Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27818 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Garmin
• Model: 010-00622-32
• Released on: 2008-01-02
• Dimensions: 5.47" h x 2.36" w x 1.38" l, .44 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
Garmin is pleased to announce the Colorado 300, the newest member of the handheld line. This rugged unit with a high sensitivity receiver offers unique features such as a new Rock 'n Roller wheel for one hand operation as well as the ability to exchange waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly between units. In addition, you can customise your Colorado with five different user profiles: Outdoor, Marine, Automotive, marine, fitness or geocache. The SD card slot on the bottom of the unit is ideal for loading additional MapSource detail

The Colorado has a rugged, metal-look and slim design

The Colorado's detailed mapping and high resolution, colour display make your experience on the land or water worthwhile

The Colorado 300 features a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief which enhances the map presentation on the unit. It is simple to load optional new maps for different types of adventures using the SD card slot or 384 megabytes of internal memory

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

We are now there (So near, yet so far...)
When Garmin sent me the mail regarding the release of the Colorado 300, I immediately purchased off Amazon. I think I was a little too quick.

(I was to quick, since the release of software for the Colorado 300 on 17th July, this is now a good unit. Updated 20th August)

The unit was billed as the geocachers friend, able to download the GPX files directly to the unit, 1000 waypoints and the introduction of the new Groundspeak game - Whereigo.

With the first revision of the software, the unit was flakey, it would not locate the satellites first time, could not log geocaches and battery life was woeful.

The second revision of the software came out on 18th Feb and made some changes.

The on time has improved greatly, and locates the satellites pretty quickly now, about 2-3 minutes. Geocachers are now able to log the finds or not, but that is it. No other comments can be added.
One of the features is the rock'n'roller which is the main navigation and input method for the device. Inputting waypoints can be traumatic and time consuming.

I have enabled the Topo maps and had to talk to Garmin to get the unlock code, which looks good on the large screen, but the track up feature does not work yet.

I have had the Colorado next to my eTrex Venture and when heading to a waypoint, the compass needle seems to be off by a couple of degrees.

As for the Whereigo player, I have tried twice to use this in Greenwich and each time I got near one of the locations, the unit would lock up. The only way to rectify this is to take the batteries out.

I have contacted Garmin about the problems and they say wait until the next software release is out, which should fix the problems, although they are perplexed about the compass being off by a couple of degrees.

On the whole a nice looking unit, but released too soon. There is still a lot of work to be done.
(All the items that are mentioned above have been fixed in the 17th July 2008 release. If you purchase this item, make sure that it has the most recent software release, also make sure you use very good rechargeable batteries, I am currently using 2850mha batts, and I get a full days use out of the unit. I still do not use it to record my cache finds, but it holds all the other info well. - Updated 20th Aug 08)

Garmin Colorado 300
Bought Colorado 300 last month, looks good, but many problems encountered similar to other reviews. unit locked up several times requiring battery removal. Unit also turns off without warning.
On Navigation page, huge drawback is Distance to NEXT. If there are multiple waypoints entered into a route - with landmarks at each, such as path junctions or outcrops etc, NEXT means nothing, without reviewing the wawpoints on the route via several menus, to ascertain where you are in the route. My old Version 1 GPS38 tells you which waypoint you are heading for, Rock, cliff or whatever it was named as.
Entering waypoints without computer, i.e. whilst on the hill, because of a change of route etc, is very time consuming, need to modify through several menu items, such as Grid ref, then Name all on different screens.
Battery life, using both largest capacity 2600mah Duracell Rechargeable or standard Duracell Plus Alkaline is VERY poor, 3 sets in 6 hours, nowhere near the 15 hours quoted. Took back to shop, said it was a known software problem and to load the new version on Garmin Website (which was beta release, and loaded at users own risk). I found this unacceptable.
I think it has not been tested properly before mass production, and is too early to purchase until problems are sorted.

If you like mystery trips - the Colorado 300 is for you
I purchased one two months ago. The problems with it have included "map up" not working, the battery level indicator has a mind of it's own, the route on the screen moves all over the place and is often just visable in only a corner of the screen. The device has habit of switching off when it feels like it, especially when changing from the map screen to the trip screen. Apart from these major problems there are a host of other minor complaints. You need to have regular trips to the gymn to make sure your wrist is fit enough to pull the battery cover off. This cover is so tightly fitting that I'm sure the top of the Colorado will become damaged in time with the effort of removing the cover. Removing the cover is a regular event as at times it is the only way of resetting the device if it locks up, as well as the regular replacement of batteries - sorry Garmin they really don't last anywhere near as long as you say!! The base map supplied with the Colorado is virtually useless due to a lack of detail. To make the device of any practical use you will need Topo. Also be aware that the device is not compatible with Memory Map or Anquet Maps at present. To use any routes from these mapping software you have to go through a lengthy conversion process.
My impression from dealing with Garmin over the problems with my Colorado is that they are trialing the product on the public and then attempting to correct the faults. With a major updating of the software and re-engineering the case the unit could be quite useful - but my advice is don't buy one now - there are plenty of proven alternatives on the market.