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I bought this GPS to use both on my boat and on land. I chose this one because of the advertised features and also because I trust Garmin as a company. I've had good experiences with their products, specifically GPS's, in the past. I was not disappointed by my purchase.
I have a particular fondness for Garmin GPS's because of the memory cards Garmin makes that you can easily purchase and use in several of their devices. As I own more than one Garmin GPS for different purposes, I was very excited to be able to use cards I already owned in a newer device and then take move them from GPS to GPS depending on my needs. Though I'm perfectly aware that companies make these cards to fit in their devices so that consumers buy more of their stuff...I can't even let it bother me because Garmin makes such consistently great products.
If you haven't been a serious shopper of marine-grade GPS's, then you might not be aware of how little water protection many of these devices have, even those marketed to marine enthusiasts. I've had "water resistant" GPS's that have visible cracks in the shell where the molded pieces are joined. I wouldn't bring them out in a heavy fog. But I've dropped this one in the bait tank and forgotten about it for almost ten minutes. When I fished it out, it was in great condition, good as new. That sort of thing is essential for someone who spends a lot of time on a boat.
The GPS is amazingly portable. It's comfortable to hold or to store. It's also takes AA batteries, which are easy to find and change when I'm on the go and can't get them charged. The electric compass, which I didn't think I would use, is actually terrifically handy. I find myself using it while boating and while geocaching. But the very best thing about this is that it's incredibly fast. Incredibly fast.
My only real complaint is that the batteries in my device do not last for nearly as long as advertised. It's great that they can be replaced while on the go, but having hours less battery time than expected is a significant problem. I have not heard this complaint from others, so it's possible that only my device is a battery drainer.
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