Lowepro 4.3-Inch Navi Shield GPS Carrying Case (Black)
by Lowepro
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: LoweproBrand: Lowepro
Edition: Electronics
Model: 4.3 Navi Shield (Black)
Color: Black
Publisher: Lowepro
Studio: Lowepro
Music Label: Lowepro
Product features:
- Durable, molded hardshell design with compact profile provides maximum protection and fits in a stable position in glove compartment or center console
- Built-in microfiber cloth in "cleaning station" on inside lid offers a platform for cleaning the delicate GPS touchscreen
- Secondary compartment with mesh pocket and memory slots creates protective, convenient space for charger, cord and two SD cards
- Padded pocket with hook/loop closure provides protective storage space for and quick access to a GPS device
- Soft tricot-lined interior ofers protection from dust and scratches
- AmazonBasics Universal Travel Case for Small Electronics and Accessories (Black)
- AmazonBasics Carrying Case for 4.3-Inch Portable GPS (Black)
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Lowepro 4.3-Inch Navi Shield GPS Carrying Case (Black)
Customer Review: An Unusual GPS Carrying Case
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I received this very well-made carrying case at the same time that I received my Garmin nüvi 285W/285WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic, both courtesy of Amazon Vine.
At first, I liked it very much but now, having had a couple of weeks experience with it, I am finding "nits" to pick. They are important to me but may be less so for you.
First, like all of the Lowepro products which I own (several camera cases), it is extremely well-made and I am certain that it, like those other cases, will prove to be equally durable.
Unlike some other reviewers, I have had no difficulties whatsoever with the zipper. It is possible that a small number of individual units got by quality control, but if you buy this from Amazon and yours exhibits problems with the zipper, Amazon will exchange it, as they do for any and all defective products they sell. (And they even pay postage in both directions!)
This case is well-finished on the inside too and provides a secure place for your GPS.
As other reviewers here have already described the interior of the case and its features, I shall not repeat that information.
What I will state is my opinion - and it's my opinion only - which prevents me from giving this excellently made case five stars.
When using a GPS in an automobile, there are, at a minimum, three items which must be carried and used in conjunction with one another.
They are: the GPS device itself, the power cable (yes, I know that a GPS can run solely on battery power, but certainly for no more than five hours or so, and this may be insufficient for a long trip), and the mount used to hold the GPS. This can be a windshield suction-cup mount or a much preferred Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] or similar.
As you are aware, it is still currently not safe to leave your GPS - or any indication that you have a GPS - in your car when it is unattended.
This particular case will hold only two of the necessary items needed - the GPS itself and the power cable.
The case is unable to hold even the smallest GPS mount. Therefore, you must either hide the mount under the seat, in the glove compartment (if it is large enough), or in the trunk. You certainly want to make sure that NO ONE sees you putting the mount in the trunk lest they think that the GPS is there too!
All right, you've got the GPS and the cable in this case; now what do you do with it?
I am a man. This case is too large and clumsy to fit into a shirt pocket. As a matter of fact, it won't even easily fit into my pants pocket! It does fit into a large jacket pocket but in the summertime, that would be of no use. It has some sort of hook on it but neither my wife nor myself can determine for what this hook is used. It doesn't open up, so it can't be attached to a belt loop (and, in any case, who would want such a large case dangling from their belt loop?) and it is too small to have a belt passed through it (my same parenthetical comment applies).
So I have to carry it. Frankly, that's an annoyance, at least to me. I'm not used to carrying such things into, for example, a restaurant, and it would be all too easy for me to leave it behind. (As I said, that's just me, of course, and that criticism may not apply to you.) The Garmin 4.3-Inch Carrying Case [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] is much smaller and it will fit in a shirt pocket. Now it won't even carry the power cable, much less the mount, but, if you have to hide the mount, it is just as easy to hide the cable at the same time.
I do think that this case would be suitable for some women who carry large handbags. It will easily fit in such a bag and it affords much more protection to the GPS than does the Garmin case. It is very lightweight, though, as I said, well-made and sturdy, and will not cause undue extra weight to be added to that handbag. (Some womens' handbags are large enough to carry a GPS mount as well as this case containing the actual unit and the power cable.)
It would also be very useful for actual storage of the GPS, whether at home, or in a hotel room.
I personally already own a Garmin case which I bought for my original GARMIN 010-00656-00 Nuvi 250W Widescreen Travel Assistant, purchased in 2007 and I will be using that case when using my new 285WT. I'll leave the unit I'm NOT using at home in this Lowepro case.
If I were to take both units on a trip (and I'll probably do just that, certainly on a long trip), the one not in actual use will reside in the Lowepro, properly hidden away, while the one in actual use will be carried in the Garmin case for convenience.
I really wanted, due to its excellent construction and evident durability, to give this case five stars but, in all honesty, I personally can not.
You, however, may feel differently. In any event, if you buy this case, you will be getting an item made with a great deal of integrity, one which will last a long, long time. I have always had good experiences with Lowepro cases and I expect no less with this one. I only wish it had been better designed (though, for the life of me, given its intended use and size, I can't see how they COULD have designed it better) and either handled all three of the necessary GPS items (of course then it would have been much larger) or was designed just to carry the GPS itself. (It would have afforded far more protection and cushioning than Garmin's own case which offers little protection.)
I'll certainly use this case, but it won't be my primary GPS carrying case. I really wanted it to be and I really wanted to give this item a much better review but I must express my opinion honestly. I do hope this review has been useful to you and I thank you for reading it.
Description of Lowepro 4.3-Inch Navi Shield GPS Carrying Case (Black)
The 4.3 Navi Shield from Lowepro is the protective and inventive way to safeguard your GPS device, power supply and SD or map extension cards. Its compact, slim shape is designed to fit in a glove compartment or sit in a stable position on a center console. The 4.3 Navi Shield features a durable, molded hardshell on the exterior and soft, tricot lining on the interior. A protective, padded pocket with hook/loop closure secures a GPS device. Behind the pocket, a secondary compartment offers a mesh pocket to store a charger and cord, plus two convenient slots for extra SD cards. Inside the lid, you?ll find a handy ?cleaning station? with a built-in microfiber cloth to clean the delicate touchscreen. Additional features include a wrap-around dual zipper and a D-ring attachment.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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