Garmin Etrex Legend HCx (and Vista) rubber problem?

[Blue Hills]

Ignore this question if you've seen it elsewhere of course.

This will come as a surprise to folks who know me, but I have a reason - vaguely emerging plan to do some serious European pedalling.

So - have pretty much decided to get a GPS.

Have decided for various reasons (good availability of maps/not being one for "added features" thought up by the marketing department) and after reading lots on here and elsewhere fron helpful knowledgeable folk that the one to go for me is the Garmin Etrex Legend HCx.

But I have read that this can have a problem with its "rubber band" coming unstuck. I've mentioned the Vista in the title as I understand that it's the same box as the Legend and so feedback from owners of that would also be welcome. I can do without the barometric altimeter and electronic compass which I understand is the difference between the two.


So let's talk rubber.

Specific questions:

Is this still an issue or did Garmin manage to sort it in later production runs?

If it does come unstuck does this compromise the integrity of the unit, particularly with regard to waterproofing?

Come to think of it, what's the function of this rubber suurround anyway?

If it does come unstuck is it easy to fix yourself? - I may not be in the UK if it should go and returning it to Garmin UK may be a problem. Support in the country I am in may not be good.

Is this "rubber issue" really a deal breaker - I read lots of good things about this box.

If I get it, I may very well be using this in pretty hot places - southern Italy, maybe even north Africa.

I know that there's another Etrex coming soon/next year but am not entirely sure that it has any real advantages for what I'm after. Please note that I have no interest in using a GPS for "training purposes", including cadence features etc, nor very much for analysing anything later.

 

[marinyork]

Can I ask why you are buying a Legend HCx when it is the old model? The etrex range has been completely replaced by the eTrex 20/30 and Dakota 10/20 (production of most of the models stopped a while back with a few still knocking about). There were some very aggressive selling deals out only last week selling the dakota and old etrexes. Despite this I see people on here selling etrexes for vastly inflated second hand prices or paying over the odds for new old units. It just seems very, very odd to me. I have nothing against the old etrexes, very solid workhorses - I've had a long stint of completely flawless use out of my Vista HCx. All of the above means that you should be able to get a Legend HCx at a more competitive price.

The rubber mount issue is still happening. It's not a deal breaker, it's a minor issue and you can get garmin to fix it. The function of the rubber surround is to house the buttons.

 

[andytheflyer]

Hi,

I've had an eTrex Legend HCx for a couple of years and had no problems with it at all. The rubber is well stuck on, but then I don't try to pull it off! It's done over 2000 miles on my bikes and been up and down a few mountains, in all weathers.

I think if it did try to peel off I'd use something like Zap-goo, which I use for gluing flexible materials in my model aircraft. This stuff has lots of applications and comes in a small tube - so you could always take a tube with you for those emergency glueing jobs. Google it - lots of aeromodel shops sell it.

Incidentally, my daughter has an eTrex for her sportifs, and the only problem she's had is the screw that holds the bike mount on the back has siezed into the nut embedded in the battery cover. I've that problem to fix at Christmas!

 

[marinyork]

The new units have a couple of advantages over the old C (=256 colour) units.

• 65k colours
• Garmin connect compatible
• 20 tracks on the old units is limiting. The newer units can have 100 (etrex 10) or 200 (etrex 20& 30, dakota 10&20)
• More than 50 routes can be put on the Etrex 20& 30 (not on the other 3 models). Although I don't think this particular feature is a great problem. It was more tracks that was the issue.
• Dakota screen is substantially larger for a similar sized unit.
• Units load maps faster (not satellites).
• Much more generous internal memory 1.7Gb on Etrex 20/30 (none on 10 that is hard to get hold of) and 850Mb on the Dakotas. Unfortunately GPS companies being the tight wads they are didn't put a microSD slot in either the Dakota 10 or eTrex 10. But hey ho can't complain a very well known navigation company is much worse at this.

 

[TwoPosts]

I had this problem, got replaced about eight months ago free of charge by Garmin.

Thing is the replacement is now showing signs of coming unstuck, where it start previously (around the zoom in and out buttons).

I don't think I am particularly harsh in its usage, but it is out in all weathers every week, I walk and cycle with it.

Underneath the rubber gasket ( for want of a better word) is a thin transparent membrane with holes for switches. so some waterproofing will be lost if the gasket becomes fully unstuck.

When searching for a solution to fix the problem at the start of the year (before finding out that Garmin would replace the unit free of charge out of warranty) I came across references to a flexible waterproof glue in forum posts that people were using to re glue the gasket. I couldn't find a UK source for this specific glue which I think was a Loctite product.

Anyway aside from this I really like the Legend HCx when used with free open street map mapping. However as mentioned above it has been superseded now.

 

[HovR]

Have had 2 original legends for years, one in a very harsh marine environment (Covered in salty sea-spray etc), and one in typical use environment.

Never had issues with the rubber becoming unstuck on either of the units, although the screen on the marine unit is slowly dying.