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Product Reviews:
Magellan eXplorist 600 Water Resistant Hiking GPS |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Magellan eXplorist 600 Handheld GPS
Comments: After having purchased the Explorist 200 and 500 and looking for the best in the series of Explorist's from Magellan, I purchased the Explorist 600. I quickly fell in love with it. From the feel and use I could tell the 600 was for me. Just screwing on the adapter to the back to charge the battery just felt a little industrial as compared to the 500. I had several 500's and I will tell you the 600 was quicker and better built. The software, (Direct Route and Topo) was a little tricky at 1st however modifications enabled me to extend the full use of the SD card system to the max. I just had ething at my fingertips by just turning it on. Maps,streets, and Topo was all there and just a matter of changing maps depending on the info I wanted or needed. I could mark anything from a campsite to an Elk spotting on the road or in the field at my fingertips. It just takes a little practice. I use the direct route software on interstates all the way down to forest roads. The Topo works great to locate Lakes. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: great thing still going stronge
Comments: I have had this for some years now (about 2 months after it was 1st released), no problems, I never had to call CS, so I can not comment on that.
I have gotten is wet, snowed on, in cool weather (20's), hot weather (over 105) & dropped it a few times.
Uploading maps, using Topo 3d, goes better when putting the SD into the SD card reader on my computer (O/S XP pro), I do not like having to take out the battery to get to the SD card
As time has gone by the battery seem to charge quicker, when I 1st got this GPS, it would take 2 days to charge to 100%, now it takes about 8-12 hours. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: do not purchase
Comments: Magellan Customer service is the worst customer service I have ever dealt with. They offer a free 30 day map update since all of their products ship with out of date maps. This would be a great thing except it is in the fine print of their products and their customer support email address that their website list is the wrong address. I had to get through to their customer service by posting a bad review on their website. By the time they responded my unit was beyond the 30 day limit and they refused to give me the update. This is a bad business practice. Garmin has a 60 day guarantee which is posted directly on their website in plain view. |
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: Software is not transferable to a new unit.
Comments: I accidently destroyed my 600 and was looking to replace it until I found out that the map software is not transferable to a replacement. At least thats what I thought I read in the e-mail support reply:
>>"I understand from your mail that, you can tranfer maps from1unit to another."
>>"I would like to inform you that you can not able to transfer the maps from1unit to another its not possible."
Uh, what? 1st of all that message made little sense. And second, it appears I paid over $300 for what is now useless software.
Some other problems with the unit itself is the outlandish non-standard USB connection to which the charge cable must connect, thereby making it impossible to charge a second battery outside the unit. This charging scheme also causes needless wear on the nonstandard USB cable.
With a 2gb SD card inserted the unit was slow to start up, and occasionally the unit locked up before it got to the main screen.
The menus could be laid out more intuitively.
Still, I was looking to replace the unit because I did not consider these problems to be show stoppers because the unit does have a great combination of features. However the inability to transfer the software is what will make me refuse to purchase another Magellan.
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Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Summary: do not purchase a Magellan
Comments: I will never purchase another Magellan product. I have sent my Magellan eXplorist 600 back for repairs3times. Twice because it burned out as soon as I plugged it into my car charger (using the appropriate Magellan car adapter). My husband and I have spent half our lives on hold with technical support. When they say they'll call back, they do not. 2months ago was the last time I sent my unit back for repairs. We finally got ahold of them and they are replacing the unit with another Magellan product. I am not excited. I guess they would have just ignored the repair order and blown us off, had we not perservered in trying to contact them. I rarely am this displeased with a product. If I am, great customer service usually rectifies the problem. In this case, the product stinks, as does the customer service. Never again Magellan. I wasted alot of money on the unit and also accessories. Steer clear and do not make the same mistake!! |
