Reviews Evenflo Home Décor Wood Gate, Natural Oak

Buy Evenflo Home Décor Wood Gate, Natural Oak

Evenflo Home Décor Wood Gate, Natural Oak Product Description:

• Classic design
• One hand latch release
• Hardware mounted
• One direction or two directional swings
• One direction swing setting

Product Description

Protect your baby and your home from accidents with Evenflo's pretty Walk-Through Gate. Its natural oak finish blends seamlessly with furnishings while protecting your baby from the dangerous places in your home. Block stairs, bathrooms, or outside doors from your toddler with an easy-to-use sliding-panel gate that adults will find easy to open and close.

Customer Reviews

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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful.
Has defective hinge base
By Eileen D. Salvi
The hinge base is defective. The hinge bases and hinge caps are made of plastic. It seems silly to have a sturdy wooden gate would have plastic hinge parts.The gates hinge base has broken 3 times within a 1 1/2 years. All 3 times in the exact place on the hinge base.The first time it broke I called evenflo. They sent me a replacement part. It took over 2 weeks to get. They seemed to not care that this was a safty device and that I needed the part ASAP. I use my gate at the top of my staircase. During this time my daughter was 15 months.The gates hinge base broke again about 6 months later. Again, I called Evenflo. They told me there was never a problem reported with the hinge base. I find that hard to believe. This time I asked them to send me several replacement parts. Especially since it takes a couple of weeks for the parts to arrive. I'm glad I did because it broke a third time. At least I did not have to wait for replacement parts.I wanted to update my review. I alerted the CPSC regarding the issues with the hinge base. They came out to my home and and did a study. I am still waiting for the results. The person who was in charge of my case informed me that the gate was recalled several years before. Several children had been injured. The company who makes the gate was supposed to fix the problem. Apparently they did not fix the problem, and continued to sell the gate anyway. Check for yourselves on CPSC.gov .

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Great gate, but installation was "screwed up"
By D. Jameson
We just bought this gate in preparation for the arrival of our first child. We originally looked at the Eddie Bauer line of baby gates, however the bannister of the stairs where we plan on using the gate is dark cherry and we've had a hard time finding a gate to match.Finally, we stumbled upon the Evenflo Home Decor gate in dark auburn and decided to try it out even though we only saw it in pictures online.Of course, the installation process was a bit frustrating. The instructions are not extremely detailed at times and they are hard to follow because steps blend together due to the use of columns to separate instructions in English, French, and Spanish. The biggest problem, though, was that the heads of six of the eight #6x1/2" pan head wood screws broke off as I was tightening them BY HAND. I'd like to think I'm Superman...but really, six of the eight screws?!? I ended up removing the remaining two, drilling new pilot holes to attach the spacer brackets, and I used my own screws that I knew would not break. I highly recommend avoiding the included #6x1/2" screws to avoid the possible frustration.I was pleasantly surprised at how well the gate matched our existing stair railing and we love the gate now that it is installed. It seems to be sturdy and well-built, with a "child-proof" latch mechanism that involves pushing in and then lifting up a plastic "lever". Time will tell if it handles life with our new arrival.Price paid: $79.88

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
difficult install
By Roger B. Wolcott
The istallation instructions were absurdly vague. Luckily, I'm an experienced DIY'er, so I was able to customize a few things to get it to fit. The spacer brackets are ill-concieved. For starters, installing them the way they were meant actually DECREASED the stability of the gate, so I flipped them over and used them as joining plates instead of spacers(The two halves of the gate are milled to fit together perfectly, the spacers don't allow this to happen) Also, they are attatched with three screws; I re-drilled one side and attatched them with four. Furthermore, the pre-drilled holes on the underside of the rails didn't allow for the gate to be assembled to it's fullest length. More drilling. That's it for the problems with the installation. The only truly useful part of the instuctions was the hinge mount template. Make sure you hang on to that one. My only other issue with this gate is that, due to the fact that the two halves of the gate are screwed together, the width of your door determines how far the gate swings into the room. They don't slide together like the less expensive evenflow gates. This wouldn't be a problem if the opening was stair or door width, but the doorway I installed it in is 52", so now the gate sticks out four feet into the room. I cosidered making some U brackets so it operated like the simple stair gates, but that would have rendered the latch useless. If you are willing to seek out new latch hardware and make some custom brackets, this gate could be used like those simple, reliable and ugly hardware mounted evenflow swing gates. That being siad(whew), the gate is beautiful. And when it is closed, the lock-up is rock solid. My son stands(jumps) on the bottom rail and it doesn't budge. If you don't mind an excrutiating install for a lovely gate, this one is for you

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Discount Kidco G15 Gateway Pressure Mount Child Safety Gate, White

Buy Kidco G15 Gateway Pressure Mount Child Safety Gate, White

Kidco G15 Gateway Pressure Mount Child Safety Gate, White Product Description:

• Pressure mounted metal gate
• Does not damage walls or hardwood
• Should be used in door openings
• Not recommended for the top of steps
• Constructed of strong tubular steel

Product Description

Keep your baby out of dangerous areas. This safety gate has all the features you need to have a safer, baby-friendly home. The 29.5-inch-tall, pressure-mounted steel gate eliminates holes that damage walls and woodwork. The U-shaped frame remains firmly installed while the center walk-through door opens in either direction. Fits openings that measure 29.25 to 37.5 inches wide. There are extension kits (sold separately) for openings that measure 37.25 to 42.75 inches wide. Use two extension kits for openings measuring 42.625 to 48.125 inches. Available in other colors. Ideal for children and pets.

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184 of 185 people found the following review helpful.
This gate exceeded my expectations
By M. Davids
I purchased this gate just recently because I have a eleven month old son who is always trying to climb up the stairs. I purchased an inexpensive gate several months ago and it wouldn't even mount properly. There are several reasons why I am so pleased with this gate:

1). It's pressure mounted so there are no holes in my walls.2). Each of the pressure mounts can be adjusted individually. What I mean by that is each pressure mount twists forward until it reaches the wall. The reason this was so important for me was because my home has old wood work and the baseboards are almost seven inches high and about an inch thick. If each of the pressure mounts were not separately adjustable, then the gate would meet at the baseboard, but would not be able to touch the wall. This gate handles that dilemma beautifully.3). It's extremely durable and sturdy. My son grasps onto it and shakes it violently and it doesn't budge. And because it's made of metal, there are no worries about splinters and cracking.4). It's attractive and comes in different colors. We choose white and it looks great.5). It was wide enough that I could mount it at the bottom landing of our stairway without an extension. There are extension kits available if you need them though.6). Finally, I like the swing door feature. I can use the gate with one hand so it's convenient when I have my son in the other hand. The handle is also very easy to open and close with one hand.

I know this is a lot of info but when I was searching for a gate, these are the types of things I wanted to know.

I highly recommend this gate to anyone looking for one for the bottom of their stairs or a doorway.

33 of 42 people found the following review helpful.
Great Looking Gate
By A Customer
This gate looks so much better than those white plastic ones. It looks great with the stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. As it stands it looks like it is part of the house. And we didn't even have to drill any holes so it can be removed at any time. It seems to be withstanding the pressures of a 1 year old and a 3 year old.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
center gateway in platinum
By yaakova
the gate was easy to install. took a few mins to adjust the gate. but once it's in the door way it works ok. the only to things i do not like are the latch to open and close can be difficult. also there is a metal threshhold across the floor. thats the support so you have to remember to make a step over.which took my son some time to get used to. also in the late night i've stubbed a few toes. but over all it a good swing gate.

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Best KidCo Center Gateway - White

Buy KidCo Center Gateway - White

KidCo Center Gateway - White Product Description:

• Perfect for heavily traveled doorways and room openings
• One-of-a-kind handle design integrates Pressure-Plus Technology which forces additional outward pressure on the door opening to maximize gate stability after each use
• Basic gate width: 29?-37?, Height: 29.5? (includes two extensions)
• Optional Extensions: G4100 and G4110 for openings up to 6?

Product Description

White, U-Frame Child Safety Gate, Walk Through Pressure Gate For Doorways 29-1/4" Up To 37-1/2", Installs Without Tools Or Hardware, U Shaped Frame Remains Firmly Installed While The Center Walk Through Door Opens In Either Direction, Optional Model G 5.5 Extension Kits For Openings Up To 48-1/8" Wide.

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323 of 325 people found the following review helpful.
Best gate I've found
By K. Jordan
After trying 3 different gates (that all had high ratings on Amazon), this is my favorite. I turned my home into my own version of a baby gate showroom to figure out which one I wanted, so here's my take on three different gates.I think they are all pretty good gates, it just depends on your situation and what features you're looking for. The key features that ended up making a difference to me were 1) the width of the gate opening and 2) the latch mechanismKidco Center Gateway:---------------------cost $85 & extensions $24 / gate is 29.5" Tall / fits 29.25" to 37.5" doorway width / 1" bar to step over / gate opening 22"- Has the widest gate opening (the space you walk thru, not the doorway that it fits into) of any of them - about 22". (This certainly won points from my 6'2" husband who was pretty irritated when walking thru some of the others). I was surprised after reading so many reviews on all these gates that there wasn't more mention of this feature.- This one also had the most secure latch feature. You have to push a button to lift the handle and lift the gate over a little ledge to open it and walk thru. I figure this will absolutely be the hardest one for my little one to figure out.- This gate has the most adjustable widths and therefore would probably be the strongest in most door widths. The gate has about 2.75" pieces on the ends that you can use or not with the optional extensions (more 2.75" spindles as additions - 2 per box) to provide the most width flexibility. Because all the gates become "weaker" if the posts are extended too much, this one seems the sturdiest in my doorways. (ie. if the gate says it fits up to 37" and your door opening is 36.5", it won't seem as sturdy as if the doorway was 34").- It doesn't have its brand name printed on it anywhere (a plus in my book) so it's totally white.- It has the lowest bar across the floor that you have to step over at only 1" high (seems less of a tripping risk).- This is the one that has the highest rating from Consumer Reports. (Child safety gates 08/04)- Unfortunately, it also is the most expensive of the bunch at about $85 + any extensions you need.- I do have to say that this one had the most confusing directions, but you can still figure it out ok - none of them took longer than 10 minutes to set up.- It's the shortest gate and I wish it was a little taller.- All in all, if you can afford the price of this one, it's definitely worth it!Summer Infant - Sure & Secure Extra Tall Gate---------------------------------------------cost $60 & extensions included / gate is 36" Tall / fits 28"-48" doorway width / 2" bar to step over / gate opening 19"- This is the one that I wanted to like because I thought it was the best deal.- The gate opening is about 19" - which I thought was ok, but hubby wanted wider.- The latch mechanism is really easy to operate and I thought kids could figure it out easily, but because the gate is so tall, they would probably have a hard time reaching it.- It does come with its own extensions in 5" and 10" so it more easily fits the wider doorways.- However, depending on the width of your doorway, this one may or may not fit as well. For example, I had a lot of doorways that are about 33" and this gate didn't end up fitting well in them because the gate without any extensions was too small and the posts had to be extended so far it didn't seem stable. And the 5" extension was too big to add. (vs. the kidco gate's extensions add 2.75" as needed).- It's by far the tallest and I liked that since my daughter has been in the 95% so far. I also just like the way the taller gate looks.- It does have the highest bar across the bottom to step over - 2".- If it fits well in your doorway it is probably the best value for the money.First Years - Hands-Free Gate-----------------------------cost $50 & extensions $15 / gate is 32" Tall / fits 29"-34" doorway width / 1.5" bar to step over / gate opening 17"- My gripe with this gate was primarily because the gate opening is only 17" wide! I'm 5'8" and I felt like I was going to have to really pay attention walking through it so I wouldn't end up bumping it every time. However...- The hands-free step pedal is pretty cool and worked pretty easily. I wouldn't worry about a little kid figuring it out and having enough weight to be able to push it down to open it. For me it just wasn't cool enough to overcome my issue with the gate opening width.- Good height to the gate.- It was very sturdy in my doorway.- This one did have a little ramp feature for the bar that goes across the floor that helps minimize the tripping factor.- Fits only up to 34" doorways so has the best chance of needing an extension.- All that being said, if you really want a hands free gate, and the width of the gate opening doesn't bug you, try this one.All three gates seemed to:- Fit pretty tightly in the doorways after being adjusted properly. Depending on your walls and if you have moldings etc, you might need to take an extra 5-10 minutes to adjust them and get them straight and hanging correctly.- Had the same type of post for the pressure-mount that is covered with a rubbery material to help it not slip on the wall.- Were pretty easy to set up.- All look about the same from a quality point of view - in other words one of them didn't look "cheaper" to me than the others.Please remember that for safety, only hardware mounted gates are considered stable enough to put at the top of stairs, so don't use any of these for that. Think about how you will use these gates in your house and what features you will value. Good luck with your own purchase!

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
A great gate!
By A Customer
I purchased two and love them. The gate was easy to open and close. Installation was easy, but took some time to get the tension in place correctly. I felt it was very sturdy. I think the people who thought is was not, did not install the gate correctly. My little one was constantly hanging and pulling on them. Another thing I found great was, you can install it on walls that are uneven since the top and bottom screws adjust individually. I also loved the fact that they did not need to be permanently installed which leaves holes in the walls. We were just renting at the time, and I didn't want the hassle of taking them off and repairing the holes when we moved. I would certainly recommend this gate, just take the time to install it correctly and you will not have any trouble. However, like the safety experts say, a permantly installed gate is better for the top of the stairs.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Mother of Twins
By A Customer
I am the mother of active 11 month old twin boys. I purchased this gate for the bottom of our stairs. My husband and I had had a difficult time finding a gate to fit the uneven opening of our staircase; the spindles curve inward a great deal. We tried this particular gate and it worked great. My boys both stand up next to it and try to shake it but are unable to even budge it. It is a good, sturdy gate. I recommend it especially for those who have uneven openings. I plan on purchasing another to place upstairs.

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Cheap KidCo Hearth Gate

Buy KidCo Hearth Gate

KidCo Hearth Gate Product Description:

• For fireplaces and irregular shaped areas
• Hardware mounted
• Made of strong tubular metal
• Attractive plastic, non-toxic finish
• Includes a single one-hand open gate that swings in both directions

Product Description

Protect little ones from the heat and flames of fireplaces, wood burning stoves and barbecues with the multi-sectional Hearthgate system. Five interlocking 24" sections can be angled or set in a straight line as needed to fit the layout of your home. The Hearthgate is wall mountable and made of strong tubular steel that is protected with a nontoxic coating. Base set fits a 6' hearth. Made in USA. 29-1/2Hx1Wx120L".

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68 of 69 people found the following review helpful.
A great fence...
By G. Luders
We got this fence, along with one extra panel, to keep our baby daughter away from our wood stove. It also ended up being very useful at Christmas time for closing off the end of the room where the tree and presents were. The hinged sections, along with the fence's rigidity, make it very versatile in closing off larger areas. It is also the only fence we found that seemed attractive enough to leave up in our living room for a few years. The fence also comes with hardware to attach one or both ends to a wall, making it more secure.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Attractive and sturdy
By Chris
It's a sturdy barrier that's easy to attach to the wall. It's dark color helps it look right at home surrounding our fireplace.The price is a little higher than some other barriers that are bigger and sturdier. Check out the North States 3-in-1 barrier; it's a bit sturdier and costs about 40-50 dollars less.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
This product worked very well
By SSM
We've had this gate around our fireplace for 3 years. We have a large hearth and a wood stove insert, so a secure gate was a must. It is quite heavy, and has been very sturdy. The opening works well, and provides sufficient access to the fire. We cut it very close on the dimensions, so the gate was a little hard to install. All and all, this was a great purchase and well worth the money.

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Buy Pfaltzgraff Naturewood 4-Piece Canister Set

Buy Pfaltzgraff Naturewood 4-Piece Canister Set

Pfaltzgraff Naturewood 4-Piece Canister Set Product Description:

• Four canisters in set: 3-, 2-1/2-, 2-, and 1-1/2-quart
• Soft, natural colors: greens, grays, browns, oranges
• Botanical motif: delicate sketches of herbs, birdhouses, potted plants
• Soft, off-white, earthenware-texture background
• Dishwasher safe

Product Description

Like an artist's sketchbook, Naturewood is a study of botanical beauty that is rendered in a soft, natural color palette. A series of framed potted herbs such as rosemary, lemon verbena, and sweet bay are interspersed by detailed sketches of leaves. Delicate stripes and occasional accents of garden elements decorate various accessories.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Cute but not airtight
By Mom2Twins
I bought the Pfaltzgraff 4 Piece Canister Set. Survived the journey to Hawaii and arrived in PERFECT condition. Excellent packing. I love the look of these canisters! They add a down-to-earth and sweet charm to my kitchen's decor. However, the canisters do not have rubber seals in the lids and are not airtight. Decorative but not practical for storing food.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Breeze in the freshness of nature...through Naturewood!
By Neelam Virmani
A wonderful combination of utility and enhanced decor for a stylish kitchen...ideal for sealing in the crunchy freshness of cookies,chips,pretzels and other treats for the kids...matching planters in the same earthy tones would bring a wiff of the outdoors into your home!!

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Compare Prices Garmin Etrex Legend GPS Receiver

Buy Garmin Etrex Legend GPS Receiver

Garmin Etrex Legend GPS Receiver Product Description:

• 8 Mb Of Available Flash Memory
• Download From Metroguide Usa Cd-Rom (Not Included), Detailed Street Map Info, Addresses & Points Of Interest With Phone Info
• Smallest GPS On Market With North & South America Basemap
• WAAS-Enabled
• Perfect For Outdoor Person & Adaptable To Be Fully-Functional For Vehicle Use
• WAAS-Enabled
• Smallest GPS On Market With North & South America Basemap
• Perfect For Outdoor Person & Adaptable To Be Fully-Functional For Vehicle Use
• Download From Metroguide Usa Cd-Rom (Not Included), Detailed Street Map Info, Addresses & Points Of Interest With Phone Info
• 8 Mb Of Available Flash Memory

Product Description

With an eTrex series GPS is by your side. The eTrex is a basic GPS with a built-in electronic compass and barometric altimeter. These smart little handhelds are tough, waterproof and feature simple, one-hand operation.

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464 of 475 people found the following review helpful.
Very good GPS receiver. Could be better (for a price).
By Joseph Chiu
You can see other positive reviews of the etrex Legend here, so I won't rehash them. The short story is that the Legend is a pretty decent GPS unit that works pretty well.

The base map included in the Legend only shows major highways and major streets. This is similar to the maps you get from a car rental agency. It's perfectly fine for doing rough navigation from city to city. At first, I tried using Rand McNally's StreetFinder and TripMaker Deluxe on my laptop with the Legend. The setup worked, but having to deal with the serial cable and using a laptop in the car was not very practical.

After I've had my Legend a while, I had a chance to borrow and use a Vista. The owner of the Vista upgraded it with detailed street-detail maps from Garmin's MapSource "Metroguide USA" CD .... The detailed street map is a really nice feature -- especially because you can look up addresses. Having such a detailed map in a small portable device is a delight! I decided to get the Metroguide for myself.

From my usage comparison, I found two things missing in the Legend compared to the top-end etrex Vista.

First, the Legend has only 8 MB of expansion memory instead of the 24 MB in the Vista. This turns out to be a big issue for me, as I would like to have a complete metro guide of the greater Los Angeles area. With 8 MB, I could only fit 6 of the 18 MetroGuide map sets that I would have liked. This means, I am missing coverage of a large section stretching roughly from Compton to Long Beach to Lynwood to Cerritos to Irvine that I would have wanted. In contrast, the Vista held all of greater Los Angeles area, plus some San Francisco, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

Second, the Vista has sensors for barometric altitude and magnetic compass heading. The Legend estimates altitude via GPS, and calculated heading based on your travel speed vector. If you are a trail-hiker, these sensors improve your navigation.

Used as-is from the factory (i.e., only the American basemaps), the Legend is perfectly fine, and I was quite happy with it.I could live without the Vista's sensors;

But, having hit the 8 MB memory limit (trying to load Los Angeles), I would definitely go with the Vista now.

The Metroguide maps sizes of other cities may or may not be an issue for you. Go to the Garmin website and use their MapSourec Map Viewer and count the number of "yellow squares" you'll need to cover you area of interest. Each square roughly represents between 500K to 1.5 MB of data (with the smaller, "dense" squares being toward the 1 MB to 1.5MB size). You'll find that most of the big cities will have enough squares to easily exceed the 8 MB of the Legend.

111 of 112 people found the following review helpful.
The best GPS in this price range, with one caveat:
By Smaug
If you are reading this, you are probably considering the Legend for its combination of price & features, along with the overall user satisfaction. That's why I chose it anyhow. ;)Before I bought, I too read all of these amazon reviews and decided this GPS would be the best one for the money. ($136 at the time I bought it) I read the reviews of the Magellans, but they were pretty mixed, and their customer service NEVER got any kudos. It seemed like only 50% of their customers were happy out-of-the-box. I was initially attracted to them because they are said to retain satellite lock better than these low-end Garmins. But then I read that they have lower resolution displays, and that they're a lot bigger and heavier. A shame, since some of the medium Magellens had expandable SD memory...Back to the Garmin Legend, bad news first: reception could be a bit stronger. If you follow Garmin's directions and hold the receiver flat under an unobstructed sky, you will always have excellent reception, a good lock, and good accuracy. (WAAS brings it from 27 ft. down to under 10 ft when you are covered by WAAS enabled satellites) But the signal gets degraded easily. For instance, if you don't hold it flat as you walk around outside, the accuracy generally drops from 10 ft to 50 ft. No big deal really. In the car, mounted to the dash there are never any problems. (check ebay for mounting accessories, unless you want to get gouged for the name-brand ones...)The features are great, and are pretty easy to learn. The "clik stik' menu navigation is great. The display is very sharp and has great resolution. I can't believe how good it looks. Not that this matters much, but I also like the transluscent blue plastic. I haven't tried any of the external software yet, as it is pricey at around $100. (Garmin is crazy to ask this much for it. Do they think people don't realize how much it is going to cost? If they priced their extra maps at about $20 per country instead of $100+, they would sell a lot more of everything)I have a friend at work who bought a Legend over a year ago. He just sold it on the bay and got most of his money back and put it towards a Vista C. He says the reception is drastically more reliable. He said that in his bathroom with a roof overhead, he was still able to pick up satellites and get good accuracy. With his Legend, he complained about losing satellite reception when he put it in a chest pocket of his jacket while riding dirtbikes in the desert. He likes that there is 24 MB of memory instead of 8. He likes the display. He also makes about 3X more money than I do, so he can afford a GPS that costs 3X as much as mine! (They're around $360 vs $140)I went for a 3 mile hike in the forest preserve today and had it hung around my neck with the supplied strap. It worked great, even though it was about 5 degrees Farenheit today. The LCD was getting pretty slow, but everything worked very well.Some notes if you're also considering the entry level (yellow) eTrex: The built-in USA basemap of the Legend is useful, but it doesn't cover down to street level. Realize that the basic etrex doesn't have this, so it will not be very useful for the car. It has major roads. Generally, anything with a state or interstate # will be on it. If you plan to use it only for outdoor activities where you will never need a map (topographic or street), the basic eTrex has the same hardware but with a smaller LCD screen. I know someone who has a yellow eTrex, and I think her main complaint is that it doesn't have the clik stik. She is an avid hiker and geocacher, and when she enters waypoints (manually, since it doesn't have PC interface capabilities) she doesn't bother to name them since it take so much longer without the clik-stik. She just leaves them numbered.If you want more information, check out the groundspeak forums. Please do an honest search of the posts that are there before asking questions, as newbies show up and ask the same questions week after week. Someone has already asked your question, believe me.Bottom line, if you have the dough, buy one of the higher-end Garmins for the reception and memory. If not, you will be very happy with this Legend as long as you realize its limitations.

89 of 96 people found the following review helpful.
The Best Way To Go For GPS
By Jon E. Hanford
The Etrex Line is by far the best handheld GPS for the money and size. There is a model that fits every user's needs and budget. Unless you need a magnetic compass and barometric altimeter, the Etrex Legend is probobly the best option.

In addition to excellent waypoint and track management functions, the Legend features full mapping functions. The Unit includes a fairly detailed basemap of North America, but for more detailed mapping, data can be downloaded from a MapSource CD-ROM. These discs are availible in many flavors, from Waterway Details, to Topographical, to MetroGuide, which features address and business locating functions (Like Handheld Mapquest.com!)Downloading is easy, and thanks to the unit's high resolution LCD display, maps are suprisingly readable. The waterways disc features a complete database of aids to navigation, cataloging every bouy, daymark, and light in US waters.

As far as GPS functions, the unit preforms beutifully, maintaining a good position fix under moderate tree cover, and inside of a car. Heavy foliage can create a problem, but the unit performs better than most handheld GPS do in this situation. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) increases accuracy to within 9 feet in good reception areas! Although this is at the expense of battery life. To save power, leave WAAS turned off and you will still get accuracy within 20 feet.

Because the unit uses 2 AA batteries instead of four, life is reduced; expect to change batteries at least every 14 hours, with the unit on continuously. Still, this is less often than my old garmin GPS 45, and that used four batts.

The user interface is very friendly, intuitive, and powerful. This is a great achivment, usually powerful interfaces are not user-freindly and vice versa. It bears quite a similarity to Operating Systems such as Windows and Macintosh, so if you know how to use the computer you are reading this with, you should be right at home. Besides the buttons for Page, Power/Light, Find, Zoom In/Out, there is a "Click Stick" as a pointing device. It works like a joystick or the trackpoint on a laptop to control the cursor on the screen. Pusing it in is like a mouse-click. One strage note on this: it is placed on the left side of the unit. This means that operating in with your'e right thumb blocks the screen. Many people think this is a mistake, making one handed operation with the right hand near impossible, but it makes goos sense to me: operate the GPS in your left hand, while steering the boat with your left. It is not that hard to learn to use the GPS with your left hand (if youre righty), so you can have your right hand free for other things.

In All, The Etrex Legend GPS is your best Buy in a handheld mapping GPS. If your'e looking for more features, check out the more expensive Etrex Vista and Garmin Gpsmap 76, or the very expensive handheld cartographic units, but if you just want a very good, inexpensive, handheld mapping GPS, The Legend is the best around.

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Price Comparisons for Garmin eTrex Venture Waterproof Hiking GPS

Buy Garmin eTrex Venture Waterproof Hiking GPS

Garmin eTrex Venture Waterproof Hiking GPS Product Description:

• WAAS-enabled
• Worldwide database of cities
• 1 MB memory
• Stylish, green translucent case
• Package Includes: eTrex Venture, City Point Database, PC interface cable, Wrist strap, User's guide, Quick reference guide

Product Description

The eTrex Venture offers a worldwide database of cities and increased internal memory. The one megabyte memory capacity allows the eTrex Venture to accept downloaded information from Garmin's new MapSource Points of Interests CD-ROM (not available until April). The CD enables users to download locations such as restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and entertainment. Once the information is loaded into the unit, and a point of interest is selected, telephone and address information will appear on the screen. The new eTrex Venture uses a rocker switch, like a computer's mouse, making it easier to operate. Lightweight design for easy portability. The 160 x 288 pixel screen has the highest resolution in its class. Stores up to 500 waypoints. Waterproof construction to IPX 7 immersion standards. The Venture uses Garmin's 12 parallel channel GPS receiver for a quick and accurate position. Uses 2 AA batteries (not included). Includes PC interface cable.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful.
Good compromise between price and functionality
By :L. Miller
I like it, it's very simple to use (more like a calculator than a computer) and pretty rugged, waterproof to 10 feet (I found this out the hard way) and generally ready for the rough life.

I only have a couple of real beefs with it -

1: the unit eats batteries like candy if it's constantly on, _especially_ if you use the backlight. Invest in rechargeable batteries.

2: the display plate is thin ABS plastic and I'm worried about a sharp object or a good crack shattering the glass;

3: The LCD display is also hard to read in poor light (specifically by car dome light at night), but there is a backlight;

4: It is complete BS that you can't enter your own data via a PC interface without buying that Garmin map software.

None of these beefs are particularly troublesome. I chose the Venture because it seemed the best compromise between price and functionality. I would recommend it for anyone as a first GPS, I think the mapping functionality is great for travelers.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
Used for both kayaking and geocaching
By K. Harmon
I purchased the Garmin Venture a year ago. I have used it on several 20 mile kayaking trips down a river and this past April used it for a 135 mile river trip. It was extremely accurate and we not only knew where we were, but how far it was to the next landing or landmark.It did take some time to learn how to operate the unit. The instructions were not as clear as I would have liked but trial and error is a great teacher. I had a friend who got me interested in geocaching and that really helped me learn how to use all of the Venture's features. It is easy to upgrade from the Garmin website and to also download maps from the Mapsource CD-ROM's. It is kind of like learning to use a computer. Don't be afraid to try something. You won't hurt it.I usually average 18+ hours on a pair of batteries. I also purchased a power cord so that I could use it in my vehicle. I just plug it in and wedge the GPS between the windshield and dashboard and follow the arrow to the next geocache.I have been impressed with the toughness of this unit. I have dunked it in the river, dropped it, and generally given it a rough time. I would recommend this to someone who is interested in a GPS but does not want to invest a lot of money.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
Great GPS receiver for basic hiking and backpacking.
By Matt
I returned a Cobra GPS 100 and upgraded to the eTrex Venture for the extra money. What a difference only a few dollars more can make! this is my first GPS unit ever, and I had no problems picking everything up within a day.For starters, it only took about two minutes to locate a satellite for the first time (supposed to take up to five) and averages about 30 seconds to locate one in general. The screen resolution is easy to read and the options for customizing the map make it even easier if you have trouble reading small text. The waypoint markers are easy to define and edit. The compass seems to be very quick in picking up your movements. Almost everything is customizable giving you endless options for your specific use for the GPS unit. The unit is comfortable in the hand, although some of the buttons are a little stiff at first.My satellite reception is excellent. I took it hiking in 40°F rain and hail (obviously very overcast) and only lost reception once while walking under heavy tree cover. On the way home I placed it on the dashboard and it tracked me 33 miles home without losing reception once. This was in 500 ft visibility fog on a one lane curvy mountain road. This unit definitely gets the job done.My only gripes are there's no beep or sound when it loses reception and you have to press enter to acknowledge you have lost reception, thus it begins tracking you again. So if you hike by turning the unit on and placing it in your backpack, or even on your belt, you could have lost reception and not known it, and because you haven't acknowledged the unit, it's not tracking you anymore (as far as I can tell).Other than that, this unit works perfect for getting you in and out of areas where there's no trails and finding that perfect spot to spend the night or fish and hunt.

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