Name: Marie-Noelle Augendre
Age: 46
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Weight: 161 lbs (73 kg)
Email address: augendre_bgt@yahoo.fr
City, Country: Paris, France
Date: September 23, 2004
Backpacking Background: I started backpacking seven years ago, day-hiking in Ile-de-France all year round, and doing several one or two week trips in more mountainous regions (Corsica, Pyrenees, Cevennes, Luberon, etc.) each year. As I usually go solo, and am a bit of a gear-addict, my backpack tends to be on the heavy side (tent, white-gas stove, ceramic water-filter, etc.); I’m actually trying to go lighter, but I don’t think I’ll ever be an ultralight backpacker.

Product information

Manufacturer: Garmin
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: http://www.garmin.com
Listed weight with battery: "approx.3.4 oz" (96 g)
Weight as delivered with battery: 3.4 oz (96 g)
Size : 1.9”W x 3.9”H x .96”D (48.3 x 99.1 x 24.4 mm)
MSRP: $246.41 USD (for domestic US market only)
Battery Type: AAA

Why I suddenly decided I needed a GPS...

I had not considered a GPS an essential piece of gear regarding my backpacking style, till I came across the Garmin Geko series, especially the brand-new 301 model: in a unit of the same size and weight as my mobile phone, there was a GPS, a compass and an altimeter, the whole thing being waterproof! Now, that was something to consider…
A couple of weeks later, I felt compelled to order a Garmin 301, and two accessories I’ve considered mandatory ever since: a data cable and a holster.

Where I have used it...

Since I got it, eight months ago, the Geko 301 has been a faithful companion during all my outdoor outings, that is a respectable number of day-hikings in Ile-de-France, and about twenty days of sea-kayaking, both in salted (Brittany and the Mediterranean) and non-salted (big lakes in the south of France) waters.
The use of the GPS kayaking might be considered irrelevant regarding a backpacking gear review, but it gave me the great advantage to test extensively its waterproofness; and if the unit has put up with all the sprays and showers from sea waves, I’m confident enough I won’t have to take extra precautions to avoid it getting wet when backpacking.

What it looks like

The GPS Geko 301 side by side with my mobile phone

The front side consists of a 1.6” x 1” (4 cm x 2.5 cm) screen and five buttons, which are easily operated, one-handed, by the thumb; two white sighting marks, at the top and the bottom of the screen are provided to take bearings, but the bottom mark is hidden by the holster (when in use).
The back side had the battery compartment for two AAA batteries, and the external power and data connector, under a rubber tab. There is also a tiny screw hole which can be used, I guess, with several mounting kits (I don’t own any).
The Geko 301 comes with a comprehensive fifty page “Owner’s Manual and Reference Guide” and a “Quick Start Guide” leaflet.

How does it work?

All the information given by the Geko 301 is provided in 6 display screens or “pages” which appear in this order:
- the Satellite page: I haven’t been able to grasp the real interest of this page, whose only purpose is to show the receiving satellite signals and their strength.
- the Map page (Garmin term): as this unit doesn’t support map-downloading, I think diagram would be a more appropriate wording; it shows the track followed up to the current position, the route currently navigated, and the waypoints in the vicinity. Two buttons allow zooming.
- the Navigation page shows a compass ring, the name, distance and heading to the next waypoint, and a box which can display a data element chosen by the user; two buttons allow the user to cycle through the data fields available.
- the Elevation page displays a profile of elevation changes over distance or time, the current elevation, and a selectable data field (data has to be chosen with the same two buttons).
- the Trip Computer page contains four user selectable data fields, whose contents have to be selected amid a list of 34 different items.
- the Main Menu page gives access to the 6 following submenus: Waypoints, Tracks, Routes, Games, Calibrate, Setup.

Five buttons located on the front side are used to operate the unit:
- the Power button: turns the unit on/off when pressed and held; turns the backlight on/off when merely pressed (provided the unit is on). This button is easily distinguished from the other 4: it is red and concave while the others are white and convex.
- the Page button whose main purpose is to go from one page to the next; problem is, as it cycles only one-way and I often use it too quickly, I usually end up doing two or three whole cycles before displaying the page I’m looking for… The same button serves as an escape/undo key.
- the OK button opens contextual menus and validates actions.
- the two Up/Down buttons are used to select a choice in a menu, zoom in/out on the “Map Page”, cycle between the user selected data fields.

What can be done, or not, with it...

Let’s have it straight from the beginning: none of the Geko units support the downloading of maps; thus, a traditional (paper) map remains a necessity in order to navigate properly.
But it does:
- automatically record my track as I go,
- give the actual position and elevation at any time (I just have to choose the right formats to have it displayed in a unit compatible with the one of my map),
- act both as a navigating and bearing compass,
- allow to navigate backtrack, or towards a bearing I’ve just taken, or towards a waypoint, or following a track or a route (that is a succession of several waypoints)
- provide plenty of information, such as odometer, time (moving, stop, total), course indications (bearing, course, off/to course), speed (instant, max, average, overall, vertical speed, VMG), distances (to next waypoint, to final destination), estimated time to arrive (to next waypoint, to final destination).

Apart from the journal log, up to 10 tracks can be saved or downloaded from a compatible software.
Waypoints (up to 500) and routes (up to 20, with a maximum of 125 waypoints each) can also be downloaded or created directly on the unit.

How I use it – 1) Before the trip

When planning a trip, I usually start by working on the topographical map on my computer, drawing tracks I intend to hike, and creating waypoints wherever seems “tactical” (camps, passes, junctions, course changes, places of interest, etc.). Then, it’s only a matter of connecting the GPS via the data cable and clicking on the right software button to transfer the whole lot to the GPS unit.
It is always possible to add a waypoint straight in the GPS, by specifying its exact location using one of the following options: current position, or geographical coordinates, or bearing and distance related to an already existing waypoint. But when I have to create a whole bunch of waypoints, it is definitely quicker to do it on the computer.
I create routes either on the PC or the GPS, as the procedure is roughly the same on both: the idea is simply to make a selection amidst existing waypoints, and organize them in the right order from start to finish.

How I use it – 2) In the field

I usually turn the GPS on a couple of minutes before actually starting on the trail (or the water, when kayaking), to give it some time to track satellites. In the meantime, I reset the previous trip data and maximum speed, and clear the current track log so it’ll begin recording from my actual starting point.
Then I choose either a track or a route to follow.
When walking, I mainly use the Navigation page, with the actual speed displayed in the user chosen data element box. Whether I want to get the coordinates to check my position on the map, or the remaining distance or estimated time to the finish, I just have to use the Up and Bottom buttons to cycle through the available data.
During my first trips, I used to switch the unit off when I took snack or lunch breaks. Then, I came to realize the GPS was able to record the time-stop as well as the time-moving; so, I don’t bother any more, and now keep it on power till I reach my final destination.
Saving the current track log is the last thing I do before switching the unit off at the end of the day.

How I use it – 3) Back home

I just have to transfer the recorded tracks back from the GPS to the PC, so I can display on the topographical map the trails I actually followed.

Problems encountered

Just once, during a day hike, the unit stopped operating and wouldn’t respond to any action on the buttons; I had to take the batteries out of the unit, then replace them, in order to make it work again.
Back home, I went to the Garmin website and found that problem has been fixed in a recent software version. I downloaded the new version, and have never encountered any other problem since then.

Other bits of information

When using the Geko 301, I wasn't aware I would be writing this review, thus I haven’t taken any precise measurement, nor tried it in every possible condition, as I would have done in a “real test”. However, here are a few things I’ve noticed:

Battery life: the user manual says “9 hours, typical with alkaline batteries”; it might be a bit less than that, but I think by several factors can affect the autonomy: the batteries brand, temperatures encountered, backlight use or not, the user chosen mode (“normal”, “battery save”, or “WAAS”), to name a few.

Satellite tracking: I haven’t timed it, but most of the times, the GPS is “Ready to navigate” less than a minute or two after it’s been switched on. Anyway, I don’t think it is a problem as:
1) I usually switch it on some time before being actually ready to go,
2) I really don’t mind if the first few meters (yards) I walk are not journal logged.

Weather and environment influences: I’ve mainly used it in fair weather; however, the GPS seems to lose the satellite signals rather often, sometimes as long as ten minutes, under the cover of trees and, more surprisingly, when the sky appears to be clear, but with a very high and thin layer of clouds. Anyway, this doesn’t bother me too much as the “traditional” navigation instruments (electronic compass and barometric altimeter) keep working, even when the GPS is out of signals.

Poor light conditions: at night, the backlight works pretty well, except for the tiniest characters, for which I would have appreciated a magnifier...

My general impression...

On the whole, it is rather intuitive and user-friendly to operate. It provides plenty of functions, some of them I haven’t totally mastered yet.
Should I have to buy a new GPS today, I would go for this one without any qualms.
However, I must confess I keep an eye on the newest Foretrex series, which can be worn on the wrist, as a (big) watch; however, its current functions are similar to those of the Geko 201, that is without the electronic compass and the barometric altimeter.

The three things I particularly like

1) compactness and lightness
2) plenty of functions, but still really easy to use
3) waterproofness

The three things I would like to improve

1) have longer waypoints names: 6 characters are way too short, especially as the GPS can handle up to 500 different waypoints (when downloading waypoints, the unit automatically replaces the final 2 or 3 positions by a number in case of a possible mix-up; thus, only the first 3 or 4 characters of the initial name remain).
2) have the option to skip next waypoint, and go straight to the one after, when following a route (without suppressing the waypoint from the route)
3) extend its autonomy: to be on the safe side, I usually plan two batteries changes in three hiking days.

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