Hiking GPS Features

When it comes to vacations and adventure, most people get psyched up about hiking and camping. These types of vacations give you a break from the day to day hectic schedules that we all have. Hiking in the wilderness is a perfect way to relieve stress and get back to the simple pleasures that the wilderness can bring. In addition, it is a wonderful way to get exercise.

It is very important that if your going to go hiking, especially a new area, that you plan your route carefully. Depending on the season of the year you may have to plan accordingly. One of the best plans will call for a hiking gps unit. By obtaining a gps unit for your hiking adventure, you can have an extra layer of security by knowing your chances of getting lost are greatly diminished.Plus, hiking gps units are very affordable pieces of equipment. They can also be purchased at almost any big name retailer like Wal-Mart, Bass Pro Shops, or Cabelas.

When you are purchasing a hiking gps unit there a re a few features that are important to consider:

You will want to purchase a hiking gps unit with a map display. While there are units that just display the latitude and longitude, having a hiking gps with a map display will make things a whole lot easier when determining your location.

You will want your hiking gps to be waterproof. These are not hard to find, most outdoor units on the market today are already waterproof, However, they are not submersible, so be careful.

A nice feature that you may want to look for is for the gps to have built in maps. This helps the user better orient themselves in the wilderness and usually shows major roads or waypoints.

Finally, you will want a hiking gps unit that is capable of dealing with multiple mapping datums. If you travel outside the United States or even from region to region there may be different state plane coordinate systems at play so it is important that your gps has the ability to handle such transitions.

Hiking GPS

Today's best hand-held GPS units are being used for more than just driving. As a matter of fact more people are using portable hand held GPS units than automobile units. Many of the uses for these units include geocaching, camping, and more importantly hiking.

If you are an avid outdoors man, even one that is very handy with a map, you have no doubt lost your bearings in the wilderness. In addition to being embarrassing, it can also be very dangerous and nerve racking. Well, there is no need for directionally challenged people to get lost anymore, with the introduction of Hiking GPS units from manufacturers like Garmin. These units will take out the worry of what trails lead where, and more importantly, which trail leads back to camp.

Hiking GPS units are really no different then the GPS units in your vehicle or boat. Basically a satellite receiver, the hiking GPS receives signals from approximately 8-10 satellites and approximates your position on an easy to read map. These signals can be read from almost anywhere on the planet with few exceptions. So, thanks to the innovation technology in today's hiking GPS units you can take your hiking adventures anywhere in the world. Another great quality of hiking GPS units is their battery life. Usually requiring two double A batteries, the life extent is usually more than 72 hours of continuous use.

One of the biggest features of hiking GPS units is their ruggability. Usually encased in a shockproof and waterproof container, these GPS units can take the worst of what you have to offer. And when you're out on the trails that can be alot. While most of today's hiking GPS units are waterproof they are not submersible. However, they will handle the strongest of storms that you may get stuck in.

One of the best GPS units for hiking is the Garmin 60CSX. This hiking GPS has several features that make hiking the longest and toughest trails a piece of cake. The waypoint feature lets you mark your starting point as well as important points along the trail. In addition to waypointing, the 60CSX will also track you back to your initial starting point assuring you never lose where camp is again. Another feature of this hiking GPS unit is the ability to upload topographic maps. This option will help you determine the elevation and contours of the trails your hiking. While some GPS units can be picked up for cheaper prices than the 60CSX, very few have the same options and add-ons.