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Recent reviews for this item:
daniel, December 31, 1969
By far the best one out right now for versatility. If you plan to only use your gps in the car, get the 2610 or 2620, or even the new c320 or 330. I prefer the c320 for just car use, only drawback on that one is no pre-planning routes or stops, etc, it does everything on the fly.
That's what's nice about the quest, it has the full feature set of the 2610/2620 and it is portable too. Seems like it's slightly geared for trail use w/ the small screen and no touch screen feature, waterproof & rugged design & is a little slow on the fly. But it contains the best mix for auto and outdoor use. but like I said, don't get it stictly for in car use, get the c320 if you prefer simplicity & limited portability, and the 2610 if you want a full featured auto nav unit w/ pre-routing, etc.
The perfect gps for me would be the quest w/ a slightly larger touch screen & slightly faster processing, or a thinner/pocket size c320 w/ pre-routing ability.
Brian, December 31, 1969
Garmin Quest (I)
I've been using various GPS units from different manufacturers for 10 years, now, and this unit combines the best features, and makes the best compromises of any unit I've used.
Excellent battery life, good reception, fantastic screen, and highly portable, it offers all the features of a much bigger and heavier unit but will fit in a shirt pocket. This is a great all-around unit. Useful for automotive navigation (with the included City Select), fishing (especially with BlueChart), hunting, hiking, biking, and even just while on vacation walking around an unfamiliar town. It's even water resistant. With the included CitySelect map software, you get more accurate and more detailed maps, and it's much easier to use than anything I've seen built into a car from the factory (and I've seen the best factory units). It's so good, in fact, that if you don't mind having a suction-cup mount in your car, you'd be better off skipping the factory option and saving $2000 and buying this unit.
It's got only a few downsides. First, there is no expandable memory option, so you're stuck with only 115mb of storage to download detailed maps (enough to cover AR, OK, and part of northeast TX for me). So if you plan to make a cross-country trip, it might be difficult to fit all the maps you want in the memory. This has been offset in the new Quest II somewhat by the inclusion of a built-in CitySelect NT. Second, the built-in basemap is only slightly useable, so once you get outside your downloaded map range, you're on your own. Third, though it generally gets good reception (through pants pockets, between high-rise buildings, etc.), it struggles a little with aftermarket tinted windows. Thus I'd suggest getting an external antennae, too. Fourth, like every GPS unit I've ever used, the controls are a little complex and, combined with a relatively small (but high resolution) screen, makes it difficult for someone with poor eyesight, poor finger dexterity, or an aversion to technology (I'm thinking most people over 60) to use. Never fear, though. If you can use a personal computer (or program your VCR, for that matter), you'll find the Quest remarkably straightforward. The most complicated part is the CitySelect software used to send maps to the GPS unit.
If you are considering buying this, look at the Quest II as well. If you plan to use it in primarily a local area, don't mind downloading maps from a computer occasionally, or don't want the extra expense of the newer Quest II, this is a hard bargain to beat. Highly recommended.
Greg, December 31, 1969
I bought my Quest (classic) about 18 months ago for a vacation to the Poconos. It was great and really added to my confidence in getting to the resort. It proved its worth on the way back to the airport when there were nothing but taillights ahead of us. I selected detour while stopped and was directed to exit at the one just ahead. I did so and was routed around the congestion. I have since used it on all vacations with good results. I've even learned that we can exit at the first sign of problems and select detour later to get out of the trouble area without having to first select detour. The only problem seems to be in areas of construction where on/off ramps may have moved due to widening and lengthing projects. The unit will tell me I missed a turn because I exited too soon or too late.
I had researched it quite heavily and made sure I got a water resistant and battery powered unit since I wanted to use it away from the car. It is not quite as handy as a purpose built handheld unit but it functions very well and battery life was as advertised.
I later purchased a RAM mount and power pack for my motorcycle and have had a great deal of fun with it. Some of us will just ride and turn on a road we've never been on before and see where we turn up. When we find a good trip, I can save the track and make a route to incorporate that section into our next journey. If we get lost while someone else is leading, I can navigate us home or find a gas station easily.
Overall, I would have to give it a 10 for versatility and a 9 for function. The screen is readable in daylight and although not huge, it is easly readable from the motorcycle or car. The battery life is excellent and the unit will fit in almost any pocket.