Description
About this item Water-resistant, floating design, sunlight-visible 3” display and button operation provide ease of use on the water Stream boat data from compatible chartplotters and instruments to consolidate your marine system information Preloaded bluechart G3 coastal charts include the best of Garmin and Navionics data Stay in touch with in reach satellite communication and two-way text messaging via the 100% Global Iridium satellite network (satellite subscription required) Functions as a remote control for convenient operation of your Garmin autopilot and Fusion Marine products; to activate, download free apps from our Connect IQ store Adjustable GPS filter smooth speed and heading indications over swells With a satellite subscription trigger an interactive SOS to the 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center With a satellite subscription share your location with others using GPS-based location tracking Optional in reach weather forecast service provides detailed updates directly to your GPSMAP 86i handheld with a satellite subscription Show more
Wandering Academic –
Excellent tech, with the usual (updated: serious!) complaints about integration and auxiliary costs
Garmin handhelds are pretty much the only game in town for marine gps, and this device delivers on the technical front. The tracks are consistent and accurate. The screen is clearer and bigger than the preceding GPSMAP 78, the controls seem to me far more intuitive, and the battery life is much, much better (although still no touchscreen, but given the marine application, that makes sense: you want this thing to take some watery abuse, and a touchscreen complicates that). I re-activated my inreach account for this device, and that brings me to my constant complaint with Garmin: their tech is usually solid. Their product integration? Meh. There’s always some annoying little thing that makes life more complicated than it needs to be (example: the Earthmate map with the old inreach devices had marine nav charts. Very cool. This device? Same inreach account, but now the device integration uses Garmin Connect and the Explore app, with no marine charts. Another example: using Garmin Connect for managing multiple adventure wrist and handheld devices makes sense, but the maps loaded on said handheld devices load and sync separately, and that makes management, and especially updates, confusing and tedious). And of course Garmin’s InReach accounts are expensive. Not that this device needs the InReach to be a good handheld chartplotter, but if you’re out of cellular range it’s good to have … and it costs: a more expensive device, and pricey monthly and annual fees and charges. Another reviewer mentions that this device isn’t compatible with Garmin’s One Chart integration. That’s true, very annoying, and worse still, the incompatibility isn’t obvious until you’ve scoured a lot of the help files and FAQs (and customer complaints), so be careful before you purchase maps or updates. It’s a seemingly arbitrary feature too: is it really so technically difficult to bring handhelds into the Garmin chartplotter family for shared maps and the Active Captain app!? What’s more, it reeks of a petty cash grab. Still, for some bizarre reason I keep being charitable with Garmin, and not assuming they just want to wring money from their faithful users. I guess it’s because the tech is always solid.Update: I had this device out while escorting a marathon swimmer on an 18hr crossing. I was using the Inreach tracking services, but the live tracking stopped mid-swim. Disconcerting for those following the tracking in real time, although luckily we also had a SPOT track running as well, so we could broadcast that instead of the Garmin track. What explained the Garmin failure? No idea, but I suspect it happened while trying to use the handheld for ITS ACTUAL JOB! navigating. So, Garmin, that’s not a great look: I either use this ridiculously expensive device as a navigation tool, or as a tracker, but trying to do both risks some silly software compatibility fault!? I’m downgrading my review score simply on this basis: a company with this much experience and dominance in the Marine sector simply shouldn’t market a device that fails so randomly. I notice now that Garmin has revamped the old GPSMAP78 series, so I may sell this overpriced handheld, and instead use my old Garmin Inreach mini for tracking, and buy the new GPS-only marine handheld for navigation. Oh Garmin.
2 people found this helpful
Joseph Chan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good to have inReach function
The inReach function is good. The device works fine like the other Garmin handheld device I have used before. Only one suggestion: the different main functions ( like Map, Main Menu, Trip Computer, Messages etc…) needs to scroll with the ‘Quit’/Page key. If I press the Quit/Page key too fast, the function is passed, I need to press the Quit key again for next round the function appears. If all the main functions can be shown on a single page and selected with arrow key like other level of function selection, it will be much better.
Julianne Veal –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great tool
I bought this after getting lost in the mangroves for several hours while out paddling. My phone went dead and at dusk my husband called 911. I found my way off the water and looked up and there was a helicopter looking for me. Never again! Just be prepared to spend another $250 or so on a good map, plus a subscription. Worth it for me! Some of the reviews mention that it takes a time investment to learn how to use it. Yes, it does. But honestly it’s not that hard if you value the freedom that it gives you! My experience with Garmin tech support has been very good. With the subscription, I can paddle alone and it will send tracking info to my husband during my entire paddle. I can set waypoints and find my way back home easily. I can also plan routes ahead of time and follow those. Plus it has an SOS button that will call the cavalry in case of a real emergency. It’s just what I needed.
6 people found this helpful
dcl –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Rugged, quirky, user experience anything but seamless
Rugged, with just a few buttons, this is made for punishing environments. In the cabin of a ship, with little internet access, the user experience is very fragmented. You will need two smart phone or tablet apps, two Garmin web sites, a Garmin desktop app, and fairly frequent internet access to effectively use this.It does not share GPS position over NMEA nor Bluetooth with other shipboard devices. It keeps position to itself. Messaging will be with the explore app, but the app not having position, the position will be missing from the message (even though the device, which knows position, is doing the actual sending).The cradle does not hold the unit firmly enough. In the moving boat, it jiggles disconnect. Some very carefully applied epoxy to build-up the indent on the back of the device solved this.The device auto-shuts off when removed from the cradle; so, two careful button presses each time you take it down. This gets old. This feature protects the battery from going dead on power loss. An any-key response to keep it awake would be better. Or better, a setting that disables this behavior. When it powers-down, the current tracking session is interrupted.The interaction between tracking and recording is mind boggling. They try hard with dialogs about the interactions that have to be acknowledged over and over. Better would be one or the other with a switch to control the live tracking. Most of the other function overlaps. Saving an “activity” creates a track on the map distinct from the tracking track, which is always saved. One shows up in “activities” and the other in “tracks”. See what I mean?Little bugs. The time zones aren’t programmed correctly. My unit was an hour off for a while along Pacific coastal Mexico. There’s no time zone setting that will simply display the UTC value from the GPS satellites. Below about 1.4 knots it shows heading 180 degrees off (reversed).update: after about two years on the boat it simply gave up the ghost. it won’t charge and won’t turn on. such a rugged device and the charge port is a cheesy USB mini plug. there’s no removing the battery or external charging
9 people found this helpful
Alfred Faber –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Staying in touch us what’s important
The device is really sturdy and it works well. Things are a bit slower with satellite, but that’s not the device – it’s the whole deal. I recommend…
Birdwatcher35 –
4.0 out of 5 stars
App not great
The app is not great it’s geared to fitness not marine, not useful. Unit is fine.
5 people found this helpful
J. Miller –
2.0 out of 5 stars
86s says it’s type nautical but includes no nautical maps
Incredibly confusing advertising. Turns out it just has the base map even though it has marine and nautical in the description. Turns out only the sc has the nautical map
4 people found this helpful
Pippinm7Pippinm7 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Light weight-covered in a tacky rubber that makes it easy to hold on to when moving in a boatBattery Life- is over 24 hours of use in GPS. I accidentally forgot to turn it off after a full 8 hours on the water left it on the counter picked up the next day and used it for the entire day on the water again with no charging.Bread Crumbs-I love the bread crumbs feature and live trackingI wish-It had the same display as the in boat garmin gps. it would make using the device easy and take no getting used toYellow Tape-I put a piece of yellow electrical tape on the antenna, so if it goes over board it will be easy to see regardless if it is face up or face down in the water.Floatation-floats both face up and face down.
14 people found this helpful
Jason –
5.0 out of 5 stars
So glad it floats!
This is a great hand held device. I took it moose hunting and dropped it in a stream, luckily it floats so I was able to just easily reach down and grab it.
2 people found this helpful
Jkeith –
3.0 out of 5 stars
*** WARNING does not include new chart guarantee OR One Chart ***
Received device as ordered and device seems to function as advertised. However, I was very disappointed because despite this being marketed as a “marine device” with preloaded marine charts, it DOES NOT work with active captain app to share charts with the app or other chart plotters. It also does not qualify for the “new chart guarantee” that other chart plotters and preloaded cards get. My device came with charts already one year out of current (2019.0 on device, 2020.0 is current). I emailed with garmin support only to be referred to an obscure support page that explains that “hand held devices” don’t work with one chart or new chart guarantee. I felt this was deceptive marketing because the Garmin web site and promotional info for their marine charts does not make this distinction. I would recommend getting one of the other in reach devices without preloaded charts if up to date charts are important to you, buy a card with preloaded charts, the cards apparently do qualify.
56 people found this helpful
S. Frederic –
4.0 out of 5 stars
24h lifespan, but great customer service
I received my GPSMAP 86S yesterday and 24h later there is already not connection with the USB cable (neither for charging the device, or for connecting to a computer). The cable works well with other device so it is the GPS 86S that has an issue. Considering that I did not even take it to the field yet, it cast big doubts on the reliability of this equipment, even if I might have received the one disfunctional device…UPDATE: the customer service, both in US and especially in Taiwan were really efficient and professional to address and solve this issue. The replacement unit seems to work as expected although I did not use most of the functions yet.
9 people found this helpful
Steven F. –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Compass will not stay calibrated
Compass will not stay calibrated. Every time I go into the field it loses compass calibration. It’s off by as much as 180° which causes major navigational issues. When I tried to calibrate in the field it failed several times before freezing up. Had to wait til the battery died for it to reset.
One person found this helpful
RUNE CARVER –
1.0 out of 5 stars
NOT NEW, RECEIVED A USED/DEMO WITH MISSING
BUYER BEWARE FROM THIS SELLER!!!NOT NEW, RECEIVED A USED/DEMO WITH MISSING POWER SUPPLYMISSING BLUEWATER CHARTS OF ANY KIND, ONLY USELESS BASEMAPBOX OPENED NOT SEALED, NO WARRANTY CARD…. screen protector missingLOOKS LIKE THEY USED THIS THEN WIPED IT AND SOLD IT AS NEW, DIDN’T REINSTALL MAPS… WAS SET TO FLORIDA MAP.THIS SELLER IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY
16 people found this helpful
Ken Mayer –
1.0 out of 5 stars
If you’re hoping to run aground hers the gps for you!
Wish I could give less than 1 star. Junk. Screen had the Visual capacity as a Loony Tune Cartoon! And after returning it I was charged a “ restocking fee”
5 people found this helpful
Jeff –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Obtuse directions
It is nearly impossible to see how to change the active route. Garmin should post instructions or modify the owner’s manual. Other features are also hard to access.
BritBaby –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not work with active captain
This device works well for it’s core features. That said it cannot be used with another device phone/tablet etc. to use nautical charts. Active captain cannot connect to it. Explore cannot load nautical maps. You will be stuck with this tiny screen if you plan to use any chart plotting features. I was amazed at this since it is marketed as a marine device that can connect to your phone/tablet etc.
Amazon Customer –
2.0 out of 5 stars
waste of money
Pretty useless without additional maps which cost an additional $150 or more. Obsolete mini USB connection. Very small, most features can be handled with your phone. Not impressed. I returned it.
dhs –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Marine charts
This product can be used by hikers, boaters, campers, etc., but it’s Navionics preloaded marine charts are primarily for boaters. Yes, with Garmin Connect you can do your daily running ,hiking, gymnastics stuff, but if that’s all you want, the 66 series is probably better. .If you’re a boater, this is a great product, BUT, you have to experiment with it. Keep trying stuff and the patterns start to reveal the inner depth. As a previous reviewer wrote, the downloaded manual is horrible!! Hunt and peck and experiment with it and you’ll find it’s potential.. For example, I wanted to find out the channel depth at a particular Maine marina. Maptech charts only took description to a certain level but this device took it to the actual depth of a slip for the marina. Ther are other problems like measuring distances between waypoints you choose but, remember, it’s a 3.5 in screen. For baoters, it’s a great add on.
8 people found this helpful
CJ –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bluetooth fails. Can’t connect. Garmin does not support on weekends
I have this new device and had hoped to be kayaking all day, but took some time this morning to try to add a contact so I can send messages on my progress. Bluetooth won’t pair. It had been successfully paired, but for some reason isn’t working. I’ve deinstalled and reinstalled the phone app. Turned Bluetooth off and on on both sides. Forgotten devices and reattempted pairing. Followed all instructions. The Garmin Connect app is stalled 75% through setup. Unbelievably, Garmin has no support on weekends. Not even chat. None. This is a top of the line device and I’m paying a subscription, and folks must have most of their questions on the weekend, yet Garmin is not there.
10 people found this helpful
Jacob M. Tobeluk Jr –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great tool.
I bought one and never arrived. But i bought one used and i love it. Its a great tool to have while out hunting. Knowing that youll be able to communicate with family puts your mind at ease and puts family members at ease too. I love how you can easily communicate with others, even checking the weather.
One person found this helpful
Abel –
Recomendable
Funciona bastante bien, se ve rigido, es contra agua, super recomendado
Gridiron –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Poor Instructions
I may end up feeling better about this product with time. My main disappointment is with the instructions. All that was in the package was a very limited quick start guide. I was hoping to go online and watch a few tutorials…nothing there. This is a pretty high tech expensive unit. I cannot believe Garmin would put something like this on the market without some sort of video support. VERY disappointed with that, The other problem is the included map. It covers too large an area for me. You can zoom in, but at the level you want, there are few if any named creeks, etc., I had an old 64 that was much cheaper and better, but it’s not available now. Also noticed someone at Garmin had the not so bright idea to move the input buttons above the screen on several units so now you can’t see what you’re inputting due to your hand covering the screen.
10 people found this helpful
Tim –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Do not buy
I have used Garmin handhelds since the Garmin 75 was released. I work as a professional captain and find this to be useless. The basic functionalities of the GPS are not there or are very user unfriendly. You are paying 3 times what it’s worth just for the ability to text/email. To use this item for navigation is futile, I got it as a back up but doesn’t fulfill the requirements at all
One person found this helpful
Ibrahim –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tricky at the beginning… after learning, pretty good!
Portable, nice, and good after you learn it all!
3 people found this helpful
Mark N –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good device with outdated charts
Garmin GPSMAP 86sc is a very good handheld marine GPS device, but the pre-loaded charts were outdated before it reached me; apparently this unit had been sitting on someone’s shelf for over a year. Updated charts are available for $99, but a new device with current charts can be purchased directly from the manufacturer for only $50 more than this outdated one from Amazon.
4 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Connection difficulties, and it gives you advertisements and “badges”
This garmin is very dissapointing for a flagship gps marine handheld. It was very difficult to get connected to my phone (which was required to update the software), once connected to the “garmin connect” app, it feeds advertisements to the GPS. The last thing I want on my gps unit is advertising. It also was giving me notifications that I have earned “badges” for doing thinks like walking and standing up. This is the second to last kind of information I want on my GPS.When planning a route between two points of interest, you go to routes and then pick your points. When picking your points you get a large list of POI’s that are organized by the distance from you. So if you want to find a particular buoy that is 5 miles away, you have to scroll through several hundred buoys that are closer than 5 miles to you. There is no way to pare down the list.The weather charts are nice and colorful, but there is no scale to let you know what color references its meaning.I was looking for a rugged gps with marine charts. The 86Sci has a ton of gingerbread attached to it that I don’t want or need. This unit falls very short of Garmin’s reputation.
15 people found this helpful
Teresa Jones –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nice handheld Nautical GPS but comes up short.
Pros- Well built, sturdy, receives GPS data quickly, charts are very good, Bluetooth works well with phone and tracking history is excellent.Cons- Need a touch screen!!!!, cursor or button control is lame and hard to find your location when searching other places, processor is slow, camera should be standard, uses micro USB instead of USB-C and automatically turns on when plugged in to charge.Not real happy overall. For the price, should had included the camera. The no touch screen or at least a faster way to navigate maps is desperately needed.
4 people found this helpful
David A –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works well. Long lasting battery
Unit works well for GPS. Have not tried satellite feature. The unit barely consumed 10% of battery with 3 hours of use. Well made.
2 people found this helpful
The Gritz Carlton –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Much Help In The Manual Or Online
Great product by Garmin. Purchased for use on PWC. Only issue I have is very limited info in manual. You have have to sit for hours and figure it out. Somehow, I’ve lost the depth indicators and can’t figure how to get them back. Shading will suffice in the meantime but WTH Garmin?
9 people found this helpful
Thomas l Hytry –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not show time in hours, minutes, seconds just hours and minutes
This unit does not show GPS time in seconds. Just hours and minutes so it can not be used to syncwith other devices. I planned on using it when I run sail boat races. Chatted with Garmin supportand they confirm to can not show time in hours, minutes and second. My Garmin GPS76 boughtin 2003 does and so does my Garmin Instinct Watch. Why the step backwards
yougotmyworld –
1.0 out of 5 stars
don’t buy it, it came with outdated software and map garmin wants more $ for new gps update
I like device, but came with old map, and garmin express asking $99 more for just to give update. i didn’t expect to waste my time updating new device and to find that it will cost more. Amazon should value customers time by enforcing sellers to list each garmin coming with which year of out of date software and map so customers don’t end up wasting time after money is already spent.
11 people found this helpful