Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Pro-class navigator for the weekend warrior, April 4, 2009
By flitetym

"I like devices that have a rock-solid build quality, and the 696/695 falls into that category. For those of you that are photographers, look at it this way: it's the difference between a "point-and-shoot" digicam and a Nikon D3 or a Canon EOS 1D. Both take good pictures, but there are other design factors such as ergonomics, utility, etc. that determine an instrument's ultimate value.

This device is only limited by the user's willingness to completely train himself and delve into the nuances of the menu items.

I fully expect that the 696/695 will be around for a long time--if only based upon the demonstrated willingness of Garmin to continually commit to firmware upgrades and improvements for the unit.

At first, I too balked at the price. But no longer. The value of the unit rests in ease of use and durability, both of which make it a class leader.

Any prospective purchaser may rest assured his investment cost will be retained via a high resale price should the owner choose this option. In fact, I would wager a guess that a price increase would be in the works in the near term.

In all, the 696/695 represents the next generation of navigation. The NDBs and VORs are now paperweights. Looking back at all the training costs and attendant frustrations of those legacy systems, I think the newest Garmins fare rather inexpensively, indeed.

Stop resisting. Beg, borrow, steal or share. Trust me. The 696/695 is where you want to be."

6 of 6 people found this review helpful.