Handheld GPS buyers guide
In my last post, we looked at automotive GPS receivers. This posts looks at several categories of handhelds, from entry-level models to the cadillacs of the backcountry. I’ll make a recommendation in each category, based upon value, feature set and user reviews.
A few caveats first…
- I’ll admit a bias towards Garmin. They manufacturer quality units with intuitive interfaces.
- Except where otherwise indicated, the product links go to handheld GPS reviews here at GPS Tracklog, where you’ll find several places to track down the current low price from trusted vendors.
- The prices listed below are current as of the last update of this post. Keep an eye on our companion GPS Deals site for some great values.
- Unlike most car units, these handhelds don’t come with detailed maps. Fortunately for Garmin owners, there are many free maps available, including 1:24,000 scale topo maps or most states.
- Many of the receivers listed below do double duty. That is, they can be used in the field as a handheld, but they can also slip into a dashboard mount to become an auto navigation device. You’ll need to buy City Select or City Navigator software for that though. I’ll point these units out below.
- You may also be interested in one of our specialty GPS guides — GPS for hikers, GPS for bikers, GPS for geocachers, GPS for runners and GPS for golfers, or our Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart.
- Finally, all the units below have a high-sensitivity chipset for superior reception under canopy and in natural or urban canyons.
Budget handheld GPS receivers
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 $200, but I often see the Venture HC for sale anywhere from $115 to $130
Other budget units
- The Garmin eTrex H has a monochrome screen and you lose the cable and the ability to load maps. The eTrex H is available for under $100 at the time of this update. I highly recommend getting the Venture HC instead.
Mid-range handheld GPS receivers
Our choice: Garmin eTrex Legend HCx
- Color screen
- Expandable map memory
- High-sensitivity chipset
- Supports turn-by-turn routing, making it useful for city navigation
- As of this posting the Legend HCx can be found for about $180.
Other mid-range units
- The Garmin eTrex Vista HCx improves on the Legend HCx, adding a barometric altimeter and electronic compass.
High-end handheld GPS receivers
There are actually a couple of units to consider here; both have a barometric altimeter and tri-axial electronic compass:
One of the newest Garmins, the Oregon 550t, combines a high resolution, touch screen interface with pre-loaded topo maps of the entire U.S. It also has a built-in 3.2 MP geotagging camera. As a new unit, the price has yet to be discounted that much (around $520 as I update this post).
EDIT: I am now recommending the Oregon 450, which has a much brighter screen, if you can live without the 550t’s camera. I should add that newer production runs of the 550 series now appear to incorporate the improved screen.
Another recent introduction, the Delorme PN-40 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. At the time of this posting, it was available for around $300.
Other high end units
- The brand new 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. This unit has all the features of the Vista HCx, discussed above, along with a larger color screen, and is still a good choice for folks who don’t want a touch screen model.
- The Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx floats, making it popular with boaters. It has all the features of the 60CSx, but comes with a 128MB micro-SD card instead of a 64MB card.
- Another option is to get a couple of Rino 530HCx units for you and your outdoor adventure partner. That way, you get all the advantages of the 60CSx, plus you can see their position on your screen (and vice versa)!
Related posts:
Hi
My Garmin Emap has given up on me after about 10 faithful years of great service to me.
I am looking to replace it under insurance.
I mainly use it out on the ocean. I also had the CMAP for this area on the chipset but it has died as well. What is the equivalent these days. I have been told the 60 csx or the Legend Hcx are the same as the Emap was. I have had a look at them but they dont seem to be anything close to what I had in the Emap. What would you suggest as a replacement
Here are the current Garmin handheld marine products…
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=161
Nothing will probably have the same feature set. Much will depend upon what features you want and how much you want to pay.
We will be on a cruise this summer to Italy and several surrounding countries. I would like to take a GPS receiver along that would allow us the freedom to explore towns and sites with the ability to find our way back to the ship. I also hike and would like to take up Geo Caching. Are there any recomendations as to any one unit that would meet all of these needs?
Thanks,
Dual-use units are a compromise… http://gpstracklog.com/2009/04/dual-use-gps-for-road-and-trail.html
It is often better to get a low-end auto unit and a separate handheld than to try to get them to do double duty.
For the European trip, you may want to consider a nuvi 1xxx series that can fully utilize CityXplorer maps… http://gpstracklog.com/2009/06/garmin-cityxplorer-review.html
Hope that helps. Feel free to follow up with more questions.
Hi I’m working for an NGO in Africa and some of our programme staff would like me to get them GPS handhelds for survey purposes, only neither they nor I have any idea. Ideally, I need something that’s quite basic to use and input data and waypoints, doesn’t need to be fancy, and is really hardwearing. Any thoughts?
cheers
Mary
One thing to consider…consumer handhelds aren’t likely to get you better than 10-30′ accuracy. These aren’t survey grade receivers. Another consideration is that no handheld GPS is that simple to use. With those caveats, I’d recommend the Garmin eTrex Venture HC or the Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx. The latter may be a little easier to use due to the button configuration. You may end up finding that the ability to load maps is helpful, and both of these have that capability. Feel free to follow up with more questions if it would help.
Similarly to Mary, I will be doing some research in Ghana where I will be mapping out locations of homes and work sites. For someone doing research like this, would you suggest a regular handheld GPS, or is there another type I should be looking at? I would like the accuracy to be minimal (so less than 30′), but I’m also hoping to not spend thousands of dollars.
Also, can most GPS units be used in Africa, or do they have restrictions? Can I just download and/or buy a map of Ghana to put on the GPS unit?
Thank you for the help!
Generally, unless you’re in very dense rainforest or canyons, you will probably get closer to 10-20′ accuracy with most current generation handhelds. This can be improved on some models that have a port for an external antenna. The other option is a survey grade unit, which likely will run thousands.
The use of GPS is actually outlawed in some countries, but otherwise there should be no issue. Leave it in the open for 30 minutes the first time you use it to allow it to download data on satellite locations relevant to its position; this will speed future lock. I’m not sure what quality maps you will find, but here are a couple of sources:
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/africa/ghana#downloads_breadcrumbs
http://gpsmapsearch.com/
Hi, my dad wants to get a GPS for measuring trail distances. He leads hikes and sometimes when he’s out scouting a trail he actually uses a wheel to measure distances! I was wondering what GPS you recommend for using a track feature to measure distance? Typical areas are places in the Smokies and in western NC where there is a lot of tree canopy. My basic understanding of track features is sort of limited (althought I did benefit a ton from your post on the topic): is distance calculated by a series of waypoints taken at set time intervals…or does it bring in information on trip time and rates? Curious because I was wondering how well track features account for switchbacks, and e.g., trail turns that might fall right between a set time for track waypoints? Also, would love to be able to download tracks and overlay onto a map database for printing, and potential web publishing, so really I’m interested in what overall system of GPS and software you recommend. Thanks in advance! And thanks for the great web resources you have on GPS!
I do similar stuff on a bicycle. The GPS will store the track data at the frequency you specify. On my Garmin GPSMAP76, ‘auto’ is fine for me. The other issue is receiver sensitivity. If you lose fix, you’ll end up with multiple tracks. After a ride, I download the tracks using DeLorme Topo. The editing feature in Topo allows me to ’stitch’ the pieces back together.
Ah, we’re in the same neighborhood!
They aren’t really waypoints; they are trackpoints. You can usually set the trackpoint collection interval to time, distance or auto. The latter usually works best, and will adjust to your speed, and should show switchbacks fine. The tracklog can generate all sorts of stats — average speed, elevation gain, etc.
As far as what GPS to get, any modern receiver with a high-sensitivity chipset should work fine. It might be nice to have one that can show actual USGS quads, like can be done with Garmin custom maps (http://gpstracklog.com/tag/garmin-custom-maps). If elevation gain is important, I suggest a unit with a barometric altimeter. For creating a map, I prefer National Geographic TOPO.
Hope this helps. Feel free to follow up with more questions.
Hi, I am looking at getting a new GPS and am trying to decided between the GPS 60CSx, Legend hcx, and Vista hcx. I just got a flyer from REI saying that the 60 will be 199 for memorial day so that puts it about in line with the other two. This will be used in the forest of the PNW and will be for hiking.
Thanks!
Between those three, I’d go with the 60CSx for the larger screen and better (button) interface.
RICH, I WANT TO GPS A GOLF COURSE AND CONVERT THAT TO A .DWG FILE SO I CAN MANIPULATE AND ADD ON TO THE EXISTING MAP. IE: SPRINKLER HEAD PLACEMENT, PIPE SIZING, VALVE LOCATION, GREEN LOCATIONS AND OUTLINE, FAIRWAY OUTLINE, TEE BOX OUTLINE, ETC. I WOULD LIKE TO GET WITHIN A FOOT OR TWO OF ACCURACY. THANKS, JERRY
You can’t get sub-meter accuracy with consumer handhelds. You’ll need a surveyor grade model with post-processing.
I’m a kayak fisherman so I’m looking for waterproof, durable and floating would be nice.
Primary use would be to mark structure where I caught fish, mark buoys or areas to avoid and finding my way back to port if the fog rolls in.
Mapping would be great as well. On my large GPS I use a Navionics chip but also have access to C-Map data. Any recommendations?
Thanks.
I’d take a hard look at the new Garmin GPSMAP 78 series, hitting stores right now. I’m expecting a review unit very soon and am planning to do a first looks post right away. Here’s what I posted when it was announced…
http://gpstracklog.com/2010/04/garmin-gpsmap-78-78s-and-78sc-marine-handhelds.html
You could go with an older 76CSx or 76Cx, but you;’ll lose the ability to load custom maps and aerial photos.
Is there a unit that can give highway navigation directions and can be used for hiking?
How close can the typical unit be in terms of distance? Within 100 feet? 10?
I am looking at
Home » On the Road » All Road Products » Automotive
What is the feature that would make it useful for determining location off of a highway system?
Would it be “Ability to add maps?”
You can add topo maps to nearly any of those products, but most are not ruggedized, nor do they have a compass. If you really want to go that route, I’d suggest the nuvi 500…
http://gpstracklog.com/2008/09/garmin-nuvi-500.html
It is “Ability to add maps” that would allow for general non-highway use?
I would use a GPS unit for occasional road use and occasional other use.
One example: The U. S. once had a vast system of intercity electric railroads (about 22,000 miles in the 1920s).
A lot of it was where I live in Ohio. I might want to use it to trace out an old right-of-way. I don’t think I need anything very advanced.
Do any of these units use AA or AAA batteries? Non-standard batteries seem to me to be limiting even if they might provide longer time between recharge.
You could use it off road even without maps, but you would get nothing showing other than nearby roads and your position (and a track showing where you’ve been, if the model supports that feature). You would want to turn off “lock to road.”
If you want to trace out an old ROW by walking it, you would need a unit that records a tracklog. Most all handhelds will do this. You can see which nuvis do it by looking at the “track display” column here…
http://gpstracklog.com/compare/garmin-nuvi-comparison-chart
If you want to display a previously collected ROW track, or one that you draw on mapping software, you’ll need a handheld, non-automotive unit.
This might help…
http://gpstracklog.com/2010/03/handheld-gps-101-tracks.html
Alan,
Take a look at this post and then feel free to ask any followup questions…
http://gpstracklog.com/2009/04/dual-use-gps-for-road-and-trail.html
Accuracy is typically 10-30′
I use hand held GPS devices for work. We have been using the Garmin 60csx since it came out and it works great for finding survey points and for recording tracklogs. We have been waiting for the next round of GPS units to come out, and I must say I am confused and disappointing.
If you look at the smart phone arena there seems to be so much more progress. Why can’t Garmin include an 8MP camera in all their units. Why can’t they include a more customizable interface that includes different apps for different uses. Maybe I am expecting to much, but the GPS realm appears behind in the technology game. If there was a rugged smart phone with decent GPS I would buy one tomorrow.
I think you’ll see good ruggedized smartphones within a year or two, but battery life will continue to make them less than suitable for replacing a handheld GPS.
The competition in the smartphone arena and the lucrative total consumer dollars being spent are driving a wicked pace of innovation. Not so with handheld GPS.
Why do you think the handheld GPS realm hasn’t adopted some of the smartphone technology? As I compare the 60CSx with the 62s it appears that it took 4-5 years to give us a slightly larger screen, a little better screen quality, 2 more hrs of battery life, built in memory, more points/tracks storage, and custom maps. Maybe there are a few more, but it seems like such a small step in technology, while a lot more progress is being made else where.
The mobile space is evolving as a wicked pace, due to competitive pressures and huge total consumer dollars not seen in the handheld GPS arena. I think these are the two main reasons.
Hello,
My family enjoys geocaching. We have three Garmin Rino combination GPS and two way radio units (one 110 & two 120)that we purchased used. Shortly after turning these on they get hot to the touch and wipe out batteries. I emailed Garmin and was told that I could send them back for repair for the cost of $100 dollars each. That seems expensive- especially if you consider that it is probably a design/ manufacturing problem (seeing that all units have the same problem).
My question is, should I pop for the $300.00 or should I look for something new? I would really like to get into paperless geocaching but each member of our family likes to have his/her own unit so we can race to the find.
What would you suggest we get? Ease of entering data is paramount even if it is not paperless. Thanks so much for your help!
Ha! Only you can decide that.
If you don’t need the two-way radio capability, I think you would really like paperless caching. It wouldn’t surprise me to see an updated paperless Rino announced by early next year, but I bet they will be pricey.
I am in Iraq and need a GPS for the city of Hillah and surrounding areas especially the Babylon ruins. I sometimes need to locate buildings and offices as well and give them UTM coordinates. Any preferred devices?
If you just want to give UTM coordinates, just about any handheld GPS will do. To make it easier to upload them to a computer, get one with a USB cable like the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. And be sure to get a newer one with a high-sensitivity chipset.
If you want maps, I would get a Garmin mapping unit due to the third-party maps that are available. There are some free ones here…
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/asia/iraq#downloads_breadcrumbs
and a pricey commercial one here…
http://www.globalmap1.com/16/
Feel free to follow up with more questions.
Rich,
I have been doing extensive research on GPS Units for a while (about 1.5 months). I was hoping for a GPS with long battery life (10+ hours), waterproof (in case of accidental drop in the lake or downpour), and the ability to navigate cities with spoken turn-by-turn directions. Are there any such units? I haven’t found one, yet.
If the purchase of two units was required, which two basic units do you recommend? I can’t afford to buy anything too expensive but definitely need some accurate units. I would want the car unit to have spoken turn-by-turn directions and my hiking/camping unit to have a long battery life (10+ hours that would take rechargeable AA batteries) and it would have to be waterproof (in case I accidentally dropped it in the lake or in case of downpour). Oh, and I was hoping to not spend more than $250 on both units.
Thank you so much for your useful Website and your detailed responses.
Cheers!
Yese
Spoken directions and long battery life are going to be hard to get in a dual purpose unit. I’d recommend a basic, low-end Garmin nuvi and an eTrex Legend HCx if you can find a deal on the latter (due to the 25 hour rated battery life). Otherwise, I’d go with the eTrex Venture HC. It has a 14 hour life, but don’t expect any of these to live up to their ratings. Feel free to follow up with more questions.
Rich,
Thank you very much! Have a great one!
Yese
Why is the Garmin 60Csx still considered one of the best units even though it’s a older unit.
That’s about to change now that the 62 series is coming out. People clung to this unit because the firmware was more mature. With the latest firmware, the Oregon series and other new models are just as good though…
http://gpstracklog.com/2010/02/getting-over-sirfstar-iii.html
Thanks for your quick response. If you didn’t already have the 60CSX, would you buy one now? Would advise anyone to purchase it or wait for the 62’s?
I’d get the 62s or the Oregon 450. I wouldn’t buy another 60CSx at this point.
Hello again, I purchased a 60csx and each time I used the Trackback feature it never took me where I started. Can you help me? I thought it left a bread crumb trail if so, the birds must be eating.
It should ask you to set the point you wish to navigate back to. Then you just move the cursor to your start point and hit Enter.
I need a gps unit that allows me to set waypoints and get azimuths back to a central location. I have about 50 remote radio sites that need their antennas to be pointed back to one centralized radio. However I do not think a compass will work for this because of the amount of metal that is around these locations and I was wondering if any or all gps units had this capability. I know it sounds like a basic thing but I haven’t seen anywhere that has said that it would do that without using the built in compasses which I don’t believe will work either for the same reason.
Do you want bearings or azimuth? If it’s the former, the best way might be to set the waypoints in the field and then use mapping software in the office to establish the bearing.
I already know the azimunths from each point back to the central location so if there is something that would work with that it would be better and save me a few days driving around to each point
i have garmin 60csx.now i want superior handheld please suggest me
i forget one another point that is i want display of distense two digit after decimal(when distense in kilometer) and bearing one digit after decimal.is it possible in 60 csx.please inform me.
Hey, I’m an archaeologist, and I’d like azimuths too. My old Magellan performs well enough, but I need a second unit that does UTM and can accept a Perú map. Any units do that?
Your Magellan won’t let you switch to UTM display?
For international maps, I recommend Garmin units. Here are some sources for Peru, though I don’t know if the ones in the first link are still available:
http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/catalogue.php?country=169®ion=
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/country/pe
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/south_america/peru#downloads_breadcrumbs
Newer Garmins can accept custom maps and aerial imagery:
http://gpstracklog.com/tag/garmin-custom-maps
http://gpstracklog.com/tag/birdseye