DeLorme Mapping PN-40 Earthmate Handheld GPS user reviews

Pros Excellent tracking and lock on. Durable and water proof.

Cons User software is horrid for anyone who is not a techie. Burns up too often. Data transfer is too slow.

Summary I am a techie. I fix computers for a living. I really wanted to like this unit. The maps are great and I used it for my boat. I was able to download ocean and lake charts but it was difficult to figure out how to get them to the unit. You have to click on each block to add to a map to transfer, very time consuming. The computer software is difficult to understand and use. It is not very intuitive. It took me several hours to understand.

The data transfer rate is a joke with the usb cable. It is better to plug the sd card directly into the computer. I am talking seconds vs hours. After I got the unit working I felt it would be great for the boat. The screen is a little small but the tracking is excellent. I had the PN-20 but it was too slow and screen paints could not keep up with my boat. I bought the PN-40 because it had good reviews and it was supposed to be faster. That much was true, it is a lot faster and the lock on is great.

This was my 2nd PN-40. The first one was a DOA and would not turn on. The battery compartment had an odor of burned circuitry. I returned it immanently. I thought it was just a bum unit in the batch. The second one worked great for about 2 weeks. I was reading on the website to take the batteries out when it is not in use because the real time clock runs them down. After a few days I wanted to use it again so, I reinstalled the batteries and tried to start the unit and nothing. I changed the batteries and nothing. I connected the usb cable and got a flash but then it locked up on the splash screen. I searched all of the websites postings for ways to reset it and none of them worked. I opened the battery compartment to investigate the battery compartment and smelled the familiar odor of burned circuity. I did not even bother trying to contact DeLorme. 2 bad units makes me more than skeptical. They still make great maps just bad electronics.

Pros Dual processors/fast. Aerial images w/ topographical overlay, waterproof, bright display, durable. Excellent map pricing plan. Great customer service.

Cons Issue with usb transfer cable (sent replacement and free car charger for my troubles)
Small screen.

Summary Primarily designed for off road use, but I have used it quite a bit for auto routing and it works better than I thought it would. After 4 days of use the usb transfer cable broke. They have sent me a free replacement and a free car charger for my troubles. The Delorme forums are extremely helpful as is their customer service. This unit is a complete step up from the PN-20. The keys to this unit are all the different types of maps that can be displayed and its speed. If you are looking for a gps for outdoor recreation this is it... oh and I believe they have a 30 day return policy. Wish the screen was bigger but oh well it would kill the battery sooner.

Pros Speed, quick acquisition, rapid screen redraws. Even at highway speeds with large scales, there is no lag. Huge map library and aerial photo support. Included Topo USA software is a real plus.

Cons Slow transfer over USB, but Delorme recommends transferring directly to the SD card, anyway. That's as fast as any other data transfer.

Summary I love this unit. Topo USA software is great.