Garmin GPSMAP 76S Handheld GPS
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Manufacturer: Garmin
List Price: $482.99
Lowest Price: $202.06
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Garmin GPSMAP 76S Handheld GPS
If you’re a devoted mariner or serious outdoor enthusiast, Garmin GPSMAP 76S is the GPS/mapping unit for you. The “S” in the product name stands for “sensors”, because the GPSMAP 76S incorporates a GPS receiver, barometric altimeter, and an electronic compass that deliver precise location, elevation, and bearing information to take adventurers as high or as far as they want to go. The unit also contains a basemap of North and South America, including major highways, thoroughfares, rivers, lakes, and borders, with plenty of memory (24 MB) for downloading MapSource data. It’s also waterproof and floats in water - and its larger screen, increased readability, bigger buttons, and rugged design make this unit at home in even the harshest conditions.
Garmin GPSMAP 76S Handheld GPS Features:
- GPS receiver with integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass for precise location, elevation, and bearing information
- Basemap of North and South America, including major highways, thoroughfares, rivers, lakes, and borders
- 500 waypoints with name and symbol; 50 reversible routs
- Rugged design and large screen for improved readability
- 24 MB memory for downloading data from optional Garmin MapSource CD-ROMs
Garmin GPSMAP 76S Handheld GPS Reviews
For urban use? Not a good choice.
I’ve owned this for about two years now. I don’t drive, but I still have the same “navigational issues” that everyone else has. I just wanted a convenient electronic replacement for a bulky paper map and magnetic compass.
The 76s isn’t the most sensitive GPS I’ve used by a longshot, and it frequently loses lock in areas with tall buildings. It also takes a long time to get initially locked up (2-3 minutes). This can be very frustrating at times, because I keep having to find large open areas and that can be tough in a downtown area…
My biggest gripe is that it’s painfully slow. Entering addresses and street names takes forever; while the lack of a real keyboard doesn’t help, and using maps for a dense urban area (SF Bay area) is a contributing factor, the overall slowness of the unit is as least as much to blame. Screen redraws are excruciatingly slow as well; in some cases it can take up to ten seconds to completely redraw. Sometimes it’s faster to just get out an old-fashioned paper map instead of trying to struggle with this receiver.
The user interface is awkward, and despite having used it for two years I still have trouble remembering how to do certain things such as creating new named waypoints. The unit uses multiple nested sets of menus and modes, and it can be a challenge keeping track of which modes do what.
The magnetic compass is inaccurate. Each time I use the unit I have to recalibrate it, and even then it seems as if it slowly drifts during use.
It seems to use battery power even when it’s turned off. I just plan on replacing the batteries (I use rechargeables) each time I want to use it.
Maybe it’s OK for rural use, I can’t say. But I’d never recommend this one for use in an urban area; you’re much better off getting a paper map instead. Fortunately there are faster units on the market, though I’m surprised at how high the price still is on this one.
Get the external antenna & adapter for use in vehicle
I like this GPS and bought mine from Amazon. As with all GPS, the unit has to be able to “see” the satellites - e.g. GPS cannot see the satellites through the metal roof of your car. We get so use to AM/FM radio, we take this for granted. The GA 27 C Garmin antenna works with the GPS 76s and comes with an included suction mount that can be attached to the inside of your windshield in car or aircraft. This is my first GPS - the Garmin controls are intuitive to me. Construction is high quality, great ergonomics — and great vibes, if you consider that : )
To previous reviewer, Van:
Van - get the antenna for your truck and put on your inside front window - you dont need a roof mount!
GPS units use batteries fast. I dont know how you could use this on a backpacking trip, unless you had a solar charger. You would need a pack mule just to haul your AA batteries. Maybe get a position and turn if off immediately? I used a set of new Duracells on an ~10-hour trip with some backlight use. Im getting the 12V car adapter for use in my car.
Despite that typical GPS stuff that you will find with any/all GPS units, I love the 76s. 4 stars - make it more power efficient & it will be 5, Garmin. Highly recommended!
-E Tak
Excellent, versatile unit with some drawbacks.
I highly recommend the 76s for anyone who is spending time in the remote, trackless outdoors. I’ve become lost a few times in southern Utah, perhaps the most difficult backcountry region in the world. I bought the 76s to record routes in case I need to backtrack to extricate myself from the canyon country, and I’ve been very impressed with how easy this system is to use. I only have two complaints: I have not been able to get near the 16 hours of battery life that Garmin advertises, even with the backlight off; and I can’t get an accurate reading inside my truck, which at times has been more than a headache. Inside my truck the compass tends to freewheel and my route readings become useless. I have attempted to get information from Garmin, but they respond with more questions, and haven’t been of much help so far. There are rooftop antenas available for other models, but I don’t know of one for the 76s, and Garmin has yet to respond to that query. Overall, I’m happy with what is obviously a well-designed and usable receiver, and just wish that I could get some answers to my technical questions. Another note to drivers: the compass works only when the unit is held almost dead level. Try to find a place in your vehicle to mount the unit so that it is simultaneously level and visable from the driver’s seat. I haven’t found a good spot yet.
The unit is very solidly built, durable, and has survived two falls already. Garmin says it’s waterproof, but Utah isn’t a good test for this feature.
I would appreciate any accurate feedback on whether or not a rooftop antena will imrove the compass function…is the compass magnetic, or does it use sattelite data to get oriented? Garmin hasn’t answered this question.
Poor usabiltiy - GPS 76S
I’ve used this unit for well over a year now. I do a lot of mountaineering, sea kayaking, and sailing, and the GPS 76S seemed ideal for my needs. I invested $399 in the unit, about a hundred dollars on a the US Topo MapSource CD, and over a hundred dollars on a single set of marine charts. So I’ve sunk a ton of dollars into the unit. I would have to say I am definitely not satisfied with the unit, mostly because the display is unreadable under most lighting conditions.
Some specific comments:
- MapSource software, for interfacing with Garming topo and marine data, is extremely primitive
- Very difficult to tailor the display to show relevant marine data
- Magnetic compass is not usable, first because it is almost impossible to hold it “level” to its standard, second because its directions are always wildly off
- Screen is very hard to see due to low contrast, partly because Garmin insists on adding a grey background to the images in the display
- Screen is very reflective, in many lighting situations all you can see is your nose and sunglasses!
- Screen surface is very soft and very sratchable
Overall impression: In demanding outdoor use, with real lighting conditions and the need to get a real answer fast (mountaineering, or looking for a navigation buoy at sunset in high winds) this unit is worthless. I’m really sorry I bought it. I’ve owned four other Garmin GPS units, as well as a Lowrance, and this is the least usable in my experience.
Works fine in Israel
I live in Israel. I ordered the unit from Amazon with some fear that it may not work properly here. However the unit is great and it works excellent. You can set up the unit to view your position in Israeli coordinates -new or old. Just look on the internet for the Israel Datum, and enter the data in the Datum screens. The car power-cable is a must, and so is the dispenser. It does not work in house, but I get a good reception in the car (without an antenna). Although this is my first GPS I can tell it is a very good one with many options. When you on the move (for example you drive from one town to another)it draws a line in the map screen, showing your trails. Then when you drive back, it draws parallel lines keeping a clearance between the lanes and showing points of intersections. The unit does not come with any map for Israel. I do not recommend to buy the MapSource as it is not accurate. I give it 4 stars just because I never rate anything as 100%…
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