At Handheld GPS Reviews we’re here to help you pick the perfect GPS unit. You see, not all handheld GPS units are made equal. Some GPS units are very specific in their functions. A unit intended to be used primarily in a car may not hold up well on the trail. There are also very specific ratings that if misinterpreted could leave you in the dark, literally. Some units will stand up to moisture but not being submerged. In other words, rain is ok but don’t take it for a swim.

We’ll help you navigate these technical details and narrow the field down to the handheld GPS unit that is just right for you. We’ve spent hours scouring through technical data, user reviews, and forum posts to put together accurate and useful handheld GPS reviews.

How Handheld GPS Units Work

Before we get into the fun stuff it is important to have a basic understanding of how GPS units work. GPS (Global Positioning System) is a navigation system that operates through a network of 24 satellites that orbit the earth. The satellites were put into orbit by the Department of Defense for military applications. More recently the government made them available for civilian use.

These days GPS works in any weather conditions and they are available 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world. There are no fees to use GPS just the cost of your receiver. I’m not going to get overly technical but the basic premise is that the satellites transmit a signal that will be received by your handheld GPS device. It calculates the time it takes to receive the signal and in doing so from several satellites is able to calculate the user’s location.

The signals cannot travel through walls or thick objects. At times there could be errors when surrounded by tall buildings or dense foliage. In general GPS is accurate to between 50 and 100 feet. However, if you get a unit that is compatible with WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) the accuracy improves to as little as 10 feet. WAAS uses a network of ground reference stations that receive signals from the satellites; they do calculations and send corrected information back. These corrections greatly improve the accuracy. Currently WAAS is only available in North America.

All in One or Specialized GPS Units

It may be tempting to try to get an all in one GPS unit. After all wouldn’t it be great to have one unit that could do everything? It may seem like a good idea but I’m going to talk you out of it our with Handheld GPS Reviews.

Car Units Are a Bad Choice on the Trail

Features that make these units great while you are driving are the same features that make them a poor choice on the trail. The large screen that makes them easy to see while driving make it really difficult to fit them in your pocket or a nuisance when hanging from your belt. In addition they have short battery life and they are fragile. A car unit isn’t going to stand up to bumps on the trail or a little rain.

Handheld GPS are Bad for Cars

We discussed why car units make poor trail GPS units. Well the reverse is true for handheld gps units. They’re great for the trail but make poor car navigation aids. For starters, they don’t talk and they have small screens. You’re likely to get in an accident trying to figure out where to go on that little screen while you’re behind the wheel. Most don’t come loaded with street maps so you’ll need to purchase them as well as a mount to try to reduce the amount of time your eyes are off the road. Throw in a car charger and before you know it you could have easily purchased a handheld receiver for hiking and another for your car for less than the cost of maps and accessories. Like my daddy used to say, get the right tool for the job. It makes a big difference.

What to look for in a Handheld GPS

Now that I’ve talked you out of trying to get an all-in-one, let’s get down to the brass tacks. The Handheld GPS Reviews will go into specific features of various models but these features are important considerations overall. There isn’t one perfect GPS receiver for everyone. Pick the one that has the features you need.
All Handheld GPS units will provide basic navigational functionality. It will show you where you are currently and how that relates to other points of interest or programmed waypoints. What will separate the GPS units are the other features.

•  Waypoint Capacity
• Route Memory
• Size and Weight
• Mapping Capabilities
• Color Display
• Water Proof
• Computer Interface
• Electronic Compass
• Paperless Geocaching

You may want all of these features. You may only need a couple. Look for the handheld gps unit that fits your needs.

Waypoint Capacity

One of the most important features of a handheld unit is the ability to create your own waypoints. Whether you are hiking and need to find your way home or you found a great fishing spot and want to be sure you can find it again, the ability to set your own waypoints is important. It’s this feature that will allow you to find your way home or to that special place. Most will GPS receivers allow 500 user set waypoints. Higher end models will expand it up to 1,000 or more. Depending on how many different areas you use your GPS or the length of time you need to retain your waypoints will determine if 500 is enough.

Route Memory

Most handheld GPS receivers will store at least 20 routes. A route is a predetermined path made up of waypoints. Your GPS will tell you the distance and location to the next waypoint in the planned route which will ultimately lead you to your destination. Your higher end GPS units will allow you to store 50 or more routes.

Size and Weight

I like a screen that is a little larger and easy to read. Your primary concern may be how much space it takes up in your pack or whether or not you can fit it in your pocket. There isn’t really a right answer to size and weight. Get the one that fits your preference. In general smaller and lighter is desirable.

Mapping Capabilities

Displaying a map is not an essential feature of a handheld GPS unit but it sure is nice. As long as you have a map with you, your GPS will give you the coordinates of where you are located along with the distance to the next waypoint. You can use that information to ascertain where you are on your map. Personally, I think it’s worth spending a couple of extra dollars for mapping capabilities. It’s just easier. I do not condone relying solely on your GPS unit. Batteries do run out of juice and GPS units do get dropped, broken, and lost. Carry a map and compass for a backup, but get a GPS unit with mapping functionality. Typically manufacturers will require you to use their maps so be sure to factor this into your decision.

Without Mapping	With Mapping

Color Display

A color display is another option that isn’t absolutely necessary but color does make it much easier to read maps, especially when land and water are close together. If you aren’t going to get a GPS with mapping features then this is likely to be a moot point. If you are working with a tight budget black and white displays do bring cost down.

Black and White	Color Handheld GPS

Waterproof

I recommend waterproof units. Maybe it’s just me that is prone to dropping expensive items in water but I like knowing if I drop a GPS unit in a creek it’s going to work when I pick it up. You’ll notice these funny waterproof ratings like IPX4 or IPX7. These are the IP Codes defined in International IEC 60529. The IP Code tells you how much water it can withstand. Here’s a link to some information on Wikipedia. The ratings go from 0-8. Zero represents no protection and 8 represents continuous immersion. Most of the units you will find have IPX7 which will withstand immersion up to 1 meter for at least 30 minutes. IPX4-6 are varying degrees of protection against splashing water.

Computer Interface

If you can get units that you can plug into your computer or have a wireless data transfer functionality. It’s much easier to plan your trips ahead of time from your computer than trying to load 50 waypoints on the little screen. If you track your trails it will be nice to download those to your computer as well.

 

Electronic Compass

GPS cannot tell what direction you are facing unless you are moving unless your unit has an electronic compass. An electronic compass will need to be calibrated before use. It operates outside of GPS so it is not effected by being immobile. This may not seem like a big deal but it is much more convenient to know which direction you are facing as you stand to plan your route or discuss your hiking strategy with your trail companions. It’s worth it.

Paperless Geocaching

I could go on and write several pages about the various available features of handheld gps units. You can get cameras, two-way radios, everything but the kitchen sink. With each feature the cost goes up. Get whatever floats your boat. The last feature I’m going to mention in the intro here is a paperless geocaching feature. If you don’t know what geocaching is then you probably don’t need to worry about this. If you enjoy hiking you may want to look into geocaching though. It’s pretty cool.

A paperless geocaching option will allow you to download the maps, guides, and logs to use on your geocaching expedition. It’s called paperless because you won’t need to print anything if you have this feature. Just download and go.

Handheld GPS Reviews

Now that we’ve covered the features that you should look for let’s get into reviews of specific models. We’ll post updates of handheld GPS units we review along with good places to buy them.  You will find the reviews categorized by manufacturer to your right.