Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx Waterproof Hiking GPS (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I purchased this GPS at the end of April 2010. After using it for over 3 months of field work, i feel I've gotten enough experience with the unit to write this review.First thing I recommend doing before using the gps is to get the topo maps for your area. The basemaps on the gps are horrible, there's no detail and they are inaccurate. It's also a good idea to get a case for it and a screen protector to prevent scratching the screen and scuffing the exterior. I got this case for my gps,  NEW CASE for GARMIN GPSMap 72/76 GPS in 'Hunters & Hikers Brown' w/ Webbing Loop, Lanyard, Clip & "Peel & Stick" Screen Protector. - For Garmin GPSMap 72/ 76/ 76S/ 76CS/ 76CSx/ 76 Cx/ West Marine 76cs plus. Molded 'E-Z-Grip' Protection. Made in USA by F...  , it fits perfectly and came with 2 screen protectors. The case does not affect the signal from my experience. I also bought a 2gb micro sd card with the GPS, but it came with a 1 gb micro sd card in the unit. I loaded all the topo maps for the province of Ontario and that took up about 700mb.Performance wise, the gps works great it picks up signals quickly and I've never had any issues of losing a signal when I put the gps into my cruising vest pocket. The screen is easy to read even in bright sunlight. I've used it in different kinds of weather and I haven't had any problems so far. The tracks recording is not as detailed as the Colorado 400t, but it still works without any problems.If you've never used ArcMap or have any idea what it is, the next paragraph will not make sense. For work, my company uses ArcMap, and with the garmin dnr extension, loading blocks (polygons) and waypoints into the gps is relatively simple (you will need some knowledge of how to setup the garmin dnr options so that the polygons appear in the right projection). You can also use it to download waypoints and tracks from the gps into ArcMap. Using another program called mapedit and send2gps gives you the ability to create your own garmin compatible image files that you can load onto the gps. For those of you familiar with garmin dnr, when you load up multiple polygons, the gps will treat it as a track and snap lines between all the polygons you upload, unless you upload and save them separately. This can be really annoying when you have to load up dozens of tiny blocks. Also, the topo maps only have the main bush roads, they don't show a lot of the secondary and tertiary roads. Using mapedit, I am able to take shape files from ArcMap and convert them into image files that can be loaded onto the gps. Using send2gps, I am then able to send these image files over to the gps creating a single image file that looks like a map made using ArcMap when using the gps. The only limitation to this is you can only use the golf course green or lake blue colour for your blocks, but in the map setup options you can turn on/off individual image files that you loaded.So far, I've been very impressed with the 76csx. It is easy to use, gives you more control in managing tracks, and the ability to use other programs to upload/create maps for the gps is a major plus for me.Also, using NiMh 2500mah rechargeable batteries and the battery saver mode gives me 20-23 hours of use, compared to the Colorado 400t which gets me about 13-15 hours.I've never tried to use the navigation option while driving, so I cannot comment on how well it works.The screen is not as good as the screens for the newer gps's that've been released, but if you're looking for a rugged gps for work purposes, I highly recommend the 76csx with the topo maps for your area or if you have the ability to upload shape files.UPDATE - Sept 26, 2012I have been using the GPS for the last 3 years and it still works great. Reception is still good and there have been no problems with anything.

I was looking for a water proof GPS unit to take both tour kayaking & backpacking. Looked around for at least a year then bought this one. Having logged over 100 mi. paddled this season I can say that it works well in water. I typically mount it under the forward deck lines & secure it with a clip. No water problems so far, it's been pounded by many waves. -I'm more worried about heat from sun than the water. Having the compass navigate a course on water has come in handy, I sometimes paddle in fog or bad weather. Match my heading to the bearing of the next way point & I'm going the right way. It can tell me distance left to go, time remaining at current speed, etc. I have found that for the compass to work well when traveling at low speeds some settings need adjustment but after that compass is reliable and self adjusts for magnetic variance. I save all my tracks to an SD card in the unit. When I get home I upload the tracks to the computer, where on the larger screen I can see everything. Calling up the track with google earth and having them overlaid on 3D Sat. images is jaw dropping, this capability is standard with the included "Map source" software. Often I choose not to look at the GPS while out & find out where I've been after I get home. I have a minor gripe with the altimeter, the reading fluctuates while standing still & the profile view in "map source" is not as dynamic as I'd like. Still it is better than no altimeter, and can give a rough idea of peaks troughs, etc. I just wouldn't jump from a plane with it. I really like observing the profile on the unit then moving the cross hairs over a particular peek and pressing [enter] it brings up the map page and the pointer shows that particular point on my journey, this often makes peek elevations & identifications quick and easy. Note: while on the trail, bug spray eats away at the screen, one small corner of mine got some bug spray on it & now it is slightly cloudy. Hard key pad buttons make navigating the screens easy but only after you get the hang of where things are. Battery life is excellent, exceeding my expectations. Screen is small for Topo reading, but this unit should NEVER replace a paper map on the hiking trail, or even kayaking. I use the statistics page more than the map page anyway. It can give me my moving average, total time on trail & total moving time as well as distance, altitude gained, etc. All a much better use for the device than as a map. Maps that come with the device ON THE COMPUTER are detailed enough for interesting uploads, but the devices base map is like a blank canvas. So if you are strictly using it to track where you have gone & upload to the "map source" program on the computer additional maps may not be necessary. However if you plan to plot courses or use the device for road navigation you will probably need additional map software. I have also used this device for car travel but this it is not it's strong suit. It will not impress but might satisfy. -Topo 2008 maps improves terrain maps on the unit (including coastal outlines) and improves road maps greatly. Initially I had expected to need road map software as well for any road info at all but the topo 2008 software had plenty of small roads, points of interest, direction computation, etc. So far I have no need for additional maps. The only time I have lost a sat. signal is in a cave or a tunnel so far. Overall a great unit. Technologically the best civilians can get for outdoor use at this time -so 5 stars.

Bought this for my husband. He uses it for hunting. He loves it. Probably would of gotten lost a few times without it. My husband is not tech savvy and yet learned to use this to his needs. He had also used it as a speedometer. Pretty handy tool.