The Outdoor GPS Garmin GPSMAP 64s has a quad helix antenna, which is mounted outside the casing and the unit will look like a small portable radio. It is operated via right keys, which favors the use with gloves. The Garmin GPSMAP 64s is suitable for hikers, geocachers, and for the cyclist who is traveling in the area. Water and minor strokes make the unit from nothing. It may fall down sometimes without the glass breaks. The carabiner allows the attachment to the backpack. The rubberized housing offers good tack.
Service
Each outdoor Navi requires a certain learning curve, so you can use all functions. The GPSMAP 64s has right buttons to operate, I now more comfortable than the touch-screen operation of the Oregon series find. I think for a short acclimatization, the firm keys are better suited for fast operation. Once you become accustomed to operating the GPSMAP 64s almost blind. The keys have a good tactile feedback and are easily accessible with one hand. In general, the guide menu of the device very good and understandable.
GPS and GLONASS receiver
In addition to receiving the GPS satellites, the GPSMAP 64s can also receive the Russian GLONASS satellites. Since 2011, they are again fully in orbit go and offer an alternative to the American GPS system. The GPSMAP 64s can receive both satellite systems at the same time and can therefore provide a very high accuracy even in very difficult reception conditions. With the additional GLONASS receiver has to receive better odds, enough satellites. Especially when geocaching an accurate position indication is necessary. Walking the track log at intervals may not be noticeable on the GPSMAP 64s. My former Oregon devices have every now and then recorded at intervals greater Schlenker.
Power Supply
It uses two AA batteries. Garmin offers batteries that can be loaded into the navigation device. To prevent batteries can be charged, the GPSMAP 64s has a black switch in the battery compartment, under the card reader. The Garmin battery Insert the battery pushes this switch by a fixed back, which connects the two batteries together.
I have a thin piece of thin plastic cut and sent to the switch, then used two AA Eneloop batteries. Now the switch is pressed and the batteries can remain in the unit for charging. A Power Bank can now go be used to charge via USB cable. When the batteries are removed, switch my bridge falls out and if batteries are used, the external charging is not possible. Simple solution.
Eneloop rechargeable batteries, I use the black with the XX sure work well for navigation devices. I can GPSMAP 64s thus operate for good 12 hours, and still have some maturity. With Duracell batteries (not OEM) it is good for 14 hours. If you play a lot in the menus around, the term reduced course accordingly. The duration values are great. So you can pass a longer day tour loose with a battery pack. I have the display stand on 3/4 lighting.
Display
The opposite my Oregon 600 smaller display of the GPSMAP 64s is useful also in direct sunlight. It is easier to read than the Oregon 600 and that is in this discipline already very good. That the display is slightly smaller than the Oregon 600, does not bother me on my walks. I can see it all right. A touch screen operation I do not miss the GPSMAP 64s. Maybe cyclists complain about the smaller display compared to an Oregon device. I've had enough of. The display glass is not scratched even after a year.
Cards
Both the Garmin topo maps, as well as the free OSM (Open Street Map) cards are in the GPSMAP 64s available. The Garmin Map Topo Germany V7 is as the previous version V6 of a high quality and covers the walking areas very well. Even small paths between the main paths are drawn. So I have to use some new ways my home track, I did not know before. But even with free OSM (Open Street Map) cards to get to your destination. It's amazing how accurate the OSM maps are now. Thank you to the many people who tinker with the OSM map and see for a penny! I wander on traditional trails with the family and also like to take a short cut or a detour. The card has brought me back again and again on the right path.
Geocaching
The GPS supported treasure hunt is often the reason why they acquire an outdoor navigation device. The GPSMAP 64s supports paperless geocaching. The information on the cache will be displayed and the data stored. 250,000 geocaches are already stored at the factory on the GPSMAP 64s. Finding and hiding geocaches is a pleasure with the GPSMAP 64s. The accuracy of location information is very important here. I can save as many as I would like Geocaching, the GPSMAP 64s comes with it cope positions. My old Oregon 600 was then not so well with the variety of my stored positions cope and was very slow at the start.
Memory
The internal 4GB memory can be expanded with a micro SD memory card for additional maps. I used the GPSMAP 64s a 16GB SanDisk card and an 16GB Intenso map, both function properly. Other cards from different manufacturers have been no problems in the unit.
Link
If desired, you can connect the GPSMAP 64s with a smartphone and thus exaggerate his tracks live on the Internet. So you can, for example, to pass on his routes or to show the folks back home, where you are. In an emergency, a very good function.
Also, the GPSMAP 64s shows SMS messages and e-mails on the display, which are loaded from the smartphone to the GPSMAP 64s. So you can leave your phone protected in the backpack. ANT + compatible Garmin devices such as heart rate belt or sensors can also be connected.
Compass
The compass is very reliable. No matter how you hold around the GPSMAP 64s, the compass indicates the direction reliably. Of course, the height above sea level is also displayed.
Software Basecamp
The software Basecamp is free to download from the Garmin website. Using Basecamp routes distances covered are on the PC planned already seen, managed and administered geocaches updates. The software is always kept up to date by Garmin. Updates to the navigation device offered more often to eliminate minor bugs in the programming of the device software or customize new features.
Basecamp is not quite as easy for beginners to use, once you get that's not dealt in detail. One can watch a few instructions for software to YouTube. This facilitates entry. The software provides a tour of the program, when you start it.
Conclusion
The Garmin GPSMAP 64s Navigation device continues to meet all my expectations. The readability of the display is very good, even in bright sunlight, the accuracy of the position specification is excellent and robust navigation device is also. So the Garmin GPSMAP 64s is the perfect companion for walking tours and geocaching. Compared to my one year old GPSMAP 64s I can see no difference with current version. There were some updates in the last year and this one should also play every now and then. Garmin keeps its software up to date.
