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Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
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Garmin Etrex Vista HCx

BikeRadar verdict

4 out of 5 stars

"A very useful device with decent mapping and a colour screen, too."

By Simon Young

The rugged Vista HCx is very similar to the Edge 705, without the extra bike-specific functions. It comes with a colour screen, barometric altimeter, electronic compass and micro SD card slot for Topo map installation – but you’ll have to pay extra for the Topo card.

This unit offers basic but useful on-screen colour mapping and a proven history. Unlike the Edge it can take batteries when needed, which will appeal to folks setting out into the wild blue yonder. It lacks the Edge's bike-specific features and its bike mount's not as good, so you'd only pick this one if the ability to take extra batteries was more important to you than cycling-specific features.

The Vista HCx, like the Edge 705, is also capable of postcode road journey routing (with the right software), although don’t expect voice-guided turn-by-turn directions like the Road Angel.

What this is really good at is providing just about every bit of supplementary information you’ll need for outdoor navigation. The buttons are fiddlier than the Edge’s, but are still okay for a gloved cyclist to use.

Using the backlight and enabling the compass gave about 12 hours of use (with the lithium batteries), but at least it can take a rechargeable or disposable batteries.

A bike mount is available, but if you’re going to use it primarily for biking, you’d probably be better off buying the Edge.

User Reviews

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  • User review of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

    The Vista HCx and the Edge 705 are really aimed at different users.

    The Vista has a much larger capacity for recording waypoints in advance, so if you are doing a multi-day tour with complex navigation, eg lots of back roads or trials, you can plot it all out in advance and enter the interesting points. The 100 waypoints capacity on the Edge (cf 1000 on the Vista) is a real limitation here.

    otoh, the Edge has great capabilities for serious training, and the availability of cadence & HR means that you only need 1 gadget rather than 2 or 3.

    I wanted to use the unit for bushwalking as well as cycling, so the Vista was the obvious choice.

    The difference in price made the choice even more obvious. (Edge 705 > 2*Vista HCx)

    The main limitation I've found so far is the limit of 125 waypoints / route. Plotting a route on Bikely generates a lot of waypoints, and editing them down to 125 is tedious. Using a routing map from Garmin would probably make this easier, but the street maps don't show bike paths or off-road tracks, and typically don't have contours or altitude info.

    I've got a bike mount from RAM (http://products.ram-mount.com/rammount/productdetail.aspx?partnumber=RAM-HOL-GA16U + http://products.ram-mount.com/rammount/productdetail.aspx?partnumber=rap-274)

    This cradles the GPS and distributes the load rather than putting it through a single, small bolt into the GPS back plate. However its got a maximum bar size of 30mm, and isn't very flexible, so it can't fit an OS handlebar or a stem.

    0.3
  • User review of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

    Useful little device. No need to pay £325 though - I paid £125 for mine from the US via eBay.

    Battery life is good, sat lock is excellent, easy to navigate (menus and button presses can be customised), maps are easily available. The bike mount doesn't feel that strong but has survived some decent hammering in the peaks (including The Beast) that were enough to snap the mirror out of my Topeak bar ends...

    Only downside in my opinion is the screen is nigh on useless in direct sunlight, and the colour control could be better - it's sometimes not that easy to distinguish your travelled path from the background colours. Oh, and as a turn-by-turn satnav unit, it sucks ass big time. It's really better just for mapping out your trails and routes.

    Wouldn't agree with the comment about the Edge would be better for biking though. This unit is fantastic for just heading out into the great outdoors without having to worry about where the hell you are and how you're going to get back :)

    0.3
  • User review of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

    I don't know where you got the £325 price tag from but they can be purchased for well under

    £200.

    0.3
  • User review of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

    Do a google search and you'll find the product at much lower than the £325 you quoted.

    Many places are selling them at less than £170

    0.3
  • User review of Garmin eTrex Vista HCx

    i have had no end of trouble with my Etrex vistacx and hcx as follows

    1. two of the machines supplied were faulty and i had one stolen so i am on my fourth one

    2. the registration process is needlessly labourious and i suggest arrogant - endless numbers and codes and then i still had problems and had to phone for help which wasnt forthcoming and then had to pay for help and it still didnt work then had to send back to the factory and wait for month and then get a new machine

    3. the service is very frustrating - not only the above but i was also incorrectly advised when purchasing my second machine that i needed a new liscence and when i found out this was incorrect i was given the run around then the offered me a set of nt american maps and the i find they did not supply me with the codes so i have to spend more time explaining this to more people.

    i estimate i have spend over 200 hours over a couple of years trying to get the thing to work and it still doesnt.

    Paul McKay

    0.3

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Specification

Name:
eTrex Vista HCx
Built by:
Garmin
Price:
n/a

Type of Battery Required:
AA Alkaline
Weight (g):
156 g
Dimensions:
107 x 56 x 30mm (4.2 x 2.2 x 1.2in) mm (w x h x d)

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