Most hikers love what they do not just because it’s good for the body and feels great, but because it also provides the hiker with a strong connection with nature. Hiking and camping, both alone and in the company is a really good way to experience nature to its fullest. You probably have a lot of places where you can go hiking or camping in your area unless you live in the Vatican or another mini-state.
With that said, whenever you go camping, hiking or just to pick up mushrooms in the woods, there is always a small risk of getting injured and/or lost, but there is a cure for all that – the Global Positioning System. If you are injured, you can call someone with your cell phone, and if you are lost, you can always find your way to the nearest city or even a house that’s on a GPS map.
Many GPS devices have a built-in ability to transmit help signals, and other than that, most of them also have parallel channel receivers with a dilation of about five meters. When the GPS era first started, most of the units needed an open sky, as the signals bounced off skyscrapers and couldn’t get through trees, however, these days it’s a bit different, as most of the units are waterproof and somewhat resistant to cold, heat and outdoor weather in general, which makes the Handheld GPS units perfect for anyone with an active lifestyle.
The things you should look for in a Handheld GPS unit are much more different from the things that you would look for when choosing GPS units for cars, marine transport, or planes. You shouldn’t look at the color or design of a unit if you plan to use it for hiking. The unit has to be extremely portable, durable (most of the ones that are on the market are not!), and weigh little. It should also be easy to use, as there are chances that you’ll need to use it in an extreme situation.
To sum this up, if you travel a lot, are a mountain climber, live in a remote location, or are a pilot, you should have a Handheld GPS device not only for your own safety, but to keep your walking distance to a minimum, as you’ll always know the shortest road.
Remember that the best GPS for hiking is one that has a lot of different features and offers accurate maps of the area that you want to hike.
Now pack your boots, turn on your handheld and take a walk, a longer one than you usually take, as you no longer can get lost, no matter how hard you try.
