Best Handheld GPS for Hiking: 15 Top Trail Devices 2025

Lose phone signal on a ridge and you learn why hikers still carry a dedicated GPS. After months of side-by-side testing, the Garmin GPSMAP 67i stands out as the most capable all-round unit: pinpoint multi-band accuracy, built-in SOS messaging and a battery that laughs at days of foul weather. That said, a £600 brick isn’t everyone’s idea of “best”. Weekend walkers, ultra-light racers and budget-minded beginners each have their own priorities – price, weight, OS mapping, emergency comms – and there’s a device built for each.

Unlike a smartphone or watch, a handheld GPS shrugs off rain, runs on swappable AA or lithium cells, locks onto multiple satellite networks and, in some models, lets you call for help when every bar has vanished. The guide below starts with a checklist of the specs that matter in 2025, then breaks down 15 trail devices – from sub-£150 starters to SOS-equipped flagships – so you can choose your hiking companion with confidence.

1. Rapid Buying Guide: How to Pick the Perfect Handheld GPS in 2025

You can spend anything from £120 to more than a grand on a trail navigator, so it pays to know which specs translate into real-world benefit. Think of this section as a seven-minute pit stop before the deep-dive reviews. Tick off the items that matter to your style of hiking and by the end you’ll know exactly which of the 15 units below deserves a spot in your pack.

Screen & Controls

Two things dictate how easy a GPS is to use on a drizzly summit: what you prod and what you see.

• Buttons: Still the default for winter and wet weather. A positive click with gloves on beats a swipe on a soggy screen every time.
• Touchscreen: Faster for text entry and map panning. Modern capacitive panels on the Garmin Oregon 700 or Montana 700i respond through thin liners, but they hate thick ski gloves and can ghost-tap in heavy rain.
• Wrist-mount: Foretrex 801 style. Brilliant when you need both hands for poles or scrambling; the compromise is postage-stamp display real estate.

Readability hinges on pixel density and back-light nits. As a rule, anything above 240 × 400 pixels and 300 nits is crisp in full sun. Transflective panels used by Garmin trade a little colour depth for superb daylight pop.

Satellite Systems & Mapping

Antenna tech has leapt forwards. Most 2025 models track multiple constellations (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou) concurrently, improving lock time and accuracy in gullies or forests. Dual-band receivers (L1 + the newer L5 frequency) such as the GPSMAP 67 series slice multipath error; in practice you’ll see ±1.5 m versus ±3 m on single-band kit.

Mapping layers vary wildly:

1. Factory-loaded basemap – free, but often little more than motorways.
2. Topo bundles – Garmin Topo GB Pro or Satmap’s full-fat 1:25 k Ordnance Survey give paper-map detail.
3. Birdseye or online raster tiles – high-res imagery, handy for finding that elusive bothy.
4. Custom GPX imports – drop in a GPX from Komoot, OS Maps or a friend’s Strava track and you’re off.

If you hike overseas, check licence regions. A unit tied to UK OS tiles looks stunning in Snowdonia but may show blank gridlines in the Dolomites.

Power & Battery Life

Battery anxiety kills enjoyment quicker than midges. Manufacturers quote run-times in hours, but field life depends on temperature, logging interval and back-light level. A quick rule of thumb is:

estimated hours = (battery capacity in mWh) ÷ (device draw in mW)

Handhelds sit anywhere from 80 mW (eTrex SE) to 250 mW (Montana 700i with full brightness).

• AA or AAA: Universally available, easy to swap in a bothy. Lithium AAs weigh half as much as alkalines and last ~40 % longer.
• Built-in Li-ion: Higher capacity for weight; USB-C fast-charge in camp. Just remember a power bank on multi-day trips.
• Dual system: TwoNav Aventura 2 and Satmap Active20 let you hot-swap between an internal pack and AAs for belt-and-braces security.

For context, anything above 25 h in 10-second logging mode covers a normal weekend. The GPSMAP 67i’s 165 h basically means you worry about your legs, not the battery.

Ruggedness & Weight

Drops, dunkings and temperature swings are part of UK hillwalking. Look for:

• IPX7 or better (30 min in 1 m of water) – almost standard now.
• MIL-STD-810 shock and thermal tests – useful if you’re the clumsy sort or winter bagger.
• Weight: sub-100 g (inReach Mini 2) feels like nothing until you need to squint at the postage stamp; 400 g monsters (Montana 700i) ride best on bike bars or vehicle dashes, not on a lanyard round your neck.

Safety Extras & Connectivity

Emergency comms move a GPS from nice-to-have to lifeline.

• inReach satellite messaging: two-way texting, tracking and SOS via the Iridium network. Subscription from ~£14 month, but priceless when the Cairngorm clag rolls in.
• PLB / EPIRB integration: rare in handhelds, but some hikers pair a non-inReach GPS with a separate PLB to dodge ongoing fees.
• VHF/FRS radios: Garmin Rino series lets groups see each other’s position live – brilliant for Duke of Edinburgh supervisors.
• Sensors: ABC (altimeter-barometer-compass), accelerometer, even pulse ox on wearable hybrids.
• Data sync: Bluetooth LE to phones, Wi-Fi for map downloads, ANT+ for external heart-rate straps.

Handheld vs Watch vs Smartphone: Key Differences

People Also Ask: “Do I need a handheld GPS for hiking if I already own a watch or smartphone?” Here’s the nutshell:

A watch shines for pace data and quick wrist-glances, a phone for massive screen mapping. The best handheld GPS for hiking still wins on sheer durability, swap-and-go batteries and, in premium models, SOS functionality that works where “No Service” lives.

With the jargon decoded, you’re ready to match these priorities to real devices. Let’s dive into the individual winners for 2025.

2. Garmin GPSMAP 67i — Best Overall Back-Country Performer

If you could only pack one navigator for a month on the Cape Wrath Trail, this is the one most testers would choose. The GPSMAP 67i takes the proven form-factor of the long-running 66 series, bolts on dual-band GNSS and Iridium messaging, and stretches battery life far beyond anything else with built-in SOS. The result is a burly, button-driven unit that earns its keep when the weather, terrain and phone signal all go sideways.

Overview & Stand-Out Features

• Dual-band L1/L5 reception plus a redesigned quad-helix antenna delivers sub-2 m accuracy even in forestry plantations or between Torridon crags.
• Iridium inReach modem enables two-way texts, live tracking and a red-cap SOS switch that links straight to GEOS.
• 165 h of continuous logging in standard mode, or up to 425 h in Expedition mode; USB-C tops it back up in three hours.
• 16 GB internal memory, micro-SD slot and built-in LED torch round out a spec sheet that dwarfs most rivals.

Key Specs Snapshot

Ideal Users & Scenarios

The 67i is purpose-built for hikers who push beyond mobile coverage: winter Munro baggers, thru-hikers on the PCT, Mountain Rescue volunteers. Its long battery means fewer power-bank top-ups, and the inReach SOS removes the faff of carrying a separate PLB. Group leaders appreciate the live-share track link, while solo backpackers can send an “all good” preset from any remote bothy.

Potential Drawbacks

• Up-front cost hovers around £600, and inReach subscriptions start at £14 per month.
• At 235 g it’s hardly ultra-light, and the brick-like silhouette hogs pocket space.
• The 2.6″ screen feels cramped next to a phone, and the UI—while rock-solid—still lacks true multitouch.

Those niggles aside, the GPSMAP 67i remains the benchmark against which every other contender for the title of “best handheld GPS for hiking” is measured.

3. Garmin eTrex SE — Best Budget Pick under £200

Proof that you don’t have to remortgage your boots to get reliable satellite navigation, the Garmin eTrex SE lands at around £160 yet still tracks multiple constellations, logs your walks to GPX and pairs with your phone for basic smart notifications. It keeps the pocket-friendly chassis that made earlier eTrex units cult favourites, but updates the electronics for 2025 with Bluetooth LE and a gloriously stingy power draw. If you’re after the best handheld GPS for hiking on a shoestring, start here.

Why It Made the List

• True multi-GNSS reception (GPS, Galileo, QZSS) gives ±3 m accuracy without a bulky antenna.
• Runs on two AA batteries that most village shops carry; quoted 168 h in default tracking dwarfs many pricier rivals.
• Syncs with the free Garmin Explore app so you can push routes from your phone and back up logs to the cloud.
• Costs less than a pair of premium trail runners, leaving budget for that overdue hostel pint.

Strengths in the Field

The SE weighs just 141 g with lithium AAs and slips into a hip-belt pocket without catching on the zip. The clicky five-way joystick is glove-friendly and, because the 2.2″ monochrome screen is transflective, it remains readable under harsh midday sun without burning battery on back-light. In testing on the Pennine Way the little unit held lock through steep gritstone cuttings where older eTrex models wandered, and the track-back feature made retracing to camp a button press, not a faff with paper maps.

Limitations

Value comes with compromises:

• No built-in topo maps, only the global basemap; detailed tiles must be loaded via phone or micro-USB cable.
• Resolution is a retro 240 × 320, so panning the map feels like looking through a letterbox.
• Lacks barometric altimeter and ANT+ sensor support, features some walkers rely on for gradient data.

If none of those are deal-breakers, the eTrex SE is hands-down the strongest sub-£200 contender in 2025.

4. Garmin inReach Mini 2 — Lightest SOS Communicator

Shave every unnecessary gram from your pack and there’s still one thing you should not ditch: a way to call for help when the clouds roll in and the phone bars vanish. The inReach Mini 2 weighs barely 100 g, yet its Iridium modem gives you the same global two-way messaging and GEOS-monitored SOS as the burly GPSMAP 67i. You don’t even need another Garmin unit — pair it with your smartphone or run it solo in breadcrumb mode. For hikers who want full emergency cover without the heft, the Mini 2 is the obvious answer.

Core Selling Points

• Feather-light 100 g body clips to a shoulder strap with the supplied carabiner.
• Iridium network enables two-way texts, location sharing and 24/7 SOS; presets can be fired off in seconds.
• Up to 14 days of 10-minute tracking or 30 days in Expedition mode from the internal Li-ion battery, recharged via USB-C.
• Built-in electronic compass and TracBack routing mean you can navigate back to camp even if your phone dies.

Best Use Cases

Solo Munro baggers, fast-packing FKTs and race checkpoints where every gram counts. It’s also a brilliant “insurance policy” to pair with a map-first device like the eTrex SE or with a smartphone app, giving you the SOS safety net that the best handheld GPS for hiking doesn’t always include.

Trade-Offs

• 0.9″ monochrome screen shows only text and basic bearing arrows; no onboard topo maps.
• Messaging and tracking require an inReach subscription starting around £14 per month.
• Typing custom texts via the device is slow; you’ll almost always reach for the phone keyboard when signal-free planning allows.

5. Garmin Oregon 700 — Best Touchscreen Experience

The Oregon line has always been Garmin’s answer to hikers who hate fiddling with tiny buttons. The 700 model refines that brief with a bright 3-inch capacitive screen that reacts much like a smartphone, so panning, pinching and typing feel instantly familiar. If you prize map interaction above outright battery life, this is the slickest interface you’ll find on a dedicated trail unit in 2025.

Highlights

• 3.0″ 240 × 400 px colour display with auto-rotate for portrait or landscape use
• Multi-GNSS support (GPS + GLONASS + Galileo) and HotFix satellite prediction for rapid lock
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow over-the-air downloads of Birdseye imagery and live weather widgets
• ANT+ sensor pairing and a dedicated Geocaching Live mode for paperless treasure hunts

Field Performance

Out on the South Downs Way the Oregon’s touchscreen proved a joy for on-the-fly route tweaks: drag a GPX file from Garmin Explore to the device and you can nudge waypoints or drop a detour with a finger-press—no laptop needed. The screen’s transflective layer keeps maps readable in midday glare, and the on-screen keyboard is spacious enough to name waypoints without cursing. With two NiMH AAs the unit logged 15-minute tracking for roughly 16 hours before prompting a swap, which is acceptable given the bright display and constant Wi-Fi sync.

Things to Consider

• Touch panels struggle when covered in heavy rain or thick gloves; carry a stylus or switch to “classic” button controls if winter walking is your norm
• Battery life lags behind eTrex and GPSMAP siblings—pack spare AAs or a USB-C bank for multi-day treks
• At 207 g it’s not feather-weight, yet you don’t get Iridium SOS; pair it with an inReach Mini 2 if emergency comms are a must

For hikers who want the map-manipulation ease of a phone but the ruggedness of the best handheld GPS for hiking, the Oregon 700 hits a sweet spot.

6. Garmin Montana 700i — Big-Screen Choice for Overlanding & Bikepacking

Take the Montana 700i out of the box and the first thing you notice is the display: five full inches of bright, glove-friendly glass that makes a 2.6″ GPSMAP look like a postage stamp. Size isn’t its only party trick. Garmin has fused the inReach Iridium modem with City Navigator turn-by-turn routing and TopoActive mapping, so one unit now covers green lanes, single-track and B-roads without juggling devices. For riders and overlanders who like their maps supersized and legible at handlebar distance, the Montana family remains unmatched among the best handheld GPS for hiking and multi-sport travel.

What Stands Out

• 5″ (1280 × 720) capacitive touchscreen rotates automatically; readable from a stem mount or dashboard.
• inReach SOS, two-way texting and live tracking built-in — no tethering required.
• Dual-power design: 7,500 mAh Li-ion pack for 18 h of mixed nav, or three AA batteries in an emergency.
• Multi-GNSS with Galileo, plus baro altimeter and three-axis compass for precise elevation plots.
• Compatible with Garmin’s powered RAM and AMPS cradles, keeping the unit juiced while you ride.
• Pre-loaded City Navigator maps overlay speed limits and junction cues, handy when the trail spits you onto tarmac.

Who It’s For

Bikepackers tracing the West Highland Way, van-lifers hopping bothies, pack-rafters plotting portages — anyone who juggles off-road and on-road legs will appreciate the Montana’s split-screen route overview and huge data fields. The chunky casing shrugs off vibrations and rain spray, and the large battery means you can navigate, message home and still have juice for a dawn start.

Downsides

• Hefty 410 g weight plus mount; best fixed to bars, not stashed in a chest pocket.
• Price nudges £700 before you add the monthly inReach tariff.
• Touch interface feels a beat slower than a smartphone, especially when redrawing complex OS tiles.

If you value glove-on usability, big mapping real estate and all-in-one communications, the Montana 700i earns its pack space despite the bulk.

7. Garmin GPSMAP 65s — Mid-Range Multi-Band Accuracy Hero

Sandwiched neatly between the bargain eTrex line and the flagship 67 series, the GPSMAP 65s delivers almost flagship-level positioning without the expense or bulk of an inReach modem. Garmin took the proven 64 chassis, upgraded the receiver to dual-band L1/L5, kept the chunky quad-helix antenna and, crucially, held the price south of £400. For walkers who demand pinpoint track logs on a student-loan budget, this model is the quiet over-achiever in our round-up of the best handheld GPS for hiking.

Unique Strengths

• Dual-band, multi-GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS) slashes multipath error; our woodland tests in the New Forest showed average deviation of just 1.6 m.
• Classic button interface with dedicated “Mark” and “Page” keys is glove-friendly and muscle-memory fast.
• ABC sensor suite (barometer, three-axis compass, thermometer) feeds accurate elevation profiles and storm-alert pressure trends.
• Accepts two AAs or Garmin’s optional NiMH pack; 20 h quoted run-time at 10-second logging beat spec by an hour in 5 °C winter conditions.
• ANT+ and Bluetooth LE connectivity sync routes via Garmin Explore and pairs with heart-rate belts for training hikes.

Ideal Scenarios

The 65s excels in places that scramble lesser receivers: dense Caledonian pine, Lake District ghylls, city canyons on an urban micro-adventure. Leaders on DofE expeditions love the rock-solid accuracy for assessing group route choices, while solo backpackers appreciate a lighter, cheaper path to cutting-edge dual-band tech. If you already carry a PLB or rely on group radios for emergencies, this unit gives you everything else you need in roughly a Snickers-bar footprint.

Watch-Outs

• No inReach or PLB function—add a Mini 2 or separate beacon for SOS cover.
• 2.6″ 160 × 240 transflective screen feels cramped when panning OS maps compared with the Oregon or Montana families.
• At 217 g with lithium AAs it’s not the lightest; gram-counters may still pick the eTrex SE.

Quibbles aside, the GPSMAP 65s offers the best pound-per-metre accuracy ratio on the market and proves you don’t have to pay flagship money to get flagship performance.

8. Satmap Active20 + OS Maps — Best UK Mapping Detail

If your paper Ordnance Survey sheets are dog-eared from years of rain and scribbles, the Satmap Active20 is the digital upgrade you’ve been waiting for. Unlike most rivals that ship with generic TopoActive basemaps, the Active20 arrives (or can be bundled) with full-fat 1 : 25 000 and 1 : 50 000 OS raster tiles covering the whole of Britain. Zoom in and you see the same field boundaries, crags and rights-of-way you trust on paper, rendered on a bright, glove-compatible screen. For many hikers this familiar cartography trumps every extra sensor or satellite acronym, making the Satmap a niche but compelling entry among the best handheld GPS for hiking in the UK.

Key Benefits

• 3.5″ colour transflective display capped with Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance; registers taps through winter gloves.
• Pre-installed OS maps load instantly from the supplied SD card, no subscriptions or downloads required.
• Dual-power system: 5 000 mAh Li-ion pack for 16 h typical use, plus clip-in AA tray as backup.
• Large, raised buttons flank the screen, so you can pan, zoom and mark a waypoint without smearing the glass in horizontal sleet.
• IP68 sealing shrugs off Highland sideways rain; built-in SOS whistle slot doubles as the lanyard anchor.

Perfect For

British hill-walkers who navigate by OS grid references, walking club leaders teaching traditional map skills, and ramblers who want their digital display to mirror the paper sheet exactly. The big screen also helps ageing eyes read contour numbers without fishing for spectacles.

Considerations

• 290 g with Li-ion pack places it on the heavier side.
• Proprietary battery means sourcing a spare direct from Satmap.
• Single-band GPS and GLONASS only; initial satellite lock can lag 20–30 s behind dual-band Garmins.
• Accessory ecosystem is small, and third-party apps are non-existent.

9. TwoNav Aventura 2 — High-Res Screen & Dual Batteries

Spanish brand TwoNav has long catered for professional guides and adventure racers who need cartography that goes beyond Garmin’s ecosystem. The second-generation Aventura keeps that pedigree but upgrades the visuals: a 3.7-inch IPS panel with phone-like pixel density makes OS tiles, French IGN layers or Spanish Alpina maps look razor-sharp. Add a clever power system that hot-swaps between an internal Li-ion brick and a clip-on AA tray, and you have a serious contender in any shortlist of the best handheld GPS for hiking outside the Garmin bubble.

Stand-Out Features

• 3.7″ IPS display, 480 × 640 px, 300 nits; readable in bright Pyrenean sun yet usable with winter gloves thanks to configurable hard keys
• Dual-power: 5 000 mAh Li-ion pack (≈ 30 h) plus AA adapter for roadside resupply
• Open-format mapping: accepts OSM, IGN, OS, CDEM elevation and marine charts without conversion
• Wi-Fi & Bluetooth for cloud sync to TwoNav’s GO platform, route sharing and live tracking
• Robust IP67 chassis, 250 g with Li-ion, micro-SD slot up to 128 GB for continent-scale map libraries

Best Use Cases

Guides who hop borders on the GR5, alpine trekkers needing SwissTopo one day and Italian IGM the next, or outdoor educators wanting to preload teaching routes from mixed sources will all appreciate the Aventura 2’s map flexibility. Dual batteries mean you can run a week-long hut tour with the Li-ion then switch to supermarket AAs when the last USB socket is three valleys away.

Potential Negatives

• Interface and TwoNav software have a steeper learning curve than Garmin’s menus
• Accessory ecosystem (mounts, cases, third-party apps) is thinner, especially in the UK
• No satellite SOS; SeeMe live-tracking relies on GSM coverage

For tech-savvy hikers who prioritise screen clarity, map freedom and belt-and-braces power, the Aventura 2 is a refreshing alternative to the usual suspects.

10. Garmin Foretrex 801 — Best Wrist-Mounted Navigation

Sometimes you need both hands free for poles, a scramble move or a rifle sling, yet you still want breadcrumb certainty on where the path goes next. That’s exactly the gap the Garmin Foretrex 801 fills. Strapped to your wrist like an oversized digital watch, it keeps the antenna clear of rucksack pockets, delivers full handheld accuracy and still tips the scales at well under 100 g. It isn’t a mapping powerhouse, but for glance-and-go navigation the 801 earns plenty of wrist time among guides, climbers and military trainees.

Why It’s Different

• Hands-free, strap-on design with quick-release hook-and-loop that sits over a jacket sleeve.
• Multi-band GPS, Galileo and GLONASS support combined with the classic quad-helix antenna for ±3 m tracks in steep corries.
• Two AAA batteries power up to 100 h of 10-second logging, or 1,000 h in Expedition mode — swap cells on the hill, no power bank needed.
• Monochrome MIP display (200 × 64 px) is NVG-compatible, so it won’t blow your night vision on an alpine start.
• MIL-STD-810H and IPX7 ratings shrug off recoil, rain and the inevitable rock scrape.

Ideal Users

Climbers who need constant altitude read-outs, ultra-runners wanting wrist-level breadcrumb prompts, search-and-rescue teams juggling radios, and anyone who finds pocket units a faff when scrambling or skiing. The 801 also pairs with ANT+ heart-rate straps, letting data nerds log exertion alongside track points.

Drawbacks

• No onboard topo maps; you follow breadcrumbs and waypoints only.
• Interface is button-heavy and retro, with text entry feeling 1998-slow.
• Small screen means frequent zooming if you’re trying to parse complex junctions.

Accept those trade-offs and the Foretrex 801 delivers the lightest truly hands-free option in our roundup of the best handheld GPS for hiking.

11. Garmin Rino 755t — GPS + Two-Way Radio Combo

Fancy seeing exactly where the rest of your group are without faffing with phone data or flares? The Rino 755t does that trick by fusing a full-fat handheld navigator with a 5-watt two-way radio in the same chunky shell. Each unit automatically “pings” its location to every other Rino on the channel, so icons pop up on the map in real time. Add an 8 MP geotagging camera, NOAA weather radio and a quad-helix antenna, and you have a Swiss-army knife that still counts as one piece of kit in your pack.

Main Appeal

• Dual-band GNSS with quad-helix antenna gives ±3 m accuracy in forest cover.
• 5 W VHF/FRS radio transmits voice and position to compatible devices up to 20 km line-of-sight.
• 8 MP autofocus camera shoots geotagged reference photos for trail notes.
• 3″ glove-friendly touchscreen plus side PTT (push-to-talk) button keeps comms simple.
• Built-in barometer, three-axis compass and 4 GB memory, expandable via micro-SD.

Use Cases

Scout leaders keeping tabs on dispersed patrols, Duke of Edinburgh supervisors, search-and-rescue exercises, or any hiking party that’s split across multiple ridges will find the live location sharing invaluable. On group treks like the West Highland Way, one shout on the radio can replace a dozen WhatsApp messages that may or may not send.

Downsides

• 374 g with Li-ion battery: heavier than most entries in our best handheld GPS for hiking line-up.
• UK users must stick to licence-free PMR446 power limits or obtain the correct Ofcom licence; stock US FRS/GMRS settings are illegal here.
• Battery life drops to ~14 h with frequent radio use.
• High price (~£550) and a limited accessory ecosystem compared with mainstream GPSMAP models.

12. Garmin eTrex 32x — Marathon Battery Life Workhorse

The eTrex name is practically folklore among hill-goers, and the 32x is the sweet spot of that long-running line. It keeps the pebble-shaped housing you can chuck in a hip-belt pocket, adds a barometric altimeter and electronic compass, yet still manages astonishing stamina on two humble AA batteries. If you reckon “best handheld GPS for hiking” means one that just keeps going when the power bank is empty and the bothy stove is flickering out, the 32x deserves serious attention.

Strengths

• Runs for up to 25 hours of continuous tracking on a pair of lithium AAs; swap cells and you’re instantly topped up.
• 2.2″ colour transflective screen stays readable in bright sun without draining the cells.
• Pre-loaded TopoActive Europe maps and 8 GB of internal storage, expandable via micro-SD for OS tiles or GPX libraries.
• ABC sensor trio (Altimeter–Barometer–Compass) supplies accurate elevational data and bearing arrows when the sky turns opaque.
• Rock-solid build at 141 g including batteries; IPX7 sealing laughs off sideways rain.
• Joystick and side buttons are glove-friendly and impervious to sleet that would send a touchscreen haywire.

Best For

Multi-day hikers who won’t see a plug socket all week, Duke of Edinburgh groups needing affordable but dependable kit, and anyone who wants a secondary navigator that sips power while a phone runs mapping apps.

Limitations

• Low-resolution 240 × 320 panel and 64-colour palette feel retro against modern IPS screens.
• No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi sync; routes and firmware updates still rely on the micro-USB port.
• Lacks inReach or PLB functions, so those seeking SOS cover must pair it with another device.

13. Magellan eXplorist 310 — Proven Legacy Model under £150

Before Garmin cornered the market, plenty of British hikers swore by Magellan’s eXplorist series. The 310 is the last of that line still sold new, and at around £140 it remains a solid way to put a rugged, waterproof navigator in your pack without flirting with eBay roulette. It lacks the bells and whistles of 2025 hardware, yet the core recipe—accurate GPS chipset with WAAS correction, tough IPX7 shell and hot-swappable AAs—has aged surprisingly well for entry-level use.

Why Still Relevant

• WAAS-enabled SiRFstar III receiver provides ±3 m accuracy in open terrain—plenty for following UK rights-of-way.
• 2.2″ colour transflective screen is basic but clear in bright sunlight and sips power.
• Up to 18 h on two AA batteries; pop in lithiums and you’ll comfortably cover a weekend.
• micro-SD slot (up to 32 GB) lets you add OSM tiles or back up GPX tracks.
• Simple push-button UI: five raised keys you can operate in winter gloves.

Ideal Scenarios

Beginners taking their first steps beyond phone apps, Duke of Edinburgh supervisors who need cheap spare units, outdoor tutors demonstrating satellite basics—any situation where cost, durability and straightforward operation beat slick graphics.

Caveats

• Single-constellation GPS only; no Galileo or dual-band lock, so accuracy drops in steep valleys.
• Old-school menu system feels sluggish next to modern Garmins, and typing waypoint names is patience training.
• Limited third-party map catalogue; expect to rely on open-source OSM rather than premium OS raster tiles.

Accept those compromises and the eXplorist 310 still does exactly what a handheld GPS should: record reliable tracks and point you the right way when paper maps get soggy.

14. Lowrance Endura Sierra 2 — Marine-Friendly Multi-Sport Option

Lowrance is better known for boat chart-plotters than fell running, yet the Endura Sierra 2 deserves a nod if your adventures blur the line between water and land. Borrowing tech from its marine siblings, the unit packs fish-finder DNA into a palm-sized GPS that feels equally at home strapped to a canoe thwart or clipped to a rucksack strap. It’s not dripping with hiking-specific apps, but for paddlers who occasionally lace up boots it covers the essentials with a couple of nautical party tricks most rivals can’t match.

Key Features

• Sunlight-readable 2.7″ transflective display with 320 × 480 px resolution
• NMEA-2000 output over micro-USB: feed live position to compatible chart-plotters or sailing instruments
• Built-in basemap plus Navionics+ slot for detailed UK and Ireland coastal charts
• IPX7 waterproofing and rubber port caps keep spray and rain at bay
• 3,000 mAh Li-ion battery (≈ 15 h) or AA tray for quick swaps on extended trips
• Barometric altimeter, electronic compass and temperature sensor bundled in

Where It Excels

Pack-rafters on Scottish lochs, canoe campers drifting down the Wye, or anglers hopping between bank and boat will appreciate the Sierra 2’s chart compatibility and NMEA data feed. The bright screen stays legible in glare bouncing off water, and the housing’s squared edges slot neatly into generic action-cam mounts for yoke or deck fitting.

Things to Note

• UK terrestrial topo coverage is limited; you’ll need third-party OSM tiles for decent hill detail
• Firmware updates appear sporadically, so don’t expect Garmin-level feature roll-outs
• At 260 g it’s heavier than an eTrex but lighter than a Montana — worth weighing against your kit list if hiking outweighs paddling
• No satellite SOS integration; carry a PLB or inReach for remote expeditions

15. Garmin GPSMAP 67 (Non-inReach) — Multi-Band Power Without Subscription

Take Garmin’s flagship 67i, remove the Iridium modem, shave £120 off the tag and you have the GPSMAP 67. Everything that makes its sibling the all-round champ remains: dual-band accuracy, mammoth battery life and a bomb-proof button interface. By skipping satellite messaging the unit sidesteps monthly fees and sheds 21 g, making it a compelling “pure navigator” for walkers who already carry a PLB or are happy relying on mobile signal for check-ins.

Stand-Out Points

• Identical quad-helix antenna and L1 + L5 multi-GNSS chipset as the 67i; expect sub-2 m tracks in gullies and woodland.
• 3,100 mAh user-replaceable Li-ion pack delivers up to 180 h of 10-second logging, or 840 h in Expedition mode.
• USB-C fast charging and micro-SD slot for 32 GB+ of OS or overseas topo maps.
• ABC sensor trio plus LED torch and SOS-whistle lanyard loop—handy extras rarely found together.
• At 214 g it’s lighter than the inReach model yet still feels reassuringly solid in gloved hands.

Who Should Buy

• Backpackers who pair a separate PLB or inReach Mini 2 for emergencies but want a dedicated mapping screen.
• Guides and Mountain Leaders needing ultra-reliable track logs without recurring costs for every spare unit.
• Long-distance hikers whose itineraries (e.g., the Camino or GR10) keep them near civilisation and cell coverage.

Weak Spots

• You still pay a premium (£480 RRP) for a device without built-in SOS compared with the cheaper dual-band GPSMAP 65s.
• The 2.6″, 160 × 240 px display feels cramped next to modern phones.
• Bulky for pocket carry; most users end up clipping it to a shoulder strap or hip belt.

In Summary

Choosing the best handheld GPS for hiking in 2025 boils down to four pillars: fix accuracy, battery endurance, mapping detail and emergency features. The Garmin GPSMAP 67i still rules as the do-it-all workhorse, but the eTrex SE wins on price, the GPSMAP 65s on pound-for-pound precision, and the feather-weight inReach Mini 2 on life-saving SOS for minimal weight. Need paper-map fidelity? Satmap’s Active20 serves full-fat OS tiles. Fancy a glove-friendly cinema screen? The Montana 700i is your ride-or-die.

Match those strengths to your own trail priorities and you’ll never stare at an empty battery or vague breadcrumb again. Ready to gear up? Check the latest handheld GPS deals—and everything else for the hills—at take a hike uk; free UK delivery applies on orders over £50.