The Best Trail-Ready GPS Units

Make sure that you are prepared and have a solid GPS in hand before venturing into the backcountry.

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Useful for getting to the trailhead as well as finding that hidden lake in the mountains, hand held GPS units are affordable, have long lasting batteries and are loaded with features to get you to and from your chosen destinations. We put three popular devices that will ensure you have safe, navigated adventures.

Top Choice

Garmin ETREX 22X

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Garmin eTrex 22x

What We Liked:

The Garmin eTrex 22x is the least expensive unit we reviewed. For its price, the eTrex 22x comes with all the features you need to follow any trail and lead you safely back home. It is the lightest and most compact device we tested. The 3.7 GB of internal memory and microSD card slot provides room for all your maps. Two AA batteries provide about 25 hours of use. Easy to carry and store, it fit well in the hip pocket of my favorite backpack. The small screen was well lit and easy to read in even bright sunlight. 

Buy the Garmin eTrex 22x for $200 now. 

Contender

RADACAT

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What We Liked:

If you are looking for one, do it all device, the RADACAT would be an excellent choice. The large, friendly screen works well for automobiles and motorcycles while still a size that can accompany you on your adventures on foot. The GPS features shake-to-talk, which allows you to send voice messages to your group. This is the largest device we looked at, so for a pure hiking or bicycling application, the petite eTrax 30x may score a few more points. But if your adventures require hiking boots, RADACAT is a great choice. It comes with an external USB battery that runs for a whole 36 hours.

Buy the RADACAT for $90 today.

Most Durable

Magellan Triton

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What We Liked:

Are you ready to reduce, reuse, and recycle? This product is eco-friendly because it’s been previously used by a fellow adventurer. These pre-owned products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers. And if you don’t like what you’ve recieved, then you have 90-days to renew it. With outstanding waterproof qualities, you’re safe to trek through lakes, waterfalls, rain, and all other elements. The battery lasts for 10 hours, so it has the juice to keep working on extended treks. The Magellan has simple buttons so you don’t need to plan on spending extra time learning various apps.

Buy the Magellan Triton for $60 Now

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