Magellan Crossover GPS
on the Road, Water, or Outdoor

Owning a Magellan Crossover GPS can be a lifesaver, especially if your job requires you to travel to different unfamiliar places. This baby packs marine and topographical maps and auto navigation all rolled into one.

The Good.

The device boasts of 3 functions for navigation: auto, marine and outdoor. It comes preloaded with maps for auto and outdoor functions.

For marine navigation though, you’ll have to purchase marine maps from the Magellan website.

The unit is waterproof, great for splashes and rains whilst outdoors, although it is yet to be user-tested while underwater for the marine function.

In auto navigation, the unit constantly updates the driver with the distance and direction. The destination could be entered several ways. Using zip code or city name allows you to enter the first letters of the street manually and the Magellan’s database completes the entry for you.

The units Point of Interest also allows quick searches. You can search by restaurant, hotel, tourist spot, and other categories or you can enter the destination’s name.

After you have entered the address, the GPS lets you choose your route – the least time it takes, the shortest distance, the least use of freeways or the greatest use of free ways.

This function’s main purpose is to determine the purpose of your trip, whether you need to get to your destination quickly by taking the fastest route or whether you prefer the more scenic route that allows you to see more during your travels.

The Bad.

The Magellan Crossover GPS can be cumbersome to carry for outdoor hikers. Although it packs a 3 dimensional map that will tell you exactly your position, at 8.5 ounce (with Sport GuardTM 9.4 ounces), hikers find the device too heavy.

Besides the weight, the size can be a problem as well. The Magellan Crossover GPS is 3.4 inches in height, 4.3 inches in width and 1.1 inch in diameter. Obviously it would not qualify as a pocket GPS.

The unit’s map and Points of Interest function is updated only between 12 – 18 months so if the topography has changed you may find yourself in an uncomfortably unfamiliar place.

And the in between.

Like all other GPS devices, the Magellan Crossover GPS is preloaded with maps. The US version comes preloaded with 50 maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

It also boasts photo viewer and digital music player. The interface does not work very well with these features.

Conclusion

The Magellan Crossover GPS unit does pack a punch when we consider the many functions included in the device, although the weight and the size of the unit makes it not the primary choice of hikers and trackers when traveling.

Also some find the unit sluggish and slow in recalculating the distance and the best route in between destination and starting point.

These setbacks give the device the "average" score even with the superior features it has.

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