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Price: £219.99
(as of Oct 03, 2025 14:49:28 UTC – Details)
Garmin eTrex 32x
Garmin eTrex 32x: Rugged GPS Handheld
The Garmin eTrex 32x is a powerful and reliable GPS handheld device designed for outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers, geocachers, and cyclists. With its impressive features and rugged design, it’s the perfect companion for any adventure.
Introduction
The Garmin eTrex 32x is a high-performance GPS device that offers a range of features to help you navigate the great outdoors with confidence. Its 2.2-inch sunlight-readable color display and preloaded TopoActive Europe mapping make it easy to find your way, even in challenging environments.
Features & Specifications
- 2.2-inch sunlight-readable color display
- Preloaded with TopoActive Europe mapping featuring routable roads and trails
- Supports GPS and GLONASS satellites for tracking in more challenging environments
- Built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads and microSD card slot
- Rugged, impact-resistant, and water-rated to IPX7
- Up to 25 hours of battery life in GPS mode with 2 AA batteries
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Rugged and water-resistant design
- High-performance GPS and GLONASS support
- Preloaded with detailed TopoActive Europe mapping
- Long battery life and expandable memory
Cons: - No touchscreen interface
- Limited battery life compared to other devices
Review
The Garmin eTrex 32x is a top-notch GPS handheld device that delivers exceptional performance and quality. Its rugged design and water-resistant construction make it perfect for outdoor use, while its high-performance GPS and GLONASS support ensure accurate tracking even in challenging environments. The preloaded TopoActive Europe mapping is detailed and easy to navigate, and the built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter provide valuable additional information. The device is also easy to use, with a simple and intuitive interface.
Who Should Buy This?
The Garmin eTrex 32x is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers, geocachers, cyclists, and anyone who needs a reliable and accurate GPS device. Its rugged design and high-performance features make it perfect for use in challenging environments, and its preloaded mapping and expandable memory make it a great value for money.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for a high-performance GPS handheld device that can keep up with your outdoor adventures, the Garmin eTrex 32x is an excellent choice. With its rugged design, accurate tracking, and detailed mapping, it’s the perfect companion for any outdoor enthusiast. Check it out on Amazon today and discover a new world of navigation and exploration with the Garmin eTrex 32x!
Amazon Customer –
Cheaper alternative to a gps smartwatch
I didnât want the cost and complexity of a smartwatch but this works a treat as a reliable gps unit when conditions make a smartphone unreliable (cold, rain, wind). Itâs button/joystick controlled (easy to operate in gloves or mitts), no touch screen to go wrong, no Garmin account needed, which are all a strength, and lasts a good 30 hours in gps using lithium AA batteries. Gps (2 satellites) is really good for a unit this price (Garmin do bigger, better, more expensive ones) and locks on most of the time, the only time it has failed was when I started messing with the settings mid-walk, the unit chucked me out of gps and as I was in woods it couldn’t find a signal again when I restarted the unit. Luckily I knew where I was heading and gps kicked back in when I was out of the trees. But if you just want to follow a preloaded gpx track (via cable from your computer, no wireless) zoom in and out and record the route this works perfectly, and importantly isnât affected by bad weather or freezing hands. I tend to plan a route on other software not directly in the unit itself, and load it in. If it is on and has a gps signal this thing is always recording, so remember to clear both track and trip just before recording a new walk and remember to save the track when you finish (it automatically gives it a date and time stamp). Altimeter works well but like similar devices it needs recalibrating each day usually at the start of the walk. Compass works well and needs far less calibration. Unit comes preloaded with Garmin active maps but these can be sparse and if you walk a lot in the UK hills youâll definitely want to get OS Topo Pro maps which comes on a micro-SD which you can put in the SD slot in the back of the unit (another advantage over a watch where I donât think you can load OS maps). The OS maps are expensive (more expensive than the unit itself!) but can come bundled with the unit for slightly reduced price, or search out cheaper prices to the RRP. I have 1:25k OS maps but to be honest I tend to stick at 1:50k because the screen is quite small (but still bigger than a large smartwatch) and also the maps are rasterised (not vector) which means zooming too far into 1:25k makes it pixelated but sometimes that level of detail is useful. An alternative to OS maps are the Talkytoaster ones which look very detailed, specifically for UK walking, and are a fraction of the price of OS maps. The gps unit has a joystick which is easy to use but I donât think you can lock it, so if you are not careful you inadvertently set waypoints by knocking it, so I have a cheap 3d printed clip for the back of the unit so I can clip the whole thing onto my rucksack chest harness to keep it out the way. I use a cheap lanyard too (that I had already) as this thing is shaped and weighted like an old Nokia phone and despite having some grip looks a good candidate for dropping and disappearing down between rocks! Garmin do a backpack tether for the unit but itâs expensive and the set-up above works well. All in all Iâm very pleased with this unit, and it complements OS maps on my iPhone (which is better to navigate with in good conditions but a liability higher up) and physical OS maps/compass which I always carry in my pack as backup. By the way, this unit and its harness clip squeeze perfectly into an Alpkit padded cell 1 to protect and store.
A J MACMILLAN –
traditional style GPS – good battery but old school tech
Planning to use this lightweight device for hillwalking, wild camping and geocaching. Battery on iPhone is poor so having GPS and other facilities in a device that can last way beyond my iPhone battery is useful. That said there is no getting away from the fact a modern smartphone is way more user-friendly than these older style GPS devices that possess old mobile phone like user interfaces and modal style interaction. You can only really copy GPX files for routes from computer to device – don’t expect to be bouncing data, photos and other stuff between this and your phone or computer. I got mine £199 from amazon (some re-used at £150) and to be honest at that price point it’s reasonable as I wanted something that works when have gloves on. If I had the money I’d have gone for something with inReach as location I went to previously had zero mobile signal – would get maybe Garmin intouch mini 2 or a Garmin GPSMAP 67i – but they are too expensive at £300-500 for me to justify. the built in map is pretty flat – no contouring for proper hills so…. you’d probably need something like Ordinance survey map (extra £) to install in the SD card slot to make it more useful in the mountains and elevated areas. I intend to get that OS add on at some point. This device surprised me in that it also had moonlight and sunrise/sunset an tonnes of useful points of interest too and some other little features like calendar and calculator amongst other oddities. there is a VERY basic connect facility to wirelessly transfer gpu between your Garmin and other like Garmin devices which I’m unlikely to use. I also enabled marine mode but didn’t see much depth info for close to shore so not sure if this would be best for marine use. if your budget is £250 or less this does a lot for that money – but if you had a decent battery in your smart phone or booster case then re-using what you have would be useful too. e.g. I used ordinance survey maps app on iPhone which is graphically and contour superior and if you have data signal you’re laughing up until you don’t. if you’re going ‘solo’ have at least a Garmin inreach for SOS or an iPhone 14/15 that does similar.
SENSEI59890 –
Un très bon produit, mais complexe. Nécessite de regarder des tutos sur YOUTUBE, c’est un manque sérieux de ne pas avoir de la part de GARMIN un site complet en Français et complet.
Why not mention in bill my gst no 21AGFPJ3792B1ZU –
Good
richard picone –
does the job real well
Ãtienne –
Utilisé pour les randonnées.
Schwabinger –
Wir verwenden das eTrex32x sowie den technisch fast identischen Vorgänger 30x seit 2015 für unsere langen Radreisen (bis zu 5 Wochen) quer durch Europa. AuÃerdem für lange, teilweise mehrtägige Wanderungen in den Alpen und in den USA.Die Geräte sind super-robust: Runterfallen, stundenlanges Fahren im Regen, alles kein Problem. Die Bedienung erfolgt glücklicherweise nicht über einen Touch-Screen, sondern über dicke Tasten und einen kompakten Joystick. Die Bedienung ist am Lenker (eigene Halterung für ungefähr 10,-) jederzeit problemlos möglich, auch wenn es regnet oder kalt ist. Typische Aktionen während der Fahrt sind beispielsweise die Ãnderung des Karten-Zoomfaktors, das Ãndern der Bildschirm-Helligkeit oder das Wechseln zwischen Karten- und Tourdaten-Ansicht (z. B. Gefahrene Strecke, absolvierte Höhenmeter rauf und runter, Geschwindigkeit, Temperatur …. viele Parameter kann man sich hier anzeigen lassen).Als riesiges Plus erleben wir, dass alle Smartphone-typischen Ablenkungen am Lenker wegfallen.Mit 2 eneloop AA Akkus kommen wir ungefähr 15-20 Fahr-Stunden aus, je nach eingestellter Helligkeit. Jeder von uns hat zwei Ersatz-Batterien dabei, alle paar Tage werden die im Hotel oder auf dem Camping-Platz aufgeladen.Nach unserer Erfahrung sind die Akkus der Smartphones während der Reisen ohnehin dauernd leer (Zeltplatz ohne StromanschluÃ); gut, dass wir zumindest für die Navigation nicht auf die iPhones angewiesen sind ….Wir planen die Tracks vorher am PC mit Komoot (mit der Garmin-Software bin ich nie klar gekommen) oder verwenden welche aus dem Internet und übertragen diese dann per USB Kabel auf die Garmins. (Mit dem Windows File-Explorer oder dem Mac Finder; das Garmin wird als USB-Laufwerk erkannt)Eine Planung mit dem Gerät selbst ist nicht sinnvoll. Es gibt eine Routing-Funktionalität, aber die hat bei uns nicht funktioniert und wir brauchen sie auch nicht. Wir fahren Tracks ab und sehen auf dem Garmin, wenn wir pötzlich vom Track abgekommen sind.Falls wir während der Reise umplanen wollen, verwenden wir dazu komoot auf dem Smartphone. Den Track übertragen wir mit einem USB otg Kabel auf die Garmins. Zwischen den beiden Garmins kann man Tracks dann auch drahtlos via ANT übertragen.Einmal im Jahr machen wir mit GarminExpress am PC ein Update. Dabei wird eine neue Karte auf das GPS gespielt und ggf. Software-Patches eingespielt. Dauert ein paar Stunden, läuft aber im Hintergrund.Die Garmins ermöglichen das Anlegen von sog. “Profilen”: Je nach Anwendungsscenario haben wir Profile für Radreisen mit und ohne mitlaufender Aufzeichnung sowie Wanderungen mit und ohne Aufzeichnung. Beispielsweise kann man bei Wanderungen den Bildschirm ausgeschaltet lassen und ihn erst durch einen Tastendruck aktivieren, was der Batterie-Laufzeit natürlich extrem zu gute kommt.Der Höhenmesser arbeitet zuverlässig; Wenn man mal an einem Referenz-Punkt vorbeikommt (Berggipfel, Bahnhof mit Höhenangabe) sind die Abweichungen in der Regel unter 5 Meter.Unter meinem Sattel baumelt im Schatten ein Garmin-Thermometer, das die Messwerte mit ANT an das Garmin überträgt: Nettes Gimmick, so kann ich immer sehen, wie heià es gerade ist (oder wie kalt es in den letzten 24 Stunden war – ist interessant beim Zelten.)Die Tracks für den nächsten Urlaub sind schon bereit ….