Out of the box:

     First off I want to mention that the product I ordered was a "refurbished" unit. This means the unit had been sent back to the factory for one reason or another, repaired and then reboxed and sold at a discount. I've had pretty good luck with refurbished products over the years and you just can't beat the discount. Anyway, Computer Geeks had everything I needed in the box from the GPS unit itself, to the cables and software. I received everything in great shape and was very pleased that it was in new and perfect condition.

USB & Power Cables

Y-Connector for the power adapter.

USB/Power connector. This connector screws into the back of the GPS.

Testing:

     Right out of the box I placed the battery in the GPS unit and turned it on. To my delight the battery was already half charged so I was able to start playing around with my new toy while it was charging. Although this is an outdoor GPS, it immediately locked onto the first satellite while indoors. If anyone remembers the old GPS systems, you had to be outdoors with a clear view of the sky to even pick up a couple satellites and even then that could take 15 or 20 minutes. I took the GPS outdoors and within seconds the Explorist 500 had locked onto 8 satellites, had my position on the screen and was ready for use. Very impressive.

The Magellan Explorist 500 next to a Motorola Razr.

     The Explorist 500 is about the same size as a cell phone, but about twice as think. Magellan advertises that this GPS will run for up to 17 hours of continuous use. That is plenty of time for a day long trip or outing, however the unit does not come with a car adapter so a person will need to purchase one for those extended trips. 

     The Explorist 500 was much easier to use than I had anticipated and I believe pretty much anyone off the street could use it effectively without even reading the directions. The first screen that pops up is a 2D map of your location. The default map is very simple with major highways, parks, waterways, airports and other POIs (Point of Interest). As far as I could tell it even lists every city found on a standard map, even the little cow towns located in the grasslands of Nebraska.

     As for what the default map doesn't list is very disappointing. The default map DOES NOT show streets, county roads, or trails. In order to use a more detailed map you must purchase your desired type of map from Magellan here: http://www.magellangps.com/products/software.asp. The maps are not cheap by any standards. For example, the Topo map which I would use for my outdoor lifestyle would cost me $150. If you look on the bright side, the Explorist 500 has an SD memory slot so you can expand the amount of storage for more maps. If you're working on a budget, be sure to take a preview of the maps on the Magellan site to ensure you choose the map that fits your lifestyle because you could easily find yourself spending a lot of money on maps you don't need or wont use.

SD Memory Slot

     Navigating your way around with the Explorist 500 is very easy. Magellan has made marking points on the map very easy and navigating your way between point A and point B is so simple even a child could do it. Just keep in mind this GPS is designed for the person with an outdoors lifestyle. It is not a street navigator, although with the purchase of extra maps, this GPS will help you navigate your way around cities and streets.

Conclusion:

     I was very impressed by how simple the Magellan Explorist 500 was to use. It seems to be very durable and could probably withstand quite a beating, although I don't recommend drop testing it too many times. The Explorist 500 isn't a fancy GPS you find in cars these days, but simplicity is what makes this GPS a required piece of equipment for that next hike or camping trip. As for me, I plan to have the Explorist 500 with me on my next hunting trip. I'll also be packing this with me this spring when I head over to the Rocky Mountains to ride the mountain trails on dirt bikes. This time I'll have a good GPS to get me and my friends from point A to point B and then back again without any wrong turns. My only disappointment with the Magellan Explorist 500 was lack in detail with the default map and the price of the extra software that is really needed to make the Explorist 500 useful.