Rubber coating on 66i

The "gripability" and feel rubber coating on devices like the 66i is wonderful for the early years of the device life. But I'm worried about its future. Other devices with similar covering have grown unpleasantly sticky after several years. Will that happen to the 66i? Can the rubberized covering be replaced? Is there a way to prolong the good feeling the cover has when it's new?

0 2217776 over 2 years ago

I bought a silicone cover for the 66i (search amazon), which fits nicely and gives extra protection if dropped. Although a bit bulkier feeling in my hand, it will protect the unit own rubber, and if it becomes sticky in the future I will not notice either!

0 skyeye over 2 years ago

Garmin uses this kind of rubber coats for decades now, this about the last thing which will remain from a handheld gps device when all other parts break down

0 sparkyr over 2 years ago in reply to skyeye

Agree! Just in case it is an issue, for other devices where the rubber turns "unpleasantly sticky", I've had good results using isopropyl alcohol. I wipe the device (with a little bit of vigor) using cotton balls wetted with the isopropyl. The stickiness is removed and the rubber coating feels essentially like new. A plastics/rubber expert would probably confirm my suspicion that the stickiness is plasticizers migrating out of the coating and the stickiness is a sign of the coating breaking down. Also, follow all the warning labels on the isopropyl alcohol container...here's the MSDS for 70% isopropyl as an example - www.fishersci.com/msdsproxy?productName=A4591&productDescription=ISOPROPYL+ALCOHOL+70%25+1LI&catNo=A459-1+&vendorId=VN00033897&storeId=10652

0 skyeye over 2 years ago in reply to sparkyr

with older devices, the keys started break apart after 10 years or so, external connectors did break apart, so I was often producing kind of 'make on of three'

I was left with box full of those rubber cases as 'spare'

They are never sticky as known from other materials