Next Generation: Garmin Colorado 400t Review

(Price: $550 - $639)

Pros:

• Rock 'n Roller control wheel and easy-to-use menu system.
• Big color screen.
• 3D view.

Con:

• Maximum screen brightness should be a bit brighter.

The new Garmin Colorado 400t, one of a series of four Colorado models, was introduced in early 2008 as a next-generation handheld GPS. The Colorado lives up to that promise with an innovative new control wheel, easy-to-use menu system, big, sharp color screen, 3D map viewing, and more.

There's a lot to cover, starting with the "Rock 'n Roller" input wheel and companion menu system. With the Colorado, for the first time ever, I was able to pick up an advanced handheld GPS and work my way through virtually all of its features just by intuitive selection and a little bit of experimentation, with no manual needed. That's a big plus, and a step forward in GPS design. What's more, the Rock 'n Roller wheel is so easy to use and compact, you can operate the unit one-handed (or rather, one-thumbed).

The wheel part of the Rock 'n Roller rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, and can be used to move through menu lists on the screen, or to zoom in or out on a map. The wheel also responds to up, down, right and left presses to pan a map, for example. The "enter" button is positioned in the middle of the Rock 'n Roller to make menu selections, etc. Overall, the wheel is an ingenious and complete navigation tool (there are only two more buttons on the unit) that has been compared to an iPod control.

It's not unusual to get lost in a labyrinth of options in the menu system of an advanced mapping GPS. But Garmin has done an excellent job of simplifying and organizing the menu system. Press the "shortcuts" button at the upper right above the screen, then use the Rock 'n Roller wheel to cycle through the main options, including map, compass, mark waypoint, elevation plot, other options, setup, trip computer, and "where to" (tracks, geocaches, etc.).

The "options" button at the upper left of the screen provides access to available options for the selected menu item. For example, the option button in map mode helps you select a pre-loaded map. When in trip computer mode, the options button lets you reset, or change data fields or modes.

Complementing the Colorado's innovative technology is an extra large (1.53"W x 2.55"H (3.8 x 6.3 cm); 3" diag (7.6 cm) color thin film transistor (TFT) screen that provides rich detail and color. The big screen shows detail beautifully, and is especially useful when viewing terrain in 3D mode (more on that later). The screen is readily visible in bright daylight, and in fact I used the unit successfully in full sun on a ski slope. However, I would like to see the brightness adjustment able to go one or two notches higher in future versions.

The Garmin Colorado 400t has a full suite of functions (listed separately on the next page), as you'd expect in a $600 handheld, but there are a few worth noting separately. A share wirelessly feature lets you share waypoints, routes, tracks, and geocahces with another Colorado unit. It's easy to do through the menu system, as well.

3D view is an outstanding feature built into the Colorado 400t model (more on the various models in the next page). When in 3D mode, the Colorado renders a rich and shaded 3D view of the terrain. What's more, when in 3D mode, you can pan, zoom, and change your perspective angle with the Rock 'n Roller wheel, providing an excellent overview of the terrain around you.

The Colorado's "setup" mode lets you easily switch among recreational, geocaching, automotive, marine, and fitness modes, each of which provide context-appropriate menu selections in all modes. This helps make the Colorado quite versatile, along with the availability of a wide selection of topo, park, and road maps available on SD card.

Geocaching is made easier than ever within the Garmin line with the addition of a logical geocaching mode and page, and the ability to import GPX files and geocache descriptions. Garmin also offers tools for playing Wherigo location based-adventures and games.