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Touch screens are all the rage, even in new hand-held GPS models. But there’s a problem: what happens if you just got done catching a big fish, there are scales and slime all over your hands, and you need to navigate? That touch screen isn’t going to do you much good. That’s why Lowrance included a full slate of buttons on their new touch screen Endura Safari.
I had the opportunity to try out a pre-production model of the Safari, which is a beefed-up version of Lowrance’s Endura Outback, and absolutely loved the screen’s vibrant colors, quick re-draws, and touch operation. The Safari has a higher-speed processor, so re-draws are faster and expandability is enhanced. It also adds turn-by-turn street navigation, MP3 voice notes, and a picture/video player. The buttons will come in handy in the real world. Since this unit fits into your pocket Lowrance set out to make it useful to the general outdoorsman who might be hiking one day and fishing the next, and it runs with Navionics marine chartography data for the salty set; Fishing Hotspots data for lake and river anglers; and even includes street data from Navtec Streets. So, you could use it on the bay, then in the car while you drive to the lake, then on the lake, then as you hike up a mountain-side trail.
Data is good, and more data is even better. So I was psyched to find out that adding chartography from the web is as easy as drag-and-drop. You can pull trails off of geocashing sites, updated roadway information, whatever, and have it inside your little magic box in no time.
The Safari’s casing is tough, and has a rubberized coating to boost shock resistance. The unit’s waterproof to IPX7 standards, and although I couldn’t give battery life a fair test in this situation, Lowrance says they expect to get 12 hours out of alkaline batteries, and 17 from lithium. That means it’ll last through even the longest fishing trips – and you’ll still be using it, regardless of how slimy your hands get.
Price: MSRP $385
The Highs: Easy to use touch-screen, but you also get buttons. Expanded capabilities over the Outback version Endura.
The Lows: Trades off screen space for buttons.
Who Wants It: Outdoorsmen who need a pocket-sized GPS unit that can show them where they are on the boat, in the car, or in their hiking boots.
Contact: www.lowrance.com
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