Garmin GPSMAP 62St 2.6-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review
UPDATE September 7 2010. The issues resolved below are solved by release 2.50 of the 62st firmware. I have no trouble recommending this unit at this point!
I purchased the 62st recently and took it out for a 9 mile geocaching adventure. While I like the unit very much in general, it has one major problem. Like any hiking GPS, the 62st will record your track as you hike, letting you upload it to your computer when you return home. This is very useful for keeping track of your adventures. The accuracy of the 62st's GPS, combined with its barometric altimeter, lets you accurately record your track for later use.
Sadly what I discovered is that on the 62st simply pressing buttons on the GPS interferes with the barometric altimeter. Pressing even a single button on the GPS can result in spikes in the recorded data of 30 feet or more! On my first test hike, my 62st GPS said that I had climbed more than 8000 vertical feet, while the other GPSes carried by my friends on the same hike recorded only 2000.
I did apples-to-apples comparison experiments of the Garmin 62st, Garmin 60csx and Delorme PN-40, and only the 62st exhibits this bug. Pressing buttons on the other GPSes does not interfere with the recorded track data.
I have been in contact with Garmin Support about this issue, but as of today there is no fix.
Until this issue is resolved sadly I cannot recommend the Garmin 62s or 62st. I hope for a fix soon!
UPDATE as of 8/12/2010: Today Garmin released a new set of beta firmware for the 62 series GPSes. In preliminary experiments, the new firmware seems to have significantly improved things with respect to the altimeter. I will do more testing this weekend, but the situation seems to be improving! I'll report back early next week.
UPDATE as of 8/22/2010. The beta firmware has fixed the altitude issue. Some users have reported problems in updating to the beta, so I'd still suggest holding off on a purchase until Garmin releases a new "official" firmware release. I've taken the GPS out on several hikes totalling over 20 miles, and am quite impressed with it. I upgraded my review to three stars today, and will give it another star once a new firmware release is available.
UPDATE as of 9/7/2010. Garmin has now released firmware 2.50 for the 62st. If you update your unit to the new firmware level, I have no problem recommending it. My earlier problems are fixed.
Garmin GPSMAP 62St 2.6-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Feature
- Rugged, waterproof navigator with 2.6-inch, sunlight-readable, 65-K color TFT screen and 160 x 240 pixel resolution
- Three-axis, tilt-compensated electronic compass and barometric altimeter for precise bearing and altitude measurements
- 100k topographic data for the U.S. and worldwide basemap with shaded relief; add a wide array of topographic, marine and road maps
- Supports BirdsEye Satellite Imagery (subscription required) for integrating satellite images with your maps
- Compatible with Custom Maps, free software that transforms paper and electronic maps into downloadable maps for your device
Garmin GPSMAP 62St 2.6-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Overview
The GPSMAP 62St handheld navigator features a 2.6-inch sunlight-readable screen, barometric altimeter, 3-axis tilt-compensated compass, photo navigation and preloaded 100K topo mapping. Rugged and waterproof, GPSMAP 62St has a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief, a battery life of up to 18 hours and connects wirelessly to compatible Garmin handhelds.
Garmin GPSMAP 62St 2.6-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Specifications
The newly designed GPSMAP 62st handheld navigator features a 3-axis tilt-compensated compass, a barometric altimeter, preloaded 100K topo maps and supports Custom Maps, BirdsEye Satellite imagery (subscription required) and photo navigation. Rugged and waterproof, GPSMAP 62st employs a quad helix antenna for unparalleled reception, has a high-speed USB connection, a sleek new design and connects wirelessly to compatible Garmin handhelds.
 Rugged and waterproof, the GPSMAP 62St boasts a 3-axis tilt-compensated compass, a barometric altimeter, and plenty more. |
 Worldwide basemap with shaded relief. |
 Built-in 100k topographic data for the continental U.S. |
 Barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. |
Keep Heading in the Right Direction
Explore the Terrain
GPSMAP 62st comes with built-in U.S. 100k topographic data for the continental U.S. and a worldwide basemap with shaded relief--all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest.
Get Your Bearings
GPSMAP 62st has a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you're standing still, without holding it level. Its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can even use it to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Share Wirelessly
With GPSMAP 62st you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other compatible Garmin device users. So now your friends can also enjoy your favorite hike or cache--simply press "send" to transfer your information to similar units, and let the games begin.
Keep Your Fix
With its quad helix antenna and high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction, GPSMAP 62st locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear--whether you're in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on GPSMAP 62st to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Add Maps
Adding more maps is easy with Garmin's wide array of detailed topographic, marine and road maps. With its onboard memory, GPSMAP 62st lets you conveniently download 24K maps and hit the trail, plug in BlueChart g2 preloaded cards for a great day on the water or City Navigator NT map data for turn-by-turn routing on roads (see maps tab for compatible maps). GPSMAP 62st also supports BirdsEye Satellite Imagery (subscription required), that lets you download satellite images to your device and integrate them with your maps. In addition, the 62st is compatible with Custom Maps, free software that transforms paper and electronic maps into downloadable maps for your device.
Get Connected
You've been busy exploring and now you want to store and analyze your activities. With a simple connection to your computer and to the Internet, you can get a detailed analysis of your activities and send tracks to your outdoor device using Garmin Connect. This one-stop site offers an activity table and allows you to view your activities on a map using Google Earth. Explore other routes uploaded by millions of Garmin Connect users and share your experiences on Twitter and Facebook. Getting started is easy, so get out there, explore, and share.
Find Fun
GPSMAP 62st supports geocaching GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to your unit. By going paperless, you're not only helping the environment but also improving efficiency. GPSMAP 62st stores and displays key information, including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions, which means no more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs! Simply upload the GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches. Slim and lightweight, 62st is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
What's in the Box
Garmin GPSMAP 62st, Carabiner Clip, USB Cable, Quick Start Manual
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 02, 2010 22:18:04
