Handheld GPS devices can start at around $150 and go up to $500. What’s nice is that even the most affordable GPS devices have the bare essentials like a color display and reliable GPS tracking capabilities. Magellan offers that lineup, and it isn’t surprising for the company’s biggest competitors to have similar offerings. It also means that GPS devices priced at more than $300 aren’t for everyone. The Magellan eXplorist 610 is one example of such a device, but all it takes to understand the appeal of this hiking GPS device is to check out its exclusive features.
About the Magellan eXplorist 610
The Magellan eXplorist 610 is a high-end Magellan device priced at $399. It is specifically for hikers and explorers who find cheaper Magellan devices lacking in functionality. Functionality is the keyword of the Magellan eXplorist 610 because it shares many of the same functions as the cheaper 510, including the 3-inch touch display, user interface, and SiRFstarIII high-sensitivity GPS. It has the same design and builds quality as the 510, although it comes in a different color,, so any cases that work with the 510 or 710 should work with the 610 as well.
Exclusive Features
The barometric altimeter and 3-axis electronic compass are the two big selling points of the eXplorist 610. The compass gives you a clear indicator of where north is, which can come in handy if you are lost or need to find a difficult geocache. The benefit works together with a barometric altimeter, which detects changes in weather conditions.
The other big feature that the Magellan eXplorist 610 brings to the table is preloaded topographic maps. The main model comes with the Summit Series USA maps, including all sorts of points of interest, trails, waterways, and contour lines in 2D and 3D views. The Summit Series maps should serve you well if you search for gas stations, water sources, or bike shops. Those living in Canada can get the eXplorist 610 that comes with the Summit Series Canada version.
Other Features
No matter which Magellan eXplorist 610 variant you pick, you will gain access to the same World Edition base maps provided by NAVTEQ. These maps contain tons of road network data across hundreds of countries around the world. Although the Summit Series maps should be sufficient for topography, you can still subscribe to other map services like National Geographic and save the maps to a microSD card for use.
If you ever need to take spontaneous shots while navigating, the 3.2-megapixel camera on the rear of the device could prove useful. During the day, pictures look worthy of sharing over social networking sites, although there is no direct upload functionality. What the eXplorist 610 does best is geotagging the photos, so when you get the chance to upload, the proper location data will be shown. Videos can also be recorded, but the quality is subpar compared to typical smartphones.
The Magellan eXplorist 610 also doubles as a voice recorder thanks to its built-in microphone. The volume doesn’t go up so high, but it is loud enough to be useful for making field notes. These notes can be attached to routes, tracks, geocaches or waypoints. It has the same paperless geocaching functions as other devices in the eXplorist family, except for the highly affordable eXplorist GC, which offers a premium Geocaching.com membership.
Performance
After hiking for a couple of hours with the eXplorist 610, it is safe to say that the device is worthy of its premium price tag. All the advertised functions worked well, and the touch-friendly interface is good overall. Configuring the device might be the most tedious part, but once finished, all you need to learn is the main map view. Touching the map will bring up four buttons located on the corners. Depending on which corner you touch, you can go directly to the dashboards, options menu, main menu, or OneTouch menu. The OneTouch menu is another feature worth configuring because it is the place where you can access all your favorite places. You can add up to 9 extra locations while having convenient access to your house, camp, and car on the top. Considering the high price of the Magellan eXplorist 610, it would have been nice if the device had a faster processor just to compensate for the slow startup time and average touch responsiveness.
Conclusion
Pros:
• Preloaded topo maps for the US and World Edition roadmaps.
• Barometric altimeter and 3-axis electronic compass enhance the navigational experience.
• Intuitive map interface.
Cons:
• Should have used a faster processor than lower-end models.
• Average battery life
Verdict:
Suppose you are looking for a reliable GPS device with a nice interface along with preloaded maps and a barometric altimeter, and 3-axis electronic compass. In that case, the Magellan eXplorist 610 is right up your alley.