A handheld GPS makes hiking, kayaking, paragliding, and hunting a much safer and more convenient experience. A handheld GPS is one of the most needed items for hikers. It is as GPS, or Global Positioning System uses satellite triangulation to provide an extremely accurate estimate of your current location. It is sometimes used to give directions, determine the lay of the land using satellite topography, graphically display the distance traveled, or give boundary warnings to let you know when you are in the hunting area. This review looks at the most effective mobile GPS receivers for the field, taking into account features such as durability, battery life, flexibility, and weather resistance. We’ll outline some pros and cons so you can get the full picture before diving in.
Foretrex Portable GPS
Often, when you’re on a climb, you prefer to keep your hands up for climbing or taking pictures. Fortunately, there are some navigation systems that allow you to keep an eye on your surroundings without using your hands. The Foretrex is among the best GPS receivers for hiking. With good reviews, it’s popular, and it’s also quite affordable, which can be a plus. You will see that it is different from many popular devices because it includes a wrist strap to attach it to your forearm.
Garmin is aware that many people will use it in densely wooded environments, so they built it with a high-density receiver that allows you to stay in touch with your car despite the tall trees surrounding it. The overall reliability of the signal is quite high. It is a dual-pattern format, so you can evaluate two readings at once, such as compass and altitude. However, it does not come with a built-in map. The small size and lightweight are in contrast to a larger display. Get used to the positioning and you’ll forget you ever wanted a map.
eXplorist 350H
If you’re a hunter who spends a lot of time out of reach of your cell phone, this little device is the best choice. Of course, the eXplorist gives you full GPS positioning, as you would expect. It comes with preloaded maps, which means you can do without a map. It includes details of road networks, cities, lakes, and rivers, as well as elevation contours to distinguish hills and mountain ranges. Another wonderful feature is the search limit system.
Whether you are looking in the United States or Canada, you’ll be able to enter boundaries and borders. With a single tap, you can overlay this information on your map screen, meaning you can see where you are in relation. Avoid getting tangled up in this handy little gadget. However, all you want is a rechargeable battery. The eXplorist 350H is one of the best GPS receivers for seekers or outdoor enthusiasts.
eTrex GPS
Garmin units tend to be more expensive because they are a premium brand. I was impressed and surprised to get the eTrex at such a reasonable price. It is an affordable mobile GPS receiver with access to GPS and GLONASS. The eTrex is a perfect size. It comes with a pre-loaded base map of the world that allows you to graphically see your location wherever you are. The 3-axis compass shows your current position, even when you stop.
A built-in altimeter (barometrically determined) also provides an accurate altitude reading. The eTrex is an excellent GPS for hiking or hunting, as it uses HotFix to give you a quick readout of your location. The receiver does a great job of getting a reading in the warmer woods, and it’s wonderful to have the ability to switch to GLONASS when the GPS isn’t working. This is a great mobile GPS for geocaching, plus you can preload it with additional third-party maps. You can load them into the internal memory or even use a microSD card. Take this device in your hand. It is still a waterproof and affordable handheld GPS with some of the best attributes and great reviews.