Handheld GPS buyers guide

Last updated February 24, 2009

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. You'll have to buy those separately. Unless you are a boater, your choices in the U.S. come down to a product like Garmin'€™s TOPO U.S. (purchased separately), which is based on 1:100,000 scale maps, or the more detailed but geographically limited US Topo 24K.
  
• 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.
• 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 as of this posting the Venture HC can be found for around $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 around $105 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 electronic compass:

The newest Garmin, the Oregon 400t, is a dream come true. It combines a high resolution, touch screen interface with pre-loaded topo maps of the entire U.S. It's a joy to use and offers grab n' go convenience. Listing for $639.99, the price has finally started to drop and it's now available for around $460.

An even more 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. An added plus is the ability to do highway navigation with no additional purchase. At the time of this posting, it was available for around $340.

Other high end units

• The Oregon 300, without pre-loaded detailed maps, is a good choice for someone who already owns an unlocked Garmin map set.
• The old standby is the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx. This unit has all the features of the Vista HCx, discussed above, along with a larger color screen. Equipped with the SiRFstar III chipset, the 60/76 series are the most accurate consumer GPS receivers made by Garmin. I actually recommend this unit for professionals where accuracy is of the utmost importance.
• 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:

• GPS for cyclists
• GPS for geocachers
• GPS for golfers
• GPS for hikers
• GPS for runners

Comments

[Lars Kellogg-Stedman]

Howdy,

I just wanted to note that the two Legend Cx purchases I know of -- my own and member of one of the forums at geocaching.com -- came with 64mb cards rather than the 32mb card advertised. I don't know if this represents a documentation error, lack of supply of the 32mb cards, or something else entirely.

[Rich Owings]

Thanks Lars. I had seen the same info on the Groundspeak (geocaching.com) message board. I'm not sure how long it will last, but there are quite a few other folks out there who got lucky too.

[Bob]

Amazon.com has the Legend color for $193 with no shipping.
They also have the Vista color for $230.

[Rich Owings]

Thanks for the heads up Bob. I guess I shouldn't post prices this time of year.

[S Patin]

Is someone here familiar with the Lowrance iFinder Explorer or H2O? It does have a larger screen than the similar Garmin units and seems to do everything the Garmin does.
What are the downsides, if any, of the Lowrance unit?
Sidney

[Rich Owings]

Sidney,

I haven't tested either of those units. Garmin has a reputation for intuitive menus and good customer service. Which Garmin are you considering? I would suggest searching for info, or asking your question, at the geocaching.com GPS message board. http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Rich

[George Sparr]

Rich,
Did you find out anything about the iFinder H2O? I'm thinking about buying one but I don't have any customer info on the product.

Thanks, George

[Rich Owings]

George,

I haven't reviewed the iFinder H2O. Two people have reviewed it on Amazon. You might also want to ask at http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11

HTH

[GPS Newbie]

So when you say "Handheld GPS Buyer's Guide" & "Top Handheld GPS for 2007", you really mean the top "Garmin" models. You admit to not having tested top models from other manufacturers. So how can your advice be worth anything in terms of forming the basis for a "buyers guide"? How can you say that Garmin's interface is more intuitive than Lowrance if you haven't used a Lowrance? You drive a Ford, so is that the best car on the road? I came to your site looking for advice, and only found bias. Disappointing.

[Rich Owings]

Where did I say I haven't tested models from other manufacturers? I've used Lowrance, Magellan and DeLorme handhelds. I've based my recommendations on Garmin's superior interface and excellent customer service.

I am hoping that the new Magellan Triton series changes my mind though. It's not good when one company excels; the market is better served when there is stronger competition.

[Kevin]

I've had a b&w Legend for a couple of years and would like to know if any of the higher end or newer models would provide any better reception. I find the unit almost useless in forest areas that I frequent.
Kevin

[Rich Owings]

Yes, you will see a dramatic improvement in reception with any of the eTrex H series models, or with the Garmin 60/76 x series. All of these units have a high-sensitivity chipset.

I find that it is very unusual for me to lose reception, even under heavy canopy. I'm typically biking, and it may not be quite as good hiking, since it will take longer to pass through particularly dense areas, but I think you will be very pleased overall.

[Marlene D.]

I recently purchased a Garmin nuvi 200 for $199 but now I saw a Garmin Street Pilot 330 for $178. What is the difference between them ? What's the better deal? This is the first gps that we ever had. Help!

[Rich Owings]

Marlene, keep the nuvi. It has a better chipset for improved reception under canopy and in urban canyons. It also has a greatly improved screen. It's worth way more than $20 more.

[tedcohen]

Word to the wise -- Don't buy the WorldNav 3300 distributed by TeleType Co. of Boston.

Piece of junk. Lots of software problems.

And their customer service is non-existent.

And worse yet they charge $15 for shipping a package that really costs them only $2 to ship. They make their money on shipping.

[Oleg Popov]

Hey, I am surprised to see that coming from TeleType. I have great experience with the product. Although I purchased it over 1 year ago and still use it and I wonder if something changed. The product I use is WorldNav 3100 and I think it is by far the most superior GPS I have even seen.

[tedcohen]

Oleg --

Thousands of unhappy WorldNav customers have posted complaints on the Internet. One is seeking others who want to join a class-action lawsuit.

If your WorldNav works fine, good for you. You got lucky.

[tedcohen]

Guys -

If you have more questions about WorldNav products please check out our blog:

http://worldnav3300gps.blogspot.com/

[Bill Wilson]

Looking at the Garmin 60 or 76 models. 76 is cheaper, comes with a bigger memory card and floats, but... it appears the controls are at the top with the screens/maps at the bottom. It would seem that your hand, or thumb at least, would cover the screen while scrolling, making it a bit awkward to use. It might be easier if the map could be turned upside down so north is at the bottom of the screen and getting used to the control buttons being upside down, but I dont know if the maps can be inverted? Can anyone who has used one of these comment

[Rich Owings]

Bill,

I don't think this is possible. A few people prefer the 76, but the 60 is far more popular I'd go with it unless you have a need for a unit that will float.

[JeffB]

I'm looking for a handheld GPS unit for fishing on a river from a kayak. While it will be nice to use the unit for directions to and from put-ins, I mostly want to be able to mark where and when I caught fish so that I can return to those spots on subsequent trips. I'm looking for a unit that will show me that I'm coming up to an area where I've caught fish before and which side of the river I've done well on. I read about way points and such, but don't know if that is what I want. Do GPS units do what I want and if so, what's a good one for my needs?

[Rich Owings]

Jeff,

Yes, waypoints are what you need to mark fishing spots and a GPS should do a great job. You can mark waypoints on the unit while fishing and save them (on the GPS, and a computer too if you wish) for returning to the same spot later. If the river isn't very wide, I would get in the habit of naming waypoints with an L or an R, so you know which side of the river the spot was on. Just be consistent that it is L or R looking up river or looking down river.
I'd look at a Garmin GPSMap 76Cx... http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2006/02/garmin_gpsmap_7.html

This unit should give you accuracy of 10-20'.

[Toby]

So is there really much difference between the eTrex Vista HCx and the GPSMAP 60CSx other than screen size? Is the chipset significantly better in the 60?

[Rich Owings]

I don't think the 60CSx chipset is really any better, but there may still be some firmware bugs in the Vista HCx. You'll find some discussion of them here: http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11

The eTrex series has a longer battery life and lighter weight. Personally, I like the controls on the 60CSx better, but it's a minor point.

Hope this helps.

[Toby]

Thanks for the help!

[Rich Owings]

You're welcome!

[Brian Neyenhuis]

I am trying to figure out if the 24MB on the Venture HC will be enough, or if I should go for the Legend HCx to have more space for maps. (this seems to be the only real difference between the units for me, since I don't care about turn by turn directions) I noticed the free 1:24k map package from www.miscjunk.org for Colorado was over 150MB, so it makes me think that 24MB will be enough to load the detailed maps needed for a few day backpacking trip, or all the details in a small city like Boulder, but not enough for the entire city of Denver to have the highest detail. Is this right? Is there any place you can point me to that can give me some more guidelines on how much memory I need? Thanks.

[Rich Owings]

Brian,

I think you're pretty much on track. You might be able to get all of Denver. I think it would accommodate about 1/6 of the mountainous portions of the state, which is a pretty good chunk of area. You could email the guy doing the MiscJunk maps and ask. Or you could download them and select the maps in MapSource and see how much memory they use yourself. If you don't have it, here's a way to get it...
http://freegeographytools.com/2007/garmin-mapsource-for-free

[Deni St. Clair]

I am new to handheld GPS units. I need one when I am horseback riding in the woods to find my way back to camp. It would be nice to be able to mark scenic areas so I could find my way back to them. One hand operation is a plus.

[Rich Owings]

Deni,

You can do this with nearly any handheld. Garmin units are generally more intuitive and easier to operate. What's your price range?

[Stephen Saunders]

Bought a Magellan Triton 1500 for use in Ontario Canada. What a piece of junk!!!

The unit is only as good as the map data.

Major highways that are many decades old are missing from the base map, don't even think about major roadways.

Downloaded the highly detailed topo map - lakes are in the wrong locations, topology is almost non-existant, what does exist is also in the wrong location, and does not line up with lakes etc... also, gps coordinates do not line up with anything on these maps ... so basically, my $53 spent to download this 'highly detailed topology' map has been stolen from me as it is non-refundable.

If you live in Canada do not buy this as it is useless. If you live elsewhere, ... watch out ... what they advertized in Canada is a complete lie!!! What you see is not what you get.

[MocNhan]

@Rich Owings : you can do that with any Garmin GPS handheld. Like you, I have just bought a Garmin eTrex Venture HC. It's very good. I love GPS.

MocNhan
from Viet Nam

[Tas]

Hi guys

Am searching for a hand held to record my touring. I want to then be able to transfer to a PC with a map and print out where I went (I am not in the US).

Anybody got any ideas please?

[Rich Owings]

Most GPS handheld receivers will let you do this. I'd go with a Garmin, since their format is more widely accepted. I'd also choose one that logs track data to an SD or micro-SD card, so that you'll be able to record a longer tracklog.

[Derrill]

I think I asked my question in the wrong place so I'll ask it here. I ride ATVs and I am older. So I'm looking for a GPS with the largest screen that also has TOPO maps. Do you know which units have the largest screens?
Thanks.

[Rich Owings]

A Garmin nuvi 500 is worth looking into, but I wasn't that impressed with it. Here's my review...
http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2008/09/garmin-nuvi-500.html

The Garmin Colorado and Oregon series have large screens, but can be dim in bright sunlight.

Other than those, I'd look at a Garmin 60Cx or 60CSx.

[Derrill]

I noticed you didn't say anything about the Magellan 2500t. They claim to have fixed the software problem. I have looked at Garmin and Magellan Topo maps and the Magellan maps seem better. The Colorado and Oregon units are to pricey, and the displays are no bigger than the Trition series. With the better TOPO maps I'm leaning to Magellan.
Any comments or opinions?
Thanks,
Derrill

[Rich Owings]

It may have improved, but I wasn't impressed with it when I tried it (http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/01/magellan_crosso.html). The Triton series has also improved, but remains problematic. And Magellan support has been very weak. I admit being biased towards Garmin - they work, they're intuitive and they have good support. But they do cost more.

[Derrill]

Your link to the review comes back with an 404 error that it is not on this server.

Again the Garmin units cost more and the Magellan TOPO maps are better.

[Rich Owings]

Okay, lets try that again...

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/01/magellan_crosso.html

[dusting]

I am new to all this. My father in law is going to be traveling in Europe next year and has asked for a handheld gps for his Christmas gift from all us "kids". Is a basic unit as good as any other for traveling in places like Turkey and Greece? What would you recommend? Thanks.

[Rich Owings]

Will he be on foot or using a car more?

[Mike O'Connor]

Does the Garmin 60 CSX have Canadian mapping if purchased in the U.S. ?

[Rich Owings]

Regardless of where you buy it, the 60CSx only comes with an Americas basemap; there are no detailed maps pre-loaded. Having said that, there are some free Canadian topo maps available...
http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/

[Dana]

I'm looking for a new GPS for hiking/hunting, and flying ultralight airplanes and powered paragliders.

Currently I'm using a Garmin Geko 301 GPS which I've been very happy with (before that I had an early Magellan 2000). This is the smallest GPS around, and includes a barometric altimeter and a magnetic compass, but the tiny screen is getting smaller as my eyes age. :) The tiny size of the Geko is great to keep the weight down when I'm carrying it all on my back, but it's also getting hard to see it
in the dim light of sunrise.

Anyway, I'm looking at the 76Csx, 60Csx, and the eTrex Vista Hcx. All have the altimeter and compass, and can display vertical speed and glide ratio, as well as the ability to download maps. The eTrex is
smaller (better for hiking) and cheaper, but the side buttons seem a lot less convenient when it's mounted in the plane or on my PPG frame. The 76 and 60 seem to have (at least from the side by side comparison I did in Campmor this morning) a slightly better display than the eTrex. The 76 is slightly larger than the 60 and has more internal memory (which hardly matters as both accept memory cards), but otherwise there seems to be little difference.

It seems that if it were just for flying the ultralight, I'd go with the 76. Just for hiking, I'd go with the eTrex. For PPG, hard to say, but I might keep using the Geko there... I use it mostly for logging and ETA in the PPG.

I don't want/need to spend the extra $$$ for an aviation unit, which wouldn't be all that much more useful to me anyway.

So, opinions? Alternate suggestions?

[Rich Owings]

For a larger screen go with the 60 or 76. I agree that the buttons will work better for you on those than the eTrex. You need to think about the button layout on the 76 vs. the 60. I prefer the latter, with the buttons at the bottom, but it depends on your setup. I'd go with something where you're less likely to block the screen with your hand.

[Sally]

Hi,

I'm looking for a GPS to use to create a map of some of the local trails. Will I be able to print out the map, or will the route be only in the GPS? Would also like to be able to mark a location when I'm on a trail, then as I explore an side trail, see if there is a way to return to the main trail. Mostly will be used for horseback riding, so easily viewed and one-handed operation are important. Would like to be able to use it in the car if I get lost on the road as a backup. Was leaning toward the Oregon or Colorado, but would love to get suggestions/recommendations.

Thanks.

[Rich Owings]

Sally, this is exactly what GPS is great at. I'd suggest the Oregon 400t. You can do everything you want except the printing part. That will be easier to do with some extra software, like National Geographic TOPO! You can download a .gpx file from the unit, showing where you've been and any waypoints you created and transfer them to the map. There are some free programs out there (USAPhotoMaps comes to mind), but their printing capabilities are usually pretty rudimentary.

[Albert]

Hi Guys, I am about to purchase my first handheld GPS unit, and I need some help.

I will be using it mainly on my touring bike, I intend to ride from China to France. therefore I will really appreciate if I have a GPS with me.

I am not too sure if I should get the Oregon or the 60CSx. from all the reviews I have read, it sounds like 60CSx is more of a robust machine that you can rely on - and it doesnt use much battery as the Oregon, where the Oregon is more like a consumer electronics with fancy gadgets to attracts geeky users - and I admit I quite like the way Oregon is, especialy the worldwide basemap. But I was also really gutted to hear that the Oregon having hard to read screen problem

Should I sita and hope for another unit from Garmin?

Thanks guys.

[Rich Owings]

I think the Oregon is very difficult to see at a fixed angle on bike handlebars, and I only recommend it as a handheld. Now if you aren't going to look at it while biking, it might be a good choice. Unfortunately, I think we're at least a year away from getting a high-resolution handheld GPS screen without these visibility problems.