• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

TotalHiker

Your Hiking Guide

  • Apparel
  • Gear
  • Hikes
  • Info
You are here: Home / Archives for Hiking Gear / GPS

Handheld GPS Devices For Hiking

GPS devices are built with the ability to communicate with satellites to give you your position to a remarkably high degree of accuracy.

Dedicated Hiking GPS units have a variety of benefits over using a smartphone on a hike. For instance, the GPS is built for the rough environment and won't break as easily if dropped on a rock or you slip over.

They also provide a longer battery life, while also giving the option to replace the depleted batteries en route.

What to expect from a Hiking GPS unit?

  • It is built with a solid housing that is strong and waterproof
  • It has long-life batteries and spares are available
  • It has an easy-to-read screen that is viewable in bright and low-light conditions
  • A graphic map and latitude/longitude data (some only display the numerical data)
  • A route can be planned by entering waypoints
  • It has the ability to connect to several satellites (up to 15 or more on some models)
  • It should be lightweight and easy to carry
  • It has the option to accept multiple maps

Latest Posts on GPS Hiking Devices

What Are The Best GPS Watches for Hiking

What is the Best GPS Watch for Hiking in 2021 ?

The choice of GPS watches has exploded in the last few years.

However this can be a bit baffling. So we have picked out our favorites >>

January 10, 2021

Garmin Oregon vs Montana Ranges

Garmin Oregon vs Montana Comparison

Garmin’s range of handheld GPS can be a little baffling.

So we look at two of their most similar ranges, Oregon and Montana, and explain the differences.

June 5, 2020

Garmin 401 vs 601 vs 701

Garmin Foretrex 401 vs 601 vs 701 Comparison

The Foretrex 401 is a hiking stalwart.However, Garmin has introduced the 601 and 701.

But what are the main differences between them? Find out here >>

June 5, 2020

Garmin vs Magellan

Magellan vs Garmin – Battle of the GPS Titans

Garmin and Magellan are two of the first brands that come to mind whenever you think of GPS.

But how do their handheld devices for hiking compare?

June 5, 2020

Smartphone vs Standalone GPS for Hiking

Smartphone vs Standalone GPS for Hiking – Which is Best?

Smartphones have replaced a wide variety of standalone gadgets. So do you still need a standalone GPS for hiking?

We look at the pros and cons here >>

June 4, 2020

How to Use a GPS for Hiking

How to Use a GPS for Hiking

The benefits of using a GPS are obvious, but you might be wondering how to use a GPS for hiking to get the most from your hike.

Find out here >>

June 3, 2020

Garmin GPSMAP 64s vs 64st vs 64sc

Garmin 64s vs 64st vs 64sc GPSMAP Review & Comparison

Garmin’s GPSMAP 64 GPS range are excellent for hikers, but with names like 64s, 64st, and 64sc it is hard to know the difference.

We explain here >>

May 28, 2020

How Does GPS Work

How Does GPS Work? Our Guide to How This Magic Works

Providing its user with location, distance, tracking, and route creation, GPS can seem a little bit like magic!

But how does it actually work?

May 28, 2020

Fitness Tracker vs ABC vs GPS watch

Fitness Tracker vs ABC vs a GPS watch for Hiking?

There are a host of features you can get in a GPS enabled watch.

But which do you need and which can you do without? We explain all here >>

May 27, 2020

Footer

  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • About Total Hiker
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 Total Hiker

Affiliate Disclosure

We believe in being as transparent as possible when it comes to this site. With this in mind, please be aware that we may receive remuneration for some of the products we review on this site.

Total Hiker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com (and other Amazon programs).

We will also list Google Adsense ads from time to time. You should be able to see these as text links or blocks of ads which have a small notation indicating “Ads by Google” or “AdChoices”.

There are millions of products available, but we include only those that we research and believe could benefit you.

We provide links on the site to information such as information resources for which we receive no compensation. Our mission is to help our visitors, but this is also very clearly a for-profit site and you should realize as much. If you have any questions whatsoever, please contact us using the “contact” option on the site menu and we will be happy to answer any questions.

Trademark Dislosure

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

In addition, any other trademarks and logos we mention on this site are also the property of their respective owners.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In addition, some links on this site may take you to sites where we get an affiliate commission if you subsequently buy something on the site. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with these terms. You can read more in our Privacy Policy & Affiliate DisclosureOK