Garmin's Colorado is a rugged, waterproof outdoorhandheld GPS that can be used for hiking, boating, camping, in the car, or Geocaching.

Available in 4 different versions, the Colorado 400-series sports an innovative scroll wheel joystick controller, is the first GPS to support Whereigo ("Where I Go"), Groundspeak's newest twist on Geocaching (think virtual scavenger-hunt meets Geocaching), ships preloaded with World Base Maps in shaded relief, has a digital compass and altimeter, and can be paired with a heart rate monitor and/or speed and cadence sensor for fitness use.

All 4 Colorado models are identical in terms of hardware, and all three 400-series models have the same retail price of $599, while the 300 model retails for $499.

The 300 and 400t include the "Digital Elevation Model" (shaded relief) World Base Map. Garmin believes the Colorado is the first outdoor handheld GPS to use this level of resolution. The 400t version comes with built-in TOPO maps for the U.S., and includes a detailed 3D elevation perspective (looks almost like a photograph).

The 400c version is geared towards boating, and ships with coastal waters maps for the coastal U.S. and Bahamas. The 400i comes with maps of inland, lakes, and navigable rivers.

All four Colorado models can be upgraded to use additional maps. The Colorado has 3GB of internal memory, but there's only about 120MB of unused space, so you'll need to buy an SD memory card if you plan to use additional maps.

Garmin's additional maps are available on DVD and can be transferred to the Colorado via a PC, and Garmin also sells maps on SD cards ready for use in their GPS units. Additional maps range in price from $29 to $299, depending on the map and coverage area, and are available via Garmin's website and other online retailers.

www.GpsFrontier.com

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