DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I must say that I find it interesting that there are so many glowing reviews about this flawless GPS. I am always skeptical of anything that sounds too good! I read many of the reviews online, and after evaluating the specifications and features, opted to buy the Delorme PN-40. Prior to this purchase, I owned a Garmin 60CSX GPS. I believed that the Delorme was poised to be a significant improvement in both the tracking ability and the display of aerial overlays.
Let me begin by stating that I don't believe there is a perfect GPS except from the perception of the user and their application. If it meets your criteria, then it serves the intended purpose! That being said, let me try to summarize my personal observations from my point of view.
After purchasing the Delorme PN-40, I quickly signed up for the $29.99 annual download service to take advantage of this impressive feature. I have downloaded about a dozen maps at this posting and must say that Delorme has been very effective in minimizing the number of maps that can be downloaded. First, the size of the maps you can download for each map type (color aerial, USGS, etc..) is restricted to some size in sq Km. This isn't too much of an issue as they are large enough for my typical hike. Second, I have found that the download speed is being limited to speeds on the order of 15-20Kb/s. This is incredibly slow considering the capability of cable is in excess of 700Kb/s. A typical download time for the maximum 250sq/km file is over 1.5hrs. In addition, many of the downloads stop prematurely, and this requires you to download the entire file again (a download manager isn't able to resume the download after termination). I have spent days trying to download a single file due to premature downloads (and no, my modem and router aren't the cause!)
The learning curve for uploading the map files to the PN-40 is tricky and not documented very well. It took me (I'm an electrical engineer) about 4 hours to sift through the documentation along with some trial and error. Once downloading was accomplished, I found that the display of the maps was pleasing, but lacked detail.
I then took the Delorme PN-40 and Garmin 60CSX (Sirf Star III chipset) on a 9 mile hike in Forest Park located in Portland Oregon. I used fresh Powerex Medion batteries in both GPS's. The temperature outside was about 35degF and the hike took approx 5 hours. My findings are as follows:
The Delorme PN-40 took several minutes longer than the Garmin 60CSx to lock onto the satellites before a 3D view was possible. The Delorme circle of uncertainty, accuracy of the location, varied significantly while standing in the same spot on open terrain with no obstructed view of the sky. The variation would be on the order of +- 15ft to +-40ft. The Garmin locked onto the signal vary consistently for this same location with variations of only +-2ft. I found the aerial display on the Delorme to be difficult to see without the backlight. Note that the isobar lines aren't easily seperated from the aerial background. It may just be me, but I'm not color blind and have good vision. The Garmin display is easier to see, I think, because there isn't much clutter on the display (the backlight helps very much in low light also). The Delorme tracking lines are superb! It is easy to see where you have gone and is nicely color contrasted to the background map. The Garmin tracking points are almost impossible to see (until downloaded to your PC) as they blend into the topo map! The last point I want to make concerns the battery life, and this was the biggest issue for my personal use. The Delorme battery life was barely acceptable (for my purposes) under the conditions of this hike (cold and wet for 5 hours). The battery indicator on the Delorme started dropping after about 2.5 hours and declined steadily for the remainder of the hike. The last hour of the hike I expected the Delorme to shut off, but the batteries did hold out for the full hike. The Garmin battery life remained at full for the entire hike. You can argue that my test wasn't exactly fair since the batteries weren't brand new and don't know how often I used the backlight, but I didn't expect the Delorme to start indicating reduced battery power so soon. A sample size of one unit is not exactly a great indicator of all the units sold, but then I'm not being hired by anyone or trying to take sides! Obviously, you must be the decision maker for your application.
I will say that both products performed well enough for this one hike. I prefer the Garmin for satellite reception, consistent locking, battery life and ease of software use. However I do like the display capabilities of the Delorme. Also, the Delorme mapping is far superior to Garmin, but at the expense of a steep learning curve. I also want to mention that Delorme did a great job for allowing use of every battery type you might want to use; from lithium ion to alkaline. Also, I really appreciate Delorme giving easy access to the full capacity of a 32Gb SDHC card (which I verified worked well), but you do need plenty of storage for the hybrid aerial maps.
In summary, let me say that in my opinion I feel that Garmin has the lead on GPS hardware and that Delorme has the lead on Mapping software. I would love to see a product created by the merger of these two companies to take advantage of both of their strengths. Good luck on your purchase decision.
Note that I am not an employee of either company, and have no personal bias towards them. I also own products from both companies!

Click Here to see more reviews about: DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Read More...

BP1500 Large Backpack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)OK, I'll admit it: I'm a hiker first, and a photographer second. Been in the hiking business ever since I joined the boy scouts at age 8 (I'm 45 at the time of this writing). However, for my 10th birthday I got my first SLR as a gift. All of which is to say, I consider myself having plenty of experience in either field. It is with that background, that I am looking at the Calumet BP1500 camera backpack.
Needed a new camera backpack when my trusty Lowepro AW Trekker finally gave out, after many years of reliable service. It probably had more miles on it's back than the automobiles of many of the readers of this review will have. Was a good backpack. And as a vacation trip to Maine was coming up, I needed a replacement, fast. This time I wanted to take a pack that could hold both my camera equipment and my laptop (previously I had tugged a laptop back along with the photo bag). It just so happened that the day my old backpack broke, Calumet was sending out en email advertising their new BP1500. Initially I though - why bother buying a backpack from a camera shop? They can't know anything about backpacks. Lowepro (or Lowe, the mother company) on the other hand is a well respected name in the hiking world. But then I realized the Calumet BP1500 was quite a bit cheaper than the Lowepro AW CompuTrekker that I had envisaged. So I thought, just give it a shot. I'm glad I did.
Ordered the backpack on a Saturday, using standard UPS ground shipment, and my first surprise came on Monday afternoon when UPS dropped of the cardboard box with the BP1500 at my house. Then I remembered, yeah, Calumet delivers very fast.
My next surprise came when I unpacked the BP1500. This thing was definitely designed by a seasoned hiker. Solid canvass material liberally reinforced where rough hiking puts extra stress on the material (and where my AW Trekker had broken down). The hip belt isn't just a lame strip of canvas, it's an expertly cushioned support system that is very well anchored to the main pack. As any experienced hiker knows: a good pack allows you to carry the bulk of the weight with your hips, so that belt better be comfortable. And then, once I started exploring the BP1500, there were just tons of extras and surprises worth noting:
* The zippers have a comfortable "fat" feel to them. They are sealed with plastic sheaths that will hold off splash water, without getting into the path of the zipper
* At the lower left and lower right the pack features two larger mesh pockets, which you can use for water bottles or for storing smaller knick-knacks
* The hip belt has two integrated pouches, meant for cell phones, iPods and the like (or in my case: memory cards and GPS)
* The same belt also has two massive D-rings made of sturdy rope, cushioned with plastic sleeves. Ideal for resting your hands during a longer hike. Never seen that on a photo bag before (and always missed it)
* If you choose to do so, you can actually dismount the hip-belt (it is essentially held in place by a large velcro section). Not recommended if you're hiking, but good to know it's possible.
* Canvas loops and smaller plastic D-rings are all over the outside of this pack. Allowing you to add all sorts of attachments to the bag (I use bungee ball cords to attach a jacket or a carabiner hook for my binoculars). I also attached a smaller filter-pouch (holding 4 circular polarizers) using one of the loops. In the field, I'll typically carry this on my belt, but it's good to know that it fits on the pack as well
* The bag actually comes with two adjustable luggage straps that lock to d-rings on via carabiner hooks. This is perfect for tacking on an additional clothing bag, a blanket, or a raincoat.
* A well thought out contraption on the left side of the bag is meant to safely strap on a monopod (obviously, you could also use it for hiking poles).
* And down the center of the bag you can attach even a large tripod. A semi-circular zipper opens a pouch you can use to arrest the foot of the tripod, and various straps across the bag can be adjusted to safely hold the tripod in place. However, the system is designed so well that if you are not carrying a tripod, you can use this pouch as a third outside compartment (this is where I typically carry spare batteries and a case for my sunglasses)
* The pack actually has an airflow system: the padding that provides cushioning when the pack is strapped to your back is designed in such a way that the pads are criss-crossed by "grooves", which provide room for air circulation even when the pack is pressed against your back. This system is a perfectly adequate system for the types of hikes the users of this bag are likely to undertake.
* The straps from the main harness are comfortably padded, as you would expect. What I did not expect was how solidly they are anchored against the center of gravity of the bag. Even the Lowepro AW Trekker, which is not a bad bag, has these straps simply horizontally sewn to the upper rim of the back with a stitching of maybe 4-5 inches wide per strap. On the BP1500 the main harness straps extend behind the main padding, where they are vertically sewn on the bag with maybe 12 inches worth of stitching per strap. I had not seen this approach before with anything but expedition quality backpacks. Wow.
The BP1500 has two outside compartments. The lower compartment is roomy enough to store plenty of knick knacks (cables, flash lights, car keys, battery chargers, energy bars, water filtration set). Spacey enough even for a notebook (the paper sort) or paper maps. The upper one of these two compartments has organizers for material like pens, business cards, your wallet. The inside of these flaps contains zipper-closed mesh bags which allows you to safely store filled up memory cards, camera batteries, AA batteries for the flashes, and the like.
And then there are the two main compartments: the compartment closest to your back is very tall and wide, but shallow - meant for your laptop. It is so big that it will easily fit even the most enormous notebook computer (I have a 17" model, it almost appears lost in there).
And finally, the compartment that I bought this bag for in the first place: the camera equipment compartment. It is huge. Will hold A LOT of stuff. More equipment, than you'll likely want to lug around (for weight reasons) on a serious hike. The BP1500 comes with a generous, and I really mean generous, number of velcro fitted pads that you can use to subdivide the space flexibly in any way that makes sense for you and your equipment. Here is what I did with it:
* I fitted two SLRs, both with tele zooms attached (a 70-200mm and a 100-400mm) down the middle of the compartment
* Two longer tele-primes (200mm and 400mm) lay flat
* Four smaller primes (28mm, 50mm, 60mm macro and 100mm macro), two wide angle zooms (10-22mm and 16-35mm) and a 1.4x teleconverter fit in vertically (i.e. perpendicular to your back)
* Two Canon 580EX II flashes together with diffuser caps and an ST-E2 transmitter
* Various plastic stuff (e.g. a rain cover for the camera and an inflatable mini-softbox
The padding for the camera compartment is so sturdy, so adjustable, and so generous, that I am 100% sure my equipment is well protected.
That still left about one fifth of the space unused. I filled it up with a cable bag that I "borrowed" from my laptop bag, containing the power brick, ethernet cable, wireless mouse and CF card reader for my laptop.
OK, that's a lot of equipment. Much more than I would bring along on a typical hike. First I wanted to see how much of my equipment this bag could hold (pretty much everything). Realistically, for daytime hikes I carry a selection of this camera equipment, but fill the space up with some hiking stuff (e.g. spare clothing or a gas burner). And it's good to know this bag can hold all that stuff.
Is this pack perfect? No. It's got it's weaknesses:
* The airflow system is a nice improvement over the one the AW Trekker used to have, but it doesn't hold a candle to the airflow systems in Deuter expedition backpacks (which I consider the best backpacks money can buy - but they are not designed for photographers)
* The measurements of this bag were obviously designed with the "size wise" restrictions for airline carry-on luggage in mind. However, the depth of the pack exceeds these restrictions by 1/2 inch, and the length of the pack exceeds it by a full inch. So far I have flown four times with this pack as carry-on, and never had any problems. However, if you do design it for this usage, then please stick to the limits
* There is no way to subdivide the laptop compartment. As said above, it is huge. And laptops tend to be heavy. Good ergonomics would be to carry this weight as high up as possible. However, the laptop compartment being the way it is, the laptop will invariably slide towards the bottom of the pack.
In summary: this is a very good pack. Even more because the quality of this pack was a bit unexpected. Calumet is not known for hiking equipment, yet, this pack was definitely designed by someone who knew his hiking gear at least as well as his photography gear. Having hiked with it for a while, I can wholeheartedly recommend this pack. Great design, very good performance, and the price is excellent. And another advantage: contrary to the Lowepro line, this bag doesn't scream "photography equipment" to every nutcase who sees you walking around with it.
The only watchout: if you're not lugging around huge quantities of photographic material, you may want to consider the smaller version of this pack that Calumet also sells (I haven't seen that one personally, but it looks like they have a very similar design).


Click Here to see more reviews about: BP1500 Large Backpack

Whether you are a globe trotting photojournalist or an outdoor shutterbug enthusiast, this backpack combines the comfort and protection you require while transporting your digital SLR camera system and laptop computer anywhere in the world. It features innovative materials and construction techniques that allow you rapid access to your camera equipment and maximum protection when you are on the go.

Click here for more information about BP1500 Large Backpack

Read More...

DeLorme Earthmate PN-60 Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The PN-60 is a much better unit than the PN-40. Battery life is infinitely longer compared to the PN-40 (I had one) this unit will go all day on the Li-ion rechargeable pack. Additionally, the new menu system is far quicker to navigate and the profile view showing elevation is great for hikes. This unit teamed with the new Topo 9 also provides for quicker and simpler map and routing downloads. As far a GPS units this one may not have the biggest screen or smallest size etc... the reason you buy this unit is for the data layering and the Delorme maps - nothing comes close for $29.95 / year.
Check out the Delorme web site for plenty of examples.


Click Here to see more reviews about: DeLorme Earthmate PN-60 Portable GPS Navigator


The rugged, reliable Earthmate PN-60 delivers next-generation GPS capabilities, plus DeLorme's market-leading map and aerial imagery displays. DeLorme Topo North America desktop software and GPS maps are included, with comprehensive detail for all your favorite outdoor activities in the U.S and Canada. Aerial imagery, nautical charts, and supplemental USGS and Canada topo maps are also available.

Rugged, Reliable GPS With Maps Included
Key Features

Intuitive icon-based user interface for easy on-device navigation
Elevation profile cutaway views that pinpoint the user's position
GPX file exchange (waypoints, routes, tracks, and geocaches) to SD card for ease and flexibility in archiving collected GPS data
Latest DeLorme power management system with ambient light sensor for optimal battery life
3.5 GB of user-available Flash memory

Maps Whatever your preferred activity, you'll never have to settle for just one map. Find your position on up-to-date DeLorme Topo USA 9.0 maps (included). Navigate worry-free with complete U.S. topographic detail, extensive trail coverage, U.S. and Canada streets, roads, and places of interest including campgrounds, boat launch sites, unique natural features, prime hunting and fishing spots.

The PN-60 comes with up-to-date DeLorme Topo USA 9.0 map detail included, both on PN-Series Map DVDs (Mac-compatible) for transfer to the GPS, and in a PC desktop software program.

Outdoor Activities The PN-60 supports all popular outdoor activities. Features include a highly-accurate 3-axis electronic compass that works when held in any position, moving on foot or standing still. For traveling in elevation, there is an elevation profile tool that pinpoints your location and a sensitive barometric altimeter for precise elevation readings and the ability to gauge potential weather changes. These elevation features are particularly useful for hikers, climbers, and hunters. The ability to display NOAA nautical charts make the PN-60 a valuable navigator for sea kayaking and coastal sailing.

The PN-60 fully supports paperless geocaching, and offers almanac pages with information on tides, hunting and fishing favorability, and sunrise/sunset and moon phases.

Geocaching DeLorme has devoted significant resources toward offering a rewarding geocaching experience. In addition to the unique value of available aerial imagery, the PN-60 delivers a wide range of paperless geocaching capabilities.

Individual caches can be downloaded, with all information included, from Geocaching.com. The PN-60 and Topo USA also support imports of high volume Pocket Queries from Geocaching.com, and they allow virtually unlimited cache description character counts, so you'll have all the information you need on the device, including other cachers' log notes.

The optional DeLorme Cache Register download delivers enhanced paperless geocaching functions. Sync your Pocket Query search results directly to the PN-60, and sync your user logs and other cache details to Geocaching.com.

Why DeLorme?
DeLorme is the innovation leader in high-quality maps and GPS units for everyone from recreational customers to businesses to government agencies. Proven in the most extreme conditions, from the bitter cold of the North Pole and Mt Everest to the heat and sand of Iraq and Afghanistan, DeLorme products are well known for rock-solid design, accuracy, and reliability. DeLorme is a disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) and takes great pride in engineering outstanding maps, software, and GPS units right here in the United States.

What's in the Box
Earthmate PN-60 GPS, Topo North America 9.0, 5 Regional Discs of PN-Series Maps, User Manual, Quick Start Guide, 2 Energizer e2 Lithium AA Batteries, USB Cable, Certificate for $40 Worth of Data Downloads, Neck Lanyard

Get 29% OFF

Click here for more information about DeLorme Earthmate PN-60 Portable GPS Navigator

Read More...

Garmin Oregon 550 Waterproof Hiking GPS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently just bought 2 new Garmin GPS units to upgrade my aging Garmin Legend (Original Model). I was hesitant to purchase the Oregon due to the mediocre reviews on Amazon, but ultimately I decided to take a chance.
First I bought the Garmin Dakota 20, and I really liked it. Small, Battery Efficient, Easy to Use, and Paperless Geocaching using the touchscreen. Good stuff. I called my friend who likes to have the latest and greatest, and he told me he had purchased the Oregon 400t when it first came out last year. I took a drive to his house to compare it to my new Dakota 20... Very similar in capabilities, only smaller and less resolution on the screen. After seeing his unit, and how well it ran I found myself craving the higher resolution screen, and 3D Terrain features, so I went up and bought another one, this one, the Garmin Oregon 550. I decided against buying the Oregon 550t because the 550 had a little deeper discount than the "t" version. Ultimately I chose to purchase the 550 since it was around $60 off retail, VS. only $1 less than retail on the 550t. I figured I could add the TOPO maps later. Plus I had also just purchased the Dakota 20, and the $160 difference in cost was sounding pretty good. I have completely busted my mad money for now.
Ultimately I find this unit to be right in line with all of the other Oregon models software wise... it works exactly the same way. So go and read some reviews on the other Oregon models sine this unit doesn't have many reviews yet. It is VERY similar in capabilities, but this one has a few added goodies.. 3 Axis Compass + 3.2MP GEOTagging Camera (Good stuff)...
Another observation between the new 550 and 550t models... Garmin's specs say the these models have equivalent storage, but in fact this is not the case, the 850MB seen in the specs relates to the free space after taking into account the included maps. In reality it is more like 550 = 1GB, 550t=4GB internal memory. Mostly a non-issue since both have a Micro-SD slot behind the battery, which happily accepted an inexpensive 4GB SDHC card, and since SDHC was supported I would expect you could add an even larger one.
Like the other reviewer stated I noticed that the roads on Garmin's 2008 TOPO maps are slightly off.. this is easily recognizable if you load a driving map, calculate a route, and then disable the driving map, you will see the driving route is not exactly on the road. To me this is all the more reason to just get the 550 model (at this point) without the TOPO maps. You can add them later once the road data is fixed. On second thought, the TOPO features themselves on the 2008 map seem fine, only the road data is a little off, so if you are using the maps as they are intended this is probably a non-issue. At the time I just felt like the 550 was a better bargain, only $90 more than the Dakota 20 I had just purchased, which also was still at the full $350 retail price since it is still a brand new model.
The only other glitch was with the Compass calibration, which went haywire for a moment, but resolved itself after a reset, and hasn't happened since. We'll see if it becomes an issue.. but I doubt it. The reset was very fast as this unit boots up very quickly.
I decided to make these purchases since my girlfriend has expressed an interest in "Re-Taking Up Geocaching", we really haven't done it in a while (Since '02), and its such a great outdoor activity. The original point in making these purchases was the ease at which you can add Geocaches into the unit directly from the website with a single mouse click. She was having trouble getting used to adding the co-ordinates into the old Garmin Legend with that tiny joystick, it was VERY TEDIOUS.
So now she has the Dakota 20, and I have the Oregon 550, and we can easily transfer geocaches back and forth wirelessly, and it is easy as pie to download them from [...].
To me, these new Garmins are a huge upgrade from my old "Legend", and they are waterproof and rugged as ever.
I would have given this product 5 stars had it not been for the couple of small glitches, which I expect will be fixed in the future via a firmware update / map update from Garmin.
Truely.. the new touchscreen Garmin units are to GPS's, as the iPhone is to mobile phones. In a class by itself.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin Oregon 550 Waterproof Hiking GPS

The navigator with the photographic memory--Oregon 550 combines rugged outdoor touchscreen navigation with a 3.2 megapixel digital camera. Add high-sensitivity GPS, barometric altimeter, 3-axis electronic compass and microSD card slot. The result? A multipurpose device that will make your biggest adventures even more memorable.


Take Pictures and Save Locations Capture locations and memories with Oregon 550's 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom. Each photo is automatically geotagged with the location of where it was taken, allowing you to navigate back to that exact spot in the future. Snap and view pictures in landscape or portrait orientation. With 850 MB of internal memory, you'll never miss a photo opportunity. To store online, simply connect Oregon 550 via USB and log into my.Garmin.com to upload and store your photos at Picasa, a popular online photo sharing community for friends and families around the world. For more storage, insert a microSD card; you can even view pictures from other devices on microSD with Oregon's picture viewer.

Touch and Go Oregon 550 makes rugged navigation effortless with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color touchscreen display. The interface is easy to use, so you'll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 550 is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.

Get Your Bearings Oregon 550 has a built-in 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you're standing still, without holding it level. Its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude, and you can even use it to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions. And with its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction, Oregon 550 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons.

Add Maps Oregon 550 comes preloaded with a worldwide built-in basemap with shaded relief. Adding even more detail is easy: just insert a MapSource microSD card preloaded with detailed maps. Oregon can accept a variety of maps for any navigational need. Add detailed street maps to get turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add select topographic maps to take advantage of Oregon's 3-D maps and elevation detail. Or add BlueChart g2 maps, which provide everything you need for a great day on the water, including depth contours, navaids and harbors.

Find Fun Go paperless with Oregon 550 by quickly downloading information from Geocaching.com for up to 5000 caches, such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description. No more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs. Slim and lightweight, Oregon is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.

Share Wirelessly With Oregon 550 you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly other Oregon and Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite route to a friend to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just touch "send" to transfer your information to similar devices.

What's in the Box Oregon 550, AA battery charger, 2 AA NiMH batteries, carabiner clip, USB cable, owner's manual on disk, and quick start manual

Get 14% OFF

Click here for more information about Garmin Oregon 550 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Read More...