Review on Water-Resistant Magellan eXplorist 300 GPS for Hiking by Brian Kumar

The eXplorist 300 is a good device that far outperforms basic GPS. It has a very readable screen with excellent 2-level backlight that consumes good battery life quickly. The menu structure is intuitive and simple. The electronic compass is a real plus for this device, but it needs to be kept level for accuracy. I found the built-in map useful, but not without labeling mistakes. Just don't expect a lot of detail below the main road. The device takes a bit of time to get maximum accuracy on startup, but then it's very good and sensitive even in dense trees (especially compared to the Etrex Legend I compared it to). I found this to be a good hideaway, especially with the electronic compass (especially compared to the Legend). He usually placed me within 20 feet of the cache coordinates. The stability and accuracy of the compass really shines as it nears the hideout. The device does not have a PC or PDA interface, although there are several hacks on the Internet that offer this possibility. So you can't connect to a PC and digitally download maps or waypoints etc without getting hacked. Some new generation devices coming out in this price range solve this problem and have more memory. I haven't found much use for the thermometer and barometer yet, but they work. The instruction manual is very short and not fully explained. I recommend this device as one of the best I've used on the low-end market, just be aware of its limitations and your needs.