Garmin Rino 120 is the new GPS/Walkie-Talkie that my group picked up for out last kayaking outing. I already own Garmin Legend but I figured that I can sell it on ebay and for extra money have a reliable communication and navigation tool in one.<br>Well using it all weekend proved that it was worth the money. It has the standard features of the radio and GPS unit so you already know what to expect out of the box but there are some extra functions that are unique for Rino. I love the trip odometer feature which allows me to time my progress, adjust speed and control break point. With the buddy to buddy reference positioning system I can do sweeps on the river and keep my group spread out without fear of loosing anyone. Also it’s easier to manage food and camp if you know how far people are away from you and what’s their ETA is. Obviously I wasn’t able to hit every possible feature but from what I got to use it I already establish the possible pros and cons of the unit.<br><br>Pros:<br>-GPS with WAAS build in. Very accurate.<br>-Unit is small and waterproof (ok no diving).<br>-Build in very loud alarm clock<br>-Build in games will kill some boredom (kills battery)<br>-When talking to your buddy your unit automatically sends your position out so he knows where you are (you can shut it off). <br>-Strong clip<br>-Easy to access even in the kayak<br>-Walkie-talkie has nice scrambler and coding device.<br><br>Cons:<br>-When using GPS (waas on) and Walkie-Talkie batteries drain fast<br>-Window needs screen protector because it scratches too easily<br>-Unit doesn’t feel that solid as big priced Motorola radios (goes for all Garmin units)<br>-Like with all GPS units (or at least the one I worked with) you need open (partially open or steady position) sky for clear accurate signal<br>-Radios even if functional will only have 2 mile radius. Enough for camping and woods but not enough for any other land movement tactics cooperation SAR.<br>-Screen size was reduced. It still looks ok but I got used to bigger screen from my previous unit so I’m still adjusting.<br>-Cool white backlight that was a trademark on most of the Garmin units was substituted by green glow one. Is it a problem? No, but I think I was able to see a bit clearer with the white light.<br>-Color. Unit is hunter green. Which is good and bad. Horrible if you drop it and try to find it again. But good if you want it to blend with your clothing.<br><br>At the end it’s a nice tool to have. GPS, radio, alarm clock and games all packed into one nifty unit. <br><br>Link to the man. website:<br>http://www.garmin.com/products/rino120/<br>

Matt - Great - thanks for the info. I was curious about the Rhino in "the real world".<br><br>Tom

Here's a quick update.

After some time (about a year) out of 6 units that were originally purchased only 2 of them are still in service. Rest of them antena part (for GPS and radio) separated from the base of the unit. That made radio totally not element proof and unstable which is totally unacceptable in the environment we work and play in. They had to be sent for repair. I don't think that we put those radios thru anything different than anyone else would. They were used on the rivers, lakes, ocean and land. Mine (which is still ok) was probably used the most.

My group is very disapointed in the quality of manufacturing.

I'm just saying, not drawing any conclusions.

Matt

Matt,

It is very good of you to add an updated info about the equipment after one year's use. We all should take responsibilty of the words we spend here, as whatever disclaimer there is, we take eachother's reviews and comments serious and consider when buying something.

Thanks a lot,

Burak

Matt,

I agree with you about your pros and cons, except for one. I have just returned from two weeks in the field and I was in dense woods the whole time. I lost the signal one time during the whole evolution. I used it on a daily basis, both stationary and while moving and I never had a problem excpet that one time.

I would add a little more about the battery life. IT SUCKS. Even if you dont have the radio on, and you lower the back light duration, you can only get about two and half days of constant use.

I liked the blet clip as it held my unit tight. except if it got caught on something while I was bending over. But I had a dummy cord for that. I recommend this unit to anyone who needs and good GPS, but I always caution about the screen (scratches) and the btry life.

My 2 cents

Garrett

The minute I got mine I took a plastic transparent screen protector for the PDAs and put it right on. I had bad experience with Garmin Legend that I had for less than an hour in my pocket but put enough scratches on it that unit looked like year old.

I agree with you on battery life. Since we switched over to separate radios I mostly use it with radio off. After using Rino in dual mode for few months and going thru set of batteries every 8 hours I take the 2.5 days duration anytime.

Matt