Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx Handheld GPS Receiver

The unit is very accurate, often to within 10 feet. The antenna which gives you extra gain is not needed (separate purchase) as the unit is very accurate without it. The plug in for 12 volt power supply is very handy to spare the AA batteries, but must be purchased separately. For being most useful, you must purchase maps, such as Bluechart (for marine use), topo (for hiking), and city navigator (to have all the streets in the USA). Ebay is the best place to buy those. The map which comes with the unit is fairly accurate, but low on details. It gives major intersections, general outlines of lakes, etc. I love the built in electronic compass and altimeter. I love that it is watertight and floats. The sun-moon feature is great. The screen is a little hard to read in the shade, but great in the sunlight. This partly depends on what color background you choose. The backlight works great, but lowers battery life if you don't have it hooked to external power. The unit, along with the bluechart software may have saved my life. Coming into Bodega Bay from the ocean in my boat, in dense fog, I was able to skirt around some dangerous rocks and steer directly into the harbor. I couldn't see 50 feet! I bought it after comparing features with many others. I haven't been disappointed. I wish all the maps were included, but they really are the products of hundreds of maps seamlessly put together, so in reality they are a good buy also. The micro sd card is nice, but unless you are going on very very long trips, the 76cs or 60cs will hold lots of data. If I had to do it over, I would probably get one of those, as the built-in memory holds enough data for several states. All in all, I have had fun with this unit and expect to do so for a long time. Mack

Very happy with this GPS unit. We use it on the boat and in the car. The Micro SD cards are inexpensive. Blue chart software for boating charts and city select North America software is easy to download onto the unit. Can down load thru software prompts or Can also turn the unit into a harddrive for faster downloading. The unit should be updated every couple of months by using the Garmin Map source updater or going to Garmin web site,and the software should be updated periodically. Be prepared to have extra SD micro cards since they really don't hold too much. my 512MB only holds maps from Virginia to Florida.The technical support is awesome at Garmin. Hope this helps you make your decision.

As this is my first GPS unit, I have little to compare it to. My search for a GPS unit took six months, and, like other reviewers, I kept coming back to Garmin.

Being impatient with slow technology the 'x' feature which allows faster satelite acquisition was important to me. This appears to work well. I've found the screen to be good in almost all lighting situations, and the menu system is adequate - I can find most functions, even as a new operator, within a few passes through the menu list.

Alas, mapping seems to be the biggest concern amongst other users, and I have found it to be lacking as well. The basic road mapping is just that - basic. But that is usually sufficient for cross country driving. I wonder, though, how accurate the internal mapping is. I have been on several roads where it appeared we were 200 ft or more off the road, and my boat's "position" while on a lake seemed to be on dry land. While still sufficient for basic navigation, it is a bit disconcerting.

To improve the detail of the mapping, I bought the Topo maps, which brags it provides detailed elevation, all the roads, and a few other details. Indeed, it is a pleasure to ride down the road and see a major power line on the map, and then see it on the landscape. But for hiking in complex areas with poor trail marking, the elevation detail may be insufficient for a clear understanding of your surroundings. Still, an experienced trail walker should have no problems in most situations. while much more accurate than the basic mapping (the position symbol is more often on the road/lake), my own neighborhood has streets that are more than 8 years old that are not reflected on the topo maps. Inquiring about updates, I was only given a URL to sign up for notification should it ever happen. For the price, I would expect more.

All of this wouldn't be so bad except the the Garmin units will handle only their own format of mapping, effectively cutting out the competition.

For whatever it's worth, I've heard good things from sailing publications about the blue water maps, and most reviews about GPS mapping suggest the Garmin city maps are at least typical - not great, but on par with other vendors.

The bottom line: I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better handheld GPS unit than the Garmin 76CSx. But if flexibility with mapping vendors is important, you may want to consider something else. As for me, it does what I need albeit not as well, due to the maps, as I'd like. But for now, I don't think there is anythings on the market, yet, that can outperform this unit.

Battery life is outstanding. I can get 20 hours of continuous use with this receiver with the backlight turned on.

The points of interest and feature make me use this GPS more than I had expected. I was looking for a Target the other day with my wife. I pulled it right up in the GPS and off we went. Very nice.

I like the custom icons you can put on waypoints. For fishing spots I put a different icon for each so I can distinguish them just by looking at them.

The USB cord instead of serial allows me to hook it up to my laptop and the uploading and downloading from the receiver is much faster than older units. Definitely a plus.

This unit is very accurate. I have been able to find the same spots within 3 feet. I am pleased with its accuracy.

The barometer is something I never thought I would use but, I have been using it lately to determine if the fish are deep or running shallow. It has helped me adjust my tackle for the right situation. An added bonus that I didn't buy the unit for and it has helped tremendously.

This is a great unit with alot of great features. Although, I did spend quite a bit more than I had intended ($350) this unit definitely makes up for it with the color screen, electric compass, barometer and mapping capabilities.

For a person on a lighter budget, the Garmin 76 or 76S would suit the average fisherman quite well and I would recommend it.

The unit is pretty straight forward as far as operating it. The draw back is in the cost of the data that you need to by after the fact to make the unit worth anything. I have spent almost as much on data as I did in the purchase of the unit. The other problem is in downloading the data onto your computer and into the unit. The Blue charts went in without to much trouble. The Street Navigator I have not been able to get in the unit yet. When I purchased the unit I was told that both programs would fit on the mini card that comes with the unit. When it wouldn't down load I called Garmin, thet told me that they both would not fit and I would have to buy another card, another $100. Next time I would buy the preloaded cards and forfeit the ability to utilize my laptop to set up routes. All in all, I've had it with the unit and would really not recommend purchasing it. I would like to recoup my time and money, but I know this won't happen.

My husband and I LOVE this GPS unit..It does just about everything, except whistle Dixie!!

It's VERY light weight, which is great for long hikes while hunting.
Also, the anchor alarm is an exceptional function when you are on your boat and the anchor releases underwater. Even if you dropped the unit overboard, it doesn't ruin the GPS. It's totally immersible.

Many wonderful features on this little system. It could be used in our car if we want to locate roads, restaurants, etc. But, here in Alaska, there aren't too many roads to get lost on! So, this feature will be more useful when we go 'Outside'. (Out of Alaska.)
Another cool capability is that at any time, day or night, this GPS gives you the EXACT position of the sun and the moon, whether they're visible or not.

I was trully impressed at how accurate this Garmin hand held is. We were sitting at the table in our sunroom, getting the latitude and longitude readings. When we stepped into the kitchen, to get our coffee cups, the GPS automatically recalculated to that room! We hadn't moved more than 8 feet!!
On a mountain top or in a deep valley, this Garmin 76CSx has clear, concise readings. I'll never again have to worry about my husband getting lost while hunting in the remote, untravelled Alaskan wilderness. Thank you.

For what this GPS can do, the online price is a remarkable value.
We LOVE our Garmin 76CSx.

I purchased this unit to use primarily on trips to Canada where we use small boats provided by fishing lodges. It had to be loaded with Bluechart which were an additional cost but the detail was way beyond expectations. With this handheld unit I was able to see bottom detail extremely well. It also allowed me to see exactly how current drifts were working and let me setup in the proper location to effectively work areas for fish. I've also used it in local Washington inland waters along the coast where fog is very much an issue. I can't say enough good things about this unit. Once you try it you'll wonder HOW DID I GET ALONG BEFORE IT??? The initial price may seem steep but what it is able to do will and how it enables you to find fish etc. will quickly become apparent. Well worth the cost in my opinion. I really have no negative comments on any aspect of the unit and it has always performed well even on some extreme weather condition trips!!

BEST COLOR HANDHELD GPS MAP ON THE MARKET. BEST RECEPTION WORKS INSIDE SOMETIMES AND UNDER HEAVY COVER. EASY TO USE. ALSO HAS A HEADING SENSOR OR COMPASS.

What I dont like is the screen is small.

After doing research on which GPS to purchase (early Xmas present to myself) I decided on the Garmin GPSMAP® 76CSx GPS Receiver cause of its features. It can be used for road travel or hunting/fishing which is my reason for purchasing it. It has great features particular the best times to go fishing/hunting. It has the tide chart; now i dont have to weight for the news, get on the internet or read the news paper.

You can purchase extra software to enhance this gps such as road travel; you can get detailed streets, highways and city maps. Fishing you can get detailed maps of the waters where you fish.

This 76 CSx unit is essentially useless for elevation/altitude changes less than 300ft. It cannot be accurately calibrated, within 100 feet, adn repeatable. For elevation chagnes uncer 300feet, this means error of about 30%, both using the "GPS" elevation, and the barometric altitude functin. Be careful using it. Rb

This is my first foray into GPS. I wanted a unit for handheld hiking and camping, biking, motorcycling, auto, fishing and world travel. I got it in this unit. But I also had to buy the topo maps, the marine maps, and the City Navigator map. All that, along with the antenna, the mounts, the case, and the instruction DVD ended up totaling quite a bit. If you have experience with a GPS, you might not want the DVD, but I am getting into this late and need all the help I can get.

On the other side of the coin, this unit works very well, acquires position very quickly, is easy to use and operate, has a great color screen and seems to do everything anyone could want with a GPS. It also has pressure, compass, etc so I can watch the weather and use it with the Scouts, etc.

Its a very good GPS receiver, High speed to locate satellites, a lot of functions to play with and Geocaching. Highly recomended for mountain lovers, and topo explorers !! Good communication with PC and you can save all your tracks, waypoints, marks and share them with friends... (with othe garmin unit) or simply see your track on other soft displays like google earth (3D viewing !). Have a lot of fun.
Mhz.

this gps will do everything but pick you up and carry you. it is very user friendly compared to others i looked at. a friend had one and i got to see what it did before i bought it. good product.

I own 3 other gps this one does it all -- fast track,turn to turn-- download to pc-- depth charts for lakes capabilities -- use as street and address finder -- floats

This is a great unit. Has more than I needed, But every thing I do need.I purchased a street map mini SD card for it to use on the road & it also works like a charm. I will say that if you are using it for road mapping, buy one for that purpose. It has more Bells & Whistles. And you can load "Topo Map" & use it for locating those hot spots. I have both, And the map 76 does more than I expected.

This purchase was basically a replacement purchase because my previous Garmin GPS was stolen out of my vehicle. This GPS offered a few more benefits than the "stolen" version. I particularly like the color screen.

I use this GPS for mapping travel on water. It is especially fun on cruises to watch the ship's navigation. I can view ETA and current speed along with a zillion other facts and figures. The unit is user friendly, it takes almost no time to set this unit up. This is a big improvement over the previous "stolen" unit.

I recommend this purchase for the water-sport enthusiast who likes gadgets.

I have 12 years experience with Garmin GPS receivers and prefer them over the Magellan brand. This is my first 12 channel receiver and I am quite impressed with the reception I get even with out an extra antenna. Color is a big plus when using maps and I sure like loading my own maps to memory. Software has been upgraded quite a bit. The compass page does not show the next waypoint's name but it might be able to be configured to do so, I just haven't had it long enough to solve that yet. The receiver is so senisitive that I get an EPE(Estimated Position Error) of 15' and that is amazing. If you can't find the mark/waypoint with that close of distance then you need to pull your head out! This model is light and uses power well. I might buy a second of this model and give it as a gift to my Brother-In-Law. I like both the Garmin GPSMAP® 76CSx GPS Receiver and him that much. I highly reccommend Garmin Products.

P.S. - If you use Macintosh computers as I do, then check out James Associates, Inc.'s MacGPS software!

great product, portable.
everything works perfect, i am very happy, compact, very
reliable, easy to use, to maintain, to clean, to do everything
you wanna do. i am so happy that now i do not want my xbox 360 anymore.

The e-bay seller named Rocky Stevarino refused to sell the Garmin 76csx cause of my vacation i was delayed to answer to the mail sended to me.
This is not the propper atitude to buyers.

Having owned a GPSMap76CS for the past four years, I am not surprised by the superior quality of my new CSx. The additional features are really great, and teh new unit is as reliable and accurate as my old one. I am hard on GPS units because of the places I go and the environments in which they are used. Garmin always stands up to whatever harsh environment is is subjected.

I love this GPSMap76CSx!

This product is absolutly fantastic... I use it to find my favorite fishing spots ,and it clearly gets me closer on every account than some others that my friends have. It is also very helpful finding your way around unfamilar town.Cant wait till hunting season. Highly recommend this product......

Great visibility in sunlight or dark, fast screen updates and sturdy. Highly recommend this GPS over Lowrance or any other.

This is very good device.Only LCD screen is not excellent,it is good.It is very comfortable for paragliding.