Garmin GPSMAP 66i (010-02088-03)

I have used the 66i on a few trips now and have found the unit to be rugged and sturdy in design, handling bumps and drops with ease. The unit is compact and reasonably lightweight considering its features. Communicating with the 66i has worked flawlessly utilising the text feature. The feature I am most pleased with is map share. Updating my location every 10 minutes with a family member allows me to get on with my hike, taking the worry out of how far away I am from assistance if need be. Where the 66i falls behind a little is the interface and battery. The system is a little clunky, although it does not take long to become comfortable with. Fast charging also does not seem to be compatible. I did receive a overheating warning when trying to charge the unit with a 25w fast charger. Overall if your looking for a GPS unit with some solid comms features the 66i does the job well.

Great handheld! It is expensive, yes..but worth every cent if you’re looking for a serious unit. Fast satellite acquisition. High accuracy and very responsive 3 axis compass. Battery life is excellent. Unfortunately Garmin apps or functions aren’t always very intuitively laid out IMO, so it takes some work to familiarize. and Garmin maps and subscriptions are way overpriced. I wish screen protectors were easier to get as a machine with this price tag needs one.

I love this device! I was looking for the one GPS which could do everything I wanted. This allows me to plan and use it for hikes, bicycle rides, motorbike rides and I even used it in automotive mode when exploring some back roads. Its a shame that Topo Active does not route through roads in automotive mode (it routes OK if I load Garmin Topo V5 or 6)

Purchased due to experiencing the feeling of being lost for the first time in my life and realising age was making me vulnerable to possible repeats. Enjoy rambles in isolated locations, often without cell coverage. Family concerns at my possible need for assistance on such trips as well as my own vulnerability have been alleviated by the ability to accurately pinpoint my location as well as communicate if necessary using the iReach connection via satellites. Have an older Gpsmap 60C and found the layout and menu structure similarly complicated. Took me some time to become comfortable with this and even now still discover things both devices can do that surprise me. I'm very satisfied with both units and trust the 66i with iReach tracking will probably save my life one day. My family appreciate its security blanket effect looking on at my travels. Two way communications via the texts and Preset messages work flawlessly. Haven't used the SOS function in a real situation yet! But the tests always confirm it works brilliantly. Expensive? Yes, but peace of mind makes traveling so much better and stressless. The mapping installed doesn't do auto routing and have yet to work out how to get the 66i to do so with the same maps I copied across from my 60C, which does auto route. This may be due to my finding the system to be complicated and not fully comprehending how to get it working properly. Not super important to me as this is not the main function I use. It will probably keep me occupied for a few hours trying to fathom it out. I have the 66i in a genuine Garmin fully enclosed cover that I keep either in my backpack or on my belt if needing to consult frequently while biking/walking/driving and have never had problems getting strong signal. My phone by comparison will struggle at times in the same heavy cover locations to obtain satellites. Screen is easily viewed even in strong sunlight and battery life is awesome (should be for the age). Comms with my computers, linux & Windoze as well as my iPad and Android phone worked really well once I comprehended the complex (for me) connection requirements. If you have trouble, don't give up, they do work and work well. These types of devices should be a given for anyone going out of cell phone range which can be in the oddest of places in Australia. I chose this 66i because of favorable experience with Gpsmap 60C I have owned for some 25yrs (still works as well as the day I bought it) and the ability to get help/communicate with anyone ANYWHERE on the planet that the 66i provides. Plus, I hopefully won't get the 'lost' feeling again.

I do some solo hiking in winter and summer. The ability to communicate with messages via satellite is a great safety feature and reassuring for family at home. They can also track my progress and see whether I am on schedule. The emergency activation is a great back-up for a PLB, although I would still carry a PLB due to battery limitations of the 66i. I haven't used all of the functions yet and it will take some time to get familiar with it. Worked flawlessly on a 4 day hike over Mt Bogong. I was able to advise family that i was on schedule, even after my phone battery died. They are a fairly expensive unit, but the communication feature makes it easier for me to get a leave pass to enjoy the mountains. That alone makes it worthwhile. If you were ever in an emergency situation it could be a life saver. A great update to my old Garmin 60CSX.