Garmin eTrex Venture HC hiking GPS: First Look

Affordable, mapping handheld GPS well suited for casual hiking and geocaching

A hiking aid and geocaching (GPS-based treasure hunting) tool, handheld GPS units can inspire trail adventures and provide an extra safety margin when exploring off the beaten path. Consumer Reports has purchased a wide array of units to evaluate, and here we present our impressions on the lowest-cost model in the group, the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. See our handheld hiking GPS buying advice and Ratings (available to subscribers).

An entry-level handheld mapping unit, the compact eTrex Venture HC provides basic navigational assistance on a small color screen by essentially connecting the dots from the current position to a programmed destination. Unlike automotive GPS devices, the hiking units like the Venture HC do not provide turn-by-turn or spoken instructions. The standard base map includes major bodies of water, cities, interstate, national, and state highways, and coastlines. Additional map information can be transferred from a computer. We paid $150 for our test unit.

Key features include:

Initial impressions

The most inexpensive and portable of our hiking unit test group, the eTrex Venture HC has many of the common features desirable for a casual hiker, plus a few extras.

The control interface is not as intuitive as the touch-screen Garmin Oregon models. As with all the units tested, there is a learning curve, and as a user becomes familiar with the controls, navigating menus becomes easier. Destinations can be entered using a small, joystick-like control, by importing route information with the provided MapSource software, and by importing downloaded information for geocaching. The joystick is positioned to the top left of the screen, leading a right-handed user to potentially obscure the screen when stretching the right thumb across. The graphics in general feel dated, looking more Windows 3.2 than Vista, though those aesthetics do not hinder function.

The eTrex Venture HC includes hunting and fishing calendars, sun and moon information, trip computer, and an area calculator. As a trade-off for the low price, it does not have advanced features such as a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. With a magnetic compass in hand, we did not miss those features in our hiking. Topographic maps can be a helpful aid, though they typically cost more than $100 and might not be necessary for a typical daypack outing. The Venture HC supports Topo 2008 (1:100k), City Navigator (for turn-by-turn street guidance), and 24K National Parks. But due to the limited onboard memory, only a portion of a map can be added at a time.

As a mapping device, the eTrex Venture HC can track your progress from the starting point to a programmed destination, creating a digital breadcrumb trail. That trail can be used on a return trip, when a user can "track back" from the current trail. The user can also set waypoints along the trail, to mark locations of interest.

Like all current Garmin units, the eTrex Venture HC has a built-in geocaching mode. By searching geocaching.com, you are likely to find "treasures" hidden by other users in your area. Via a USB connection, a .gpx file with basic location information can be sent to the eTrex Venture HC. Later, you can find the nearest geocaches to your area. With the eTrex Venture HC, only the abbreviated codename for the geocache is displayed in the menu, and each cache file shows the basic coordinates and a limited description. Other units in our test, such as the Garmin Colorado and Oregon devices, can provide a "paperless" experience by showing the full title, clues, and user comments—though this last feature requires a premium geocaching.com subscription for $30 a year.

Like other tested hiking devices, the eTrex Venture HC will get you close to the destination, but it does not have pinpoint accuracy. It will typically lead the user to within 15 to 20 feet of the destination. That is close enough for most uses, though it does mean that there is more to finding a hidden plastic geocache container than simply walking to the right latitude and longitude.

CR's take

The eTrex Venture HC is a great entry-level handheld device that is perfect for the casual hiker or someone just getting started in geocaching. It might not have all the advanced options, have the most intuitive controls, or the easiest geocaching format, but at $150, it is $300 to $400 less expensive than full-featured units. And the concessions to newer, fancier units are minor given the significant price differences. The eTrex line has many models that add or subtract features, enabling shoppers to find the package and pricing that suits their needs. We found the eTrex Venture HC was equipped with the features that will matter most to the typical weekend adventurer.

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our special section with Ratings (available to subscribers) and Buying Advice. Discuss GPS with other shoppers and owners in the forums.