Etrex Vista HCx vs Oregon 450

[AlanW]

Quite simply, both these little hand held units are simply fantastic units in their own right.

If I had to fault the eTrex, it would only because you cannot load the Garmin 1:50 maps to it. That said OSM is nearly as good, and they are free!

A few weeks into the ownership of the Oregon 450 with a Garmin 1:50 OS mapping, and it is indeed a brilliant unit, but of course it comes at a cost.

The touch screen is very good, and it is much easier to use and more user friendly to navigate around the menu than the eTrex is. But to fair, there isnt much in it

However, while loading .gpx files to the eTrex is about as easy as it gets, doing the same job with the Oregon is a flippin' nightmare! I spent over three hours last night trying to upload the track of this years HONC, with little success.

A quick search on Google that a good many people have experiaced the same problem, which is a real shame. Thus its make one question, if Garmin had it so right with the eTrex and other units like it, why cock it up by changing the process?

[AlanW]

Finally figured out how to load a track onto the Oregon and used it yesterday for the first time in anger on the Hell of the North Cotswolds.

Unlike the Vista that shows all the saved tracks all of the time, with the Oregon, you have to select which track you want to view at any one time, which I think is better. Particually when you get two tracks crossing over each other as was the case with the 50km and the 100km yesterday.

A couple of issues though, while OS 1:50 mapping is very good, as Andy Terry pointed out a while back in another thread, less is more. I really struggled at times to view the pink line of the track against all the other detail on the mapping screen.

Not helped by the fact when you zoom in on the Garmin OS 1:50 mapping all the detail looses any clear definition and becomes very blurred, a known problem with raster mapping.

So, of course the way round this is to have a two Micro SD cards, one with OSM mapping, one with Garmins 1:50 mapping

I have my unit mounted on the handlebar stem, soley for the reason that I feel that it is beter protected in the event of a tumble. But the problem is that the angle of the MTB stem is a lot greater than that of a road bike stem. This created a issue with shadows which at times made the screen near enough unreadable.

However, in bright sunlight it was very easy to read and much easier to view than the Vista screen. So the next test is to try it on the road bike where it is mounted near enough horizontal.

After yesterdays 63 mile MTB ride on some really very fast and rock strewn descents I am very impressed with the OE mounting bracket. What looks to be not a very substantial bracket is in fact clearly very robust indeed.

[CakeStop]

Unlike the Vista that shows all the saved tracks all of the time, with the Oregon, you have to select which track you want to view at any one time, which I think is better.

My Etrex Vista HCx an option to display or not display each saved track - if you select a track from the saved track list there's a little check box "show on map" just under the colour selection.

[Andy Terry]

I navigate with routes, not tracks, they are bit easier too see. I wish there was an option to NOT display waypoint names.

[AlanW]

Unlike the Vista that shows all the saved tracks all of the time, with the Oregon, you have to select which track you want to view at any one time, which I think is better.

My Etrex Vista HCx an option to display or not display each saved track - if you select a track from the saved track list there's a little check box "show on map" just under the colour selection.

Thats interesting, I must look at that when I get home.

I navigate with routes, not tracks, they are bit easier too see. I wish there was an option to NOT display waypoint names.

I have never had any joy loading routes hence the reason why I go for the "tracks", as an easier option. In truth I wish that I could master saving routes as I'm sure it must be a lot better.

I also thought that somewhere you could select not to view waypoint names? Must look at that as well when I get home

[CakeStop]

Alan - have you tried an anti-reflective screen film?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FoliX-FX-ANTIRE ... 919&sr=8-3

I use the equivalent for the etrex, to reduce glare on sunny days and to protect the screen.

I use both track & route. Track to confirm I'm still on the right road and a route with coursepoints only at turnings or occasionally somewhere else that I'd like the garmin to beep and light up (eg info control on an audax).

[AlanW]

Alan - have you tried an anti-reflective screen film?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FoliX-FX-ANTIRE ... 919&sr=8-3

I use the equivalent for the etrex, to reduce glare on sunny days and to protect the screen.

Yes, I have the exact same one fitted to the Oregon already, but I think its the angle at which I am viewing the screen is the problem.

[AlanW]

My Etrex Vista HCx an option to display or not display each saved track - if you select a track from the saved track list there's a little check box "show on map" just under the colour selection.

Well I never.........so does mine!

I never noticed that before.

[AlanW]

I wish there was an option to NOT display waypoint names.

Main Menu

Set Up

Map

Map Setup

Scroll across the top to Map Setup - Text

Second one down, User Waypoints options - None, Small, Medium or Large.

[Andy Terry]

Cheers, Alan I shall try that when I get back to base tomorrow. The manual doesn't mention the 'None' option.