Garmin Foretrex 201

John Tinsley
Reviewed: 01 June 2004

POWERFUL, HANDS-FREE GPS!

Small yet easily readable, with all the functions you need in a GPS suited to walking/climbing etc. Li-ion rechargeable battery gives around 15 hours operation. Comes complete with PC interface cable and battery charger.

Not suitable if you can't get to a mains point every couple of days! (The Foretrex 101 uses AAA batteries, however) Expensive at ~£160)when it eventually arrives here (around twice the price paid in the US, as is the case with all Garmin GPS).

This is a powerful unit lacking only compass and barometric functions, which are a bit of a luxury anyway. Lack of mapping is no disadvantage for walking. Incredibly light and small. 500 waypoints, 10,000 trackpoints, 10 saved tracks and 20 reversible routes, with essentially all the features of the Geko 201. Excellent if, like me, you want to use a GPS and also use poles.

The inclusion of a PC interface cable is useful, as these often cost around £30 bought separately. I got my Foretrex from a US seller on Ebay, costing £106 in total. This is a good way of buying, so long as you realise you will also need a 220v/110v transformer, or the European charger.

James McNaught
Reviewed: 09 May 2004

Funky GPS Watch

Tiny! Comes with a velcro wrist strap and is lighter than some watches. Internal battery like a mobile phone, gives 15 hours of use on a full charge. Fully waterproof (apparently can be used for cayacking and windsurfing!) No fumbling in pockets with cold fingers anymore!

Can't get them in the UK. Small screen, no map facility.
Maybe too basic for some users.

Garmin were very reluctant to sell me one, and told me that the price in the UK (when the thing is eventually released over here!) will be about £160. I got mine on eBay from a company in Florida and including the postage it came to about £100.
The unit is incredibly easy to use, gives a ten figure grid, has all the usual waypoint stuff and keeps a track of your route so you can retrace your steps if you drop something.
This is the first GPS I've used, so I can't really compare it to any others. However, once it was charged up it took ten minutes to figure out how it works, and then I was away.
It even comes with a wrist strap extender so you can wear it on the outside of your clothes, even if you're wearing millions of layers.