Sport Trak ProGear Review |
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| Sport Trak Pro   | 
| Page Type: Gear Review Manufacturer: Magellan
| Page By: Dean Created/Edited: Dec 1, 2002 / Jan 29, 2007 Object ID: 568 Hits: 2971 Loading... |
SportTrak Pro
Parts and Accessories
FEATURES:
• Large high-contrast screen for easier viewing of maps and functions
• Stores up 32 MB of maps
• 9 MB North American or European basemap
• 23 MB of built-in memory for additional downloads
• Rugged and waterproof - take it anywhere!
• Accurate to 3-meters (WAAS and EGNOS-enabled)
• Front facing 7-key keypad to help you operate your GPS easier and faster
• Superior signal tracking via 12 channel quadrifilar antenna
• Store up to 500 waypoints and 20 reversible routes
Power: Two “AA” batteries (14-hour battery life)
Dimensions: 2.9” W x 1.3” D x 6.5” H
Weight: 8 oz.
Warranty: One-year limited
Images |
Reviews
| Dean | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | I've been researching GPS units for about 6 months and this is the one I finally picked up.
After using this unit for awhile, I am very impressed with its capabilities and it has features I'm still learning about. I like everything about it and it has a nice ergonomic feel when you hold it. A solid feel and easy to use buttons make it one of those "toys" you want to take with you everywhere. I could actually see how fast my wife was driving as it gives you an extremely accurate MPH while in your car making it a good way to check the accuracy of your speedometer. True, you don't buy a GPS unit for this purpose but it is a fun sidelight. It also tracks your mileage among other things. The main reason I bought it though is that this puppy can pick up satellites in deep forest cover. Since I live in the northwest, that was a feature that I deemed to be very important. Anyway, I'm pleased, very pleased with this unit.
update: April 11, 2003. I now carry this with me (along with a compass of course) on every trip. Recently I did some snowshoe hikes in the Lake Tahoe area and I've found that the "mark" feature invaluable for knowing where you are in a snowstorm. I would mark where I left my car and the GPS would get me right back to the spot, no matter what (even when I can't get visual landmarks) Be sure to carry extra batteries as a GPS is worthless if you run out of juice.
Update: Oct 10, 2003: I am even more impressed with this unit and the value of using a GPS. I've learned to pre-load coordinates of places I want to go to, trail junctions, special features or landmarks and unerringly the GPS unit will lead me there. I always carry a compass and map and still take compass bearings and orient everything to the map I'm carrying but the value of GPS technogy is huge in county highpointing. I truly "never leave home without it"
>
Update: Nov. 19, 2005. Now there are many units out there that are
superior to this one including a color one I'd love to have. However, this one is still doing the job and gives me all I need so I have no plans to buy a newer model. I carry this one in my truck at all times
and the back up one I bought at Costco is the one that is in my pack.
Update: Jan 2007 I'm still in love with this unit although I now also have the Garmin 60CS. I really like it as well but surprisingly, I find the Sport Trak better in the trees on a side by side comparison. I like a couple of the Garmin screens better but either one is a good choice and I have them both. I carry both with me as the extra weight is offset by the extra protection of having that 2nd GPS unit on some hikes where I'm really depending on my GPS to get me back to my vehicle safely. | | Posted Dec 19, 2002 10:47 pm |
| Rinat Shagisultanov | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | 07-2004: So far I am very pleased with the features and the quality of the unit. It is lightweight, relialble and useful. At this point I used it for the training pursposes only (marking the route, navigating on the landamarks and waypoint, profiling the trail and exploring the routes when you get back home). The reception is good, though I had some sort of a problem when the unit switched from 3D mode (with altitude) to 2D mode and it did not want to switch back.
The battery life can be a problem (no wonder why) and it can be resolved by using the Li-batteries. The set of 2 from Energizer lasted for 2.5 days with continuous 7-8 hrs of usage/day on the backpacking in Tuoulumne Meadows (YNP).
My complain is mostly related to the software mapping product that is the only source of downloadable topographic info for the unit (the quality and the number of erros is questionable). I wish that Magellan improves the package.
In my opinion the device beats Garmin ETrex in its own field by the quality of antenna, features and price ($230 after rebate on June 2004). | | Posted Jul 20, 2004 3:55 pm |
| Rafa Bartolome | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | After 1 year of use I think this unit is great with good accuracy. I've used this GPS in the Pyrenees (peaks among 2000-3400 meters) and in the main summits generally it had a dfference only of 2-3 meters of height.
The preview routes that I've loaded in the GPS with digital maps are generally O.K. (less of 20 meters generally) and the return mode it's wonderfull to back to the car in foggy days.
The maps of Magellan BaseMap Worldwide for the GPS are not very precise in some locations (more than 400 meters of difference in the position of the top of the Teide in Canaries)
Only in one time the summit are not precise in height in 1 year of use: the summit of Teide had 3730 meters (real 3719m) in this GPS but the smell sulphur surrond me (Does volcanic smoke interfere with the electronic devices?)
| | Posted May 16, 2005 1:39 pm |
| XP | Untitled Review | | Voted 5/5 | A true minimalist outdoors GPS is Garmin Foretrex 201, but I wanted to be able to look at a map while using the GPS, so I undertook to carry the extra ounces that this one weighs. I had seen complaints about the built-in map of SporTrak Topo, so I opted to buy this model instead, together with the MapSend Topo CD. I have seen reviews that compare it to Garmin's E-Trex Vista and say that the reception you get with this unit (the antenna?) is much better than the Garmin's. I don't own a Garmin, but I can tell you, the reception of this model is pretty good. Also, the Vista has built in compass--no added value whatsoever--and altimeter--marginal added value--at a much higher price. Just walk in any direction and you'll get a compass heading estimate as accurate as the one of a dedicated electronic compass, plus this will be self-correcting as you keep walking.
There is no autorouting. I use it as a primitive auto GPS by setting a destination, which gives me crow's flight route, and then looking at the map with alternating scale levels while driving in order to select streets or roads. Of course, you can use a PC map to chart a route and then upload it. Or even use the map on the GPS, but that will obviously be a bit painful. One drawback--the MapSend maps, the only types of maps you can upload, are not very good (read resp. reviews).
The menus are somewhat obscure and non-intuitive, and some frequently used actions require many keystrokes. I had to thoroughly read the manual several times to get the hang of it... For example, there is a way to build a route visually by clicking on points on the map, but you have to remember that this is done by activating Vertical Profile of a Path, so you build a path, the software gives you its vertical profile--which you don't quite care to see--and you go to Convert Path to Route. The regular way to build a route is to first mark the waypoints and then add them (non-visually) to the route.
The screens are highly customizable, and I have highly customized mine. For example, seeing a turn (how many degrees left or right between your heading and your destination) and distance readings is far more helpful than heading and speed (the defaults) when you look at the map screen.
Some people complain that you can't expand the memory. But this is an outdoors GPS, and any such feature will add more weight. The memory is more than enough for a very big very detailed map, but the stupid map software (not the GPS) limits you to only one map at a time (read MapSend Topo 3D review).
Conclusion: The pros (uploadable topo maps, large memory, compact and light, strong signal, inexpensive) made this the outdoors GPS of choice for me, and all the shortcomings are something to learn to work around. | | Posted Jun 27, 2005 1:12 pm |
| 2skinners | Lightweight and small | | 
Hasn't voted | The size and weight of this GPS device make it well worthwhile. It can easily be clipped to your side or placed in your pocket or pack. I have not had much experience with use of a GPS but right from the get go, I didn't have much trouble learning some of the basics. So as far as user friendliness goes I would give it high marks. The battery life leaves something to be desired, even with lithium batteries, it seems to die on me when I need it. That may just be because I've used the same batteries for quite some time. Customizing the screens is pretty easy to do and is a nice feature as well.
All in all, I would recommend this device. | | Posted Jun 17, 2007 4:19 am |
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