Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Garmin Edge 820 (Explore) users / reviews
  • shredder
    Free Member

    About to purchase one of these and just curious on any users thoughts.

    Just curious if the screen sensitivity niggles etc have worked through. I’m going to be using it off road so it seems like the one to go for.

    Thanks

    Raymond
    Full Member

    I’ve had mine for a year and will be getting rid once something better comes out (Hammerhead Karoo maybe). Screen is still pretty dire, slow even with bare fingers and terrible with gloves (only works if the glove is sweaty!). Unit turns it’s self off mid ride occasionally, loses connection to the remote and heart rate strap.

    The mapping is ok but the OS download is quite low resolution which makes it less usable off road with the small screen size. It’s also a real faff to get routes off the PC onto the unit, the Garmin software is like something from the 90’s

    On the plus side it has a long battery life and works ok as a computer most of the time but would have been a lot better with more buttons instead of just the touch screen.

    shredder
    Free Member

    Not promising! Just looking at the Karoo.

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    sheck
    Full Member

    Hmmm… was just considering something like this myself… I have a7-year old and tired 800, with OS 1:50000 maps on micro SD card. Just seen the new units don’t have a drive for the micro SD card and that they can’t be saved to my PC and therefore transferred. I was wondering whether the base maps installed would allow off road and back lane navigation?

    itlab
    Free Member

    My experience is fairly similar

    I got one nearly new from eBay for 150 for that price it’s quirks are forgivable but if I’d had paid the new price 230 > 250 I think I’d have taken it back.

    It’s my first gps computer and the nav and computer functions are good and once you have the correct screen up it’s fine

    The issue is the gui and screen

    It doesn’t work with gloves and even with just fingers you can be tapping and nothing happens.

    The infuriating thing is that this would be forgivable if there was a physical button to move through screens (ie between navigation mode and stats / speed

    At the moment if I’m using it to navigate and I want to check time of day or distance I have to stop take glove off and hope that it wants to recognise my finger.

    I thought it might just be that mine was broken but other reviews seem to raise the same issues.

    sockpuppet
    Full Member

    I have an 820: it’s fine. I won’t be replacing it for a while.

    That said I wouldn’t recommend it to another! Damned by faint praise really.

    Backroads stuff, UK and Europe is fine, off road is ok but the small screen makes it tough sometimes

    The touch screen is ok, but the lack of buttons drives me mad in the days when it’s not playing. And rain can render it unusable sometime.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    The touch screen is absolutely shcocking id seriously avoid if you actually want to be able use it for navigation purposes

    Im hoping a newer improved version comes this year, as the size and idea of it is perfect…in use the screen is a shambles

    Cant understand how its so bad given the edge 1000 came out way before and the screen on that was perfect

    Rockhopper
    Free Member

    I was close to buying one as I’ve got some Halfords vouchers. I had a play with one today and I glad I didn’t bother.
    The touch screen is shockingly bad. You don’t actually need to touch it to make it respond, just getting your finger within a few mm is enough. Then if you try and search for an address and it can’t find it the thing doesn’t just take you back one step so you can try a slightly different search, it takes you right back to the beginning of the process which is so annoying.

    shredder
    Free Member

    Mind made up scrub that one then.

    angeldust
    Free Member

    The 820 is utterly flawed in lots of ways, and I expect more for the money. I would not recommend one to others. However, given the lack of alternatives, if you persevere with it, and work around the quirks, it is usable and reliable. I wouldn’t bother for off road navigation, and it’s best for following planned routes on road rather than working it out as you go along.

    Caher
    Full Member

    Gonna watch this thread too as I just lost my 800 in the Irish mountains today.

    rob2
    Free Member

    I quite like mine. 😆

    The good
    – battery life
    – syncs well with Garmin connect
    – pre loaded cycle map is pretty good
    – screen customising and auto scrolling
    – turn by turn directions

    The bad
    – manual screen scrolling is shocking
    – I got a ‘ blue halo ‘ around my screen after sixth months and had to be replaced under warranty

    I use mine only on the road though and it is ok for that.

    Would I buy another? Don’t know. Id probably get an iPhone se and use that on the bars. £300 so cheaper than a 1030, use viewranger for OS maps, better screen. Some downsides but probably better overall

    r8jimbob88
    Free Member

    I’m done with Garmin. Had various devices from them over the years and there’s just so many bugs in each and every one of them.

    I think I’ll jump for joy when I get to log out of Garmin Connect, permanently!

    Expecting delivery of a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt any day now.

    Caher
    Full Member

    I agree about Garmin and their flawed products but I have rides going back some 15 years on connect so a bit of a wrench.

    mahalo
    Full Member

    Yeah I like mine too, can’t fault it.

    Never had to use it to guide me out of a pickle, but for following pre-planned courses and basic documenting of my rides it’s briliant. Touch screen is no iPhone obviously but it’s totally fine…

    Caher
    Full Member

    Well for the first time in 10 years I have left Garmin and got delivery of my Wahoo Elmt this morning.

    r8jimbob88
    Free Member

    I’ve used my Elemnt Bolt on a couple of occasions now. WOW

    Wish i’d ditched the Garmin a long time ago. This thing just works and is incredibly user friendly.

    handybendyhendo
    Free Member

    Can you upload an off road GPX route and then follow it on screen?

    Planning on SDW in the summer and would like to follow a route on a gps system

    Thanks

    r8jimbob88
    Free Member

    Yes you can on the Bolt. The screen is super clear and easy to read too. Zooming in and out is instant rather than a 5 second delay on my old Garmin!

    cosmokramer
    Free Member

    don’t be put off by the touchscreen…yes it’s poor but it’s also easily improved by getting a wee Edge remote (£30) which has completely transformed my 820 use

    Duggan
    Full Member

    I have an 820 and would never buy another garmin. So infuriating to use their software and the relentless bugs and updates. It mystifies me that they’re so bad at a market that they surely should have monopolised.

    Whatever though, I’ll vote with my feet and won’t buy any other garmin stuff and that goes for my running watches too.

    Radioman
    Full Member

    Just was looking at this thread to see if things have improved with Garmin. I bought a “top of range” edge 8000 about ) 6 yrs ago and was wondering whether to upgrade. I must say that I wouldn’t consider my old unit that good value. The screen sufferers too from being too small and unreadable on many occasions. It also likes to turn itself off on rides occasionally despite being fully charged and locked. My memory card contacts are now corroded so I can’t use the map package it came with . To be honest I should have really bought the basic model as all I have really used it for us recording rides. Shame they don’t seem to be much better now!

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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