Customer Product Reviews

Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

The Magellan Triton GPS series is built for precision navigation, offering ultrafast GPS positioning acquisition using the SiRFstarIII? chipset. Each Triton features a high-resolution color display. Unlike other complicated devices that require you to scroll through page after page, the Triton gets you to the information you want in a few clicks. Quickly view all your maps, locations and saved tracks and waypoints using the intuitive user interface and direct-access buttons. An integrated high-sensitivity antenna provides reliable signal reception even in heavy cloud cover, canyons or deep woods. Built-in signal augmentation reception (WAAS/EGNOS) ensures accuracy to within three meters. Rugged and waterproof, the Triton is built to withstand intense use, accidental impact and immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The advanced features are also easy to use. You can view the elevation profile for the trail ahead or for any route, find the precise time of sunrise/sunset any day of the year and get a calculation of the best hunting and fishing times. Exclusive VantagePoint? software lets you easily manage user-generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC with the included USB cable. Plus, Triton is the first handheld GPS to offer compatibility with National Geographic maps (sold separately). These highly detailed, high-definition, nationwide topographic maps based on USGS 1:24,000 series quads, offer seamless scalability, multilayer overlays and much more. The Triton Series is the first handheld to feature 1:24,000 high-resolution map details. Large 2.2" brilliant color screen on the Triton 500. Use it to control navigation and advanced features with just a touch. Unit features a three-axis electronic compass and barometric altimeter. It also boasts SD-card compatibility to maximize your data storage options. Add an unlimited amount of marine cartography and National Geographic topographic maps ("States" and "Weekend Explorer" only) to navigate all the places you want to explore. Runs on two AA batteries.

Average Customer Rating:

2.7 out of 5

4 of 9 (44%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.

Customer Reviews for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

1 out of 5

Toy Gps, December 19, 2008
By Camlite

"If the above reviews have not convinced you that this unit and its support are poor, keep the receipt . You should find that for the money, this unit is not worth the trouble… or time. I found many of the CON's to be true and tried to work through the issues over a two week period; quite a hassle. So sad."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 2 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

gfkttt, December 15, 2008
By hawk11 from st cloud minnesota

"I gave this product to a hunting partner as a gift He is very good with the computer knowledge and figured out how to down load programs on it. the batteries dont last as long because of tha amazing memory it has.It takes way less time to lock in on sattelites than mine does. I will be upgrading to this one before next hunting season"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 3 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

1 out of 5

triton 500, September 20, 2008
By bhwi from wi

"the triton is great on paper. in the woods not so. gps manufactures use parts made buy other companies, many of these parts are the same, recivers, antennas, processors, etc, and they just assemable others components. just like computer companies. the real diffrence is in the programing of the units, the customer support and reserch and devlopment for the units. this is the problem with the tritons, poor codeing, backed up with even poorer cust. supp. if you buy this unit you can expect random lockups, poor batery life 6 to 12 hrs of use. i can put brand new batteries in my unit before bed and they will be dead by am, and that is with the unit off. very slow screen changes and lost settings, why would i have to tell my gps what time zone it is in, it should tell me! the ng maps will load but some times are way off, and look very grainy zoomed in. overall you should seek other opinions on this unit and maybe on this company. your money is better spent on a paper map and lots and lots of trail markes. spend more get less bells and whistles and get something that works as advertised. just my 2 cents hope this helps, my explorist will be in the woods for another year."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 4 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

2 out of 5

Magellian 500 GPS, September 14, 2008
By Hermannr from Okanogan Highlands

"My experience with a GPS is with is with a Trimble Geo XH and Pathfinder software using Terrain Navigator Pro for topo maps (about $8000.00+ worth of stuff) so I tend to be a bit harsh.
I wanted a less expensive, but still capable GPS, for hunting and hiking and was looking for 12 or more channels, WAAS enabled, with the capability of downloading topographic maps, so I could be confident the GPS would keep me on track.
BTW: For the people that are having trouble getting the Triton 500 to talk to your computer and when loading NG State series TOPO maps,,, all the information needed is available, but most is hidden in the tech support pages of both companies just not in the user manual. The information needed is not easy to find, but it is available. For the guy that wants the programmers fired, you are pointing at the wrong problem...I think it is the Triton Program Manager that is the one that should be fired.
Good points: Good display, fairly accurate positioning, (however a 12 channel, WAAS enabled GPS should be a +/- 1 meter. It's not. Why? Because they will not display 10ths of seconds and the Vantage point software will only display degrees and decimal minutes. DDD°MM.MMM' If you hike down a trail marked on a topo map, your track follows pretty well so that way it appears OK. My next hike I am going to purposely go to a USGS Bench Mark I know of on a rocky crag and set the Triton on the Benchmark, leave it there for 5 minitues and see how accurate they actualy are.
Problems I have had: The "barometer" is stuck at 25 inhg. I live at 3000', but that is no excuse, software can adjust for the difference in altitude. The Altimeter is not accurate. With the GPS sitting on the rail of my deck (Known altitude 2987.3') the 500's readings have ranged anywhere from 1400' to 3800' though I will say they are most often between 2940' and 3024' and after the GPS has been on for 10 minutes or so (and not moved) it will settle down to between 2980' and 3008' with 3008' being most frequent (this is with 10+ channels green).
My really major complaints are the absolutely useless user manual, the "basic map" (the one that is loaded when you purchase the Triton) which is also totally useless, and the compass. How would you like to load the CD supplied with the unit, and the first thing you have to do is download "updates" of over 54meg on a dialup? well, that is what happened to me.
With the compass, I prefer to use "true north", as out here the declination is 21°, so I set the compass to display true north and did the "local user calibration" (how to do this calibration is also not in the user manual but is on the Magellan Tech support page). The digital heading information and the sun and moon position go to reference true north, but the compass rose does not. So the sun and moon are displayed as if reference to true north, but are displayed against a compas rose that is 21° off so they are also automatically 21° off. Also the compass rose jumps all over when you are walking (+/- 30°, though the digital heading indicator is fairly constant) The compass rose even twitches +/- 10° when you are still.
Last, but not least, Magellan tech support for the Triton series does not exist as far as I am concerned. I have sent 3 emails to them about the barometer and compas problem over the last two weeks and have yet to even hear a "yes we know, we are working on that"
Conclusion: The Triton is potentially a very good product, it is just not ready for market yet."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 5 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

2 out of 5

Problems, even after upgrading, April 20, 2008
By Lobster72 from Lobster in Northern NV

"I am new to the GPS world, but also good with computers & electronics. These buttons are very small & hard to use. I initially thought this unit was touch screen, but found out it wasn't. I was able to download the National Geographic map to my computer, but could never get it to show on my handheld unit. I was so frustrated with the dual programs to manage this unit, and the Magellan tech support being of NO help - I thought I'd try to upgrade to the 1500. The 1500 is much easier to use, but I couldn't get it installed on my copmuter. I emailed Nat Geo, and they are aware of issues, and they currently working on getting it fixed. Now I have a nice unit, but I can't use it."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 6 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

3 out of 5

Magellan Triton 500 GPS, April 10, 2008
By Reactor from MA

"Very small unit. The buttons are so small and hard to press my finger hurt while trying to use it. You cannot use it with gloves on. The menu is poorly written. It is harder to use than the Magellan Meridian series. The onlly upgrade is the software that you can purchase for maps. The programmers should be terminated for taking a fun to use program and making it non user friendly. I would summize that Magellan has gone down hill with their newer units instead of improving."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 7 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

Great Product, January 29, 2008
By PRONGHORNXX from Colorado

"I completely disagree with the first poster, however I can understand his frustration. I'm using microsoft vista and have no trouble communicating with the Triton 500 GPS. The problem comes in that Magellan's Manual leaves alot to be desired. It does't explain that you need to tell the unit how you are going to communicate with your PC by going into the "Connectivity" menu on the GPS. You need to select the "Vantagepoint" option in the menu.

Downloading USGS topos from a third party vendor is simple and provides detail that has not been available in the past."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 8 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

1 out of 5

Triton GPS 500, January 12, 2008
By jhunter88 from Michigan

"Be informed, If you are looking for a GPS that is compatible with your PC this isn't the one for you. They are only compatible with Windows XP or 2000, yes I said windows 2000. Not Windows Vista or a Mac. Even though I'm running the required systems my pc will still not regonize the unit. Customer support suggested I un-plug all other USB devices and use the USB port on the back of my pc and it should work....The preloaded base maps with roads... well only if your on a major highway, no other roads on the map, once you leave the exit ramp, you leave the road map as well. I should have just kept my older GPS, This does however have a nice color screen and that's about the only real improvement from my older GPS"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 9 for Magellan® Triton 500 GPS

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Better than the reviews claim, January 8, 2008
By murphyslaw from MT

"I have used Magellan GPS receivers for several years now, and own four different models. I read all the reviews, and all of them claimed that it wouldn't interface with the National Geographic TOPO! programs as it was supposed to. I did a little more research with both Magellan, and National Geographic, and found out that both companies were aware of some problems, and had updated software available for both the program and the GPS firmware to fix them. I purchased the Triton 500, downloaded the updates and installed them, and guess what, no problems. Being able to view USGS data maps on the reciever was a big selling point to me, and it seems to work out great for me. The other issue that was mentioned was that the battery doesn't last very long, the solution? turn the backlight off when not needed. I used mine continually today for 8 1/2 hours without the battery dying. This is another good product from Magellan, and another good purchase from Cabelas. Keep up the good work!!!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Get Cabela's best sales & specials by e-mail

1-800-237-4444

HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99% of hacker crime.