If you hike or backpack then taking along a quality GPS device can be a good idea for safety and navigation. The ability to locate your exact coordinates with percision and flawlessly retrace your steps can give you piece of mind on the trail. When shopping for the best GPS for hikers here are a few things to keep in mind.

Lightweight

The last thing you want is one more bulky or weighty object to carry with you on your hikes. Your GPS should be easy to carry and lightweight. Many GPS units that are designed with the outdoors in mind are ultralight, weighing little more than your average cell phone.

Batteries and Battery Life

Long battery life is an important consideration for a hiking GPS. For long trips and overnights, you want to ensure that the batteries can keep up and can be easily changed if needed. Most units that are designed for hiking use replacable AA batteries, however some run on built in rechargable batteries which is not ideal for hiking. Look for a GPS that uses replacable batteries so that an extra set can be carried just in case.

Topo Maps

When you buy a GPS, it usually comes with a set of basemaps. These maps will include cities, coastlines, lakes and rivers. For hiking, basemaps don't provide the detail needed to navigate through trails and wilderness. Luckily, you can expand the capiabilities of your unit with the purchase of extra topo maps. Adding topo maps to your GPS will give you greater detail of the land and the locations of trails and campsites. These days adding topo maps to a modern GPS is an easy upgrade, but they do have to be purchased seprately from the device maker's website.

Which GPS to Choose?

The best GPS for hikers depends on your individual needs and budget. There is a good selection of GPS's designed especially for hikers. One of my favorite is the Garmin ETrex Venture HC.

The Garmin ETrex Venture HC was designed to be a moderately priced GPS for hikers. The included basemaps are detailed and the 24 MB of internal memory give you plenty of room to expand with topo maps. The technology behind the reciever in this unit is cutting edge. You will be able to get accurate readings no matter how dense the terrain. This unit is waterproof and sturdy making it a top choice in GPS for hikers.

Check out the lowest prices on this unit and get more information when you visit the Garmin eTrex Venture HC review page on the GPS reviews and ratings site. This site has plenty of info on all kinds of GPS units. Read reviews, see ratings, video reviews, find the lowest prices and more here.