Classtime 

Do rain drops and water interfere with using the touch screen? I think the screen is like the 1040. My only experience is with my iPhone and looking to get my first handlebar GPS.

Iride01 

All I can say is the newer Garmin's work better in the wet or with sweat than the older Garmin's. I'll still go touch screen over buttons when I decide to replace my Edge 530. I've found that the numerous button pushes it takes to get to some features you might wish to change or use while on the bike riding are too cumbersome. My son with his 1030plus can do them quickly.

Another bad thing for buttons is that apparently I spilled some of my drink on the 530 and now some of my buttons are gummed up. I keep forgetting after the ride to clean them up and it's been over a dozen rides so far.

Do you expect to ride more in the rain than not?

mibike

As Iride01 said the newer Garmins are better in the rain than the old units.

In most cases rain won't afflict it.If you are in rain that is afflicting it a quick press of the power button will lock the screen. Another quick press will unlock it. With it locked you can swipe sideways to scroll through the screens but a touch won't do anything.

njkayaker

The touch screen Garmins have an option to lock the screen.

Classtime 

Ahhh. Good news. Locking the screen still lets you swipe. Very cool. I don’t expect much rain in Southern California but it can happen and I plan to earn my Super Randonneur this year. I can’t reschedule these long rides for nicer weather.
Thanks.

Iride01 

Most of the time there is no reason for me to want to do anything with my Garmin while on a ride. Other than change pages to see different screens of info. Everything else, even starting a course is usually done before the start of the ride. About the only time I might want to look at anything deeper on a ride than what I can see on a page is when someone texts me something needing a immediate response. There are some simple responses you can do through the Garmin as opposed to stopping and having to bring out the phone.

And if you have Di2 with the extra button under the hoods, you can set up the button on the hoods to change your screens and do a few other basic things. Even on the Edge 530 and many other models of Edge. That ability might be part of the SHIMANO DI2 SYNCHRO SHIFT INTEGRATION and I don't see that as part of the Edge Explore 2 specs.

Seattle Forrest

Garmins are nothing like smart phones in the rain. In normal use the Edge units can feel slightly sluggish and not terribly sensitive; in even a light drizzle a phone seems hypersensitive and like a cracked out puppy, whereas a Garmin will behave as usual.