Garmin Geko 201 Handheld GPS

It works very well on a bike. The handlebar attachment is good but it is difficult to release the unit quickly.

I used it in a car. It works well on the dashboard but you have to stop it moving around so the dash mount would be worth considering.

I've managed to check the speed of a train by holding it near the window. {The Venice to Trieste express runs at 130 KPH.} It doesn't work in a commercial jet though, perhaps the windows were too thick!

When using Duracell alkaline batteries, the Gekko does last for the whole day. The battery compartment is supposed to be opened using a coin or similar instrument. In reality you will easily mark the plastic this way. Mine now has several dents, even when doing this gently.

I've rinsed the screen under water and it had no negative effects. The screen seems to withstand a bit of abrasion well. I can't see any obvious scratches.

The accesory 'cover' for it is not very good. It doesn't cover the screen and I had the impression it might affect the sensitivity of the aerial. I wouldn't feel safe just throwing it in a bag ...

In narrow streets such as Venice where you can see clear sky, but are surrounded by buildings, the Gekko is useless. Buy one with a compass (Gekko 301) for street work. That way you can get a direction and use the compass to continue in the same direction when the signal goes.

When the set found a signal it then gave an incorrect initial direction point until I walked around a bit. Seems you have to give it something to calculate before it settles down.

The WAAS was a bit wayward. Sometimes giving 20M accuracy in europe and then surprisingly in South Africa it gave me a 6M reading!

The length of waypoint names is limited. I often had to abbreviate these.

All in all it is great fun and a cheap introduction to GPS. The receiver is light and cheerful and I will probably never get lost again.


Superior Outdoor GPS/NAV device.   October 1, 2003
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

After recieving this GEKO-201, I put it through many tests:
such as orientation, precision, speed calculions, waypoint navigation p-to-p., tracking and panning, and durability. Well, surprisingly, it does very well for a such a small (slightly bigger than a ZIPPO lighter) device. It seems that designers have had installed a very good microchip inside -- which makes this device a true GPS/NAV syst. that has METRIC as well as US/UK unit conversions,since I strongly believe in metric system of measure -- its good to have conversions on demand. Reception of the internal antenna is excellent -- picks up upto 5 sattelites to show a real time 3-D location (it gives elevation above Mean Sea Level).
One thing I would suggest to GARMIN Manufacturer is to makea small hole on top so the Necklace or a small rope can be looped through (sort of like small point and shot cameras have) so you can wear it oaround your neck.


Everything a trekker, climber or mountain biker needs   June 24, 2003
 20 out of 20 found this review helpful

This is an excellent, economical piece of gear for trekkers, climbers and mountain bikers. Competent wilderness travelers will already have a paper topographic map and compass, and this little GPS is a great navigational supplement. I have found that the Geko 201 works well even under tree cover on the side of a large mountain. I've used the Geko 201 to pinpoint my position (in conjunction with a USGS topo map) while hiking cross-country, and I've used the route feature with pre-programmed waypoints to navigate cross-country solely by GPS. My experience indicates that you will run the batteries down quickly if you navigate solely with the Geko 201, but the unit supplements traditional navigation very well. I think the Geko 201 has everything that a wilderness traveler needs, assuming previous experience in traditional map/compass navigation. Besides, more expensive GPS units with the capability to upload software packages are for specialist professions or those who need a toy to fiddle with, not for serious wilderness travelers. Go with the lightweight Geko 201 and save room in your pack for stuff you really need, like food!!! By the way, after reading other reviews of the Geko 201 I was concerned the unit might turn itself on and off in my pocket or pack (on-off button is not protected), but it hasn't happened.


How do they make something so good, so tiny?!?!   May 25, 2003
 45 out of 46 found this review helpful

Let's start with the downsides:-

1. Battery life is about 6 hours, so make sure you bring a few spares on long hauls.

2. Doesn't float. Not a nig negative for me, but may be for you.

3. That's it. Yes, it has no maps, but it doesn't need them - this ain't aimed at those users. You may as well say it has no marine or flight addons.....same thing - it's aimed at hikers/runners/cyclists/hobbyists.

Upsides? Lots!

1. Size - It is TINY. It's smaller and lighter than my mobile phone.

2. Waterproof. Tested it, true, it is. Water got into the batter compartment, and it didn't affect operation. Weird.

3. Trackpoints - 10000. Yes, Ten thousand.

4. Although its a budget model, it doesn't scrimp on other basic features - 20 route or 125 legs, 10 saved tracks, 500 waypoints, its plenty for anyone.

5. WAAS. Not used in the UK yet, but next year.

6. PC Connectivity - allows me to use my Ozi Explorer to upload/download pretty much everything.

7. Ease of use.... I was up and running in literally no time.

8. Speed - acquired satellites pretty damned quickly.

9. Feel - Feels damned good in the hand - buttons/screen well placed, feel good. Some have mentioned an on button problem, I don't see it myself.

10. Trip Computer - nice for runners/cyclists. Lots of configuration available to the user too.

11. Colour - you ain't gonna lose this gadget in a hurry....

12. Price - At 120 including VAT (UK) it's pretty amazing value.

Summary - for a hiker etc, it does the job extremely well, especially if you use it with a PC. As far as I'm concerned, there are no decent competitors on the market - all others fall short in some way.

10/10. Easily.


Some Observations   May 25, 2003
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I am giving the Geko 201 four stars since it is a little pricey. You may want to give the Geko 101 some considerations since it is substantially cheaper. The following are a series of observations I made after about 6 hours with the device.

1. My Energizer NIMH batteries 750mAh lasted about 5 hours in Normal mode. Note that the manufacturer's claim of 12 hours battery life for alkaline batteries is for the device in Battery Save mode.
2. The springs that hold the batteries seem a little flimsy, so does the cover of the battery compartment. This can be an issue since the battery lives are so short, hence creating a need for constant battery changes.
3. It actually worked indoors. It was able to track the satellites on the second floor of a 2 stories house, but not the ground floor.
4. The WAAS feature was not turned on by default. When it was turned on, it was questionable whether it made a significant difference. Without it I was able to get 18ft accuracy and with it 16ft. Note that the accuracy values fluctuated with time.
5. The ability to save routes and tracks is nice, but since the number of routes and tracks that can be saved is small, you will need the serial cable and software (both not included) to make it truly useful.
6. It makes a great speedometer for your bike but you need to buy the handlerbar mounting bracket to make it safe.
7. It is small enough to hold comfortably when you run, but I don't see myself doing this too often. After using the Geko to meaure the route, all I need to pace myself is my heart rate monitor. Of course, knowing how far you have run seems very useful. Incidentally, I was able to get almost the same accuracy with a pedometer that counted the number of steps I took while walking my jogging route.