About a year ago, an addition happened in the Garmin family - the lineup was replenished with “sixties”. These are quite serious devices that deserve success with many travelers who value autonomy, functionality, high-quality display and survivability of the gadget. In difficult situations, all these qualities come to the fore, and for home use, safety margins along with functionality will always come in handy.
So, the hero of today's review is the Garmin GPSMAP 64ST navigator. Let's try to identify all the advantages of the model along with the disadvantages, taking into account the opinions of experts and the feedback of geocaching fans with simple “treasure seekers”.
Equipment
The gadget is packed in a nice and small box of glossy cardboard. There are colorful illustrations along with a considerable amount of interesting information.
Inside are:
- Garmin GPSMAP 64ST itself;
- instruction manual in Russian
- Warranty card with an annual subscription to the BirdsEye service;
- mini-USB cable for connecting to a personal computer;
- a relatively strong carabiner for attaching to the belt or strap of the backpack.
There are no batteries, accumulators, SD cards in the kit. By default, the “Roads of Russia - TOPO 6.X” package from the Navikom provider is loaded into the navigator. If the brief manual seems too short, you can always download detailed instructions from the official site in PDF format.
Acquaintance
GPS Garmin GPSMAP 64ST inherited the same case from the previous generation of gadgets, with no visible differences. Plastic edging, made in gray style, fully complies with the traditions of the Garmin brand: serious models are packaged in black and gray, medium ones are brownish, and the younger ones have a predominant yellow color.
The key parts of the exterior remained the same: a massive antenna, a set of function buttons on the front panel, an eyelet for attaching a lace, corrugated sidewalls of the case, a micro-USB port and a connector for connecting an additional antenna. A nice inscription flaunts above the screen: Garmin GPSMAP 64ST. This is probably the only exterior difference from the last 62nd line.
Assembly
After several days of use, it is clear that the gadget is assembled with love: it does not creak, all the details are fitted very carefully, there are no any backlashes. The device gives the owner a certain note of solidity due to its weightiness, solidity, but at the same time, the ease of use of such a seemingly sophisticated navigator as the Garmin GPSMAP 64ST.
Reviews of travel enthusiasts about the gadget are mostly positive, the only thing that is sometimes noted as a minus is the rarely creaking of the case, but this is really a rare case. Otherwise, as evidenced by numerous reviews, the device has earned respect and enjoys enviable popularity.
Display
Garmin GPSMAP 64ST is equipped with a color transreflective display with a TFT-matrix (similar to the 62nd line). Some competing devices boast a high-quality screen resolution (Garmin has 160x240), but it can be said in favor of the respondent that with such a sweep, the battery life is much higher than that of similar devices of other brands. Moreover, the ability to hold out as long as possible in harsh traveling conditions is extremely important for a real navigator.
Due to the small resolution, the graininess can be distinguished with the naked eye, but it does not interfere with the full-fledged operation of the device, and balanced contrast and behavior in the sun will certainly please the owners of the gadget.
Owner reviews note one interesting detail that was not indicated in the instruction manual - this is the automatic backlighting of the buttons in the dark (according to the internal clock of the device). In addition, they removed the camera, which very often became clogged and caused a certain discomfort.
GLONASS
Support for the Russian analogue of GPS is a tangible plus of the new Garmin GPSMAP 64ST (RUS GLONASS), thereby adding a second constellation of satellites to the program, which affects the “cold start”, allowing you to not lose the signal in difficult and confusing conditions.
The only thing users complain about in their reviews is the device’s increased power consumption when using this feature. But it can always be turned off as unnecessary in the menu. The rest of the navigation has become more convenient and accessible specifically to the domestic user.
Performance
Even subjectively, the new Garmin GPSMAP 64ST began to work noticeably faster. For example, the “Roads of Russia” cards are depicted practically without friezes and without any delays (provided that the battery charge is more than 30%).
The overall impression of working with the device is pleasant, especially when compared with previous generations of gadgets. What puts in a stupor is the lack of specifications for processors and chipsets, that is, it is not clear who to thank for such a smart device.
The built-in memory (8 GB) is enough to keep the “Roads of Russia” maps (about 3-4 GB) in the navigator and, in addition, to get information about geocachesir hiding places, tracks and other interesting points. But if the built-in memory is not enough, then you can always expand the volume with the help of a micro SD card.
Communication
You can pair the Garmin GPSMAP 64ST with other mobile devices, but with certain limitations. Applications easily synergize with the Android platform (up to version 4.3) and with some of the "apple" gadgets. User reviews note excellent synchronization with iPads of the third version.
For travelers, the specially developed Basecamp Mobile program for Garmin GPSMAP 64ST (software overview can be found on the developer's website), which works fine with points and tracks and, moreover, synchronizes with most devices via the Bluetooth protocol, will certainly be interesting.
Offline work
According to Garmin, the device is able to work at full strength for no more than 16 hours on a single charge. This is slightly less than the indicators of the last, 62nd line, but it is quite acceptable when you consider that the device is seriously loaded with the GLONASS system.
For work, both ordinary AA batteries and batteries are suitable. Numerous user reviews are advised to take high-quality food, such as Sony or expensive Digital, otherwise the charge will melt before our eyes.
Field testing of the device showed that after 12 hours of intensive use, the device strongly recommends that the screen backlight be turned off. After 13.5 hours, friezes began to scroll and map, and after 15.5 hours the device turned off.
Summarizing
The 64 series turned out to be quite reliable, versatile and quite portable, and with a number of interesting points and ideas. The device is perfect for demanding travelers who appreciated all the advantages of past Garmin models.
Picky critics would surely say that the device has a lot to develop, pointing to a small screen resolution and button control, but the rest of the functionality and capabilities of the device are very impressive. The model is convenient in all basic operations, assembled firmly and honestly, there is protection against external influences like dust, dirt, accidental impacts. Even the freezing temperatures and immersion in the water can not be. The design was checked not just at the stands, but by experienced tourists who just for the sake of beauty will not buy the device. The verdict is clear - recommended for purchase.