When heading into the backcountry, knowing where you are is key. Although printed maps should be in every hiker’s bag, a hiking GPS has the added benefit of telling you where you are, even when the fog rolls in.
The expert: Over the past five years, Colleen Sintchcombe has trekked through desert canyons, along glacial rivers and scaled the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. In 2017, she spent three months hiking 1,000 miles along the Pacific Crest and Oregon Coast trails. In most of these scenarios, she turned to GPS-enabled apps and personal locator beacons to keep her safe and on the right route.
Types of hiking GPS
Whether you want extra safety on popular trails or are planning an off-trail excursion, there are a few GPS tools you should consider. Handheld GPS devices use one or more satellite services to map your location, while feature-rich emergency beacons have multiple satellite networks for maximum accuracy during search and rescue. In particularly difficult conditions, such as mountaineering expeditions or long backcountry trips, a standalone GPS device with long battery life can guide you out of a bad spot. One with a rescue option can literally save lives.
GPS meets texting: stay connected with the best satellite communicators
On the smaller side, many smart watches now also include sophisticated GPS maps. Day hikers and trail runners who might otherwise do without navigation tools can carry these ultralight options on their arms. A flick of the wrist will let you know you’re still on the right track.
Perhaps the most convenient and economical option are apps that use your smartphone’s built-in GPS. Although the phone’s GPS is not perfect, it is generally able to measure in about 16 feet (or 5 meters) from your exact location, competing with entry-level hiking GPS devices. But relying on the same device you use for photos, texts, music and other entertainment can make battery life a challenge. Still, the apps work surprisingly well when you download maps for offline use, and they don’t take up extra space in your backpack.
Keep in mind that GPS devices are not step-by-step wilderness instructions. The advantage of GPS is that it tells you exactly where you are (with a margin of error) on a topographic map. If you’re following a trail, the GPS works like a map – you can reference it when you come to a fork in the trail and need to know which way to go, and if it’s following you, you can follow your exact route on the trail. issue. But if you’re heading for an overgrown or backcountry trip, you’ll need to download or create a route on this map before you go. Even then, the best plotted GPS route should be combined with the reality of your surroundings. Just because your GPS says you’re heading south doesn’t mean the path will necessarily be safe.
How we rated
For each device, I evaluated its battery life, the accuracy of its maps, and the size of its display screen. After all, you must see the card to use it. We also kept in mind the device’s weight, ease of use, and whether it had other useful features for hikers, like the ability to summon search and rescue. In addition to my own experience using hiking GPS devices and apps, I considered first-person testing from other review sites and user reviews for each of the GPS models. here.
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