Garmin eTrex 32x Review

Nowadays, we use our phones for everything – taking photos, watching movies, and even tracking our locations when we’re out in the wilderness. Although it’s pretty awesome having all these features in one tiny gadget, using a phone just isn’t the same as watching a movie on a widescreen TV or getting that perfect shot with an SLR.

It’s the same when it comes to tracking your location – your phone just ain’t the same as a good old-fashioned hand-held GPS. The accuracy, signal, and, perhaps most importantly, the battery life, of these devices is far better than that of our phones – all essential features when you’re out in the wilderness.

The Garmin eTrex 32x is one of Garmin’s latest handhelds, and it’s easy to see why it’s fast become a best-seller. From it’s sunlight-readable display to its wireless connectivity to its preloaded European maps, it’s packed full of high-tech features that we love. Plus, like all of Garmin’s products, it’s built to last, has great battery life, and offers fantastic accuracy.

The eTrex 32x will set you back a little more than some of Garmin’s other products, so, let’s take a closure look at its key features to find out if it’s worth those extra dollars.

Design & Durability

The Garmin eTrex 32x is the perfect device for backcountry adventures. Weighing just 5 oz, even when you include the weight of the batteries, this device definitely won’t weigh you down. Plus, this gadget just 2.1 x 4.0 x 1.3 inches and will fit nicely in the palm of your hand or your pocket for quick access.

We like the super grippy plastic casing that makes dropping this unit unlikely – plus, if you do manage to drop it somehow, the casing makes for a great shock absorber. We like the earthy color scheme of the eTrex 32x – the black/tan color combo is understated and styling unlike some of the other more garish options on the market.

Waterproofing

We all know that the weather can be unpredictable in the great outdoors, and that’s why we love that the eTrex 32x has an IPX7 waterproof rating. But what does this mean? Technically, you can leave it submerged in water up to 1m deep for up to half an hour without worrying about water damage.

So basically, unless you drop your Garmin to the bottom of a river and forget about it, you’re covered – rain, splashes, and puddles are definitely not a concern.

Display

The display is certainly a highlight of the eTrex 32x. At 2.2 inches, the screen fairly average-sized, but the resolution is fantastic thanks to the 240 x 320 pixels. On top of that, the screen is also colored and sunlight-readable, which means you won’t have to squint through that annoying reflective glare when you try and use this device in good weather.

Battery Life

The battery life in the eTrex 32x is top-notch – you’ll get around 25 hours of juice from two AA batteries, which is rare for a device with such a high-resolution, colored screen. If you’re conscious of your green footprint, we recommend investing in some rechargeable AA batteries, so you don’t have to keep on throwing away old batteries.

It would be nice if you could charge these via the USB port, but this isn’t the case and you’ll have to charge them separately. We also recommend investing in s spare set which, combined with the incredible battery life, will ensure you never get caught out with low power.

Usability

Usability is a crucial feature of any electronic device – there’s no point splashing out on a GPS packed full of awesome features if you can’t figure out how to use them, after all. So, let’s take a look at how intuitive the eTrex 32x is to handle.

Interface

The interface of the eTrex 32x isn’t ultra-modern, which might disappoint some of the more tech-savvy folk out there. However, for many people, its basic nature is actually a welcome relief – we spend enough time on phones and other devices, and it can be nice to avoid feeling like you’re on a mini-computer when you’re outside in nature.

Control buttons

One thing to note is that, unlike some of Garmin’s other high-end GPS units, the eTrex 32x is NOT touchscreen operated. Like Garmin’s cheaper options, it’s controlled via side buttons and a joystick. Although the buttons take slightly longer to get used to than a simple touchscreen, they’re easy to use even in damp conditions, when touchscreens can sometimes become a pain.

Our only complaint is that the joystick can be a little tricky to use with gloves on (but then again, you’ll have to doff your gloves to use a touchscreen too, unless your gloves are touchscreen compatible).

Navigation

To navigate your way through the various settings and features of the eTrex 32x, you’ll use a combination of the joystick and pressing and holding the various buttons. For instance, you hold the power button to turn the device on and off, then use the joystick to find a menu you’re interested in, then tap the select button to use that feature.

Overall, it might not be the most high-tech system, but it’s reliable and super easy to use one you’ve used it a couple of times.

Navigation

The eTrex 32x comes with 8GB of internal memory, which is a huge upgrade compared to previous models. Most of this memory is already taken up by the preloaded TopoEurope maps – but don’t worry, there’s a micro SD card so you can save and load additional data.

TopoEurope

The TopoEurope maps are an awesome feature as they provide intricate details of the terrain you’ll be encountering and make charting your way through the unknown a lot easier. Plus, there are tonnes of tried and tested routes on there too, which is great for hiking, biking, and more.

GPS and GLONASS

Like many of Garmin’s products, the eTrex 32x offers GPS but also has the option to turn GLONASS on to improve tracking accuracy, although it doesn’t support Galileo (a satellite system used frequently across Europe). Despite this, if there’s one thing Garmin is good at, it’s tracking, and we highly doubt you’ll have any troubles on this front.

Other Features

The eTrex 32x is one of the more expensive Garmin units – we’ve seen that it has an excellent display, fantastic memory, and great battery life – but is there anything else that makes it stand out? Yup.

We have good news for any geocachers out there – the eTrex 32x supports paperless geocaching, which means you can simply hit upload on your GPX files to send them straight to your unit, simple. It also has the function to set up proximity alerts when you’re close to the cache, so you don’t have to constantly look at your device.

On top of that, the eTrex 32 features a compass that compensates for tilts and an altimeter that not only records your altitude but can even predict the weather, pretty neat huh?

Possibly our favorite extra feature, however, is the ANT+ connectivity that enables you to share routes and other data with your nearest and dearest, which is great if someone forgets their device or finds an awesome track they want to show you.

Plus, you can hook up to other devices too, such as temperature sensors, heart rate monitors, and even action cameras.

There’s also an alarm clock, calculator, calendar, and stopwatch PLUS ways to predict when and where to fish and to find out info about the sunrise/set and moon phase… the list really does go on!

Value For Money

The eTrex 32x is one of Garmin’s more expensive GPS devices, and there are loads of things about it that we love, but is it worth the extra dollars overall?

We think it comes down to how much you like your data. This unit comes packed with detailed TopoMaps that add a whole different dimension to your outside explorations. Plus, thanks to its ANT+ connectivity, exchanging data has never been easier. As well as large internal memory, there’s a microSD card, so you can save data to your heart’s content.

Like many of the cheaper models, it’s also durable, portable, and easy-to-use. So really, if you’ll use the data features, it’s definitely worth the investment. If not, you might be better off sticking with a more economic version.

Rating

With a total rating of 90, the eTrex 32x has performed well against our rating system. The main drawback was the price, but then again, if you’re a data hoarder, then it’ll be worth the extra cost.

Verdict

The Garmin eTrex 32x is durable, waterproof, and has a great battery life – everything you need out in the wild. Although it’s remained simple to use, it’s packed full of high-tech features that we love, such as preloaded Topo maps, ANT+connectivity, and a high-resolution sunlight-readable color screen.

If you want something rugged but with some modern, data-friendly twists, then the eTrex 32x could be the one for you.