Garmin GPSMAP 62S Handheld GPS Navigator

I absolutely love this GPS. I've used a Garmin Oregon 300, Garmin Etrex and vista, Garmin gpsmap 60Csx and a Garmin Rino 530 and this GPS is better than all of them. The accuracy is great on this, usually around 9 ft regardless of whether or not I'm under tree cover or near large metal objects. The unit is also incredibly sensitive and does a good job measuring speed whether walking (slow pace to fast pace), biking, or driving in the car. The screen is very easy to see in direct, bright sunlight or at night. The paperless geocaching is amazing. So far, I have mostly used it for geocaching and it generally takes me directly to the cache. There is a menu bar that allows you to add shortcuts you easily jump to by using the quit and page keys, which makes switching from map to compass, to geocaches to elevation plot extremely easy, especially while riding a bicycle. I had trouble navigating the touch-screen oregon on my bike, and this gpsmap 62s is a breeze. The only issue I have had with this GPS was when I updated to the 2.70 software. It was loaded on, booted up then turned off after about 30 seconds to a minute. I reset the gps (by using the appropriate button combination, I don't remember what it is at the moment) and since I reset it, everything has worked perfectly. I took this unit hiking yesterday and it tracked my route/elevation very accurately. A lot of people have complained about this unit "squeaking". Yes, mine squeaks too. Only near the power button, and only on the side the power button is on. I guess this would be a personal preference, but the squeaking doesn't bother me at all. The gps still feels very rugged and tough. I took this out in the pouring rain and since the unit isn't broken, I'm assuming the waterproofing isn't comprised by the squeak. Also, I feel that the whole squeaking thing has been way over dramatized. To me it's not a big deal at all. I've only used the 60 csx once, but from what I've read about it, it seems that this gps is just as accurate (if not more so) than the 60 csx. If you're into geocaching, I would highly recommend this unit because you can utilize the paperless geocaching, which is incredibly convenient. Previously I had used my phone to view logs/hints, but there is no way I would have been geocaching in the rain if I had to lug my cell phone with me. All around amazing gps unit, especially if a little squeak doesn't bother you.

After reading many of the reviews here, I was expecting to have some issues with the 62s, but I went ahead and bought it because a friend had one and it passed his high standards. So far, I've only had one small problem with it. I got the 62s to replace my 60csx because I wanted a better device for geocaching. In that regard, it is a vast improvement over the 60csx. I used to have to take my smart phone with me and use both devices to find a cache. Now, the 62s has all the information I need. When I got the device, I plugged into my OS X computer and brought up Base Camp. It immediately told me there was a software update. I had to download an app from Garmin to do the update. After doing so, the upgrade was a breeze. I also uploaded a non-garmin map to it using Garmin Map Install without any issues. Some reviews complained of a difficult interface. After the 60csx, I found it easy to use. It only took me a few minutes to get comfortable with it. Full disclosure: I have 40+ years programming experience and was the go to guy to assemble toys at Christmas. The interface is more complex as there are more options. For regular use, you generally don't have to access them. A nice improvement is the ability to customize the interface. I dropped several screens from the standard rotation making it easier to get to the ones I want. The only problem I have with the interface appears to be a bug in paging. At the completion of a search for a geocache that I decide to cancel by selecting Stop, I can't navigate to another page. When I press Page, I see all the other pages and can select one. When I do, it just returns to the compass page. The way around the problem is to select the compass page first. After that, it works fine. My friends 62s doesn't do this. I also read about complaints about the case creaking. I don't have this problem with mine. This may have been something they fixed in production since the product came out. I also read complaints about the battery level indicator going from full charge to no charge quickly. I've only discharged it once. The device was at full charge when I started out on my last outing. I wasn't checking the charge as I went along until I got a message that the batteries were low and that the back light would be turned off. At that point, the charge was down to two bars. I continued to use it for about an hour until it got down to one bar. At that point, I put in new batteries. I'm guessing I could have used it for a while longer before they went completely dead. Overall, I didn't find the performance any better or worse than my 60csx. I use alkaline batteries and my usual practice is to always carry an extra set with me when I'm out with the device. There appears to be one drawback in comparison to the 60csx when using the device to feed coordinates to a camera. They still supply a cable to do that, but it plugs into the USB port. From the look of the cable, it would stick straight out of the device like any other USB cable so you have to leave the flap open. My concern is that it would get in the way and be subject to getting bent. The cable for the 60csx plugged into another socket and came out at a right angle to the device. Another disadvantage of the new cable is that the other end is just bare wires. You would have to solder on a connector of your choice. My solution was to buy another GPS that mounted on my camera hot shoe. Even with the 60csx, the cable between the Garmin and the camera was a pain. In use, the 62s seems to lock onto to satellites faster than the 60csx and is slightly more accurate in zeroing in on a cache. These are just my opinions; I haven't done any formal testing. With both devices, I had problems in heavy tree cover. Overall this device is a vast improvement over the 60csx for the purpose of geocaching. My only complaint is the problem with the page switching,which hopefully can be fixed.

sometimes it gives a message saying it has to turn.... I have to fight with it for awhile every time I use it, this only occurs on start up them it seem fine... It gives a u.s.b. message sometime.... or mabey external power cable problems and must shut down.... keep in mind this is in the woods with no computer around.... if it keeps up im sending it back..... other than that its a great machine... mabey I got a bad one...

First and foremost, it has decent antenna. I was able to get a signal and mark within 18 feet inside the house. A outside test got me closer to 12 feet in comparison to 29 feet on the same marked waypoint of the same location with a Garmin Hcx, of 2007 vintage. Both set at WAAS. I really like the lanyard and carabiner having lost my Hcx in field. The switches and menu items are much easier to deal with. The unit does not come with a micro sd card but there is a slot for one and it is highly recommended for storing custom maps. It is much easier to delete maps from the SD card rather than main memory. I have not been able to fully test functions yet, but so far I am happy with the purchase at the price I paid. UPDATE: After a few weeks of use. my GPS fell face down into a snow bank, kept working fine, but the next day would not power up. The product is advertised to be water proof. Clearly not so much. Now I have to do the warranty dance and based on other reviews, that might not be easy. I'll update this when I know. UPDATE: 03/12/14....Took 3 weeks for my GPS to be exchanged through warranty with Garmin. Overall the experience was better than expected. I had my RMA number within 5 minutes of getting on the phone. I called around opening time in Kansas, that may have helped. This counters what I have heard about Garmin in these reviews. Good product, good service, but keep it dry and take a map and compass along with you. UPDATE: 07/13/14: Been using it 4 months now and it works very well. I can get up to 9 feet accuracy under full satellite connections. The one bug I have run into despite firmware fixes is that the trip computer will record everything, even if reset, with power off, unless batteries are removed. The short of it is to keep batteries out of the device until you are ready to use it. A good practice anyway. The unit has allowed me to use set and use more complicated back country routes, faster and more efficiently than map and compass, although it is critical that both be carried with ability to use them.

We bought the Garmin GPSMap 62S as a replacment/upgrade from the Garmin GPSMap 60CX and couldn't be happier. We use the 62S primarily for Geocaching and so far it fits that role exceptionally well. The big selling point for the 62S for us, and the whole 62 series for that matter, is the ability to perform paperless caching. With our previous unit, the 60CX, we still had to plan our caching activity and either print the caching information before leaving the house or stand out in the woods trying to access the web via a cell phone to look up the cache information. With the 62S we can load hundreds, if not thousands, of geocaches and have all the cache info right there in the GPS unit. No more piles of paper! Everything that used to require having paper and pencil with us for keeping track of cache info can now be done right in the 62S. We have not had the oportunity to use some of the features of the 62S, such as the ability to wirelessly transfer data to another GPS. But of the features we have used so far we have not found anything we didn't like. The 62S and the 62ST are basically identical with the exception that the 62S has 1.7 MB of built in memory which can be expanded with a micro SD card and no included maps other than the basic base map. While the 62ST has less built in onboard memory but includes the more detailed maps, such as City Navigator® North America NT, that must be purchased separatly for the 62S. The 62S will hold all the City Navigator® North America NT maps with plenty of room to spare for other data (i.e. tracks, geocaches, etc) with the built in 1.7 MB of memory. So far we have not needed to add any additional memory to the 62S through the use of a micro SD card. As far as sensitivity of the unit goes I find it is pretty comparable to the 60CX. One feature I noticed that seems to be missing from the 62S that was on the 60CX is the ring indicating location error around the arrow indicating the users current position. This ring was useful when geocaching as it gives the user an indication of position error. This feature doesn't seem to be present in the 62S, or at least I haven't yet figured out how to enable it. Overall, could not be happier with our purchase.

Update to my review after using this thing for a few months. I HATE this unit compared to the old 60CSx. I figured that using the tracks function may become less of a hassle after using it for a while, sorry, the software/OS is just plain junk compared to the older version. Sort of like trading in a Rolls Royce for a rickshaw, massive step backwards. I will say that removing the 500 point limitation has made following longer tracks a bit easier, not a bit enough change to recommend this unit, in fact when updating the review I dropped my rating from 3 to 2 stars. Bought this to replace a lost 60CSx, I use my GPS purely for recording and loading .gpx files of Jeep and mountain bike trails. I loved the old unit and figured this was just an updated version, sadly Garmin felt they had to mess with the perfectly functional OS on the 60 series probably to "improve" it. Tracks are now a large pain to start stop, instead of a simple on/off function on one screen you now have to dig through a menu on the "tracks" screen to turn recording on, and go back to "settings" and dig through a menu to turn recording off. Not a huge deal but seriously why mess with something simple that worked very well and make it a pain. My other complaint is with loading/unloading files, neither Mapsource or Base Camp will see all the loaded tracks, still working to figure out a workaround for this. I currently have to open the unit as a drive and drag the files to my desktop. Other than Garmin messing with a perfectly good OS to make it worse the unit seems to work OK. If you still have a 60 series don't "upgrade" if you have one that has buttons that have stopped working search Google for the fix, you might get lucky.

I purchased the Garmin® handheld GPSMAP 62s navigator after weeks of research. First, let me state that I already own a 265wt GPS and enjoy it very much. I purchased the 62s unit because, being a nature and outdoor photographer, I wanted a handheld GPS unit that I could plan my shoot and/or mark my path and follow it back to my starting point. After losing my way a couple of time on deep forest photo shoots, I felt it was worth the investment. I agree with all the other reviewers how great this unit is. So, I won't repeat them. In my opinion, it is the standard, there is no better and Garmin® support is excellent. I have called them on at least three occasions. They are always friendly and helpful--what you'd expect from number one! That being said there are issues that one should be aware of. While you have great hardware and support, the learning curve is long. Out of the box you receive nothing but the 62s GPS, a USB cable that is too short [19" to be exact] and a "quick start manual." You're totally on your own for everything [Basecamp©, mapsource© and their use]. You must acquire and figure out how to use the new 62 series GPS yourself. The downloaded "Owner's manual" is almost useless. It's like a manual for your car! It tells you how to open the door, roll down the window, where the headlights are, etc. You look at it once, put it in the glove compartment and that's it. There are improvements in firmware from the 60 to the 62 series. I do like the 62s's menu structure. You can expand it or contract it, change the order as desired. It floats, in that when you press page or quit, the menu applets show up on the screen and move forward or reverse direction. The file structure is totally illogical. Many functions are NOT where you would think they are and you struggle again and again. For example, I use the tide chart along with sun rise/set data to plan shoots. First, tide data is not mentioned at all in the manual. I had to call support. It's under "find." And there is NO explanation of the file system explaining how/where to store files/maps, internal memory or external [SD] memory or how to upload or download a route or waypoints. The best source I have found is GPSFILEDEPOT at [...]. I added a 16gb microSD card and installed NA City Navigator maps and SE Topo maps. I also purchased the BirdEye® maps but think they are useless. For a given area, they require too much space. There is a limit of ~500mb that you can download from the server at one time. In summary, this is a great unit in spite of afore mention issues. You will either spend many hours searching the web for solutions or have a mentor that can assist in learning.

I purchased this product for Geocaching, however, it can be used as a road GPS as well. It has an internal compass, which allows a person to head in the correct direction from a standstill. A GPS without an internal compass will not give you direction until it gets a satellite fix and you are moving. This GPS unit has a very strong antenna, which allows you to maintain satellite reception even under heavy tree cover.Paperless Geocaching is standard. Downloading files from Geocaching.com to the unit is easy from your computer. One of the best features is the ability to load custom maps. I am able to download trail maps from specific parks, align them over Google Maps, and create a file which I can load into my GPS. I can also download satellite image maps for a slight yearly service cost and purchase or find on the internet topo maps for the areas I intend to use. Waypoints can be created on the fly. Add a 4GB MicroSD card for additional storage space of special maps. Three slight negatives for this unit: Screen scratches easily, get a screen protector before you go out in the field. Compass has to be recalibrated every time you change batteries. Learning curve is high to master the features and to initially set up the unit: read the online manual, update the software right away, search the Garmin website for instructions on making custom maps. The Carabiner Clip is useful for clipping the unit to a belt buckle while moving, but I suggest a wrist strap in addition to avoid accidental drops.