When selecting a GPS for hiking, two key criteria come to mind. It’s likely that a hiker will want a unit that’s good for navigation and that will not encounter reception problems.
Reception is important
So for one thing, I’m limiting my recommendations to high-sensitivity receivers, such as those with the SiRFstar III or MediaTek chipsets. With these receivers, you can stick them in your pocket, or a mesh pocket on a day pack, and you are still likely to have adequate reception. Some of this is dependent upon how the satellite constellation is positioned relative to your location on any given day, but overall, I think you’ll be happy with the performance of these units.
Navigation and maps
The other important thing is getting a receiver that is set up to navigate. Not all GPS receivers can accommodate topo maps. If you’re content with a receiver that won’t let you add detailed maps, check out the Garmin eTrex 10. Otherwise, stick with a mapping unit.
Be aware though — most units don’t include detailed maps. Fortunately, there are plenty of free (and legal) topo maps for Garmin units. One other note before we get into the recommendations — you may also find it helpful to check out my Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart.
Budget GPS for hiking
Our choice: Garmin eTrex Venture HC
- Sunlight-readable color screen
- Can accept detailed topo maps (sold separately)
- Comes with a USB cable for transferring waypoints, tracks and routes to and from your computer
- The retail price is $170, but I often see the Venture HC for sale anywhere from $115 to $130
Other budget units:
- The Garmin eTrex 10 is a new model that has a monochrome screen; you also lose the ability to load maps. The eTrex 10 is available for just over $110 at the time of this update.
- The Garmin eTrex 20 adds lots of features not found on the Venture HC. As of this posting the eTrex 20 can be found for about $180. If you can swing the price, this is the one to get.
Mid-range GPS for hiking
Our choice: Garmin Oregon 450
- Touchscreen
- Barometric altimeter and tri-axial electronic compass
- BirdsEye aerial imagery capability
- Garmin custom maps capability
- Advanced track navigation
- This unit has recently been on sale for as low as $250, but you may need to wait for Black Friday to see pricing that low again
Other mid-range units
- The Garmin Dakota 20 is a smaller version of the Oregon. Once its been on the market for awhile, it should start to show up at a discounted and very attractive price.
- The old standby used to be the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx. A solid performer, but lacking a tri-axial compass, aerial/custom imagery and advanced track navigation capabilities. I’ve recently seen it on sale for as low as $199.
- The Delorme PN-60 can accommodate aerial imagery and real USGS topos. It has a smaller screen than the Oregon (albeit more legible in most daylight conditions) and comes with powerful but complex software. Available for around $260 at the time of last update.
The top of the line GPS for hikers
There are several units to consider here; all have a barometric altimeter and tri-axial electronic compass.
- Garmin Montana series – I recently reviewed the Garmin Montana 600 and have been very impressed with it. Yes, it’s a bit on the big side, but that really didn’t both me much. And it’s the best dual-use unit Garmin has ever offered.
- Garmin GPSMAP 62s – Perfect for those who don’t want a touch screen unit. It brings all the latest features such as paperless geocaching, BirdsEye aerial imagery, custom maps and advanced track navigation. Step to the 62st for pre-loaded 1:100,000 scale topo maps of the entire US.
- The Garmin Oregon 550t, combines a high resolution, touch screen interface with pre-loaded topo maps of the entire U.S and a built-in 3.2 MP geotagging camera.
- The DeLorme PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator is a special case. This combo allows you to comunciate with the outside world, even where there is no cell signal. If you venture far off the beaten track, or go it alone, this one is hard to pass up.
Other high end units:
- Another option is to get a couple of Rino 650 units for you and your outdoor adventure partner. That way, you get most of the advantages of the 62s, plus you can see their position on your screen (and vice versa)!
Related posts
There are many hand-held GPS which do what you want. I have a Garmin Etrex vista HCx which will do all that, but it isn’t the only one. Downloading maps from the computer and marking position is standard.
Just wondering. are all of the units able to display UTM or customary coordinates? A unit that only displays Latitude and Longitude is fine for geocashers, but hikers need to be able to locate themselves on topographic maps. Which usually use localised datums and mapping grids. Perhaps it would be good to cover this.
Except for the simplest handhelds, just about any will display UTM. If you have a particular model in mind, let me know and I’ll try to verify it for you.
Thankyou,
After the comment, I found an online user manual for the Garmin Etrek 20. I did find the option to change the datum. Locally here in Australia we use the MGA coordinate system – which is for our purposes the same as UTM. Some of the older maps use AMG, and this can be a source of confusion. But displaying UTM would be fantastic! Thanks.
You can indeed display UTM on the eTrex 20.
I want to get a handheld gps but overwhelmed that there’s a device for hiking, biking, golf. I currently have a Garmin in my car. Is there a model out there that does it all? I’m also shopping around for a fish finder
If you buy a unit that does it all, you will be paying for things that you don’t need. Work out what you need and what you will use it for, then someone might be able to make a recommendation, and maybe help you with your selection.
It would depend upon what your uses are, but the best all around dual purpose unit (handheld + driving) is the Garmin Montana series. But it’s pricey, especially after adding City Navigator maps and a mount.
Its about time Garmin put out a new Oregon GPS. The 550 is nearly 3 years old now.
Good point. I’m expecting new handheld announcements from Garmin around late May to early June.
Recommendation please:
Sorry, forgot to tell you what I wanted to ask. Recommendation:
I want to buy a handheld to take with me to Mexico, Costa Maya, on a long range fishing trip. I’m taking my kayak and will be gone about a month exploring the bays and complex lagoons. I’m assuming there are no maps for this area. I simply need something that will bread crumb my route so I can get back to my car. Also, aerial view is important. It appears Garmin is what you like, what about the Lowrance models? Mid to high range is what I’m looking for, but something very reliable because well… I guess no explanation needed. Thank you.
I’d stay away from Lowrance. Garmin does have marine charts available (example- https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=33574&pvID=34887), but I suspect that BirdsEye aerial imagery may work better for you, so I would definitely suggest a unit that has that capability. I’d look at the GPSMAP 78s (it floats) or the Montana 600 (big screen)…
http://gpstracklog.com/2010/06/garmin-gpsmap-78s-review.html
http://gpstracklog.com/2011/08/garmin-montana-600-review.html
http://gpstracklog.com/2011/07/garmin-birdseye-satellite-imagery-2.html
Perfect, I was looking for something waterproof but had trouble sifting through all the different models. I looked at the marine maps, for $160 it seems a little over the top for a kayak trip in mostly shallow water, bays and lagoons. Sounds like I could get by just using Birdseye.
I like to Disc Golf all over the US. But I find the the signs are not very accurate about the distances and would like to map out a course to get better distances and elevations. I have tried using my NUVI 500, but it seems to be lacking in the resolution needed for measuring a course. Ideally it would be nice to just turn the GPS unit on at the start of round and turn it off at the end of the round. Then off to the computer to download and edit in something like basecamp or google earth. I would know where the tees and baskets are by time spent at one location or move the GPS unit prependicular to my path at the front of the tee box and over the basket. I know this is too much, but the closer to this the better.
I assume you have the nuvi in off-road mode. It’s probably not as accurate as handhelds though.
A basic handheld like the eTrex 10 would work fine, although the eTrex 20 would add a color screen, the ability to load maps and aerial imagery. I’d encourage you to set a waypoint at each tee and basket. There’s also a waypoint averaging function to get better accuracy when establishing a waypoint. Also, be aware that GPS satellites aren’t geosynchronous so there are good days and bad in terms of accuracy. There are some predictive calculators online if this is important to you and you have that flexibility.
Thank you for the reply. Yes I did have the NUVI in off-road mode.
My latest try at using the NUVI involved adding waypoints as you suggested, but that did not work very well. The NUVI does not have a “vehicle” for selecting point on the map, so most of the waypoints ended up off the trace route that the NUVI generates and puts in log files.
I will be checking into the predictive calculators
You may already be doing this, but can’t you tap on the map at your current position to set a waypoint?
When creating a route with the NUVI 500, the first action is to tap add a new end point, then you have access to all features of the NUVI for picking that point. When you go the map to pick your current position the cursor is centered on the last point it knew about before starting to create the route. The “vehicle” is visible at your current location, but tapping does pick it. Instead the cursor moves to where ever you tap and my fingers are way to big to be very accurate. Plus you do not know exactly where on the “vehicle” is the current location. I also had to zoom in seven times to get to a scale of 120 feet. I probably should have zoomed in to the minimum, which is 20 feet and five more taps (UGH). Even then the “vehicle” still covers on the order of 4 sqft.
Maybe I should not have been trying to create the route on the NUVI, but in basecamp after the fact. Then the process would have been one of adding favorites, which does select the current position when you tap on the “vehicle” on the map. But then I will have 36 favorites to delete from the NUVI after I am sure basecamp collected the points properly.
Is there any of the hiking oriented GPS which will record your path, and link that data to pictures you take based on time-of-picture?
Just about any handheld GPS will record a tracklog, which has timestamps. This can be used to geotag photos. All the units list above can do this, but you’ll need to use some software to add the coordinates to the EXIF data.
There are also GPS units with built-in cameras that do this (and cameras with built-in GPS too).
Hi Rich. Do you have any recommendations for software to link GPS date and photos. I have looked at TopoFusion but the maps of Europe are not very useful. Is there anything else?
I don’t, but I did a couple of Google searches that look promising, using the following search terms:
geotagging software
geotagging on google earth
I am a novice to GPS selection. I am looking for a GPS which does the following
1. Accurate and reliable GPS connection
2. Be able to load topo maps
3. Generate a trip map, with distance + time + elevation
Appreciate if you can provide any links to sites with free topo maps for hiking.
Thanks in Advance.
1. Any of the units above
2. Any of the units above except the eTrex 10
3. I’m not sure what you mean here. But note that GPS isn’t as good for determining elevation, though in many situations a unit with a barometric altimeter will improve this.
Free maps for Garmin units: http://gpsfiledepot.com
I also suggest reading this series:
http://gpstracklog.com/category/handheld-sport-gps/handheld-gps-101
Feel free to follow up with more questions.
Hoping to get some advice on choosing between the etrex 20 and oregon 450. Trying to decide if the extra money is worth it to jump to the 450. It will be used for hiking in various terrain and cover. I don’t geocache. One question I have is how accurate is the electronic compass?
Thanks for any advice!
Pretty darned accurate, IF you calibrate it.
It’s a tough call. I’d go for the 62s over either, but its more expensive.
The eTrex seems to have a slower processor, but has GPS+GLONASS, a brighter screen and great battery life.
The Oregon is better for text entry and has a bigger screen, plus the barometric altimeter.
Thanks for the info. I wonder how handy is the barometric altimeter? How often much does a guy use it and for what purpose aside from determining elevation?
Unless you want to track weather changes, that’s it. GPS is much less accurate for elevation than lat/long, hence the use of barometric altimeters. These can improve elevation data unless a front is moving through. I like having them on my devices, but some people find the varied accuracy frustrating.
On units that have the barometric altimeter, do you have a choice as to which to use? Is averaging with GPS altitude done?
Elevations are used in disc golf to determine the effective length to a basket. The guideline used is for every 10 feet of elevation change the distance is changed in the same direction by 30 feet. This is a significant change.
You can change them to use “fixed elevation,” which disables the barometric altimeter. But it sounds like you’re wanting more accurate elevation data than a handheld GPS may be able to provide.
We want to use a gps handheld tracking device in the Ranomafana National Park in SE Madagascar. I tried reading a bunch of sites, but not found a specific or direct answer to what device would work best there. I think something works there (or nearby) because of an article about a Bronx Zoo researcher geotagging her photos.
I see above that you tell us that the eTrek uses GPS+the Russian GLONASS networks. I think in the long run the European Galileo will provide more complete coverage of Madagascar and work together with our GPS. But I do not know what actually works there now in 2012.
I am hoping that you can tell us more. Thanks.
And another question beyond coverage and reception sensitivity:
Maps is of course another issue. The only topographic maps I have found so far for Madagascar are of Russian or French origin. They are available at http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/int/madagasc.htm#p1
There they are selling a full set, but once I am sure I can flexibly use such map types, I will find the couple that cover the area where we will travel. So what handheld gps devices are best for loading random maps? This device will be used largely outside the lower 48 US states. So in the long run, maps for Peru and Chile, maps for China, Burma, Thailand and Laos. We will need sources and the ability to load the maps found. This should paint a clear picture.
You just need a recent model GPS which should have a high-sensitivity chipset.
Generally speaking, Garmin units are best for international map availability. The maps you referenced would need to be scanned and converted. The latter can be done using Garmin custom maps, but the results may not be ideal and the process has significant limitations. Here are some articles on the subject…
http://gpstracklog.com/tag/garmin-custom-maps
Unfortunately, that may be your best bet for topo maps. For street maps there are paid versions…
http://www.garmap.com/Catalog/List.aspx
and free ones…
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/africa/eastern_africa/madagascar#downloads_breadcrumbs
Hi, first off I would like to thank you for such a great and informative website. Am considering the purchase of my first gps unit and so have been browsing through your site for the past hour…
I would be very grateful if you could tell me if the “intergrated outdoor calendar” feature of the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx can be found in any other device? Basically what I am looking for is a device where I can put maps/routes and will tell me my position. So the most basic features. In addition, I would love something which tells me the direction and times of the sunset/sunrise (as I love taking photos…). It seems the outdoor calendar does this for the moon? Do you know of anything else which would do this for the sun? I have software on my computer but it requires internet access.
Thanks in advance
M
Most Garmin handhelds have both Calendar and Sun and Moon features, showing sunrise and sunset times. I would shy away from the 60CSx and go with a newer unit though, like the eTrex 20/30, Oregon 450 or GPSMAP 62s.
Hi
thanks for your reply. What I am looking for though is times as well as the direction (angle). Of course for one-off hikes one can look it up beforehand but I am planning on traveling for an extended period in different locations (countries/continents) with irregular internet access. I have looked into it and it seems the Garmins only provide the times?
This is what I have for my computer:
http://photoephemeris.com/
Anything at all similar in GPS? Or at least times and angles…
Thanks for your help
M
I am interested in a unit that tracks our hike so that my family at home can follow us. We plan to trek Nepal. We will have guides, but my elderly parents would be interested in following our whereabouts on a daily basis on their computer. What do you recommend?.
This is perhaps the best, most reasonably priced option right now. It can be used as a standalone unit without a smartphone.
Oops, left out the link…
http://gpstracklog.com/2012/02/delorme-inreach-for-android-review.html
I travel in remote locations in Turkey. Are there maps I can download for Turkey?
I found this…
http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/maplist.php?cnt=217&rgn=&cat=4
Interestingly enough, it looks like there used to a be a Garmin topo product for Turkey, but I don’t see it currently available from any legitimate sources.
Thank you Rich. I travel in Turkey every year to research ancient cities and increasingly, I’m getting into more and more remote areas. I’ve never gotten lost, but I am planning to purchase the Garmin eTrex20 for this Summer. I’ve never had a GPS unit before. The only map I see on Garmin’s website is the “BirdsEye Satellite Imagery”. How good is this? What kind of detail can I expect? I don’t see anything for Turkey anywhere else.
I suspect you will be looking at 15-30 meter resolution. It *may* be similar to what you can see in Google Earth.
I am relatively new to GPS, working with local trail and canoeing groups, and am looking for a unit to use hiking, biking and canoeing to create as accurate as possible maps (i.e. transfer to my computer) of campsites, parking areas, trail features, launch sites, river hazards, etc. Waterproof, easy to use, rugged, accurate, etc. Looking for suggestions and advice.
Any of the mid- to upper-end options will work. A touch screen unit like the Oregon is easiest to use for naming waypoints, but slower in terms of accessing other functions. The Montana series brings the advantages of a touchscreen but gives fast access to other features too. The GPSMAP 78s is a good choice for canoeing, since it floats. That or the Montana 600 would be my high-end choice. Mid-range, I’d go with the GPSMAP 62s or eTrex 30. My budget choice would be the eTrex 20. Hope this helps.