Magellan eXplorist GPS review

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Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by brand » 14 Nov 2013, 7:33 am

Picked up my Magellan eXplorist 610 gps a fortnight a go and finally gave it a field test over the past couple of days.

Putting it to the test in north Vic and some of the state forests up there, did a good job.

We're on foot up there so it didn't get put to the test for updating fast like you need for a car, but was smooth and accurate.

Zoom levels are good so you can bring it down to identify where you are well or up enough to plan some trekking for the day.

Thumbs up anyway.

If anyone's looking for a field GPS eXplorist.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Hinky » 14 Nov 2013, 11:48 am

God the first car ones were frustrating.

Tells you "Turn left in 30 metres" when the turn is 2 feet in front of you :roll:
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Skadoo » 14 Nov 2013, 12:10 pm

Good to hear, I've just ordered one off ebay based on a a few online reviews.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Octane » 19 Nov 2013, 10:23 am

Skadoo wrote:Good to hear, I've just ordered one off ebay based on a a few online reviews.


Ditto.

Test camp/shooting next weekend for it :D
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by brand » 16 Apr 2014, 8:51 am

Soz for reviving dead post but just giving some feedback for anyone else interested...

I've been out to a few more forests and properties with this now and it's still performed good all round.

Also impressed with the level of detail now I've seen more places, right down to very small water ways and creeks etc.

One happy customer here.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Lorgar » 16 Apr 2014, 3:57 pm

I was surprised at the level of detail you get out of these things too.

I use a mates Garmin something... Can't remember the model... for northern and N/E forests in Vic.

Like you said for the waterways, it shows some that are as small as a metre wide and only dozens of metres long.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by RoginaJack » 17 May 2014, 5:54 pm

Great to hear as I'm looking at a GPS too.

Trying to get any worthwhile info out of Dick Smith salespeople is impossible - no idea, don't use one etc.

The model I've been looking at is the Magellan 110. This only leaves a breadcrumb type trail but all I wonted it for was to mark vehicle position, hide/setup location and back to vehicle.

To get the maps of the state or Australian are rather expensive so that's why I was just looking at the breadcrumb type.

Any thoughts?
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Lorgar » 17 May 2014, 6:34 pm

RoginaJack wrote:Trying to get any worthwhile info out of d**k Smith salespeople is impossible - no idea, don't use one etc.


I bought a Uniden UHF radio there ages ago and needed a bit of info I couldn't find published anywhere on their site or elsewhere.

I asked the guy at DS and he said "well, it's got..." and just started reading the front of the box to me.

I cut him off and said I looked on the box, the info isn't there, can you find out.

He said "wellllll, it has..." and just continued to read the box to me. :roll:

In the end I said how about I buy it and if it doesn't work I bring it back. Got him to write that on the receipt and did that instead as the info obviously wasn't coming...
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by brand » 17 May 2014, 6:35 pm

RoginaJack wrote:Great to hear as I'm looking at a GPS too.


Dunno about the additional map data, but I can tell you I'm definitely happy with the GPS as the factory stuff.

+1
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by beerd » 17 May 2014, 6:37 pm

RoginaJack wrote:To get the maps of the state or Australian are rather expensive so that's why I was just looking at the breadcrumb type.


Yeah. I'm pretty sure all the mapping data regardless of brand you buy comes from Sensis?

They all have to buy it from same place at a high rate so not very competitive on that...
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by RoginaJack » 30 Jun 2018, 12:16 pm

To continue - got the Magellan eXplorist 510 with The Summitseries of Maps (Aust & N.Z.) but chew batteries up, I'm just glad it doesn't drink beer. - would send me brokeker!

Q. How to navigate back to start/waypoint point using "backtrack' and GPS compass etc. I'm fed up using map and hand held compass. The User Manual is not worth the paper I printed it on.
Cheers.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by juzzbott » 02 Aug 2018, 10:00 pm

RoginaJack - I've got the same mate, sorry I dont have it with me so I can't help out with the function your after...

I find the battery thing to be a massive issue for me. Even when I turn the darn unit off, next time I go to turn it on the batteries are dead. I have to take them out to keep them for a bit longer. So much so that I have basically just started using my phone GPS instead.

I'm going to give the 510 one more chance over the next few months or so and if still no good, then I'll probably start to look at other units.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by JimTom » 03 Aug 2018, 7:12 am

Garmin GPS Map 64S.
Have one and is a breeze as most Garmin products are very intuitive.
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by RoginaJack » 03 Aug 2018, 2:10 pm

Yeah, Juzzbott, even in "standby" batteries get chewed up. I'm beginning to think that standby really means standby, 'cause you'r bloody batteries are about to go flat....again.
Cheers,

PS. I've read somewhere that Magellan is not supporting the map system from the NSW Gov. game maps; anyone have a download to get around that? Sorry explanation susks but too tired... :roll:
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Re: Magellan eXplorist GPS review

Post by Urastus » 12 Dec 2018, 10:02 pm

I have a garmin etrex 20. I've had it for about 6 years. I've used it on motorbikes, mountain bikes mostly. Recently we used it to travel around thailand on scooters. It is awesome. I use opensource maps. It uses 2 x aa batteries and easily goes all day - I don't turn it off. And because it's on handlebars in the daylight I have the brightness up to full - still easy to see. It is routable. What I was doing in Thailand was just entering a waypoint at that night's accommodation, then I'd let the gps find the route. I told it we're on bicycles, avoid highways, but dirt roads and tracks are OK. We were riding on little tracks through rice paddies and all sorts of farm roads - it really made the trip. It did have some idiosyncrasies now and then - they all seem to. It also isn't the easiest to learn, although this recent trip is the first time I've used it continuously, where as in the past I'd go for months without using it - know my way around here, and when walking I always use maps to keep that skill. On bikes it's too much hastle stopping all the time to pull out a map.
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