Rugged GPS devices for all weather use: The Magellan eXplorist 600

Category: Review on Magellan eXplorist 600 GPS

Posted by: 22-Jun-2007

Strengths: Quite accurate, good battery life and rugged. Not very expensive either

Weaknesses: Navigation is a bit tricky. The shape might be irksome to some who are used to a horizontal-style display

GPS devices are fast becoming a necessity and the Magellan eXplorist is definitely worth a second look. The look of the GPS device is slightly egg-like and though some users might not find it very handy to use, it has a good display when fitted on to the car dashboard. The eXplorist does require some getting used to since there are a number of features which help you track just exactly where you are.

With its high level of accuracy and the fact that the GPS unit also displays vital information such as Weather and general information on the topography of the location you are, you are left wondering why some of the items need to be accessed via a menu. The navigation of the eXplorist is not all that straight forward and does require users to refer to the user manual when starting off.

The Magellan eXplorist is weather proof and also shock-resistance which makes it a rugged piece of equipment. On the battery life front, the GPS device manages to give a good 14 + hours of charge time provided you keep both the backlight and the compass off. With a reasonable price tag, there is no denying the fact that this eXplorist is worthwhile and becomes even more useful if you pick up some additional relevant software for it.