One of the longest life Garmin model series I have seen was the old GPSMAP series from over ten years ago. The initial marketing was for marine use. The devices doubled as a car GPS and marine chartplotter. Soon, they also began to show up in cars and even on handlebars. A lot of these devices are in use today and that’s probably why they introduced the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx. It’s probably time for an upgrade if still using a GPS from over ten years ago so why not stick with the beloved GPSMAP series.
The new Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx is similar in physical size to the older models. However, that’s where the similarities end. The new Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx sports a 5 inch color display with roughly double the resolution. There is 8GB of internal memory for maps and the ability to add a micro SD card for more storage. The new Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx supports 10,000 way points which is greater than triple the older model. Plus add in the updated maps and other upgrades that have evolved from technology advances over the past ten or more years.
Now, we’re going to discuss the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx mount situation. In the box, you will find a single mount. This mount is intended for flat surface use. Mostly for a boat. It’s made of plastic. This mount attaches to the powered cradle that is included with the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx. If you want a simple mount that will hold your device onto a flat surface on your boat, you’re all set. That mount is shown in the photo that accompanies this article.
But what about other locations. Perhaps a mount that permits additional positioning options? We got you covered. Read on.
The key to using most alternative mounts are the four holes that can be found on the powered cradle. Those holes are arranged in what is called the AMPS pattern. The AMPS mounting pattern are as close as you can get towards an industry standard. This means several well reputed manufacturers make mounts that will fit the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx.
Not surprisingly, Garmin themselves have a few mounts which support the AMPS pattern common to the powered cradle. You may see some of the Garmin mounts mention they fit a Garmin Montana GPS. That’s ok. It turns out that the Garmin Montana and the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx share that powered cradle and many of their mounts.
The Garmin Auto Friction Mount Kit with Speaker comes with a cradle that is powered using a standard DC accessory outlet. This mount includes a friction base that is intended for use on a car dashboard. The friction base is very similar to what Garmin has been offering for their vehicle line of GPS devices for many years. Garmin has integrated the powered cradle with that friction base. A good mount.
Care to mount the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx on a rail or handlebar? No problem. The Garmin RAM Mounting Kit has that AMPS pattern we just discussed. This is a metal mount that will attach to the four screw holes on the powered cradle received with the Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx. The base of the mount attaches to round bars up to 1.25 inches diameter. The mount is made of metal. There is a three inch metal arm that facilitates a ball and socket design for maximum flexibility.
The last mount to consider is a suction cup mount. This type of mount is good for temporarily mounting the device to a smooth flat surface like a windshield. The RAM Suction Cup Mount with AMPS Base is the recommended choice for the powered cradle. it has the mounting pattern to line up to the four holes in the cradle. It’s mostly metal with a twist locking suction cup base. This comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.