When I was looking into my GPS purchase I came across a number of messages that talked about the different antennas the Garmin and Magellan units use. The Garmin eTrex GPS' have an antenna that lies flat on the inside back of the unit. Holding the GPS in your hand the antenna would be between your palm and the screen. The Magellan GPS has the antenna on the top of the unit above the screen.

Magellan touts the type and placement of their antenna as being better at finding the satellites in the woods. Other forum members have echoed that finding, or perhaps they've accepted the marketing message as few of us have the opportunity to do a side by side comparison. It sounds like you're one of the few.

My personal experience is mixed. I have a Magellan Meridian Platinum. Powering on the unit in Colorado at the edge of the woods I could only pick up one satellite. I didn't need the thing so I powered down and we drove up higher. Trying again I powered up while standing on an overlook with no trees around. The thing found its satellites and told me I was at 20,000 feet in Wyoming doing 400 miles an hour! Turned it off, around a half hour later, back in camp, I tried again and everything was fine.

My buddy has the Garmin eTrex Vista. Standing outside of our hunting cabin one morning my Magellan powered up and located the satellites without problems. His was gaving him grief. Maybe it couldn't find the satellites in the dark. He decided on a fresh set of batteries, tried again and all was well in the world.

The better the technology the buggier the problems. Neither of us have had the things lone enough to have experienced a real failure, but a map and a compass are always good additions to the pack just in case the GPS wigs out.