Garmin GPS 76CSX Handheld GPS with Barometric Altimeter and Electronic Compass

Garmin GPS 76CSX Handheld GPS with Barometric Altimeter and Electronic Compass

Aimed squarely at boaters and marine users, the Garmin GPSMap 76CSx is packed with features that seasoned mariners crave. The 7.6-ounce 76CSx now features an insanely accurate, high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF that tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons. Plus, you get a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 128 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail. Add all that to the 76CSx’s integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass, and you’ve got a highly capable unit. Simply put, the 76CSx is ready to take you anywhere on the water. Landlubbers will find much to like about this unit, too, as it packs great GPS mapping capabilities into a compact device.

The 76CSx features a removable microSD card for detailed mapping memory and a waterproof, rugged housing. View larger.

The GPSMap 76CSx features the powerful SiRF GPS navigation chip, as well as an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter.

The trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.

You can use the 76CSx’s memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that provide topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts. In fact, the unit is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products, including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. Topo 24K, and U.S. Topo and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. The unit comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap that provides automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits, and tide data. There’s also a preloaded marine point database. You can even get turn-by-turn directions when you’re driving, and an integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.

The 76CSx’s 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display is designed to present mapping and trip information clearly and accurately in any lighting conditions. Plus, the case is lightweight, rugged, and water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes). Marine users will also like the fact that the 76CSx floats. When using two AA alkaline batteries, you’ll get up to 20 hours of battery life from the unit.

Another key feature of the 76CSx is the 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks (500 points each) let you retrace your path in both directions. Meanwhile, there’s a large numbers option for easy viewing, as well as a dual-position display mode. The unit also includes built-in celestial tables for best times to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. You also get audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off-course, proximity waypoint, and clock. The unit’s barometric altimeter system features automatic pressure trend recording while providing current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, and average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Meanwhile, the electronic compass allows you to get accurate headings while standing still.

The 76CSx’s trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Meanwhile, a fast processor allows the 60Cx to provide quick auto-routing, turn-by-turn directions, and audio alerts when you use the optional MapSource software, which can be stored on the unit’s included 128 MB microSD card. Downloading information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, the 76CSx can share navigation instructions with repeaters, plotters, and autopilots.

If you like the features of the 76CSx but don’t need an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter, check out the Garmin GPSMap 76Cx.

What’s in the Box
GPSMAP 76CSx, Americas Recreational Basemap, 128 MB microSD card, USB cable, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager, Wrist strap, Owner’s manual, Quick reference guide

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Dependable.
Good GPS. Had trouble with the registration at GARMIN because there is confusion on what numbers to type in. However, the Amazon representative was extremely helpful in trying to solve the problem. I needed it for my master’s thesis. Everyone was helpful!.

5 Stars GREAT FOR GEOCACHING!
My fiance’ got this GPS when working at a boating store. Because of working there for 8 years, he knows GPS like the back of his hand. He prefers Garmin, and got this when it first came out. We recently got into Geocaching, and this GPS has not failed us once. It takes us within 8 feet of the cache. It doesn’t go all over, and even under heavy tree coverage, it works great. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a reliable GPS.

5 Stars GpsMap 76csx great!!!
It is an excellent Gps and it was delivered by Amazon very quickly, so I guess I would buy from them again soon.

1 Star Not the best for boaters
Boaters: If you are looking for a handheld GPS for marine purposes, you need to be aware that this model comes out of the box with a base-loaded database that includes almost NOTHING in the way of aids to navigation. While the older MAP76 model included a database of coastal navigational aids (buoys, lights, nuns, cans, whistles, gongs, lighthouses, etc), this model DOES NOT include any of these. If you turn on this model and scroll over to Boston Harbor or San Francisco Bay, it will show you where the water is and where the land begins, but nothing more. No navigational aids whatsoever. Yes, it will give you lat/lon fixes like any GPS. And it will give you speed and heading information. But that’s it. Of course, Garmin tells you that you can purchase the detailed marine charts (they cost $100-$200 each for just a single area…in the Northeast, you would need to purchase many of these to get complete coverage) and this is understood. But most serious boaters use detailed paper charts and/or a plotter and don’t need their handheld for that kind of detail. What a handheld is good for, however, is to show where you are in relation to a bell or a light you may be running toward in the fog or in the dark or in relation to a known waypoint. The old version (MAP 76) gave you these bells and lights. This one does not. So unless you want to add many hundreds of dollars to your $275-$300 purchase price, this is the wrong model for a handheld GPS as backup. Get the older MAP 76 instead. For less than $200, you will have more than you need as a helpful boater’s unit and no need to buy electronic charts. Of course, the MAP 76 is B&W and not color, possibly less sensitive, and lacks all the bells and whistles. But it is WAY more simple to use. This MAP 76CSx is very complicated because it has built in all the highway, hiking, climbing, geocaching, urban features and capabilities that you will never use. Just figuring out the setup takes hours. Bottom line…Garmin is a great product. But if you’re a serious boater (not wanting to drop a thousand on a complicated handheld) and someopne who navigates with paper charts or a regular chart plotter, you don’t want this model…you want the MAP76. Many sailors just want the peace of mind from a backup. This isn’t it. Happy sailing

5 Stars Good product so far.
I bought the GPS76CSX mainly to use for fishing in the upper midwest. It is much quicker on startup than other units that my friends have. I thought it was fairly easy to use after a quick read through the instruction manual. Battery life with my rechargables has been about 18 hours.

More to come after I’ve had a chance to buy a map pack and get into some of the more advanced features.

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