Take your eTrex Vista anywhere

One of the smallest pocket handhelds with all the features outdoor enthusiasts love, the HCx version of the eTrex Vista now has a high-sensitivity GPS receiver. This means you won't lose your signal when you're geocaching deep in the woods, hiking into canyons or amongst tall buildings in unfamiliar cities. Featuring a built-in basemap, it accepts preprogrammed microSD cards (sold separately) for adding optional maps on the go, including MapSource® Topo and Inland Lakes, BlueChart® marine cartography, or City Navigator™ street maps.

It also has a barometric altimeter and an electronic compass for continuous bearing information. The elevation computer provides current elevation, ascent/descent rate plus the total, max. and average ascent/descent rates, and min/max elevation. With automatic routing capability, you get auto route generation, off-route recalculation, turn-by-turn directions with alert tones and icon-driven menus for finding points of interest (when combined with Garmin's optional MapSource CDs) to navigate you safely to your destination. Add to that a bright, full-color TFT display and long, 17-hour battery life, and you've got a great companion for your next outdoor or boating adventure.

• Unit dimensions: 4.2" x 2.2" x 1.2" (10.7 x 5.6 x 3.0 cm)
• Display size: 1.3" x 1.7" (3.3 x 4.3 cm)
• Display resolution: 176 x 220 pixels
• Display type: 256 level color TFT
• Weight: 5.5 oz (156 g) with batteries
• Battery: 2 AA batteries (not included)
• Battery life: 25 hours
• Waterproof: Yes (IPX7)
• Floats: No
• High-sensitivity receiver: Yes
• Interface: USB
• RoHS version available: Yes
• Basemap: Yes
• Preloaded maps: No
• Ability to add maps: Yes
• Built-in memory: No
• Accepts data cards: microSD™ card (not included)
• Waypoints/favorites/locations: 1000
• Routes: 50
• Track log: 10,000 points, 20 saved tracks
• Automatic routing (turn by turn routing on roads): Yes
• Electronic compass: Yes
• Barometric altimeter: Yes
• Geocaching-friendly: Yes
• Outdoor GPS games: Yes
• Hunt/fish calendar: Yes
• Sun and moon information: Yes
• Tide tables: No
• Area calculation: Yes
• Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest): Yes
• Unit-to-unit transfer (shares data wirelessly with similar units): No
• Picture viewer: No

The Americas Recreational Map
The Americas Recreational Routable Basemap v2 includes the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America, and covers an area from W180 to W30 Longitude, S60 to N75 Latitude. Includes a high-level worldwide map with borders and major cities.

Please note: Garmin mapping units come with built-in, permanent basemaps that cannot be altered. These basemaps come in a variety of global designations (i.e., Atlantic basemap). Please see your local dealer when purchasing a Garmin mapping unit to ensure that you are purchasing one with a basemap that's appropriate for your location and needs. Factory-installed basemaps cannot be altered.

Standard map coverage includes

1. Oceans, rivers, and lakes (greater than 30 sq. miles)
2. Principal cities and some smaller cities and towns
3. Major interstates and principal highways
4. Political boundaries (state and international borders)
5. Major Airports

A. United States—In addition to the standard map coverage, it also includes:

1. Lakes greater than 5 square miles
2. A database of exits for the Federal Interstate highway system. This includes many businesses within about 1/4 mile of the exit, including: restaurants, diesel/gas, hotels/lodging, overnight RV parking, dumps, campgrounds, truckstops, medical facilities, shopping and outlet malls, ATMs, and many more attractions.

B. Canada—In addition to the standard map coverage, it also includes:

1. Lakes greater than 5 square miles (Southern Canada)
2. Lakes greater than 10 square miles (Central, Northern Canada)

C. Mexico, Central and South America

1. Standard Map Coverage

The West Advisor

The West Advisor articles have answered boaters' questions and provided solutions to boating problems for more than 20 years. West Marine has compiled one of the Web's most comprehensive collections of technical boating information articles.