Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with US Topographic Preloaded Maps
By: Garmin Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 28
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 On: 2008-06-23
I previously used an e-trex legend, and was frustrated that it did not have a compass and barometric altimeter. I was looking to upgrade, but was quite concerned about all of the negative reports about the colorado series. There are some things I would like different, but all in all, I am very pleased with the Colorado. It does what it says it does. I do have to brighten the back light every time, but doing that makes it work well in low lighting conditions, and I can see it perfectly under bright sun! After running through a set of alkaline batteries I switched to rechargeables, and they are working great. I also bought some lithium batteries to use, but am saving them for a long backpacking trip.
 On: 2008-06-18
The maps are the most detailed yet and were very helpful on a recent hiking trip in the Great Smokey Mountains. The screen is very clear in direct sunlight. The roller interface is also easy to use, but not the best for entering POI searches. Turn-by-turn navigation is not avaiable with the included database. You will need to add the seperate upgrade to an SD card if you want this ability. However, once loaded this becomes an amazing all purpose device. Especially great to geocaching using the beta firmware. I expect to see even more improvements with future releases.
On: 2008-06-17
First let me say, I purchased this unit specifically for Geocaching so I cant speak to its usefulness in other ventures. I took delivery of my Colorado just in time to take it to Geocachings largest yearly event, Geo-Woodstock. I spent three solid days Geocaching and found almost 150 caches! I stepped up to the Colorado from Garmins 60CSx (which I still have) and I have to say that the Colorado has got to be "the" tool for Geocachers. The "paperless" features have allowed me to carry fewer items on my cache runs as I no longer need the Palm Handheld as all the cache info is right at my fingertips. Speaking of fingertips... I love the ergonomics of this new unit. It fits nicely in your hand and all the controls seem to fall right where they should. I have not experienced any of the firmware issues mentioned by others. I spoke with a friend who purchased a Colorado right after they were released and he confirmed that the more recent units (like mine) seem to have the new firmware already loaded. As for battery wear, it does seem to burn through batteries quicker than my CSx, but I havent really made and effort yet to see if I can change anything to help that issue. Count me as one of the satisfied customers.
 On: 2008-06-14
I purchased my Colorado 400t from Amazon about a month ago. It was VERY affordable through Amazon, and fairly easy to use right out of the box. I recommend going through each Colorado function immediately after purchase and looking at all of the options available for each one, as many are not intuitively obvious. There are lots of nifty features available on the system.
The default map overlays are okay, not very detailed but sufficient for street navigation. The maps are not very well geo-synched. E.g., With a position accuracy of less than 10 ft the GPS position of my porch appeared across the street when displayed. I attempted to install more topographic detail using one of the National Geographic software sets, but the software kept crashing during installation. It appears to be incompatible with Windows XP and/or the underlying Garmin operating system. One of the best enhancements to this GPS is to synch it up with Google Earth. Thats lots of fun. Im waiting for more detailed wide-area coverage maps from either Garmin or other sources.
Satelite acquisition happens very rapidly and maintains good signal strength once acquired. The display of satellite positions, signal quality, and other information is pretty handy. It seems to work fine inside a car.
My big problem with the Garmin Colorado 400t: The display contrast and backlighting is so weak that the system is vitually unusable in bright sunlight and difficult to discern in other than dim lighting. It would be helpful to have brighter lighting and I will retrofit my Colorado with a brighter manufacturer or second-source lighting system if one becomes available. Battery life is good, but Im willing to accept less to get better legibility in sunlight.
Big takeaways: Positives-Good accuracy, fast acquisition, lots of neat features, compatibility with Google Earch. Negatives-Dim display, lack of detailed map coverage available, not-very-accurate geo-synching of maps for precision placement of positions on the display.
On: 2008-06-12
This is my first GPS and I did a lot of research to find the right one. After looking at all the reviews and waiting for Garmin to clear up some issues I pulled the trigger on this unit. I am not disappointed. The shaded relief is great, the wheel is very intuitive, and maps are pretty detailed. I havent had any issues with my unit and the battery life lasts plenty long. The price has came down so it makes this a steal compared to any other unit with what you get. I definitely recommend this product to anyone that is looking for a GPS.
On: 2008-06-11
After reading the reviews, both pro and con I decided to give the 400t a try. After all, a company like Garmin would surely have resolved such blantant faults as were encountered by some of the reviewers, right? Well, yes and no. The unit I bought was horrible. The promise was there, but so was the ridiculously poor battery life 4-6 hours with 2650mAh batteries, constant self-rebooting and shut-down, and freezing requiring the batteries to be removed to reset the unit. I installed the latest OS (2.51 beta) with no improvement. I called customer support who suggested I return the unit, which I suspected was just a lame response to my problem. Well, I was wrong! The new unit is great - battery life of 14-16 hours, no rebooting or freezing, and everything works great. As others have noted, the manual clearly lacks the necessary detail to fully understand some of the advanced capabilities, but that can be dealt with. Clearly, there is a hardware issue with earlier units and if you experience any of the known problems you should immediately exchange the unit for a newer model. However, once past that issue I was very pleased with the unit. Note that the preloaded US Topo map has inaccurate street locations. I purchased City Maps 2008 and everything is now dead-on. Note that the unit can use multiple maps at the same time, such as topo info from the base map and street info from City Maps. I also have the National Parks West, 24k Topo and have all three active most of the time. However, once off the road I shut off City Maps so the topo lines from the base and topo maps display rather than just the elevation shading which is the only elevation info that displays when City Maps is on. Excellent turn-by-turn navigation with routing and ETA times far more accurate than than the factory unit in my Expedition. After my initial dismay with the first unit, I have been extremely pleased with the replacement exceding all expectations.
On: 2008-06-08
I got this from Amazon and played with it for a few days. I have 30 to decide whether I want to keep it. First let me say the unit is EASIER to see in the direct sunlight since its a transflective screen. Its hard to see in shadows because the backlight is very dim compared to GARMINs Nuvi units. I couldnt see it when the light was on unless it was in direct sunlight. Hiking will be fine since I can look at it directly but in a car, forget it. I guess the backlight has to be dim in order to preserve the battery since the Colorado has some serious processing power which will use a lot of batteries up fast. I was able to get 10 hours on a set of enelope rechargeables. As long as you have at least 3-4 sets of rechargeable batteries, this is a non-issue on the trail.
The graphics are very good as this unit has a lot of pixels. I just wish it were brighter.
I havent taken it on a hike yet but will update this within a few weeks on how that went. So far it seems to be a great device but a bit pricy. I got it for $482 with $18 overnight shipping with NO TAX so a total of $500, not bad considering most places are selling it for the retail of $599 not including tax. Amazon is really good about that and their return policy.
On: 2008-06-01
This thing is killer. I previously had bought Garmin before and enjoyed their products. It is easy to use with the wheel and i had it downpacked in five minutes. Maybe it would be harder if i never used one before. The 3D feature is nice, it does slow down a little when i use it. I really do not have gripes about this product except the slowdown in 3D. It aquires the satelite signals well. It is well worth the price.
On: 2008-05-27
so far it is great....easy to use etc...the only thing adverse would be that it doesnt show the found geocaches open in the map part like the vista does..
On: 2008-05-26
This is my 2nd GPS after using a magellan 500le from costco that I returned due to a very difficult file system that was not user friendly. After reading several reviews on the colorado I was very concerned but decided to try it since it seemed the firmware updates fixed many glitches. As soon as I received it, I did the updates and have not had one problem with it. The display that many say is impossible to read is as bright as my computer monitor. I believe these people who cant see the display did not have enough intelligence to read the first page of the quickstart guide which tells you how to turn the backlight intensity up and down. Even with the backlight on, it wont work unless you turn up the intesity. I have never had the unit crash, the file system is super easy to use with the roller, and the unit has been very accurate so far. Battery life is ok and better than the Magellan. I now use rechargable NiMH batteries and left the unit on with backlight on 100% to check the life and the unit worked for 7 hours straight with the backlight on nonstop before draining the batteries. If using the unit with the light on and off Im sure it would last most of the day. The only beef I have is that the 400t with topo map which shows the city streets will not give you turn by turn directions unless you purchase the city navigatior map also which at this price point should be included. Other than that I am very happy with my colorado after about 3 weeks of use. You will have no regrets as long as you do the firmware update.
On: 2008-05-26
I used to have a Garmin eTrex Vista and loved it. I used it for geocaching, driving in unfamiliar places and other stuff. I recently sold it and bought the 400t. I had read reviews talking about poor battery life, inaccurate tracking, and complex interface and was a little apprehensive about getting it. I did take the plunge and have no regrets. The first thing I did when I got it was update the firmware (2.51 right now) which has corrected just about every major and minor problem Ive ever read about this unit.
It is super accurate, very easy to read, and navigation is a one hand operation thanks to that "Rock n Roller" gadget on top. In fact, the only thing that really bugs me about this unit is that when the USB is plugged in, I cant use it for anything except xferring of data. That means that when plugged into a car mount and wanting to use the car power for the device, it wont function, and that just makes no sense to me what so ever. Garmin, if youre listening...this thing could be a five star product if youd just allow the thing to be used on vehicle power!
On: 2008-05-21
This model is everything I wanted it to be. I got it as an upgrade to my 3 year old Garmin eTrex Legend which was a solid starter model. The Colorado overflows with well thought out features designed for the groundspeak fan, including the new WhereIGo game. It is also more sensitive than my old model, allowing me to rapidly log several caches that had eluded me in the past. Having cache logs, descriptions & hints on the go is a huge plus and the screen is vibrant and easy to read. The Colorado has absolutely enhanced my caching experience.
On: 2008-05-19
The Garmin Colorado is the third Garmin outdoor handheld which Ive owned in the last ten years. I use GPSs for geocaching, hiking, boating and auto navigation and I have used the Garmin Colorado in all of these activities. Currently I have the Topo maps which come pre-installed on the unit and I also have the City Navigator North America NT 2009 driving maps installed. This review was written based on the Software version 2.51 and GPS Software 2.4.
I purchased the unit in January when it first came out. The first four months, like with many new tech products, have been bumpy. So far there have been 3 software releases which have made things much better but there is still much room for improvement. Overall Ill give the Colorado 3 out of 5 stars but I would recommend holding off on any purchase right now. Read on for more details.
First the good stuff.
- Paperless geocaching mode. Works very well and eliminates the need to carry paper or a Palm/PPC.
- Compact well balanced case and design. The design feels sturdy and fits well in your hand.
- Lots of memory and preloaded map data. This handheld has 4GB of internal memory (2.7GB used by Topo2008 maps) and you can expand with an SD card. I use an 8GB San Disk card.
- Profiles allow you to save and recall configuration depending on your mode of use (e.g. auto or hiking) or by user if there are multiple users.
- Big, high resolution screen as compared to most handhelds
- Autorouting. The Colorado was based on a Nuvi platform so I guess it makes sense that it is pretty good at autorouting using the optional City Navigator maps. No speech and no touch screen but it makes a decent unit if you dont have money for both.
Mixed bag.
- User interface. The Rockn Roller and soft key entry method works pretty well for most tasks except text entry. Text entry is very time consuming and I avoid it whenever possible. Garmin has improved some aspects of the user interface by making it more simple but in the process they have removed many of the nice shortcuts available on the 60csx series that "expert users" enjoyed. Context sensitive setup options are a prime example. On the 60csx when you entered something like the altimeter page you could easily access the setup and calibration functions, not so on the Colorado. The result is a simpler interface for new users but a much less optimized interface for power users.
The not so good.
- Screen brightness. As compared to the 60cs(x) the screen is hard to read and youll need to use the backlighting more frequently.
- Battery life. Youll need to use NiMH batteries and youll need to use good ones, 2500 mAh or more. If you are willing to invest in these batteries and a good charger youll still only get about 10hrs out of a pair.
- GPS accuracy. A lot of debate on this issue but personally I believe the unit isnt as stable and mature as the Sirf receiver in the 60csx. There are times when the unit wonders and has errors in the 400-500 range. Unfortunately recovery is slow and sometimes power cycling is the fastest way to get it back to normal.
- Waterproofness. IPX7 rated but many reports of leakage. This may be a design flaw or just a issue with early units, time will tell.
- There are many (mostly minor) software features (as of v2.51) that you will find on the 60csx but not the Colorado including waypoint averaging, search from a location on the map, search by waypoint symbol, calendar based recording of events, personalized startup screen, night/day mode, custom waypoint symbols, proximity alarms, viewing multiple tracks on map page and trackback. Some of this will probably be added over time but the list is pretty long so Im sure some wont.
And the big issue:
- Hardware issues. Ive watched a lot of the forums and news groups associated with the Colorado and many early owners have had to exchange their units two, three and in some cases even four times. The issues vary and are well documented but for this reason alone I would suggest holding off on a purchase for at least a few months until Garmin gets the formula right.
On: 2008-05-09
I have had my Colorado for almost two months now and I thoroughly enjoy it. I download all my caches from the website with hints, logs, etc all ready for my use. I completely appreciate the fact that I do not have to print out caches. I have found the accuracy to be very good in my area and have not had any technical problems. I absolutely love this item and would recommend it to anyone. I realize the price is high but it is well worth it to only have to carry one item and have all the information right there. I would buy it again in a second.
 On: 2008-04-24
I have owned 3 garmin units and its a surprise to find out I should have kept my old 60cs or gotten a 60csx instead of the colorado. Battery life is awful, system is unstable with far more glitches than the previous units.
Garmin can not afford such a great disappointment as this one. I am returning my unit.
On: 2008-04-22
This would be a fantastic unit if the accuracy was there. The Geocaching functionality is great, the 3D topo maps are beautiful for a base map, and the unit is fun to use. Compared to Garmins star product, the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS, its a little harder to figure out how to do various things such as enter a route, and figure out the distance between two points. I would have kept the unit if only it were accurate. I had trouble finding a cache and noticed the location of the cache kept bouncing all over the place. I started to test the unit by taking a reading and checking it against Google Earth and Nat Geo Topo! software, as well as another GPSr. It was off by as much as 400 ft, and only as close as 40 ft. I also tested it with a few known benchmarks. At that point I did some research to determine if there was some calibration I could do to solve the problem, and found that other people have experienced the same problem. Several people reported it as a recurring problem cured by a power reset. My guess is the new chip Garmin put into the Colorado is not as reliable as the SiRF Star III chip used in the past. If that is the case, an update will not cure the problem. I personally want a unit I can rely on and needed to purchase now, so I exchanged it for the well regarded but older Garmin 60CSx, which contains the trusted SiRF Star III chip. If you really want the new features and can hold off buying, I recommend you wait until the accuracy has been tested by consumers for a longer period of time. If you dont mind an occasional reset, and having to guess if your unit is giving you accurate readings or not, this is a good GPSr.
On: 2008-04-18
Edited: Downgraded from 3 to 1 stars
Edited: Want to return item and cant
Edited: Trying to save my money by getting this to work
I slightly hacked it and created a theme that was slightly more readable ( I tried solid white and black themes. I guess next I will hack more seriously? ). The display is still inferior.
In the Bay Area, the maps where I am are always off about 500!! I checked with a 60CSX and it was off too. ( The Garmin StreetPilots are dead on. The unit is reading the correct lat/lon, it turns out, it is just that the maps are worthless. I put the lat/lon in the google satellite map and it practically showed which room I was in. This is what you would expect based on the current achievable GPS accuracy. As I said, the problems are the maps. I have seen map problems in all Garmin products. In some areas, as much as 1/4 to almost 1/2 mile. I suspect that there are systematic bugs in the algorithms but I havent studies this too much. ).
Since these units are buggy, you will have to eventually update the software. Read Garmins disclaimer - Ie updates are at your own risk and, if there are problems, YOU PAY. Look at their flat rate repair charges for this unit )
Since I couldnt return it, I tried to make it halfway usable. Why should I have to do what Garmin isnt.
BTW, google this model and you will see that other reviews are equally negative. I try to be honest, unlike the people who are paid to post glowing reviews or who are paid to place good reviews on sellers websites, or the magazines who contain Garmin advertisements.
Note that this unit apparently has major power problems ( from other reviews, too ). If you read the manual or look on Garmins website you will see that you have to take steps to preserve power. Probably as the software is bloated.
To me, it seems that this unit takes much longer to acquire satellites than does the normally speedy 60CSX. I have noticed this a lot of times. The 60CSX acquires satellites easily indoors, the Colorado, much less so. I dont know if it is the GPS chip or the smaller antennna ( You see a similar problem with the Garmin Edge 305, etc. They work well outside on a bicycle but NOT inside a car. This is probably because of the small antenna in the Edge or maybe they use a different chip. I was too lazy to ride by bicycle to map a route so I put the edge in my truck. It didnt work. )
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This unit is GROSSLY defective; as noted it reads off by ONE BLOCK. Display is almost unreadable. I decided to return this lemon and I cant as it was purchased from one of amazons partners.
RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Are you going to spend $500+ for a unit that is almost unusable? With all the "good" reviews, apparently yes.
This unit is just plain no good
1) The display is eminently unreadable, I mean UNREADABLE. Inside you have to turn on the backlight to a battery draining HIGH; outside you have to carefully orient it so you can SEE anything. Garmin obviously doesnt use its own products because this one is UNUSABLE. Either I am hopelessly colorblind ( or just plain blind ? ) or the displays are an unsable low contrast. Garmin manages to chose schemes/displays that arent usable. DONT BE DECEIVED BY THE PICTURES ON THIS SITE ( they dont look that way in reality because the ones on this site are being displayed on a backlit monitor )
2) I have done several full resets now; right now the accuracy is ca 20 and YET it has me located a FULL BLOCK AWAY from where I am. You figure.
3) I loaded the pdf documentation on my computer and looked at it with adobe acrobat ( not the worthless Mac Preview ) trying to find needed information. Cant find it there are on the garmin website.
4) When you look at the satellite display ( which you have to search for on the unit ), again, the color/contrast is trash. Garmin, every hear of green ( good ), yellow ( in acquisition process ) and red ( not yet acquiring as SNR is too low )? Obviously NOT. What a bunch of jokers. They apparently outsourced intelligence and good design, to boot.
COMMENT: it is up to you whether you want to waste time trying to get something to work that does NOT work. Remember, you just threw away $500+ for a PREMIUM unit? Garmin blew it, big time. I mean BIG TIME. Buy a Garmin GPS 60CSX and get something that is actually usable ( for garmin, at least. at least the screen is readable )
+++++++++++++++++++++
I own at least a dozen garmin units, although this is the first Colorado 400T that I own, so I am reasonably familiar with garmin gps units. ( StreetPilot, 60CSX, 76CSX, Edge and this Colorado )
This is a very handsome, solid feeling unit. It is built like a brick sh-thouse. To me it feels quite heavy although the manual says only 5.9oz w/o batteries.
Upon receipt, after initial testing, I thought that the unit was defective - the display was all but unreadable ( very low contrast; you have to turn on the backlight and turn it on higher to read it; this quickly discharges the battery ) and the displayed elevation was off by 1000 !!! Also, the backlight intensity has to be readjusted every time you turn the unit on - a pain. I didnt see anything about saving the intensity setting. Also, the unit takes about 30 seconds from pushing the power button until anything is displayed. This is true even with a warm start where you turn the unit off and then immediatel on. ( apparently there is a lot of overhead due to initializing the maps, etc. )
After trying to get it behaving properly ( and failing in that endeavor ), I wanted to reset the unit to factory default ( figuring that I had configured myself into a hole ). Naturally, as others have commented, the manual is useless. I mean USELESS. You have to read the whole thing.
Others have commented on the substandard, inferior display. Garmin goes out of its way, in this unit as well as others, to chose or allow color schemes that are low contrast and all but unreadable. ( it is hard to believe that they use their own units. possible, the engineer in charge of human factors WAS using one of these units and he never made it to work? that bad ). HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY. HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY! Hear that you Kansas schmucks? It may be possible to install your own jpeg background but, from what other reviewers have said, this doesnt work?
The elevation was off because the altimeter needed to be calibrated. Bad human factors, to say the least. Really bad; how many beginners are going to do this?
The manual is typical garmin - more omissions than inclusions. More of an outline than a manual.
Not a whole lot of blinking, which is good for people like me who have seizures when exposed to any blinking ( apparently only on the "satellite" page )
Conclusions:
1) This is a premiliminary review; 50-50 whether I return it? DECIDED TO RETURN IT AND CANT
2) Someone said that you have to back up the internal maps? If so, typical garmin cheap, cheap, cheap. They ought to supply a backup on a CD. CHEAP!
3) If you already have a 60xxx or a 76xxx ( I have both ), you may want to either wait to see if garmin cleans up its act ( not likely based on my years of experience ), or pass?
As I said, "not close, and definitely no cigar"
On: 2008-04-18
Edited: Downgraded from 3 to 1 stars
Edited: Want to return item and cant
This unit is GROSSLY defective; as noted it reads off by ONE BLOCK. Display is almost unreadable. I decided to return this lemon and I cant as it was purchased from one of amazons partners.
RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF. RIPPED OFF
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Are you going to spend $500+ for a unit that is almost unusable? With all the "good" reviews, apparently yes.
This unit is just plain no good
1) The display is eminently unreadable, I mean UNREADABLE. Inside you have to turn on the backlight to a battery draining HIGH; outside you have to carefully orient it so you can SEE anything. Garmin obviously doesnt use its own products because this one is UNUSABLE. Either I am hopelessly colorblind ( or just plain blind ? ) or the displays are an unsable low contrast. Garmin manages to chose schemes/displays that arent usable. DONT BE DECEIVED BY THE PICTURES ON THIS SITE ( they dont look that way in reality because the ones on this site are being displayed on a backlit monitor )
2) I have done several full resets now; right now the accuracy is ca 20 and YET it has me located a FULL BLOCK AWAY from where I am. You figure.
3) I loaded the pdf documentation on my computer and looked at it with adobe acrobat ( not the worthless Mac Preview ) trying to find needed information. Cant find it there are on the garmin website.
4) When you look at the satellite display ( which you have to search for on the unit ), again, the color/contrast is trash. Garmin, every hear of green ( good ), yellow ( in acquisition process ) and red ( not yet acquiring as SNR is too low )? Obviously NOT. What a bunch of jokers. They apparently outsourced intelligence and good design, to boot.
COMMENT: it is up to you whether you want to waste time trying to get something to work that does NOT work. Remember, you just threw away $500+ for a PREMIUM unit? Garmin blew it, big time. I mean BIG TIME. Buy a Garmin GPS 60CSX and get something that is actually usable ( for garmin, at least. at least the screen is readable )
+++++++++++++++++++++
I own at least a dozen garmin units, although this is the first Colorado 400T that I own, so I am reasonably familiar with garmin gps units. ( StreetPilot, 60CSX, 76CSX, Edge and this Colorado )
This is a very handsome, solid feeling unit. It is built like a brick sh-thouse. To me it feels quite heavy although the manual says only 5.9oz w/o batteries.
Upon receipt, after initial testing, I thought that the unit was defective - the display was all but unreadable ( very low contrast; you have to turn on the backlight and turn it on higher to read it; this quickly discharges the battery ) and the displayed elevation was off by 1000 !!! Also, the backlight intensity has to be readjusted every time you turn the unit on - a pain. I didnt see anything about saving the intensity setting. Also, the unit takes about 30 seconds from pushing the power button until anything is displayed. This is true even with a warm start where you turn the unit off and then immediatel on. ( apparently there is a lot of overhead due to initializing the maps, etc. )
After trying to get it behaving properly ( and failing in that endeavor ), I wanted to reset the unit to factory default ( figuring that I had configured myself into a hole ). Naturally, as others have commented, the manual is useless. I mean USELESS. You have to read the whole thing.
Others have commented on the substandard, inferior display. Garmin goes out of its way, in this unit as well as others, to chose or allow color schemes that are low contrast and all but unreadable. ( it is hard to believe that they use their own units. possible, the engineer in charge of human factors WAS using one of these units and he never made it to work? that bad ). HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY. HIGH CONTRAST, READABILITY! Hear that you Kansas schmucks? It may be possible to install your own jpeg background but, from what other reviewers have said, this doesnt work?
The elevation was off because the altimeter needed to be calibrated. Bad human factors, to say the least. Really bad; how many beginners are going to do this?
The manual is typical garmin - more omissions than inclusions. More of an outline than a manual.
Not a whole lot of blinking, which is good for people like me who have seizures when exposed to any blinking ( apparently only on the "satellite" page )
Conclusions:
1) This is a premiliminary review; 50-50 whether I return it? DECIDED TO RETURN IT AND CANT
2) Someone said that you have to back up the internal maps? If so, typical garmin cheap, cheap, cheap. They ought to supply a backup on a CD. CHEAP!
3) If you already have a 60xxx or a 76xxx ( I have both ), you may want to either wait to see if garmin cleans up its act ( not likely based on my years of experience ), or pass?
As I said, "not close, and definitely no cigar"
On: 2008-04-15
Awesome GPS. Be sure to buy the world map from Garmin, really increases functionality of this GPS if you go outside of America.
On: 2008-04-07
Ive had my 400t for a couple of weeks now and have had it on several day hikes. Ive also used it in the car hooked up with the car kit. Overall, Im very pleased with my purchase. Is it perfect? No, but the last firmware update dealt with the most egregious issues and it seems to be improving all the time. The shaded topo maps are great-looking and extra features like those for geocaching are a welcome addition. The rock-and-roll controller works well when operating the unit with one hand.
I would suggest using either high-capacity (2500 mA or higher) NimH or lithium batteries for maximum battery life. In addition, make certain to set the battery type correctly. If set incorrectly, the unit may indicate low battery, even when the batteries have life left in them.
My biggest complaint is the woeful inadequacy of the manual. It is more of a quick start guide than a detailed manual. There is an online Wiki that can be helpful, but Garmin should release a much better document.
On: 2008-04-01
Pros: this is undoubtedly an excellent GPS. It does an excellent job in both outdoor and car navigation (with optional Garmin maps). The screen is very detailed and the display is usually very clear. The rocknroller is actually a very nice tool for quickly entering data.
Cons: creating custom maps for the 400t is very laborious, as it only can take vector maps. It does not communicate with Oziexplorer, but this will probably be solved. It is a bit too big and heavy; it is not as light as my old Etrex.
On: 2008-03-28
This is an extremely cool GPS.
The screen is gorgeous. Big and sharp. The Topo 2008 maps look so cool with shading and 3-D.
The new control wheel really makes it easy to use. Far easier than any other Garmin unit.
It is well built, looks very cool and feels really good in your hand.
The recent firmware updates have solved most of the problems early buyers encountered when it first came out. I have no real complaints or problems that bother me.
I use it for hiking, biking, and driving. I put a 8GB SD card in and was able to load a lot of maps. I am really enjoying using it on my weekend explorations here in New Mexico.
I highly recommend it. Well worth the price.
On: 2008-03-02
The new Garmin Colorado 400t, one of a series of four Colorado models, was introduced in early 2008 as a next-generation handheld GPS. The Colorado lives up to that promise with an innovative new control wheel, easy-to-use menu system, big, sharp color screen, 3D map viewing, and more.
Theres a lot to cover, starting with the "Rock n Roller" input wheel and companion menu system. With the Colorado, for the first time ever, I was able to pick up an advanced handheld GPS and work my way through virtually all of its features just by intuitive selection and a little bit of experimentation, with no manual needed. Thats a big plus, and a step forward in GPS design. Whats more, the Rock n Roller wheel is so easy to use and compact, you can operate the unit one-handed (or rather, one-thumbed).
The wheel part of the Rock n Roller rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, and can be used to move through menu lists on the screen, or to zoom in or out on a map. The wheel also responds to up, down, right and left presses to pan a map, for example. The "enter" button is positioned in the middle of the Rock n Roller to make menu selections, etc. Overall, the wheel is an ingenious and complete navigation tool (there are only two more buttons on the unit) that has been compared to an iPod control.
Rest of the review...
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On: 2008-02-20
Im not one of those extreme high-end geocachers. I just love a walk in the woods. However, I want to find the cache when I go to look for it. Last year I upgraded from a Garmin Explorer to a 60CSX and was in love. Unfortunately that got stolen. Ive saved my money and now have the Colorado 400t. Its everything my 60CSX was and more. The new rocker control is a lot easier to use than the controls on the 60CSX or the Explorer. The accuracy is fantastic. With the City maps plugged in the road navigation is wonderful. This really is the best GPS unit Ive used for hiking & caching. Im really impressed with the ability to swap between profiles, using the Automotive until I hit the trail and then switching back to the Geocaching mode. Start up time & satellite acquisition are good. Theyre now supporting SD instead of the mini-SD cards and thats a good choice on Garmins part. A lot of the new interfaces are improved over the old ones plus, like the old ones theyre customizable.
Like everyone else, the fact that only one cache at a time is visible is a pain, but all the other features quickly wash that away. I havent found the maps to be inaccurate, but then I mainly use it for off-road hiking and the hills, mountains & streams are pretty solidly in place, even in Massachusetts. It is a little dim in bright sunlight.
Despite these small shortcomings, this is a wonderful GPS unit. I intend to get years of use (and hang on to it more tightly).
On: 2008-02-19
Ive put off buying a GPS for a long time and finally took the plunge with the Garmin Colorado. I feel that this is a great unit, marred by aspects of the software implementation and the Garmin model of dealing with map data. I gave the Colorado 3 stars in an uncharacteristic fit of generosity.
First, the good:
* This is a great looking, great feeling piece of hardware. Its light, but has a good heft. Its solid. The rubber material used for the battery cover feels very good in your hands. The physical interface is above par. The interface wheel is very well executed, a great bonus for a motorcycle rider like myself (gloves work well with the wheel, but just OK with the "soft buttons").
* The screen could be brighter, but is clear and the screen updates seem to be pretty good.
* Garmin seems to have the hardware down, reviews indicate that they used their own hardware for GPS reception (as opposed to the well regarded SiRF chipset). It is accurate (based on by tests with Google Earth), and very sensitive. It quickly makes its satellite acquisition and does so within my home.
* It seems to have some good integration with geocaching.org and wherigo.com, although I havent tested it yet.
* The basic navigation and UI of the device is pretty good.
And... the bad.
* As a first time Garmin customer, I wrote off the tales of Garmins terrible software. I was wrong to do so. Learn to use gpsbabel and Google Earth to supplement your needs for waypoints and tracks. There are some tricks for custom POIs and some more Im sure I havent discovered yet. The PC software is poor. The device loaded maps are not usable with the PC route planning software (no included DVD??).
* Maps. OK, theyre serviceable. However, here in the Bay Area, I have already found some areas where they are wildly inaccurate: mislocated, missing parts of existing roads, missing roads. The unit is apparently capable of turn-by-turn routing; however, not with the loaded map set. Plan on spending another $150 on making your investment roadworthy. I cant tell yet, but it doesnt look like you can enter an address for road navigation, you must use a waypoint entered on the unit or from the PC software. All of the road name data is included in the unit but unaccessible to you. Welcome to Colorado.
* More on the previous point. This model is the 400t. The "t" stands for "trails". I live in Marin County, CA and this area could have been used as an example of fantastic trail coverage, but not for this version. There are really no trails in this unit as far as I can tell. I did find some trails in Pt. Reyes National Park, but other popular nearby hiking areas (Mt. Tamalpais) do not have any trails available. There are a number of trailheads marked, but no trails. I assume this means that there is little chance for trail coverage in more sparsely populated areas.
* OK, this is just a nitpick. The "Rock and Roller" is a good input device, but it is a copy of the wheel from the Apple iPod. Thats not bad, but mouse over the map to the Apple campus and you will find that the Garmin dunderheads renamed the infamous Apple driveway to "Infinite Loo". Cute, but Garmin could stand to learn more than a few things about software engineering from Apple. Scratch that. Garmin should fire their software engineers and throw caution to the wind.
* Again, based on reviews, this unit is apparently capable of using the freely available (and fantastic) USGS raster maps. We will apparently have to wait for Garmin to capitalize on this government funded resource. Garmin arent the only offenders here: just note that they put their bottom line above customer satisfaction. Underline that last bit if youve followed me this far. If Garmin has used any of this free data in the generation of their maps, they should be fined for corrupting it.
All in all, if I had to do it again, I think I would wait. If you need it now... It is good enough. I like the device, but I find the overall experience to be severely tainted. Soon enough there will be GPS enabled devices that can access Google Earth imagery wirelessly and this 400t might find its way onto an internet auction site.
On: 2008-02-14
Many of the problems with the 400t were fixed with the recent firmware update. you can now view all caches on the map page, maek them as found and various other fixes. this is now a great GPS to use if you have the money.
All I have to say is i love the paperless caching
On: 2008-02-11
Ive had mine for a few days. Comes with a very superficial manual so it takes some playing with it to get to know the unit. Very accurate GPS, nice interface. The ability to carry all cache information is great for geocaching, but getting the full caches on the unit is far from intuitive--the manual simply says "download them," but its a bit more involved than the usual process of simply clicking on the "Send to GPS" button.
You cannot see more than one geocache on the map at a time. Ill expand: Geocaches are visible only on a separate geocache page, and only the selected cache shows up on that map. To see multiple geocaches on the map page, you have to load them separately as waypoints, without the additional information for paperless geocaching. (and you have to tweak it to see waypoints on a map--a simple bug but youll have to research how to do it) Check out the online forums--the inability to see multiple geocaches on the map is probably the number one complaint of Colorado users so far, at least those interested in geocaching. In addition, the Colorado offers no means of marking a geocache on the unit as "found," or deleting it from the unit without the use of a PC.
I was also interested in the ability to pair the unit with the heart rate monitor or cadence sensor. Ive tried it with my Garmin Heart rate monitor and it pairs just fine, but so far I can only view current heart rate. Unlike my Garmin Edge, there is apparently no way to upload heart rate history for later review. When asked, Garmin support implies that the unit will not work with Garmins MotionBased website, but that it will work with Garmin Connect, a revamped site for uploading activity history and sharing that will supposedly be active for most Garmin GPS units "in a few months." (It currently works only with the Garmin 50 fitness watch.) In fact, I managed to get the Colorado to upload its track log to Motion Based (which I currently use for my Edge), but no luck with the heart rate data from the Colorado (though I routinely upload this from my Edge). Heres hoping this is resolved with the roll out of GarminConnect---the Heart rate monitor is far less useful without the ability to analyze how it changed throughout an activity.
I like mine fine, and Im holding onto it in hopes that software fixes will be forthcoming from Garmin. If they integrate it correctly with GarminConnect, enabling sharing of files over the internet and full history analysis, this will be a fantastic tool/toy. Garmin seems to be aware of the potential of utilizing this kind of community-based knowledge-- First, the unit can share waypoints, tracks and routes, as well as basic geocache information, wirelessly, though the chances of me running into another Colorado user and needing this function seem minimal. Second, Garmins purchase of MotionBased must have been for some reason--the idea of going online, viewing others activities and downloading their track files is a great one. Sort of like an online wiki trail guide. There needs to be more ability to comment on your own and others tracks, but the potential is there.
Garmin separates its lines between "trail" "automotive" and "fitness." This unit, I had hoped, would attempt to do it all--it has an automotive mode, and supposedly, with the addition of another map, it will give turn-by-turn directions (though it has no speaker, so I doubt theyd be audible as they are in the Nuvi). Its ability to pair with the Garmin heart rate and cadence monitors is promising, if later software fixes address the inability to view history of that data. If you want a GPS for hiking, there are other mapping handhelds out there that are cheaper (including some nice ones made by GarminGarmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS). If you want the enhanced Geocaching functionality or the fitness monitoring, you might want to wait a few months to see if Garmin follows through with the necessary software fixes.
On: 2008-02-10
I bought this item with the understanding it had flaws. It is a new line, and it is a big step to take. Almost like moving from Windows 98 to Windows XP. It takes a lot of getting used to, and it is cumbersome to set up. I spent over 3 hours backing up the maps that come on the unit (not viewable on the PC, but do back it up because if lost they are not recoverable), customizing the "profiles," and rearranging the shortcuts to an actual usable rotation.
The unit runs off of shortcuts, rather than buttons on the front of the unit (like to 60C series). One button pulls up a menu of options to scroll through. You can change profiles to bring up different sets of shortcuts and settings.
I.e. I start in Automotive, which has a map viewed form above, with on-road auto-nav to a location near a geocache. Once I find a parking spot, I press the shortcuts button, and change to "geocaching" profile. It automatically switches to 3d topographical, "off-road" map that I follow to the cache. When I get close I shortcut to the option of compass o get right to it.
I have not had the bad experience of draining batteries. I accidentally left it on the first night after using it, and even after caching with the backlight periodically on, it still had bars left on the gauge the next morning.
Accuracy is not an issue (it is quite phenominal, 7-10ft 90% of the time) and I get full strength GPS signal inside the middle of my house (never ever got that with my 60CS).
The basemap roads are off significantly, but since I purchased the city-nav software with the unit, I only had to deal with the basemap for the ride home from where I bought it :). 80ft accuracy on the topography mapping is not so hot when driving (which side of the knoll am I on?), but when hiking it is more than accurate enough with the path tracking turned on (if 80ft off gets you lost while hiking, you probably shouldnt be hiking off the path).
The geocaching options are fabulous, being able to view the full name, description, previous logs, and an option to view the hint is great.
My only complaints are that geocaches dont show on the maps (only waypoints do). You cant edit/delete/mark-as-found geocaches at all. The marketing for this unit is a complete lie when they say "bright display even in the sunlight". Truth be told, on a sunny day like today, even in the shade, with the backlight fully on, it is hard to see the details on the screen. Also, only certain mini-usb chargers will charge the unit. The one I use to charge my cell phone puts the unit into "computer linking" mode rather than as a power supply (rendering it unusable as a GPS). Other phone charges work fine for some reason, there must be a difference between Type-A mini USB and Type-B mini USB that the unit is sensitive too, while most cell phones and the like are not.
Overall with the 400t, city nav 2008, the dash mount (60cs version doesnt fit), new car charger and protective case, it came to a ridiculously high cost, but understand this: I would buy it again. If you do so, just remember that the effort you put into setting it up to fit your needs makes a huge difference. Take the time to learn it inside and out and you will experience how the complexity of it turns into versatility and enjoyment.
On: 2008-01-20
I have to consider this unit along with the 300 model. The 400t is basically just the 300 with 10 times the memory at 4GB AND the 2008 Topo loaded. If you own the 2008 Topo already, you can just go buy a 4GB SD card and it would be the equivalent of the 400t.
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