Whether you’re ready to scale Everest or just bought your first pair of hiking boots, there’s a GPS for you. Choosing the right GPS device while exploring the great outdoors not only adds an element of safety, but can also allow you to take pictures of your adventure without needing a camera or phone, share your routes with friends that have compatible devices, or save your route for future reference. Here are three of the best devices on the market today whether you’re just beginning or back-country ski in your sleep.
Garmin Oregon 600
The Garmin Oregon 600 has a modern, ergonomic shape, easy navigation, and programmable buttons. The device maps quickly and can store as many as 200 routes and 200 tracks. It features a 3” touch screen that can be easily read in sunlight as well as a 3-axis compass. Additionally, it can run for up to 16 hours on just two AA batteries and is considered one of the best on the market.
Price: $400
Garmin GPSMAP 62sc
The Garmin GPSMAP 62sc functions better in cold weather than the Garmin Oregon 600 in addition to outstanding reception and accuracy. The device is waterproof, has a 5-megapixel camera with automatic geotagging, and the ability to share routes, waypoints, and geocaches with compatible Garmin devices. It also comes with a shaded world basemap and 3-axis compass. This is a favorite among those who explore in cold weather or low visibility.
Price: $300-$369
Magellan eXplorist 110
The Magellan eXplorist is solid quality at an unbeatable price making it a great introductory GPS for beginners. The model features a high-res color screen that’s easy to see in direct sunlight and large, easy-to-use buttons ideal for when you’re wearing gloves. Two AA batteries can provide up 18 hours of continues use and several mounts are available. Best of all, it’s ready to use straight out of the box.
Price: $120-$130