Garmin Getting the Most From Your GPS: Fortrex 301, 401

Essential for first use newbies like me and should have been included with the product as the startup manual is very basic. The Foretrex interface is not as intuitive as I would have hoped. The software is 2 years old in 2017, and it feels a little dated. This video gets you what you need to use and I found it to be very useful. It covers these topics (1) Creating a Waypoint to return to (2) Editing Waypoints (3) Creating Waypoints of a location different that your present location (4) Finding the distance from where you are to a Waypoint (5) Creating a route to follow using saved Waypoints and (6) Recording a route while hiking. This video also gets you to understand the menu and menu options better. I found it to be essential. I will use this for hiking and will use it with Google Earth. Be sure to match the Long / Lat measurement type (there are 3) and I prefer using the digital measurements in both. Doing this you can easily use Google Earth to create a Route.

If you are unfamiliar with a GPS for hiking, I think this is a must have. Instructions from Garmin are marginal at best. After buying this video, I reviewed it a couple of times and then tested it in the field. It works like a charm and was very helpful at 12k altitude in the Western Uinta Mountains of Utah where getting lost may cost you your life. I tested it on a couple well know trails that I could walk out without the Garmin. But am now confident I could use it anywhere that I hike.

I believe the information is sufficient to get someone "up and running". The presentation is reasonably well done. My suggestion for the producers would be the following. Use some video processing to show a split screen where one half of the screen contains the actors setting up the GPS, hiking through the woods, turning around and retracing their steps, setting waypoints etc while the other half screen is just a dynamic video image of the GPS display as it would appear to someone going along on the hike. You could even split the GPS screen to show two or more different display modes at the same time.

Basically a visual representation of what is in the user manual, but laid out in an easier-to-follow format. Only problem is that while it explains where all the settings are, it does not always explain what each one does - for example, it doesn't explain the differences between GPS modes, only where they exist, etc.Overall however this is a good video and if you have a 301 or 401 I'd highly recommend you watch it.

It should be called how to use the basics of a gps. Nothing remarkable, but if you have never used a gps before you will probably get a few things out of it.

This video covers the basic principles behind GPS and using the 301 and 401. It's worth watching if you are a prime member (it's free) but not worth purchasing. It's not comprehensive at all. Check out the user reviews for the 301and 401

Great reference. the video should've been included with the GPS