Why I don't like Garmin

[Kim]

So much for the tagline on their website: Built to last. The Edge Touring Plus was only four years old.

Nothing with an internal rechargeable battery is built to last.

[T42]

Or a safe buy on eBay.

[cycleman]

I'm hoping to get another garmin edge touring gps as my last one escaped returning homeward from nobbys otp along the bcn navigation somewhere. I rather miss the ability for round trip routing when I'm in a new  area   .
I have been looking at a few different gps for cycletouring but I suspect that there still isn't a perfect touring gps out there 

[De Sisti]

I'm hoping to get another garmin edge touring gps as my last one escaped returning homeward from nobbys otp along the bcn navigation somewhere. I rather miss the ability for round trip routing when I'm in a new  area    .
I have been looking at a few different gps for cycletouring but I suspect that there still isn't a perfect touring gps out there 

My Garmin Edge Touring Plus went kaput over the weekend. Non of the online fixes, or the one offered
by Garmin UK solved the issue. They said that as that model was no longer made they couldn't fix it
or offer a refurbished one. However, the did offer me a 30% discount on an upgraded model. I took
them up on that and purchased a Garmin Edge 830 for £249.99.


I think the nearest to an Edge Touring is the Edge Explore. If you're interested, I have one as a
back-up to the Touring Plus, but as Garmin gave me the 30% offer on a better model, it won't used.

[cycleman]

I'm certainly interested  .
I will send you a pm

[Cudzoziemiec]

Similarly, my eTrex 20 is still working fine after about six years (not sure exactly how long I've had it but definitely at least five).

[Karla]

I've had three etrexes.

The first lasted 4 years
The second lasted 5 years
The third lasted a month.

My longest running device is my Edge 500, which is now hugely scratched and haa been retired, but does still work. 

[Kim]

Hmm...

eTrex (bought 2004ish): Sold after a couple of years, in full working order.
eTrex Legend (bought 2007ish):  Still have it, still works fine.
eTrex Vista HCx (bought 2009):  Still have it, works fine but the rubber band started to go after about 3 years, re-taped to keep it going for another year, but now too slack to line up with the buttons properly.
eTrex 30 (bought 2013): Still working, but the 'back' button is on borrowed time.
eTrex 32x (bought 2021): Shiny and new, but disappointing murky screen (see above).

There seems to be an inverse relationship between the quality of the software/features and the quality of the hardware.  The Vista HCx was by far the best software-wise for cycling, on account of its clear turn instructions and ability to make a contemporaneous copy of the recorded track on the SD card that was very hard to accidentally delete.

The eTrex 30 appears to have been the sweet spot, and was certainly the best iteration of the hardware.  I reckon 7 years is a good innings for a tactile switch behind a rubber membrane.  But it's clear that Garmin can't be arsed with developing the eTrex series any more - the real money is in short-lived fitness devices, and they concentrate their innovation on the bulkier higher-end outdoor units.

[hazeii]

Certainly agree the old eTrex worked well (lost one, other one still ticking maybe 12 years on albeit with a couple of lost columns of pixels).

Recent devices though (e.g. 530) have a painful user interface, and crash a lot. So unpleasant I was actually not upset when a really minor bump opening a gate resulted in a cracked screen and a dead device.

[De Sisti]

Recent devices though (e.g. 530) have a painful user interface, and crash a lot.

That's not been my experience using the Edge series.

[ppg]

2005 - Legend - OK though lack of memory meant loading map segments along with routes, replaced by

2010 - Oregon 450t Probably my favourite, still works though had to bodge the power button with the eraser from the end of a pencil, cut down and taped in. SD card no longer readable

? - Edge Touring Plus - hateful device, very glad when it died after a random software glitch

2020 - Etrex 32x - OK, had some improvements and I hope whoever found it on the Mineral Line near Watchet is making good use of it 

2021 - Oregon 700 probably the best so far though the battery life is nothing like Garmin claim

I agree with comments over the clunky UIs though after a (steep) learning curve you learn to live with it, ditto Garmin's schizophrenia over routes, tracks, activities -  still working on that one

[JonBuoy]

My first Garmin was a GPS 50 bought in 1994 (ish).  I have had various ones since then and am currently using an eTrex 30X bought in 2015.  None of them have died in use although they have all had the occasional glitch.  For some reason the 30X dislikes going through Barrow upon Soar and Alrewas 

They all have their quirks and I have just found the work flows and menu selections that allow me to do what I want to do.