobra 100 had on average 2 satellites-not even enough to show where you are on the GPS! I also can tell you the Magellan 100 has every single feature the Cobra 100 had and more: magellan has a sun and moon oreintaion feature and also instead of the one green light on the Cobra 100, the magellan has two differant brightnesses in an amber contrast. I must stress the most important things: this has 40 times better reception than the cobra 100, and is mostly ideal for plotting your own courses, ie: hiking, biking, camping, boating, etc. BUT DO NOT BUY FOR ROAD MAPPING/NAVIGATION/DRIVING!! You cannot link the magellan 100 to a computer to upload road maps! You would want the model 300 or higher I beleive (maybe 200?) Of course you could make your own routes with the 100 by driving on roads and saving the "tracks" and set waypoints etc; but not for city navegation. This magellan 100 is all you will every need for hiking , or whatever you do outdoors and its the best base model GPS on the market. If it helps you at all I used my magellan in northern Pennsylvania where I live - don't ever buy the Cobra 100, I've owned one!

I bought my eXplorist over a year ago when my etrex got eaten by a goat - really I have the photos. Anyway, I never liked the etrex because I use GPS units primarily to take lat/lon readings in decimel degrees and it was very difficult to read the tiny numbers on the etrex. The eXplorist is much better in that respect and many others.

The unit has been exceptionally durable. I've had it under water. On more than one occasion I've also done the very common thing for me of leaving it on the roof of the Jeep while it gets a fix, forgetting about it, and then driving off and seeing it tumble down the road. It is still runing perfectly and doesn't even have a scratch. It is a bit fatter than some of the smallest units now but it still fits easily in my pocket and the roundedness of it makes it comfortable in the pocket.

I have had the unit to Europe and New Zealand as well as across the US. It has done very well everywhere. I haven't carefully timed it because, having used many GPS units over the years all over the globe, I know that time-to-fix varies wildly depending on satellite configuration, cover, specific satellites available, atmospheric conditions etc. I think from long experience that it is really more of a marketing issue than a real useability one. My little 1980's vintage Trimble consistently matched my 1999 Garmin 12 in speed until post Y2K issues made it crazy. In brief, on average, the eXplorist isn't noticeably any faster or slower than any other pocket unit I've used. This unit does track 14 satellites (instead of the 12 of older models) which would appear to give it a slight advantage.

That said, I can also tell you that accuracy does vary considerably and that this unit is as consistent as any I have used in this class and it is very likely exceptional in its class in accuracy. It uses WAAS and EGNOS in those rare times when you get them, and it really does deliver 3m accuracy. I have tested it twice in the US and it was actually within centimeters once. Remember that that accuracy depends on your datum though so don't try to navigate a minefield using this thing.

The eXplorist does multiple datums, map units, coordinate systems etc. like most units. If you require a specific one, by all means do what I did, go to a store, turn the thing on, and set it up with what you need. In a unit like this, you are buying the software as much as the hardware and, if you have specific requirements, it had better be right or you'll be wasting your money.

It is easy to navigate the menus and the thing fits well in the hand. A few minutes of getting familiarized with the controls and I was very comfortable with it. The ergonomics are very good. One of the things that I like the most is the joystick nav button which makes moving around on the screen fast. There is the basic data screen, a great satellite tracking screen, a graphic track screen and the compass screen. A GPS compass is essentially useless for walking (which is where I use a GPS the most) and really badly misleading sometimes. I take it as another marketing ploy for the most part but I can see it being useful when you are surrounded by metal or large magnetic fields. A $5 traditional compass will always be much more responsive and reliable in the field though and I wouldn't go on an expedition without one.

The great thing about this unit, that sets it apart from many others (especially older ones) is the screen. It is big clear and crisp. The numbers are big and bold. There is also a very good contrast adjustment. The light is easy to turn on and is red - instead of eerie green or yellow - which is nice if you're using a telescope or other light sensitive optics.

It uses 2 AA batteries like most small units. The battery life has been great. I don't know how long I get but I rarely change batteries and a 1/4 charge seems to be sufficient for good outing for me. I haven't tried rechargeables in it but I expect that as in other GPS units, you need to use 1100ma+ to get reasonable duration. There is a battery life indicator on the main screen, which is really useful.

It is a great little machine. So what's wrong with it? Really nothing. I love it. It is orange, but that makes it hard to loose. Also, sometimes the little hasp on the battery screw goes down on the side of the screw that makes it hard to get for those of us who are fingernail challenged. Now those are really minor complaints.

I bought this for my nephews so we could go geocaching when I visit. It was the cheapest GPS I could find that had WAAS which increases the accuracy to less than 30 ft. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some other products and can only be used stand alone (e.g. no PC hookup) but it's perfect for geocaching (durable, accurate, very reasonable cost).

This GPS was a great buy for several reasons:

*Quick and strong satallite readings

*Good basic features (lets you set the format for lat/long. that you prefer)

*Price was a great buy - free shipping here at Amazon.

*GPS is accurate - especially when it begins recieving a WAAS signal :)

If you have no need for street maps or computer link-up ability, I strongly recommend this product.

This writer thinks that it's not bad for what can be gotten for around a hundred bucks, but...

1) Very slow aquisition under rainy skies. Near zero aquisition when inside under rainy skies....even when next to a window. My house is typical for this area of US: insulated with a wood & tar shingle roof. Aquistion just OK inside when clear skies outside. If turned off for a while (months) it can take several minutes to aquire anything Same can be said if it is relocated a long distance while off.

2) Poor accuracy under foliage. That's well known trait of GPS units though. Best I could get at night under clear skies, in dense woods with new batteries was about 30 feet...I guess that's really not that bad, but in unfamiliar dense woods at night or poor weather this could be the difference between finding camp and getting lost. In exceptional weather and areas (clear, cold and moving through a wide open field) I've gotten down to 15 feet. Moving in one dirrection seems to help it aquire quicker.

3) An external antena jack and power jack would be GREAT for car or those situation when you need better reception.

4) You can not delete the waypoints ( "Points of Interest") as a group without deleating all routs too.

5) Can be difficult to read in bright sun...gets a bit washed out and requires tweaking screen contrast often. ( Could just be my 45 year old eye balls though!)

6) Does not come with detailed instructions, although one can download a nice and detailed 60 page manual by searching on-line.

7) The manufcturer does seem to have an odd fascination with disclaimers and EULA. The paper "instructions" that do come with it are dominated by a huge disclaimer area.

About as basic as a GPSr can be. No computer interface or mapping capability. But this one's great for geocaching, where you're looking for a route to a point. It's very accurate and easy to use. It does everything it's supposed to do. Decent battery life. A good second unit.

Had the garmin etrex and always had to point the face to the sky. But one time I used the Explorist 100. I put it on my dashboard to track my driving route. I drove, it flew back and under my seat. When I arrived at my destination, I showed the tracks from my house to my destination. That would have been impossible with the etrex.

In a nutshell, I has an amazingly strong signal. I walk under bridges and it still holds a signals.

I can put it in my pocket and go walking or running or any outdoor activity to tell my distance. The etrex was nearly impossible to get a signal when I used it with a belt clip. Weak signal like no other.

Only downside is that it does not have download capability, low number of track points (garmins have up to 25,000!!), no map-but paper maps are cheaper and more accurate. You would not depend on this to find your way around the world would you?

Awesome unit except for not being able to download, if it did it would be sweet.

Great and VERY inexpenive unit.