"'Wow' about sums it up"

I have owned my Forerunner 201 for about two weeks now, and all I can say is "wow!" It has every feature a runner could want. The display is so easy to read and I found it easy to operate and navigate through the menus. I especially like the Auto Lap and Auto Pause features. No need to take splits or stop the watch at street crossings or if your laces come untied. I used the "go back" feature on this run at Disney World to find my way back to my hotel (loved the TURN AHEAD pop-up screen)! I plan to use the Virtual Partner feature in an upcoming half-marathon to keep me on pace. I can't wait till the logbook software is available. All this and more at an unbelievable price. I could go on about the history and map functions, but I am going out to run with it now.

BUY THIS PRODUCT. YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

C. M.

"Airline pilot enjoys his Forerunner"

Dear Garmin,

I have had my Forerunner since Christmas, and I absolutely love it. It is the best training tool I have used yet. I run 4-5 times a week, and once the snow goes, I'll be road and mountain biking 3-4 times a week as well. The Forerunner gives me all the information I need. I am an airline pilot, so I spend a lot of time in different cities in North America. With the Forerunner, I never have to worry about getting lost on new runs, and I never have to guess my distance. It brings my triathlon training to a new level. I really like the 13-hour rechargeable battery and the distance alert and virtual training partner features. The Garmin name, reputation, features, and price were enough to make me choose the Forerunner over the (competitor) system.

Thanks, Garmin, for finally making a good GPS watch.

Cheers,

T. B.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

"Favorite new software feature on Forerunner"

From the Forerunner 201 software download change history:

• Added new 'Interval Training' feature to the Training Assistant. This allows users to setup exercise and rest intervals of both time and distance.

Yeah! I am downloading the software update now. If you can believe it, this is the second update for the Forerunner 201 already. Now we won't have to wear two pieces of gear in order to calculate our total distance and exercise/rest cycles!

Major R. G., USMC

"He won't run without his 'little friend'"

Hi there,

Just bought the Forerunner 201 in the U.S.A. last week. Got familiar with it on the flight, tested the device two times for a long and a speed run. It is HUGE! It is a PERFECT RUNNER'S TOOL! There is no other description necessary. I've tried a lot of maps, watches, step counters...all that stuff. Nothing compared to the Forerunner. Just get it, use it, love it. Last night I didn't find it for a while (left it in the office). You may think I am crazy, but I couldn't run a mile without the Forerunner. I am, after two runs, so familiar with the Forerunner, that I definitely will not run again without my little friend. It's just PERFECT in all aspects.

Thank you!

S. K.
Europe

"Runner prefers the Forerunner over the competition"

Thanks for a great product!

For two years, I have used the (competitor's product) system with their datalink to download run information. I had considered the (competitor's product) system, but with my recent purchase of a Garmin GPS V receiver, I learned about the Forerunner and I am sold on it. I like the fact that the Forerunner is way more accurate than the (competitor's product) watch and also the fact that it doesn't have to be "trained" to me, or calibrated, in order to use it. I have had it now for about a month. I run 5-6 days a week early in the morning and love the display on my Forerunner, as it is easier to read than my (competitor's product) was.

D. M.
Lanark, IL

"Love the Forerunner 201 and StreetPilot 2610"

Dear Garmin,

Just wanted to give you a couple of big kudos for two of your products I've recently purchased, the Garmin StreetPilot 2610 automotive GPS and the Forerunner 201. I don't normally do something like this, but these products warrant praise.

The Garmin 2610 is a great upgrade from the StreetPilot III, which I've previously owned. It's packed full of excellent features, easy to use, and extremely helpful when on the road. I like the fact that it's smaller and lighter than its predecessor, has USB connectivity, and expandability with standard Compact Flash cards. It also is zippier when calculating directions, etc. I use it here locally in the Bay Area, as well as taking it on business trips. I'm quite a klutz when it comes to driving in unknown/new areas, so this device has been quite a Godsend. I actually travel and visit places more than I used to because I don't have to worry about getting lost. What a fantastic product!

I picked up a Forerunner 201 earlier in December. I previously bought the (competitor's product) watch. That was nice, although a bit awkward with the separate watch and strap-on GPS unit. The Forerunner is truly outstanding! You obviously had runners/athletes in mind when designing it. It's packed full of extremely useful features, is a very light and compact unit (perfect for runners), and is a revolutionary upgrade from that (competitor's product) unit. What I can't believe is its very reasonable price. I've shown this to a lot of my friends who run and they all figured this was something that would cost several hundred dollars. Needless to say, when they found out how much it really cost, they were hooked. I understand now why the Forerunner was on backorder on so many Internet shops. It's simply a terrific device that any serious/amateur runner or athlete should have!

In addition, one of the big things I like about your products is that you are continuously improving them with software upgrades. It shows that you are constantly striving to make your stuff even better.

Please keep up the great work!

B. B.
San Jose, CA

"Forerunner 201 is one outstanding tool"

I received my new Forerunner 201 last week, and I wanted to give you some initial impressions and experiences.

By way of background, I have used an eTrex Summit for the last couple of years for hunting and hiking, and I love it. I am also a marathon runner, and that is why I bought the Forerunner. My primary need is to accurately measure pace and distance, both for training and for racing. I have tried other products, and I was close to buying the (competitor's product) system until I became aware of the Forerunner. None of the other devices I have used offers an acceptable degree of accuracy or convenience.

The convenience of operation and functioning of the buttons are superb, and I really appreciate having the ability to customize the various screen displays and the length of time for operation of the backlight. I was concerned about the size and weight of the Forerunner on my wrist, but I don't even notice it's there. The large upper screen can be read easily when running in the rain, and that is an unexpected pleasure!

I want to thank you for what promises to be an outstanding tool! It is orders of magnitude better than anything I have seen on the market, and at a price that is competitive with many multi-function training watches.

Regards,

D. C.
Salem, OR

Garmin Rino 110 Testimonials

"Enduring with their Rinos"

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, my Rino 110 allowed me to tell our convoy how far we were from Baghdad, as well as Mosul, when we eventually moved there. The radio's scan capability helped keep my troops and I informed by scanning every channel that the other soldiers were using. It may not have saved our life or anything like that, but it definitely lowered the level of stress by keeping us informed of movements, locations and distances. And furthermore, the horrific environment of heat and sand destroyed many GPS systems and radios bought by my fellow soldiers. My Garmin Rino 110 survived three months of sandstorms and heat. It endured, as did we. Thank you for such a great product.

Sincerely,

Sgt. S. L. F.
U.S. Army

"Rino enables lieutenant to find troops in sand storm"

My name is Lt. R. P. and I just wanted to take some time to let you all know what great products you put out. I returned to the United States on July 4th, 2003, from service in Iraq and Kuwait with the 226th EN CO based in Augusta, KS. Many of my soldiers purchased Garmin products from the PX in Ft. Riley (Kansas) with their own hard-earned money prior to our deployment, knowing that, in the desert, these products would possibly come in handy. Turns out it was good preparation.

On March 21st, about two days before the land war with Iraq began, my soldiers and I were out on a pipeline project in northern Kuwait. Around 2300 hrs, as we were finishing our assigned section of the project, a hellacious sandstorm hit. Words cannot describe how brutal the winds were, and the sand being blown around was blinding. I ordered all of my soldiers into the vehicles for cover. We were missing three of our soldiers. I was able to communicate with them with our handheld radios, but I wasn't able to find them in the blinding conditions to give them shelter from the sandstorm. They were without a vehicle, not far from our position. Problem was, given the conditions, I could not locate them. We drove around in circles. One of my soldiers, who owns a Rino GPS, was communicating with one of my soldiers, who also had a Rino. The lost soldiers transmitted their grid to our vehicle, and he relayed those coordinates to me up in front of the vehicle. I punched them into my eTrex and discovered my three soldiers were only about 500 meters to the east of us. We drove toward the coordinates and came right upon them.

This story may not sound like much, but your products allowed my three soldiers to have shelter in the brutal sandstorm that turned out to last about 90 minutes. I am grateful. In addition, I know the next Garmin purchase I will make is the Rino.

Thanks,

Lt. R. M. P.
Augusta, KS

"15,860 miles on desert roads with his Rino"

I recently returned from my tour in Iraq, and Garmin was with me every step of the way. The Army's version of a GPS is bulky, takes specific batteries, and weighs a ton, so we all bought civilian GPS systems. I really liked the Rino the best because we'd have two-way communications as well as a GPS in the palm of our hands! The eTrex and Rino are so user-friendly that it was not difficult to map our routes, mark waypoints, and navigate our way through the desert while still paying attention to our surroundings. After a few trips throughout Iraq, I did not even require a map and protractor. I just selected "go to 'x'" and knew how long it was going to take me to get there, how far away it was, and what direction I needed to head while following my previously tracked routes. If we had contact with the enemy, I instantly had a ten-digit grid coordinate to relay to my higher unit, as well as the MPs, providing us with security. As a convoy commander in a transportation unit, Garmin really made my life much easier and less stressful. I logged over 15,860 miles on desert roads, and Garmin was with me every turn of the wheel!

J. E. G., Jr.
1st Lt., TC
Platoon Leader
68th Transportation Company ("Eagle Express!")

We contacted 1st Lt. to see if he had any pictures to share. Here's what he sent:

Yes sir, you may use my story for reprint. (This is) a picture of our driving conditions and why it was so important to have the tracking on, as well as the military grid plugged in. Here are just some of our daily routes we had to drive on. You can barely see where the road is or turns off.

"Rino and soldier escape harm in Baghdad"

Dear Garmin,

My name is Sgt. C. F. I am stationed in Ft. Stewart, GA. Just before I was to depart for Kuwait in January of 2003, I decided to purchase a GPS because the military's PLGR units are too bulky and sometimes very unreliable. I decided to get a Rino because of the radio capabilities. When we crossed the border to assault Iraq, I used it quite frequently. When the commo failed in one of our Bradley fighting vehicles, I lent it to the driver so he could hear the commands of his vehicle commander. Once we reached Baghdad, I was quite impressed with how durable it was. Most of the equipment I had had already failed because of the sand and numerous dust storms. Unfortunately, while we were in a firefight in Baghdad International airport, all the accessories to the Rino were in a bag in my Bradley, and this same Bradley was shot and destroyed by an Iraqi T-72 tank. I lost every piece of equipment and clothing I had except the Rino, which I always kept on me. The point is, I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the Rino and will always stick with Garmin for all of my navigational needs.

Sgt. C. F.
U.S. Army

"Paintball Wars with the Rino® 110"

Dear Garmin® Corp,

I purchased a Rino 110 radio/GPS two months ago for recreational use. It has been quite enjoyable. Since then, several of my friends saw it and decided to get their own. We all live within a mile or so, so we can use its built-in games from home. As well, it works great for paintball. We play in heavy woods. The Rino was well worth the cost. However, when on a camping trip, one of my friends became lost by the river in early-morning fog. He called me on a GMRS channel and when we heard from him, we moved to an FRS channel and, through position reporting, found he was 1 1/2 miles away. The unit let him navigate right to the truck. As far as me and three friends are concerned, It has been worth the price. I started using GPS two years ago with an eTrex®, and it was cutting edge then. Now your company has done it again my blending GPS and FRS/GMRS. I hope this becomes a standard of communication as it has been highly helpful for me.

Thanks,
N. G.

"Rino takes a beating...and keeps on ticking"

I am working at a construction site where we use FRS radios to keep in contact. My crew all work from swing stages and a few radios fell to their deaths. I brought in my Rino because we were short on radios. I kept my Rino clipped to my tool bag, so it would not get knocked off my belt.

Unfortunately, the 35-pound tool bag, and my Rino, fell 8 stories (96 feet) from the swing stage. When I got to the ground, I was expecting the worst, but the Rino was still on and working. The belt clip has a small crack, but no other damage. I am very impressed with the toughness of this unit. Keep up the good work

B. R.
Windsor, Ontario
Canada

"Rinos go hunting in Michigan"

To whom it may concern, 

 I purchased three Rinos for me, my dad, and my brother. We live in Michigan and go hunting for deer every year. We hunt on State land and not in the same area every year, so it is important to know where we are. We have always used a compass, but GPS was so expensive. The Rino appealed to us because of all of its features. We learned how to use them in one week and had a great time hunting. No deer, but we were never lost with the Rino. We also knew where each other were and that is very important. We try to stay close together, but we hunt with rifles so its nice to see how far away we are. The Rino showed us everything, and the tracks showed us everywhere we had gone. If we had shot a deer, it was nice knowing that help to drag it was just a call away. No more yelling in the woods for help. Don't ever buy 2-way radios—buy a Rino. You will not regret it.

M. W.

Garmin GPS V Testimonials

"Easyriding GPS V makes the run to Sturgis"

Let me first say how unbelieveably impressed I am with my GPS 5 Deluxe. Sometimes it scares me! :) MY wife and I got much use out of it this August when we went on a road trip for 2 weeks on our motorcycle from Boston to the Sturgis S.D. motorcycle rally. We rode 4,700 miles in two weeks. Our GPS 5 never missed a beat.

Keep up the amazing work!

D. L.

"A little Las Vegas action for this GPS V"< FONT>

My wife and I used the GARMIN GPS V to drive to Las Vegas, NV, from southern California. I actually knew where the hotel was located, but I wasn't sure how to best approach the entrance and parking lot. The unit worked flawlessly getting us to our destination as well as letting us know the exact time that we would arrive.

We went shopping one afternoon, and my wife wanted to go to a certain beauty supply store. When we arrived at the building, we were greeted by a sign on the door saying that they had moved to another location. The address was printed on the sign, but we didn't have any idea where it was located. By entering the new address into the GPS V, we were quickly on our way. This was the first time that I had to totally trust the GPS V. I was not sure whether or not the unit could actually direct us to our destination. I had no way of double checking it for accuracy. Well, I can tell you now that I trust my GARMIN V! We arrived at the store's new location and also discovered a whole new area of town with new shopping centers. My wife used to think that I had simply bought a "toy", but now she and I both believe in the GPS V's capabilities and in its usefulness.

N. E. J.

"Honda Gold Wing and the GPS V combine on the open road"

My name is M. N., I'm 60, and I ride a Honda Gold Wing 2001. I mounted my GPS V on my bike in April of 2002 and just using the basic nav feature, rode out to Taos, NM from Long Island, NY. I was totally amazed by what I was seeing on my screen. It kept me informed of where I was and what exit was coming up, the speed I was traveling, and a bit of local info. I finally got around to unlocking my MapSource City Select and began doing a lot more with my GPS V, as I have several more long-distance trips planned both here in the U.S. and in Canada.

M.N.

"Italian GPS fan loves his GPS V—and his collection of other Garmin units"

I am the happy owner of 13 (I am not joking) Garmin units:

• GPS 38
• GPS II Plus
• GPS 12XL
• GPS 12MAP (Atlantic)
• eMap (both Americas and Atlantic)
• eTrex Summit
• eTrex Legend (Americas)
• eTrex Vista (Americas)
• GPS III Plus (Americas)
• GPSMAP 76 (Atlantic)
• GPSMAP 76S (Americas)
• GPS V (Europe)

All of them are perfectly working and stored in my room, and I have a Timex/Garmin package I use to record my jogging activity. I just returned from a car travel from Italy to Norway round trip through Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden (a total of 6,300 km, or approx. 3,950 mi) in 2 weeks for my honeymoon. Even when I had a navigator system in my car (an Alfa Romeo 166), I took my GPS V with me just to help while walking in an unknown city. Well, this was the original idea, but I soon realized that the (MapSource) City Select maps of the GPS were far more accurate than the maps in my navigator system! In Sweden I found new highways my navigator system didn't even know existed! And visiting Swedish and Norwegian fjords, I could find—at the highest zoom resolution—unpaved roads to get closer to the "cliffs" I couldn't find (with any other source). Also it worked fine for the original goal: no paper maps of unknown cities. It was no problem to know where me and my wife were at every moment. Only some minutes (were required) every night to connect my laptop to update maps for planned destinations. Well, we didn't have some scary or dangerous adventure with our GPS...or, maybe, because of our GPS. Thank you for the nice product. Tomorrow I'll go to a Garmin reseller here in Italy to take a look and field test the StreetPilot III Deluxe.

Regards,

S. G.

"Auto-routing through the University of Wisconsin"

I originally bought the GPS V® for geocaching, as I had a GPS III® in the past and really liked how that unit worked (as well as Garmin's great repair and customer service — a rare thing these days). I didn't figure the GPS V would be that much of an upgrade besides a better display and WAAS, but that's where I was wrong.

I recently returned to college at the University of Wisconsin. Its campus is, well, virtually all of downtown Madison, Wisconsin. As a new student, I didn't know my way around, even after so-called "orientation." All I had was my class schedule, with the names and addresses of the buildings where my classes were held. The first morning started with panic. From one end of the campus to the other is over 2 miles. There are over 100 buildings and the passing periods are only 10 minutes!

I worried until I remembered mention of an "auto routing" feature in the GPS V, which I happened to have in my backpack from the week before. Might as well give it a try.

Well, what can I say? It worked! I entered the address of the first building where I had class, and it gave me a route through the city streets to walk! After each class, I just entered the next address and was on my way! You guys saved me — I can't think of how many more situations where this little thing will come in handy.

M. T.

"Tricky navigating in British Isles"

This is intended as praise for your customer support. There is no hairy adventure to be recounted.

In 1994, I bought a (competitor's unit) after an especially ugly day lost in hip-deep snow in the Colorado high country. Until last spring, it was fine. After seeing a Garmin® display in a local shop, I bought a GPS 12 as an upgrade of the older unit.

Based on the absolutely outstanding features and service of the GPS 12, I bought a Garmin GPS V for use on a vacation trip to the British Isles. On our previous vacation, we had a challenging experience finding our way around the islands of Lewis and Harris in the Hebrides off the northwest coast of Scotland. I engaged your cartography department extensively to determine which MapSource® product would be best there and in metropolitan Britain. The advice was absolutely on target, and the European City Select® CD-ROM was the perfect recommendation.

I'm in the Information Technology business and have come to recognize the difference between marketing and product performance. My hat is off to you, for the GPS V, your MapSource products, and the best customer service I've ever encountered.

D. E.

"GPS V: not just another 'toy' for this gadget guy"

Congratulations!

First of all, I'm a gadget freak...especially electronic gadgets/toys. A friend of mine was telling me about their GPS V that they recently purchased and it sounded very interesting to me. I thought "I HAVE to get one of these". My wife said "another toy to add to your collection." At first, I was using it to navigate from my home to my office, and then back from my office to my home. My wife thought I was crazy needing a GPS to go to and from work, as work was only 5 miles from my home, and I have been going to the same place for the past 10 years. Yes, "another toy," she kept saying. But actually, I was just learning how to use the GPS V and all of its features.

I go on sales calls every day and there are many parts of my territory that I'm not familiar with, so the GPS V has been a fantastic business tool to get me to and from my clients and help me get to my appointments on time.

I can't commend Garmin and its engineers enough for making such a wonderful product. It is so feature-rich and useful that even my wife is convinced it's not a toy, it's a necessity. Every day that I use it, I'm more and more impressed with how well it works and how easy it is to use.

Thank you very much.
C. W.

"GPS V will be tough to top"

The GPS V is my fourth GPS. When I purchased the eMap®, I wondered how they could possibly improve, but they did! I've had the GPS V for eight months now, and use it for everything: flying, driving, camping, hiking, even ocean kayaking.

My wife and I used it this spring to navigate a drive/camp/kayak trip the length of Vancouver Island in Canada. Never a skip, not once a loss of signal, and accuracy so great that we were able to return to a beach after a day in the boat, and get within sight of the skid marks the keel made entering the water!

This unit is going to be REALLY tough to top, folks!
W. R.

"GPS V helps injured biker get medical attention"

I was mountain biking with two of my friends in a the very large Pinckney Recreation Area in Michigan when one of my friends tumbled over his handlebars and severely injured his shoulder. He was barely able to walk much less ride his bicycle out of there. We were right next to a dirt road that intersected with two others. None of them were marked. We felt lost and near panic. Then I started to think of the features in my new Garmin GPS V unit that I had mounted on the handlebars of my bike. I first used the unit to find the nearest hospital. I used my cell phone to call the number that my GPS V gave me—but I had no idea how to direct the ambulance to where we were. Then I remembered the auto-route feature. I simply entered 'goto the hospital' and in a few moments, I was able to give them turn by turn directions to the very intersection that we were at. What a wonderful product. While my friend was convalescing at home, he got on the Internet and ordered a GPS V for himself.

Thanks for a great product.

Art

"GPS V helps designer to work"

Garmin,

I bought the GPS V system. This is my first GPS unit. I am a design engineer by profession. I design communication and control systems for mission-critical applications for the railroads and 911 dispatch centers. I am usually critical about the electronic stuff that I buy. Most of the time you don't get what you pay for. Engineers use cheap displays and switches, and poorly manufactured cases and plastics. After buying this unit, I cannot pick on anything about it! I don't think it could be made better-in fact, I think it quite perfect! It has a high-quality LCD display that is extremely readable. The adjustable backlight intensity is a great feature, and the buttons are well-designed and laid out. The one thing I like the most is that it is waterproof. I am amazed at all the features this unit can do. It's so small and compact, yet it performs like something 10x its size. To get that many features into such a small package took a lot of hard work. Take it from me: To cram all that into an area that small took a lot of time. This unit is well worth the money!

Now for the real reason I bought it—I am tired of getting lost :) for work. I drive 110 miles a day, round trip. When there is construction or an accident, I have to just sit there in traffic because it is impossible to know all the shortcuts around an area that big. so I never try to go around the problem I just sit there. But today I plotted my route from home to work, mounted it into my truck, and took off. I could not believe the accuracy of this unit! It was to the "T" on every turn and junction. It told me my speed, time to next turn, miles to next turn, and E.T.A.-even outlined my trip on the map. I was really impressed with the E.T.A. In the end, it was only 3 minutes off. Not bad for driving over one hour and ten minutes. I could not be happier with this device! It's simply awesome.

Oh...by the way. This unit (supposedly) has the ability to re-route on the fly. So I tried it. I didn't take a turn when it told me to. I kept on driving, and it beeped and said it was re-routing for me. Then in about 3 seconds, it had my new route all planned out for me and told me to take the next turn up ahead. THAT IS THE BEST FEATURE OF ALL!

Great job Garmin!

J. P.

Garmin cfQue 1620

"'Iron butts' are big cf Que1620 fans"

OK, we're not your everyday motorcycle gang. We're computer geeks, GPS nerds, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and assorted other occupations who ride mid-80s Honda V4-powered motorcycles. (If you're interested in these, http://www.sabmag.org is a good place to find out about them.) To borrow a line from a forgotten Sylvester Stallone movie, "We have PhDs rubbing shoulders with people who can't spell PhD" and we all get along. We also ride—a lot. Many of us are members of the Iron Butt Association (http://www.ironbutt.com). All you have to do to join is ride a motorcycle 1,000 miles in 24 hours. Almost every Iron Butt motorcycle has at least one GPS onboard. On my last Iron Butt ride, I carried my Garmin GPS III+ and used the GPS 12 for backup.

But how does the new cf Que 1620 fit into all this? We had just finished a three-day ride and camp gathering in the hills of east Tennessee. Using a cf Que 1620 coupled with a Dell Axim 5 running at 300 MHz, we were able to plot a course from our base camp through such motorcycle meccas as Deal's Gap (N35 27.947, W083 55.190), the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground (N35 24.321, W082 48.713), and the vast metropolis of Greasy Creek, TN (N 35 08.429, W084 32.078).

I had just gotten the cf Que 1620 on Thursday evening, and had it up and running a few minutes later. The mapping software is excellent, setup is a breeze, and you can't get it lost. I tried. Performance under tree cover is better than any other Garmin unit I've ever used (GPS 12, III+, and eTrex Vista). The intuitive controls are easy to learn. You can use not only the 64 MB of onboard cf Que 1620 memory for storage, but also the onboard memory of your PDA and any additional card slots. I have detailed maps with routing directions laid out for trips from SE Tennessee to Dayton, Ohio, Ottumwa, Iowa, and Red Lodge, MT all saved to a single 126-MB SD card, with 13 MB to spare. Upload time with the USB cable is eons faster than serial port connections. The on-the-fly voice prompts are spot-on. The unit realizes quickly when there's a course deviation and automatically recalculates the next best route from your present position.

This thing may be a little too good. I let my wife hold it while I intentionally ignored the turn directions so she could see how it recalculates.

Now she wants one....

J. H.
N35 22.287, W084 16.817

"His cf Que 1620 gets travel-tested"

After debating about whether to purchase a cf Que 1620 or a more expensive internal memory GPS unit, I finally decided on the CF Que—and I'm glad I did. Traveling recently from Colorado to Idaho, through mountains and across wide open highway areas, my unit performed flawlessly.

Before the trip, I was concerned about the lack of an external antenna, but three-satellite reception was maintained throughout the trip and the turn-by-turn guidance system worked as well as the internal guidance system that I had in a Lexus RX300. The cf Que is a perfect match for the Dell Axim5, which has both CF and SD card slots. I have the U.S. basemap and 12 western state maps loaded on the cf Que module and a 256-MB SD card. 

At this point, I'm completely satisfied and I plan to purchase Gamin Topo Map software for off-road use in the Colorado mountains.

R. K.
Centennial, CO

Garmin iQue 3200

"The iQue 3200 comes through for these "soccer dads'" I am amazed at the capabilities of this little gem. A friend and I made a trip out of town to a soccer tournament this past weekend. Coach had given us the wrong field for the first game. There were four possibilities and we hit all of them. Of course, we found the right field last. If it hadn't been for his Garmin, we would have missed the first game entirely. We plugged in the locations and simply had the unit take us there. It even helped find the emergency room when his son was injured in one of the games. So it made our weekend. We made it home safely, not without the help of our faithful Garmin. Great product...very cool...yet extremely practical. John Elk River, MN

Garmin Geko 101 Testimonials

Hi,

I just want to say I have a great time with your Garmin products. Over a year ago, I purchased an eTrex and had great fun collecting waypoints all around the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands where I live. When I showed the eTrex to my brother, he was hooked and never gave it back! I then graduated to a GPS 76, which has always been accurate and reliable.

Just recently, I purchased a Geko 101 for my 9-year-old daughter. This seemed to be an easy way of introducing her to navigation and have a bit of fun at the same time. Thinking that she may have problems understanding how to use the unit, I was prepared for some frustrations. How silly I was! In about 20 minutes, she was working the unit like she had used it for weeks! Thank you, Garmin, for producing a product that is so easy to use, with a minimal number of buttons. It's light in weight and small enough for tiny hands and pockets. And water resistant—what a bonus.

She was soon inputting longitude and latitude waypoints I had previously stored in my GPS 76, and then reading route directions to me while I drove the car, the Geko always being accurate. We now have games navigating to locations in our local park—a kind of "find the treasure" game. Most of the time I am too slow. She seems to be always tapping her feet and whistling when I finally get there.

There is a bigger reason for me purchasing the Geko for my daughter. I am a single parent and would die if anything happened to her. We are soon going on holiday to the U.S.A., and it is a big and unfamiliar place with large amusement parks. With the Geko, I can have the peace of mind that she will know where she is, where she should not be, and be able to make her way back home.

I am looking forward to purchasing the Forerunner. Having a GPS on your wrist at an affordable price—I can't wait.

Thanks for producing great GPS products.

B. L. L.
Jersey
Channel Islands

Garmin StreetPilot Testimonials

"StreetPilot® gets us through the Scottish Highlands"

Our StreetPilot was indespensible last summer! We were going to Scotland, by way of Iceland and England, for a month, with plans to drive around the highlands on our own, and with pre-paid reservations for every night. Obviously, we had to be on schedule, and couldn't afford to get lost! We bought the Street Pilot and the CD for the UK and programmed the Garmin® before we left.

When in Scotland, we bought Ordinance Survey maps that showed region by region, every road, building, ruin, mountain and stream. Between the two we were able to navigate those mostly unmarked single-track roads, multiple roundabouts, and sheep tracks with ease! We had a wonderful trip, with our biggest worry-getting lost in the wild highlands of Scotland-alleviated, thanks to our Garmin. We were able to find and visit out-of-the-way ruins, circles of standing stones, and ancient sites way off the regular tourist routes.

We toured from Edinburgh, through Kilberry, the Western Isles of Mull and Skye, up to Inverness, down through the Cairngorms to Forfar, (chasing dead relatives ;-) ) Lawrencekirk, Arbroath, then through Sterling to Glasgow, and finally winging home.

Dr. L. B. K.

"Weekend biker's StreetPilot"

This is my first Garmin. I can't tell you how much I've used the StreetPilot. I'm a "weekend biker" and take this unit everywhere. Those back roads are great to ride on, and how to get there (and back) is something I never have to worry about with the StreetPilot! I've "marked" a lot of good places, found those "out in the boonies" gas stations, and planned a lot of return trips I could never have remembered! Everyone that's seen it is so impressed!! I'm moving north soon, and boy, being able to navigate around a new town with no fear is one less thing I have to worry about! Thanks Garmin! I'm a customer for life!

D. H.

"And StreetPilot makes #4"

This is my fourth Garmin product (the StreetPilot GPS). After seeing some of the other GPS units my relatives have purchased and hearing their comments, I think Garmin is in a class all its own with others following the lead like a dog sled team. I have had so many good experiences with your products, it would take volumes to document.

I am a Network Field Engineer for a health company and do a lot of traveling around, and when we have to cover another engineer's territory, the StreetPilot is great—you have peace of mind knowing that you can get home with no problems. Seeing the street-level detail is a major plus.

T.B.

"Trucker always on time with StreetPilot"

I recently purchased a StreetPilot GPS. I can't even begin to say how happy I am with my investment. I am a trucker contracted to an expedited freight company. This job requires me to pick up and deliver time-sensitive freight. The StreetPilot has enabled me to make a 100 percent on-time delivery record. Paper maps are great, however, they cannot tell you where you are. The StreetPilot, on the other hand, shows you exactly where you are and how far away from your destination you are, as well as how long it will take you to get there. I recommend that anyone who is in the trucking industry purchase one. It will save you time and actually generate more income for you by getting you where you need to be faster and enabling you to get your next load sooner. It will also cut your fuel costs because you will spend less time driving around lost trying to find your destination. To sum it all up, I wouldn't drive without the StreetPilot.

"Truckin' along with StreetPilot"

As a sailor, photographer, and trucker, I have come to rely on Garmin GPS products to help me find my way. With my recent purchase of the StreetPilot GPS, I have found a perfectly suited tool for my land-based travels. My brother races Admirals Cup-level sailboats all over the world and I accompany him as often as possible to enjoy the offshore realm. It is through sailing that we first became familiar with and relied on GPS to maximize our capabilities. Your products are head and shoulders above the rest.

A brief bit about trucking and GPS. No red-blooded trucker will ever admit to being lost. When you travel with a touring company like I do, you will see about 175 different cities a year. Keeping up with the 7,500 or so venues is a bit tricky. Paper maps and word of mouth got us there for years. Four or five years ago, I began to incorporate GPS into my work. My marine experience and the simple mapping programs were enough to provide statistical information and directions to waypoints across the nation. I was ridiculed by other truckers because we all knew where we were, but they were finding the time stats interesting and I was verifying a few speedometers. As the units and software became more sophisticated, the jibing ceased and the curiosity picked up. Now with the StreetPilot utilizing the MapSource® software, I don't hear a thing from them, yet I notice they all line up behind me to guide them into unfamiliar territory. I have had to loan my GPS 12XL and GPS III® Plus to other drivers, and they are all now contemplating the purchase of a StreetPilot.

C.W.

Garmin GPS 12 Testimonials

"GPS 12 tough addition to Marine Corps gear"

I am an active duty Marine Infantry Officer. Before my present assignment, I was a Heavy Machine Gun Platoon Commander with 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, 5th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton, California. While out on a large training exercise, I was using my Garmin® GPS 12 for navigation of my 34-man platoon which were mounted on Hummers. I was doing some map work on the hood of my vehicle while the platoon was fueling up. We remounted our Hummers and began to move. I started to look around for my GPS, when I noticed it was on the hood of the vehicle. By this time we were doing about 45 MPH. By the time I realized where my GPS was, it was to late. My vehicle was just cresting the peak of a large hill. My GPS 12 slid off the hood while doing 45 MPH and crashed onto the asphalt. I was the first vehicle in the column, so several vehicles were following me. The GPS crashed to the ground and split into two parts. I went to the bottom of the hill, stopped the vehicle, and ran back to pick up my GPS. I was sure it was broken forever. I reconnected some wires and used electrical tape to put the two halfs back together. I was sure it would not work. To my surprise, when I turned it on, it worked. Then I thought it would not be accurate. Wrong again. It gave me an MGRS grid just as fast and as accurate as it did when I first purchased it. I want to tell you that I have been impressed with your gear since I first used my GPS 12 two years ago during a Combined Arms Exercise in the desert at 29 Palms, California. I have used my Garmin to navigate on land and on water. It is truely a superior piece of navigational gear. I would highly reccommend it to anybody in my line of work or anybody who plays in the outdoors.

Thanks for making a quality product that is dependable.

Capt. J. C. H., USMC

"GPS 12 hastens hot meal for lost hunter"

Garmin,

Today I was turkey hunting on new land that I had never hunted on before, and I got so turned around and lost that I thought I was going to be a rescue. I pulled out my Garmin GPS 12, which had the truck marked as waypoint 15 and did the GOTO 15 deal. The arrow was pointing the exact opposite direction I was going. I actually thought I was right and the Garmin was wrong. Then, 30 minutes later, I gave in and followed the arrow, taking me right back to the truck. I have no idea how the Native Americans made it around when I can get lost in a 5X5-mile stretch. Thank you so much. Being lost is a bad feeling, even with a good tool that you doubt. I have learned a valuable lesson. Trust the Garmin!

Thank you,

T. P.
Lost Turkey Hunter

PS: I did not get any turkeys but there is always next time. I did get a hot meal that my wife fixed.

"GPS 12 survives fall from tree stand"

Dear Garmin,

Just wanted to thank you for designing the GPS 12 so rugged. I was setting up my tree stand for the up coming deer hunt and set my GPS 12 on a branch next to my tree to get a good lock on my stand location. As I was setting it up, I turned away to get another part for the stand when the ladder stand came tumbling down landing right on the GPS and sent it flying. My heart stopped as I picked it up and noticed that the display was blank and a big impact scrape right across the antenna end of the GPS. I figured that this was the end of the line for my GPS 12. I pressed the power button and the unit fired right up. After a couple of seconds of acquiring satellite data, my GPS 12 was up and running again. I marked my stand and proceeded to get myself lost in the woods to make sure the unit still worked. I used the Goto function to find the heading to my stand which. according to the GPS 12. was .34 miles away. I headed in the direction the GPS 12 pointed me and in no time I was standing right next to my stand again.

Thanks again for building such a rugged piece of equipment. I still have a great working GPS with battle scars on it from a tough day in the woods.

D. G.

"Used GPS 12 to mark location of hidden canoe"

Recently, I was returning home from a week's vacation with my wife and son in Pennsylvania. It was around 11:00 at night and we were driving on a heavily traveled interstate between New York and Pennsylvania. On our roof was a fiberlite canoe I borrowed from a friend in New York. Suddenly, one of the four foam blocks separating the canoe from the roof of the car broke in two and started a chain reaction, causing two other blocks to fly off. After surveying the situation carefully, I realized that without the missing blocks, there was no way to safely reattach the canoe. Here I was on the side of an interstate over 70 miles from home with a huge fiberglass canoe at 10:45 at night. At wit's end, I remembered I had my trusty GPS 12 in the glove compartment. While my wife retrieved the GPS and powered it on, I dragged the canoe as far into the woods as possible, so people passing by couldn't see it. I marked a waypoint and continued home. The next day after work, I borrowed a van from a friend and headed back. Using the "GoTo" feature, I was able to return to the exact spot I was the previous evening in total darkness.

Thanks, Garmin. Your unit paid for itself in one day and saved a friendship. Without it, there is no way I would have been able to return to that exact spot 40 or 50 yards into the woods. Now if it only could have masked how silly I must have looked pulling a canoe out of the woods when I went back!

R.H.

"No wrong turns, no wasted steps, thanks to GPS 12"

I just wanted to tell you how much more I enjoy hunting now that I carry a GPS 12. I have a bone disease that makes it difficult for me to walk, depending on the terrain, weather, and how long I've been out.

I used to have to pay a great deal of attention to where I was, especially when I was out of state and hunting locations I'd never walked before. But now, using the GPS 12, I simply enter waypoints, such as parking areas or hard-to-find bridges, and forget about the rest. I let my bird dog do what she does best, and I just worry about getting clear shots at grouse or woodcock. When I sense that my legs won't handle too much more walking, I turn on the GPS and hunt all the way back to the car, knowing that I'm not wasting precious steps going the wrong way. Before the GPS, there were times I barely made it back to the car because I had gotten turned around and taken way too long to get back to the parking area.

I purchased my GPS 12 about five years ago for use with my 18-foot runabout. We had planned a bunch of lake trips and I felt it would be safer to have one along with chartplotting, etc. Before we were able to go on these trips, I was promoted and was given a substantial raise. This allowed us to get a bigger boat, a 22-foot Wellcraft SCARAB. This is a pretty serious offshore boat. Since then we have entered "poker runs," gone from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Long Island Sound, etc. That little Garmin has been bounced around a little (crashing through waves at 50+ mph), gone through countless batteries, even been dropped in 5 feet of water. It still works and looks like new. I bought it with limited use in mind, more as a backup than anything, but it has been one helpful piece of boating hardware! I won't leave port without it! The only complaint I have is that every once in awhile it makes me look a little foolish. I trust my instincts, thinking that the unit has finally gone off it's nut, and it turns out I am wrong! Thanks for making a great product for a great price.

M. H.

"GPS 12 helps locate and mark villages in Peru"

I am a dental student at the University of Connecticu, and I just got back from a dental trip to Peru, where I used my Garmin GPS 12. We were going to villages along the Amazon River to extract decayed teeth. The government in Peru does not know the exact positions of many of these villages. The local organization APECA (Association for the preservation, education, and conservation of the Amazon) wanted to record the exact positions of each of the villages so that other medical or government people could find their way there in the future. The day that we arrived, I was shown a satellite map with UTM coordinates of the region we were going to be in, and I knew roughly how to get to the villages. When we arrived in the villages, I would take an average position at the dock on the Amazon. These positions will be submitted to the government to be officially recorded on a map so that more people can get to these villages. For some of the villages, we would have to ask the local people in the dugout canoes on the river how to get to them. Going home each evening was great because the GPS 12 would give us our exact time of arrival. We were able to calculate that the river was moving at about four miles per hour. The head of APECA was given a Garmin marine GPS, and since the instruction book was in English, I switched the GPS to Spanish mode and, through a translator, showed him how to use it so that he will be able to record the exact positions of any future villages he goes to. I was so excited to actually use my GPS for something other than hiking in the USA.

K.M

"Surfing the wind with the GPS 12"

Not sure if you know this, but windsurfers use the GPS 12 while sailing because it will give the max speed and distance traveled. We put them into backpacks or into the many hard plastic cases that are out there now. It is interesting to find out that you just went 41.7 mph on a windsurfer and put on 18 miles ... cool.

Ron, the Water Rocket

"GPS 12 finishes fishing tourney in good standing"

During a Bass Anglers Sportsman Society Invitational Tournament on Lake Okechobee, Florida, my brand X GPS didn't get along with the pounding a bass boat can deliver in choppy water. It quit after the first half day of practice. Facing the remaining two and a half days of practice and three days of competition on one of the country's largest lakes without a GPS was not a possibility. At 5 a.m., I went to a 24-hour Wal-Mart and purchased the only Garmin GPS remaining in the store (no surprise that they had a few of brand X still available). By 7 a.m., I had launched my boat, figured out the new receiver, and loaded about a dozen waypoints from my maps. That little GPS 12 did a fantastic job. You can figure it out in an hour or so, and you can navigate in a hurry. I lost little or no practice time and used the plotter screen with track log extensively to work my area and catch a limit of bass on the first day of the tournament. That spot was 23 miles across open water. Garmin, Skeeter Boats, and Yamaha Outboards put me on that spot in less than 20 minutes, then guided my every turn through the rim canal and the many boat trails that can be found in the vast fields of vegetation that Okechobee offers. Thanks Garmin.

J.A.

"Wouldn't trade his GPS 12"

I've used a Magellan 3000XL and a Magellan 315 belonging to friends. I wouldn't trade my Garmin GPS 12 for either one. The GPS 12 is accurate, easy to use, and lightweight. I can't say enough about it. On two recent hunting trips, my wife was amazed by how it got us to hunting spots, to our kills and back again. She is a believer now. I'm going to get her one so I can have mine back. Two friends also have this GPS and feel the same. It's a great product and I don't know how I ever got along without it.

P.C.

"This kid really knows his GPS"

Your product is very easy to use, yet a powerful professional tool. One day while I was working, my 9-year-old son convinced my wife to take him and some friends for a hike in a state park. The park has only primative foot paths and their maps are poor. The area is the site of orienteering meets because of its large undeveloped nature. This trip was made in the middle of the work week outside of the normal busy summer season.

Two things made my wife agree to go: her cellular phone and the Garmin GPS 12. She was quite afraid of getting lost, but my son told her he knew how to work my GPS. She called me to confirm that and I told her to go and enjoy the hike. I think my exact words were, "Take a hike!" My son used the unit and marked the car location and proceeded to lead everyone on a great adventure. Without the Garmin GPS12, I would not have let them go without me. My son also gave my brother instructions on how to use his new Garmin GPS 12 after my brother received the unit as a gift. Your GPS product has opened a new world for my son. He loves maps and compasses, but especially loves the GPS 12. He even explains Selective Availability to anyone who will listen. I simply can't say enough about the great products that Garmin manufactures. You are the best.

N.Z.

"GPS 12 takes a licking"

Using my GPS 12 as a geological field tool to locate roadside sampling locations in Western Australia, I would place the unit on the car top while making notes sitting in the car. One day I drove off with the unit still on the top of the car. Along a bend in the road, with the car moving at 80 km/hr, the unit slid off, bounced on the road, and landed in some bushes. When I recovered the unit, the plastic case had partly broken open, but the unit was still working! Garmin matches Timex!

G.D.

"GPS 12 marked the spot"

Recently our family enjoyed a snowmobile outing in Northern Michigan. We stopped for lunch at one of our favorite stops and the waitress saw me experimenting with my recently purchased GPS 12. She asked, "Does that thing work very well?" Little did she or myself know how well it would work and help save the day.

After lunch we were heading back to camp when my wife had problems with the sled she was riding. It broke down beyond repair on the trail. So the only thing I knew to do was mark our position on the GPS and return for it later with a truck and trailer. The challenge was it could not be towed and we were about 10 trail miles from the trail head.

We doubled up and rode out about 1.8 miles to a gas company access road. I followed that road out to a main road and marked that position as well. After returning to the rest of the family, we rode back to camp. My 15-year-old son got the trailer hooked up and off we went.

We used the GPS 12 to guide us back to the area where I marked the main road. One important lesson I learned: you can't second-guess the reading and win. The unit will make you look like a fool. So we followed the screen on the GPS 12 to the gas company access road and then followed it to the trail and the sled. I know we would still be looking for it had it not been for the miracles of modern technology and some faith in the Man upstairs.

D.M.

"Safe and sound trip with GPS 12"

This week I took my family on a 9.5-hour, 180-mile trip to Mystic, CT from Newburgh, NY. We left on a Monday and returned on Thursday. My family consists of my wife and four daughters, ages 9, 6, 4 and 2. I have a 27-foot Searay and felt the boat was seaworthy for taking the family on the Long Island Sound. My brother John and his wife and daughter accompanied us in his boat (23-foot Larson).

John and I both used a Garmin GPS12 handheld GPS receiver to plot our routes using current charts of the Long Island Sound. It took nearly five hours to research the latitude and longitude of all the buoys we planned to encounter for each route during our journey. We entered waypoints for two routes: a direct route for good weather and a more northerly route for bad weather.

I've been a boater for years and this would be my first experience boating without having a forward visual reference for steering the boat. I knew I had to rely on the GPS 12 for navigation while in the Long Island Sound. Our furthest waypoint-to-waypoint distance was 54 miles. Using an active route and the highway diagram, we navigated to each waypoint flawlessly. We made it to Mystic and had a great time. The return trip was just as easy to navigate.

The purpose for telling you all this was to let you know how grateful I am to have had such a remarkable device without which we would never have been able to attempt the trip. The safety of my family wore heavily on my mind and the success of the trip would determine whether or not we would ever attempt another. My heartfelt thanks to everyone at Garmin for making events like this not just an experience for me, but a memorable and enjoyable trip for all my children.

R.C.

"GPS 12 aids forest rescue"

I am a fire captain with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Not everyone realizes that we are also in the rescue business. I have had a hard time getting the attention of helicopters that have been called in to pick up injured parties because our position is almost always obscured by trees. The first time I used my Garmin GPS 12 to give my coordinates to dispatch the guide in the helo, I heard the copter coming closer and closer. It came to hover directly above my position as the pilot came on the air to inquire as to my whereabouts. I replied very simply, "look down." The mountain biker had massive injuries, including skull and spine fractures. But thanks to my Garmin GPS and a Coast Guard helo with hoist, the young fellow was admitted off the pad and into Stanford hospital in a remarkably short amount of time. Other than no memory prior to the accident, I understand he is doing well.

D.R.

"GPS 12 gets injured biker back to car"

It was two Sundays ago when my wife Maddy and I decided to go mountain biking in a new park area. I have been trying to teach her how to remove the tires from all the bikes we own and how to get them on top of the car. She could not understand why I wanted her to not only know, but also be able to do it by herself. After all, we always went together and I could always do it for her. I like helping people, but want them to have the knowledge and ability to do things on their own. So we were at odds, but I am stubborn.

Maddy was just getting to the point where she could do her own bike, but she had trouble lifting it up onto the car. We went anyway and I helped her get it on the car as I usually do. I used my Garmin GPS 12 to mark a waypoint for where we parked and started biking, noticing all the damage left by the storm Floyd. Paths were washed out, even bridges. This was the first time in this biking area, but you could tell that the damage was very recent. Ruts were cut into paths and a pile of rocks were on the side where the water runs off. Maddy decided we had a good ride and started back to the car. I rode ahead to see what was coming. I saw a path that I thought came out from where we started, even though we started along a different path. I rode back to find Maddy because I had lost sight of her. I saw her and then my front tire went flat as I was doing 27 mph. The tire fell off the rim and the brake flipped into the spokes. I flew and hit a pile of rocks, breaking my helmet. I hurt, and Maddy pointed out that my left shoulder was looking somewhat different. Sure enough, a dislocation. I got up and started dragging my bike to the car with my right hand, but I started blacking out. I kept upright, but could not see betweeen the pain and the sweat. I handed Maddy the Garmin and explained the "GoTo" feature. She did it and hit "page". She followed the arrow to the car, and I followed her voice. It took about 20 minutes to walk that mile. Maddy got the bikes on the car after I ripped the brake off the rim of my bike so she could get it mounted on the car.

I believe if I didn't have my GPS 12 and hadn't learned how to use it, it would have taken Maddy an hour or two to find the car, bring it to me, and then get back on our way to the ER. Thanks Garmin.

J.W.