1999 began the success story of Garmin eTrex GPS handsets, which are known for
- small, light and
- a powerful battery life.
The eTrex handhelds are particularly suitable for
- sea kayaking,
- mountain biking,
- mountaineering,
- trekking or
- long distance hiking.
In other words, for activities where they can play out it’s special advantages!
The eTrex handheld devices can also be used for outdoor activities such as geocaching, bicycle touring and day hiking. But for these purposes I recommend GPS devices from the Garmin GPSMAP or Garmin Oregon series.
What are the differences between the eTrex 22x & eTrex 32x?
Actually only in a few, but crucial points. The 32x also has:
- Barometric altimeter for exact altitude readings and a use as a weather station.
- 3-axis compass for precise directional information when stationary or at low speed.
- ANT+ connectivity to exchange data with compatible Garmin devices (tracks, routes, waypoints, geocaches) and to connect to sensors (heart rate, cadence, temperature), a Garmin chirp or a VIRB action camera.
Altimeter and compass are worth the extra money compared to the 22x!
How do the 2020 / 2021 eTrex models differ from their predecessors?
The eTrex 22x and 32x differ from the direct predecessors eTrex 20x and 30x as follows:
- Small cosmetic changes in the menu
- More internal memory (8 GB vs. 3.7 GB)
- Preinstalled TopoActive maps of all of Europe instead of just Western Europe
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
- eTrex 32x adds a 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter
- Battery life: up to 25 hours in GPS mode with 2 AA batteries
What are the pros and cons of the Garmin eTrex 22x & Garmin eTrex 32x?
Pros – eTrex 22x & eTrex 32x
- Fast positioning & very accurate track recording
- Multiple GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, SBAS)
- High-resolution, easy to read displays
- Outstanding battery life (especially with AA lithium batteries)
- Memory expandable with microSD card
- Handy and light
- Fits in every pocket
- Operation with (not too thick) gloves
- Reliable software
- All basic & important navigation functions
- "Bearing and go" (not 22x) and "Course (CDI)" for special applications
- Paperless geocaching
- Large selection of commercial maps from Garmin
- Compatible with free OSM maps
Cons – eTrex 22x & eTrex 32x
- Very slow (e.g. when zooming & panning the map, searching POIs etc.)
- Operation via five buttons and thumbstick is not for everyone
- The pre-installed cards occupy most of the internal memory
- Restricted routing
- Outdated USB interface
- Small display
- No transfer of tracks from a smartphone
- For the durability of the rubber band and the buttons there is no long-term experience
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
- eTrex 32x adds a 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter
- Battery life: up to 25 hours in GPS mode with 2 AA batteries
Buyer’s guide – Which Garmin eTrex is best?
I recommend the Garmin eTrex 32x (my review), which offers significantly more functionality for a small additional price compared to the eTrex 22x.
The 32x is especially suitable for activities where it can show its unique strengths, for example mountaineering, on week-long weight-optimized tours or kayaking (for this purpose there are helpful functions such as "course (CDI)").
For navigation, I recommend direct-routing to waypoints and navigating along routes or tracks that were copied to the device before the tour. Automatic routing is only available to a limited extent (especially in comparison to devices such as GPSMAP or Oregon), and the extremely tough behavior of the device also interferes. The search for a POI, for example, can be annoying.
Garmin eTrex 10 – For a small budget!
With the eTrex 10 there is another handheld device from the eTrex series. Its special advantage: it costs less than 100 bucks! The eTrex 10 is interesting for all outdoor enthusiasts who have to pay attention to every cent.
But there is a minimalistic range of functions, no maps, a grayscale display – and a much too small memory. Anyway, the eTrex 10 is great for navigating, provided you can deal with the drawbacks!
- Rugged handheld navigator with preloaded worldwide basemap and 2.2 inch monochrome display
- WAAS enabled GPS receiver with HotFix and GLONASS support for fast positioning and a reliable signal
- Waterproof to IPX7 standards for protection against splashes, rain, etc
- Support for paperless geocaching and Garmin spine mounting accessories. Power with two AA batteries for up to 20 hours of use (best with Polaroid AA batteries)
- See high and low elevation points or store waypoints along a track (start, finish and high/low altitude) to estimate time and distance between points
Will this show property 🤔 lines
definitely not