Consulting the eTrex Vista Cx

When I set out to purchase a handheld GPS unit I was looking for something that would be sophisticated enough that I could leave the paper map in my backpack and not have to consult it. Essentially that meant finding a good mapping GPS unit. The eTrex Vista Cx with its large colour LCD display and ability to upload new maps, seemed ideal.

I’ve been using the Vista Cx for a couple of years now, and I still love it. During that time I’ve had only one issue with it. At one point it seemed to get stuck on the initial screen and the controls were unresponsive, but connecting it to the PC and running the firmware update programme seemed to fix that, and since then it’s been fine.

The Vista Cx is a nice solid piece of kit. It’s pretty robust, with a rubberised edge and buttons, and when you put it into the accompanying pouch it can withstand pretty much everything that the average day’s hiking throws at it.

Starting the unit up takes a couple of minutes as it locates the available satellites, but this needs to be done just once at the beginning of the day.  From this point you have four main pages available:

• A map page, which will show a detailed map of your location, if you have uploaded one for the local area;
• A compass page, which shows your current heading as well as the direction and distance to the next waypoint;
• An altimeter page, which shows your current elevation as well as a graph showing your ascents and descents over time;
• And a menu page, which provides access to other features and settings.

The detail of the maps does depend on whether you have added the relevant map for the area you are in. The unit I purchased came with a set of European maps pre-loaded onto a microSD card (there is a slot for these next to the battery compartment inside the device). The maps were not as detailed as an OS map, but you can purchase additional, more detailed mapping of the area you do most of your hiking in.

The display works well, even in reasonably bright sunlight and there is a backlight for use at night or during poor weather.

The Vista Cx has some really nice features. One is the built in electronic compass. Having a built in compass means you can get an accurate heading even when you are standing still. If you have a GPS device without this feature then you must be moving before it is able to establish a heading.

Another thing I love about the Vista Cx is the ease of getting data into and out of the device. It’s supplied with a USB cable, so you can transfer route data easily to and from the included MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager. I’ve also successfully used the Vista Cx in conjunction with the Memory-Map mapping software both for planning and downloading routes and for uploading data stored by the Vista Cx during the walk.

The Vista Cx now goes everywhere with me and I think it’s likely to be a hiking companion for some time to come.

Find great deals on the Garmin Vista Cx at eBay.co.uk