GPS for hikers

Last updated May 16, 2008

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 will not want to have to hold it out at arm’s length for the entire hike, which means that...

Reception is important for hikers

I recommend a unit that will get great satellite reception, so I’m going to limit my recommendations to models with a high sensitivity chipset, such as the SiRFstar III or MediaTek chipset. 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 configured for 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 H. Otherwise, stick with the ones below.

Be aware though — none of these units come with any kind of detailed map. If having a map on the screen is important to you, I recommend that you buy Garmin'€™s TOPO U.S.  The maps are not as detailed as a standard USGS 1:24,000 scale topo, but I find them quite useful. If you want to check it out yourself, you can use Garmin’s MapSource Map Viewer to zoom in on any part of the U.S., and see how it would look on your GPS screen.

Budget GPS for hiking

The eTrex Venture HC (pictured) has a sunlight-readable color screen, and the ability to accept detailed topo maps. The retail price is $200, but as of this posting the Venture HC can be found for around $140.

Mid-range GPS for hiking

I’m going to recommend the Garmin eTrex Legend HCx as a mid-range unit. Stepping up to the Legend HCx you get expandable map memory, plus it supports turn-by-turn routing, making it useful for city navigation in your car as well. You’ll need a mount, City Navigator software, and preferably a power cord, but then you’re set up for turn-by-turn routing. The retail price is $269.99, but as of this posting the Legend HCx can be found for under $200.

The top of the line GPS for hikers

I'm going to waffle here and list three units. All offer  a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. And they can be used for highway navigation as well, as discussed above

• Garmin eTrex Vista HCx (pictured). More compact than the unit below, the Vista HCx lists for $300, but can be found (as of this update) for around $230.
• Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx. Sporting a bigger screen (but slightly bulkier and heavier) and a more user-friendly layout to its buttons, the 60CSx retails for $535.99, but can be found under $310 at this point.
• If you want to go all out, get a couple of Rino 530HCx units for you and your hiking partner. That way, you get all the advantages of the 60CSx, plus you can see their position on your screen (and vice versa)!
• One other note...while I am not recommending the new Garmin Colorado at this time, the newest beta firmware release does allow repositioning of waypoints in the field. If they get it to where you can display multiple tracks, I'll be able to highly recommend this unit.

Finding the best deal

You should find some good deals on the review pages for these units. Also, be sure to check out our GPS rebates and deals category for current offers to reduce your cost even further.

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Comments

[Kevin]

I need a little help in deciding which GPS to buy for kayaking and hiking. I have it narrowed down to the Garmin 60 csx and the 76 csx. Other than the fact that the 76 floats and store's more information, what other advantage may one offer over the other ?

Thanks

Kevin

[Rich Owings]

Kevin,

The only other difference that comes to mind is form factor. Many people, myself included, like the way the 60CSx fits their hands, and the fact that the buttons are at the bottom. All other things being equal, I'd go with the 60CSx, unless the ability to float is something you really want. Memory isn't a big deal. You can always put in a bigger micro-SD card, though I doubt that it will be a major issue unless you want highway maps on it too.

Rich

[keith]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive handheld GPS for hiking and kayaking, that can be used in China and Australaia?

[Jessica]

I work for a non-profit that is doing a hike through the Grand Canyon to support our children's hospital housing. Last year we tracked our hiker's progress on our website with a GPS unit with limited success. I'm looking for suggestions for a GPS that will work well in the canyon and that we can transmit the data points to our web. Thanks in advance!

[Rich Owings]

Jessica,

The typical consumer handheld GPS has no transmitter, so that option is off the table. Most tracking devices send signals via cellular carrier. With limited (no?) cell phone coverage in the canyon, that will be problematic too. I wonder if you could connect a sat phone to a GPS. Another option might be to have someone on the rim with a Garmin Rino. Your in canyon hiker could have a Rino that would transmit position data to the one on the rim. I don't know for sure if you could then download the hikers track. If so, that could be posted manually. The sat phone is probably the best bet for live tracking, but you might want to ask NPS personnel about coverage. Tthen you have to figure out how to transmit position data too. HTH.

[John]

If I'm looking at one of the Nuvi or TomTom car navigators, can I also use it for hiking? Do they store my route for later download to my computer?
Thanks

[Rich Owings]

John,

You can use a nuvi for hiking, but remember - it's not waterproof, nor is it "ruggedized" like a handheld. You can add topo maps to a nuvi, but you cannot download or upload a track - a record of where you've been. You can transfer waypoints to a nuvi, but not a multi-destination route. The latter will be a new feature of the upcoming 700 series nuvis.

I don't have as much experience with TomTom but I don't know of any topo maps you can add to them.

[Don V]

which gps do you recommend for hunters?

[Rich Owings]

Don,

All the units recommended above would serve a hunter well. My personal preference would be the Garmin 60CSx, due to the larger screen and better layout of buttons. But one of the eTrex H-series is more compact, if you're going to put it in your pocket.

Next month, Magellan is introducing a new touch-screen line that will allow the display of 1:24,000 scale National Geographic TOPO maps. If the units are any good, I'm sure my recommendations will change at that point. You can read more about them here
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/08/more-on-the-mag.html
and here
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/08/more-details-on.html

[Quinton]

Rich,
Do you know if Garmins Colorado 400t(or any other handheld)will accept 1:24K scale Topo's? If so, the 400t "sounds" like the perfect new GPS I've been waiting for. I would sacrifice total area if I could download more detail of a specific backpacking area. Thanks, Quint

[Rich Owings]

Quinton,

The Colorado series will likely only accept Garmin's 1:24K maps, which are limited to some national parks and a few other areas. Here's a review... http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2005/11/garmin_us_topo_.html

The DeLorme PN-20 and the new Magellan Triton series (except the lowest model) both accept 1:24K maps, but neither is as good as a Garmin (IMHO).

[David Barth]

I am looking for a handheld for my daughter who will be hiking this summer from the southern most point of England to the northern most point of Scotland (~1000 miles in length). She will not have access to a laptop once on the trail. Is it possible to plan her entire trip before she goes, and download it to the GPS? I know she'll want good battery life as she will be camping for a lot of the trip. Is there a GPS that could support this trip? If so, which one would you recommend?

Thxs, David

[Rich Owings]

David,

I'd suggest a Legend HCx. The "x" means expandable -- it will accept micro-SD cards (purchased separately), allowing her to load detailed topo maps to the device. You'll also want to get Topo Great Britain maps...
http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topogb.jsp

And yes, she can plan the entire trip before and have it loaded into the GPS. The battery life on this unit is better than the Colorado or 60Cx and the weight is less than a 60Cx.

HTH

[Jack]

Are you still recommending the 60CSx as the best for hiking? Are they still limited to Garmins Topo maps?

[Rich Owings]

Yes, and they are limited to Garmin topos. You might want to read this post on the Colorado and note that the newest beta firmware fixes the reposition waypoints issue...
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2008/03/garmin-colora-1.html

If viewing multiple tracks isn't important to you, the Colorado may be a good choice.

[Cindy]

Rich,
My husband and I bought some property on top of a mountain in WV. We were looking at getting a GPS unit to help us post the property markers to a topo map of the area, so we can ensure that we are not going over to someone else's property, plus help not to get lost, it is all wilderness. What unit would be the best for our needs?

[Rich Owings]

Cindy,

I would recommend a Garmin with a high-sensitivity chipset, which will give you better accuracy. The 60Cx and 60CSx are more reliable than the new eTrex H series or the Colorado, both of which have been reported to have tracking errors.

Hope this helps.