Over the years technology has taken its place in
the outdoors and for the most part I have kept up.
Light bulbs have been replaced by LEDs, I carry
a programmable weather radio in my pack and I
use my computer and the internet constantly in
planning trips. But there is one item I have not
taken into the wilds, a Global Positioning System
location finder, better known as a GPS.
There are a couple of reasons I have not taken
the plunge and purchased a unit, they cost
more than a couple of dollars and I truly feel a
person needs to become competent in the
outdoors and this means learning to use a
compass.
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When you hold a compass in your hand to find the direction you want to go, it is a basic act of
navigation that forces you to look at the environment around you. Every time I have walked cross
country following only the bearings of this simple device, there is an immense satisfaction when I
break into the open, exactly where I wanted to be.
My decision to begin looking for a GPS unit was not made simply because they make things easy,
it has to do with the fact that they add another dimension to my backcountry travel and allow me to
track exactly where I have been.
To find out just what kind of unit I should look for, I contacted one of the leaders in the field, Garmin
International. This firm has been in the business of making GPS units from the very beginning. The
selection of products they offer for camping and hiking range from entry level models at about $100
and then the cost and number of features just go up and up.
Part of the problem in deciding which kind of GPS unit you need is the sheer number of models
and features that are offered.
“The kind of unit you need really depends upon what you are going to do with it,” said Jessica
Myers of Garmin International. “If you want to go for the higher end units you can spend $500 or you
can go as low as $100(for entry level units).”
As Meyers said, it really depends upon what you are planning on using the GPS unit for.
Regardless of what unit you choose, the most basic function of a GPS is to tell you where you are
on the planet and the ability to set “way points”, a location you have recorded in the GPS. The
simplest way to look at this is when you are hiking on a trail you can (and should) set a way point at
the trail head and then whenever you check your position, the GPS will know which direction and
how far away the start of the trail is. Like I said, this is the most basic function of a GPS unit and if
you are willing to spend a bit more money, then the options get truly amazing.
“Many of our units allow you to load topographic maps onto the unit from your home computer,”
Meyers said. “Then while you are on the trip you can set way points and transfer this back to the
map when you get home. You can also take the information and create custom maps with an
online service showing exactly where you have been.”
Other models offered include two way radios and GPS units combined, a perfect model for groups
heading into the backcountry. When you communicate with another member through the radio it
provides the location of each individual. There is also a “polling” feature which allows you to locate
another member even if they do not respond on their own.
What it all comes back to is what you will use the unit for and how much you can afford to pay. The
radio units seem great with a starting price of $160 for the base model Rhino 110 and at the top
end, the Rhino 530 costing just over $500.
Basic units will tell you where you are, where you have been and how to get back to a way point.
They are light weight, most are waterproof, easy to use and have a list price of about $100. If you
want a unit that you can download maps to from your computer and data back when you are done,
has a color screen and electronic compass, plan on spending closer to $200. Either way, if you
plan on purchasing a GPS unit, take the time to look at all the models that are in your price range
and work to understand just what they will do.
Over the next couple of months I will be testing various GPS units to see what they can do and how
easy it is to use them. Regardless of which model I finally decide upon, there is one thing for
certain; I will keep my compass with me as I always have. They don’t run out of power and there is
not much that can go wrong with them. No matter how advanced electronics become a compass
is still a piece of gear you should never be without in the outdoors.
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