Satmap Active 10 Plus GPS

Despite some of the previous reviews, I decided to take the plunge and purchase a Satmap GPS.
Two reasons made me take this decision.
1) I was keen on using GPS with a built in OS map as it somewhat removes the need for route planning in advance
2) I am not keen on touch screen especially outdoors and with gloves.
So following the purchase and some initial handling and getting used to the menu structure etc the unit was put to the test in severe weather conditions and in mountainous terrain. What were the result ?
Battery life from the rechargeable pack was excellent, despite a day in the mountains there was only a slight drop in the power indicator. Satellite fix was quick and maintained throughout. Display was clear with good back light, and the tracking was positive to the OS paths. The compass was checked and was accurate as was the built in way point direction indicator. The trip data was clear and accurate when matched data from pre trip planning data. The ability to plan a route whilst out was a real bonus as worsening weather conditions lead to a route change half way.
It is a real confidence builder to see exactly where you are on the OS map
Lastly I managed to drop the unit 80ft down a crag and to my amazement, on recovery, the thing fired up again, fixed on satellites within seconds and promptly showed the route forward. I and others were well impressed.
Apart from this one instance the unit did not crash during the trip and you could hardly blame it for turning itself off after a fall like that.
All in all a great "button operated", OS mapping, GPS.

UPDATE

Over one year on and I am still delighted with this unit. Several software upgrades have taken place during the year, with a result that many additional features now exist. UK Company with UK Support is refreshing. Highly recommended

I've upgraded from quite a few handheld GPS devices over the years so a bit of experience with them. My previous one was a Garmin 60csx though more and more I'd started to use OS maps and GPS on a Nokia E90 phone. The Garmin is very robust, weatherproof and quick to track satellites but the screen size and lack of proper OS map was off putting. The Nokia phone has the maps but isn't robust enough for foul weather on top of a mountain. I wanted something that combined the two - and the SatMap does that - weatherproof and OS maps.

The SatMap is to be my replacement for the Garmin and in terms of map quality it beats it hands down. In terms of GPS sensitivity the SatMap is much slower to track satellites from cold and not quite as accurate though not far off.

My reasons for not giving 4 or 5 stars are:

1) Compared to the quality of my iPhone screen the SatMap screen looks very poor and dated. On the iPhone you can zoom out of an OS map and still read the fine detail. With the SatMap things get too grainy if you zoom out too far. Still looks better than the Garmin 60csx screen though. I suspect the current Garmin screens are not much different.

2) The iPhone's GPS is way, way faster and more accurate than the SatMap GPS. What the SatMap does in minutes the iPhone does in seconds. It really is amazing just how much more powerful the iPhone GPS is. I also compared the SatMap with the Garmin 60csx and the Garmin was quite a bit quicker at finding a lock from cold. Once locked on though both seem equally good at keeping a lock.

3) Buttons could be easier to use

4) Nice to have a charge complete on the charger - certain amount of guessing as to how far its charged.

5) Sometimes it'll claim 10m accuracy but from the position on the map its clearly out by 40m approx. This is mostly after switching on from hibernation mode. Overall accuracy is very good.

6) The screen guard scratches very, very easily but thankfully you can replace it.

On the plus side the SatMap has never crashed on me and seems quite reliable in use with the latest software updates.

If my iPhone was waterproof and more robust I'd use that for my outdoor navigation but one hard shower or drop on to rocks and the iPhone would be bust - hence the SatMap. I guess due to the massive number of phones sold they have a bigger research and development budget and are quite a few years ahead in technology.

Overall I am happy but not over the moon about the SatMap - I'd give it 3 and a half stars. I think in a year to two SatMap need to launch a new version with improved screen and faster GPS.

--- UPDATE ---

I've had quite a bit of opportunity to use the device in the field ( or mountain! ). One thing that has proved annoying is charging the battery pack. It never shows a fully charged symbol so basically just have to guess and charge it for 10 hours and hope for the best.

Also the battery failed on me rather suddenly. I'd fully charged it a month ago but not used it since. Normally Lithium batteries keep their charge for quite some time when not used. However I came to use it thinking it was charged but in fact it'd totally drained itself! This took me by surprise a bit given I'd previously fully charged it.

I discovered that using the hibernate mode was causing the device to never switch off - hence running the battery down within a day of apparent no use. Strangely it didn't do this when I first got the device so maybe there is a setting somewhere I need to change. I've switched off hibernate mode and this seems to have fixed the issue.

I researched this product after watching it on The Gadget Show. They gave it 5 stars & so do I.
It can take several minutes to lock on to satalites but I find that no problem at all. Just switch it on whilst you get into your walking gear & it will be ready to go, just needs a bit of anticipation. Once it's got the fix accuracy is within 10-20 feet. One thing I noted was that people said the screen scratches so I left the protective film on mine & you can see through it with no trouble at all. You can buy protective screens if you prefer.

The maps are expensive but one of the best buys is The National Parks 1:50. With the 10 Plus you get one year free use of map share & I downloaded a walk on the Norfolk Broads which worked out great. You can also plan your routes on your pc & download them to the unit.
It's a great piece of kit just to switch on & walk, it gives you so much info when you finish. One of its best features is after a walk you can convert it to a track to save or share with others. Points of interest can be edited as well so if you have a favorite resting place, picnic area or pub you can place it on the map. For more serious hikers you can note sheltered spots in case you have to return to them in an emergancy. Another very usful feature is that you can set screen to North up or track up with just a button click. As far as I'm concerned this is highly recommended piece of kit.

My experience with Amazon has always been first class. At the time of purchase they were the cheapest for this product & delivery was as promised.