HARDCORE OUTDOOR-GEAR REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUNTING, HIKING, SEARCH AND RESCUE, MILITARY: Garmin Foretrex 101 GPS Receiver

HARDCORE OUTDOOR-GEAR REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUNTING, HIKING, SEARCH AND RESCUE, MILITARY

HARDCORE OUTDOOR-GEAR REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUNTING, HIKING, SEARCH AND RESCUE, MILITARY: Garmin Foretrex 101 GPS Receiver

Garmin Foretrex 101 GPS Receiver

Small, light, waterproof, simple and functional. The Garmin Foretrex 101. It doesn't have maps but it does everything I need it to do thank you very much. As you can see, I have this unit set to use the NAD27 map datum.

I am an unabashed Garmin fan and have been for many years. I own a dozen of their handheld models but I find myself going back to the smallest and simplest of the bunch more than any other.

The Garmin Foretrex 101 is designed to be worn on the wrist of active outdoorsmen and comes with a beefy strap for that purpose. I don't use it that way so I remove and toss the strap. This sturdy little unit measures 3.3x1.7x0.9 inches and weighs 2.6 ozs with two AAA lithium batteries.

Two AAA sized lithium batteries run the Foretrex 101 for more than 15 hours of continuous use. When they are toast, slap in another set and you are good to go.

Garmin also makes the Foretrex 201 which uses rechargables batteries but I prefer 101 and carrying extra batteries so I can change them in the field. Incidentally, my primary headlamp also runs on AAAs. Pretty smart, huh?

Both models offer all the basic GPS features you would expect and will save 500 waypoints, 20 routes, and 10 saved tracks. They also feature a customizable dashboard page that provides information like speed, time, elapsed time, time to target, final distance, trip odometer, location cordinates, elevation, sunset and sunrise, and moon phases.

As I said, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles but then again I don't need or want them. I carry a good topo map so I don't need them on my GPS. The screens are still too small to be useful to me anyway. It doesn't have a two way radio built into it. That is fine because my Icom F11 is an outstanding unit and it doesn't eat batteries like a fiend.  It doesn't have an electronic compass built into but it does give me a compass heading and bearing when I am moving which is what I really want. Besides I always carry a real compass with me.

They only thing that I wish it had that it doesn't is the high sensitivity receiver that Garmin uses in it's high end models but according to my sources, that is about to change.

So, you can spend more money and carry a bigger model but you will just be poorer and heavier. Get a Garmin Foretrex 101 and learn how to use it. You will be happy with it. I promise.

Wade Nelson
Editor

Sorting through the fads and fashion of the outdoor equipment industry to identify and promote the very best wilderness gear for high end recreational users, backcountry professionals and government agencies.

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