tucoblue,
The yellow Etrex is great. I had one for 2 years, and just upgraded to the Legend. You don't lose any stored data when you change batteries. A lot of times, I leave it on the whole time I'm in the woods. Batteries will last about 8 - 10 hours, depending on if you use the backlight or not. There is a video or DVD available for each Etrex model that will show you all of the features, and how to use them. The tapes are only $10, and worth every penny. If you've never used one before, you'll wonder how you got along without it. With that said, you should ALWAYS carry a compass too - just in case.