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Magellan eXplorist 300 Handheld GPS
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| Price: |
Average customer review:
Product Description
An incredible value, the eXplorist 300 features Magellan TrueFix technology for superior accuracy and reliability. eXplorist 300 gives you a trio of advanced tools for even easier navigation. The barometer provides information on changing weather. The altimeter easily determines your present elevation. And the electronic compass shows your direction, even while standing still. eXplorist 300 includes 8 MB of built-in maps, three navigational screens and the ability to save 5 track log files, 500 points of interest and 20 routes. By putting all of this together in one compact package, the eXplorist 300 offers an unprecedented value.
Product Details
- Color: blue/black
- Brand: Magellan
- Model: EXPLORIST 300
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 5.00" h x 2.00" w x 3.00" l, 4.00 pounds
- Display size: 2.3
Features
- Features Barometer, Altimeter and Electronic Compasss
- Built-in 8MB basemap of North America
- 3 navigation screens plus built-in map display
- 14 parallel channels with WAAS enhancement for greater positional accuracy
- Full keyboard with joystick for quick and easy access
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description There's a lot to Magellan's small, cool eXplorist 300 handheld GPS navigation device beyond its vibrant blue exterior. Inside and out, the eXplorist is built to provide real GPS (global positioning system) abilities for serious outdoor use--from its tough, impact-resistant, waterproof exterior to Magellan's proven, powerful, and easy-to-use technology, the eXplorist 300 rewrites the rules by proving you can spend less and actually get more.
 Map page. View larger. |
 Mark waypoint. View larger. |
 Weather display. View larger. |
 The Magellan eXplorist 300 packs GPS navigation into a tough, impact-resistant device. View larger. |
Explorers will appreciate Magellan's one-button access, which takes you directly to the functions that matter most: the menu, navigation screens, personal points-of-interest, "go to" routing, and backlight. In addition, the eXplorist 300 stores up to 500 waypoints, 20 routes, and five track logs with up to 2,000 points each, providing ample storage even for avid navigators.
The unit also supplies a built-in North American background map, which offers convenient access to roads, parks, waterways, airports, and more. Going beyond the step-down eXplorist 200, the 300 adds a trio of handy tools to simplify navigation: a barometer, an altimeter, and an electronic compass, which frees you from needing to be in motion to get a direction to a destination.
Designed for compact, fit-in-your-pocket convenience, the eXplorist receiver measures just 4.6 by 2.1 by 1.3 inches (11.7 by 5.4 by 3.3 centimeters) and weighs less than four ounces (115 grams), yet still has room for a large, 2.3-inch (5.8-centimeter), four-level grayscale LCD. A zoom capability and an amber backlight ensure optimum viewing, even at night.
The unit's rugged exterior is cased in a rubber-armored, impact-resistant shell that is waterproof to the rigid IPX-7 standard. The eXplorist 300 is ready for adventure in all conditions and terrain, whether you'll be hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, or simply finding your way around a new area.
What's in the Box
eXplorist 300 GPS navigator, manual, and quick-start guide.
Customer Reviews
4.5 Stars for a Great GPS Unit (Former eTrex Legend Owner)
I've had the eXplorist 300 for a while now. I had a Garmin eTrex Legend for over a year until it fell down a cliff while I was hiking. I'll get into that later. Naturally, this review will include some comparison of the two units. They are in the same class and price range, and both units and companies are great.
First off, if you want a PC interface, the eXplorist 300 doesn't have one (but the eXplorist 210, 400, 500, etc. do). If you want detailed street-level maps (eXplorist 300 has only major roads and highways), this unit doesn't have that either. My main use of the unit is for hiking, so those points are not an issue for me.
When it comes to the strengths of the Garmin eTrex Legend in comparison to the Magellan eXplorist 300, I can think of two. One is that the eTrex does have a PC interface. If this is a necessity, I would suggest the eXplorist 210, eXplorist 400, or the Garmin eTrex series itself. The other strength of the eTrex Legend is minor in that the eTrex showed me Average Speed (in addition to Current Speed) and Stopped Time. Those are two neat measurements that the eXplorist 300 doesn't have.
The eXplorist 300 is much more user-friendly than the eTrex Legend. The beautiful simplicity of the eXplorist comes in the form of several great buttons that are right on the front on the unit. Whatever can't be accessed directly with a button on the unit CAN be accessed in a menu through a button that IS on the unit--the Menu button. Because of this, you are almost always 1-2 button pushes and joystick clicks away from what you want to do.
When it comes to reception, the eXplorist 300 is exceptional and surpasses the abilities of the eTrex Legend. My eTrex Legend would lose reception easily, even out in the open sometimes. Any heavy clouds or tree canopy above me would make the reception of my eTrex intermittent. The eXplorist is much more resilient to losing reception and much better at getting it.
We're finally at the part where my old eTrex falls down a cliff. In another comparison review between the eTrex series and eXplorist series, a reviewer said that one of the advantages of the Garmin eTrex over the Magellan eXplorist was that it took only half a turn to unscrew the bolt on the eTrex battery cover versus about 10 turns for the eXplorist series. That person may think that is an advantage, but I do not. I had my eTrex on a caribiner attached to my backpack, and all it took was that half turn of the bolt to leave the battery cover attached to my backpack while the rest of the unit fell down a several hundred foot cliff in Glacier National Park. I will gladly spend the extra seconds to open the battery cover of the eXplorist versus having a unit that might unscrew itself from its backing.
Unique features of the eXplorist 300 include an electronic 2-axis compass (so you don't have to be in motion to get a reading), a weather thermometer, barometer, and a barometric pressure altimeter. The eTrex Legend has none of those features. The build quality and styling of the eXplorist series are top notch as well.
I think it's obvious by now that I do indeed recommend getting a Magellan eXplorist 300. Most importantly, have a great time no matter what GPS unit you end up with!
Good GPS unit
The eXplorist 300 is a good unit that is a cut above basic GPS's. It has a very readable screen with an excellent 2-step backlight, which will use up quickly the otherwise good battery life. The menu structure is intuitive and easy. The electronic compass is the real plus on this unit, but it must be kept level for accuracy. I found the built-in map to be usable, but not without labeling errors. Just don't expect much detail below major road level. The unit takes a while on startup to achieve maximum accuracy, but then is very good and sensitive even in heavy trees (especially compared to the Etrex Legend I compared it to). I found it to be a good geocache unit especially with the electronic compass (especially compared to the Legend). It has usually placed me within 20 feet of the cache coordinates. The stability and accuracy of the compass really shines when getting close to the cache.
The unit lacks a PC or PDA interface though there are some hacks available on the internet to supply this capability. So you can't interface to a PC and digitally load maps or waypoints, etc. without the hack. Some of the newer generation units coming on the market in this price range are addressing this and have more memory. I have not found much use for the thermometer and barometer yet, but they do work. The users manual is very brief and not everything is explained fully. I recommend this unit as one of the best I have used in the lower end market, just keep in mind its limitations and your needs.
Great product for your money
The last review if the person had read carefully and further researched the product they wouldn't have been fooled. I'm in the Army ROTC program and we do lots of land navigation in the middle of the woods. Its got a good compass. Lots of great features as detailed and does everything I need it too, still figuring out what all it can do. It is very rugged and take some hits if need be but I wouldn't go tossing it down a cliff. I drove from Arkansas to Kansas and used this GPS device to help keep me on track and know what cities were coming up so I could get gas. Sweet speed display and real-time action. Great product for your money. Keeps some extra batteries with you if your going for a few days but that's about it.
