Best Hiking GPS Roundup

It’s that time of year again, when the weather is hot and it’s time to head outside! If you’re looking to go on a hike in the wilderness, you’ll want to bring a good hiking GPS with you to make sure you don’t get lost! There’s nothing worse than getting turned around and having no cellphone signal to help navigate your way back. In order to alleviate this problem, carrying a good satellite GPS receiver is a must! Which ones are our favorites? Read on to find out! 

Spot X Satellite Messenger 

A great pick for hikers, the Spot X allows users to send messages to people back home via satellite connection. While the subscription for the device is $20 per month, it’s worth it for the SOS feature. The device can send an SOS and real-time location tracking in case you get into a serious problem out in the wild. The device itself is $249, and it’s definitely a good pick at that price. It’s water-proof and drop-resistant and features a ten-day battery life. On the downside, it doesn’t have any maps pre-installed, but that’s a small gripe. All said, this is a great companion for any hiker. 

Garmin Oregon 700 

Utilizing both GPS and GLONASS to ensure accurate location tracking, the Oregon 700 is a fantastic GPS. The touch-screen display is small but responsive and designed for viewing in direct sunlight. The screen is Gorilla Glass, which makes it nigh-indestructible and easy to read. It even offers driving directions and directions on water! Hikers will love the compass and altimeter, allowing them to retain their bearing and track altitude. If you want a modern, serious GPS with a great interface, this one is for you. The Garmin Oregon 700 costs around $400 and can often be found on sale for $350 or so. 

Our Favorite Hiking GPS: Garmin GPSMAP 64S 

The $300 GPSMAP 64S is a steal for the price, and our favorite hiking GPS. Like the Oregon 700, the 64S uses both American GPS and Russian GLONASS to maintain orientation. It comes pre-loaded with a world map and it has 4GB of internal storage for waypoints and routes. The design is durable and has huge buttons that are easy to press even while wearing gloves. Smartphone connectivity is available to send updates like inclement weather, too! The device even has preloaded geocaches for treasure-hunters to go after! For its price, the GPSMAP 64S is the best GPS you can buy for hiking. Garmin’s products are really quite something, and you won’t be disappointed with this one.