Backpacking Background: I started backpacking in my mid-20s as a natural progression from camping and dayhiking. I found that there were many beautiful places only accessible during multi-day trips by foot. I have backpacked all along the east coast and the Appalachian Trail from Tennessee to New Hampshire (in sections), the Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, Southern California, and the Sierra Nevada. I don't necessarily subscribe to the ultralight philosophy due to the fact that I like my luxuries on the trail. However, my luxury items tend to be as light as I can afford. I consider myself a backpacker of moderate to advanced skill.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Garmin

Price: $149.99 MRSP (US)

Year of Manufacture: 2003

Manufacturer's URL: http://www.garmin.com

Listed Weight: 3.1 oz (88 g)

Weight as Delivered: 2.3 oz (65 g) without batteries; 3.1 oz (88 g) with 2-AAA alkaline batteries installed.

Product Description: 12 channel GPS receiver with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS [a system of satellites and ground stations that improve accuracy]) capability; includes 2-AAA alkaline batteries and owner's manual with purchase.

Features

-A trip odometer that provides current speed, average speed, time of sunrise/sunset, maximum speed, trip timer, and trip distance.

-Four LCD-style games entitled Geko Smak, Memory Race, Nibbons, and Virtua Maze [sic].

-Computer interfacing capability via serial connection.

-A function that allows for retracing a path.

Storage Capacity

-500 waypoints,

-20 reversible routes, or

-125 one-way routes.

Testing Locations and Conditions

Test Location(s): Cucamonga Wilderness, Southern California

Description of Location(s): Semi-arid, rocky, mountainous terrain. Elevations ranged from 8,000 to 10,000 ft (2,400 to 3,000 m).

Weather Conditions: Varied; temperatures ranging from 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) to 80 degrees F (27 degrees C).

Product Owner Review

The Geko 201 is the perfect backpacker's GPS. The unit is lightweight, durable, and waterproof. The Geko 201 is easy to pack and provides that extra measure of confidence when cross-country backpacking. WAAS capability allows for an extra level of accuracy to less than 10 ft (3 m) when needed, although turning on the WAAS drains the batteries faster (I have yet to determine how much faster). The data capacity has been adequate for me for trips up to one-week in duration (I have no experience with longer trips). The unit's operating software and user interface are fairly intuitive. I only needed a half-hour of practice before I was navigating my way through all of the functions with ease.

Entering waypoints by hand before a hike or backpack requires a knowledge of map position formats (i.e., lat/long, UTM, etc.), the ability to perform some calculations in whatever map format is chosen, and then fumbling with the cumbersome data entry interface on the unit. Much like a cell phone, data entry requires scrolling through the numbers and selecting them one by one. However, entering a waypoint at my current location couldn’t be easier. I just navigate to the waypoint screen and hit a single button to mark my current location as a waypoint.

Satellite acquisition time can be kind of lengthy depending on the level of accuracy needed. I rarely need high accuracy when backpacking and the amount of time necessary to acquire satellites is never more than a minute if I only need about 150 ft (45 m) of accuracy. Better accuracy requires longer acquisition times. I have gotten my accuracy down to 30 ft (9.1 meters) after an approximate wait of 5 minutes. Acquisition was a problem inside canyons and drainages but never a problem with a clear line-of-sight to the sky. But I never need a GPS when following a canyon.

The Geko 201 works sluggishly at an approximate temperature of less than 40 degrees F (4 degrees C). Acquisition times are at least double what they are when the unit is warm. Also, heading response is sluggish in the cold. The real-time heading arrow (an arrow on the LCD screen providing the heading to the next waypoint) has a hard time keeping up quickly when changing direction in the cold. This hampers real-time navigation in cold weather. However, I never use the unit for real-time navigation. I use the unit to check my position and I use a regular compass for directional information. I rectify the unit's sluggishness in the cold by keeping it inside my jacket next to my body (you can purchase a separately-sold, pricey lanyard from Garmin [$12.99 MSRP U.S.] that goes around your neck).

Cold weather also adversely affects battery life, which is extremely short with this unit. Fortunately, it has a battery save mode. In battery save mode, the unit powers down periodically to extend battery life up to 12 hours if the unit is kept warm. The batteries last only a few hours if the unit is kept cold. Although, warming the unit up seems to bring back some battery life. My suggestion - invest in rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries (the unit requires 2). I've saved a lot of money in batteries since I started using NiMH rechargeables. My other suggestion is to only use the unit for confirming your position and rely on map and compass skills for long trips. For short dayhikes, the unit's battery life is sufficient to allow leaving the unit on for the duration of the trip (in warm weather).

The worst issue with the Geko 201 is that the receiver can be accidentally switched on draining precious battery life. This is especially prevalent when the unit is kept in my backpack or pocket due to the fact that the unit powers on with the press of a little rubber button. A switch would have been better. I use the lanyard and wear the unit around my neck to keep it from switching on. I am going to try gluing a small o-ring around the button to further reduce the chances of accidentally switching on the GPS.

The computer interface ability is very nifty and is a boon to lazy people like me. The interface allows for downloading of GPS waypoints and routes when using third-party map programs (mapping software is sold separately). Downloading waypoints and routes to the GPS using mapping software is much faster and easier than entering waypoints by hand. As noted above, entering waypoints by hand can be cumbersome. The option of entering this information on a computer, and then downloading to the GPS, makes for a fast and efficient alternative to entering data manually. Another pro with having computer interface capability is that the firmware can be upgraded, allowing for potential addition of enhancements to the software. The only con is that the interface cord is pricey ($38.00 MSRP U.S.) due to the fact that it needs to be purchased from Garmin; the interface at the GPS end is unique to the unit. The computer end of the interface consists of a typical serial port interface. It is also possible to upload GPS data to a PC mapping program. I have not yet examined this function of the GPS.

How about the GPS’s games? I have yet to play any of them since battery life is so short. Also, I have not discussed some of the features listed at the top of this review due to the fact that I mainly use the GPS for confirmation of my position. I have just never had a reason to use these features.

Overall, the Geko 201 is a great little backpacking GPS and has always gotten me to my destination with an extra level of confidence that can't be obtained when I rely on map and compass alone. And the price is right too. Granted, I don’t get some of the bells and whistles of the pricier units, but who needs em! In summary:

Pros

(1) Lightweight, durable, waterproof.

(2) Computer interface.

(3) Inexpensive.

(4) WAAS capability.

Cons

(1) Hard on batteries.

(2) Operates sluggishly in the cold.

(3) Can be powered on accidentally.

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