When traveling in an unknown location, it helps to bring multiple sources of navigation. A compass is arguably a required piece of equipment. A GPS device can offer additional features, especially if you’re looking to track your trip or mark specific locations to find again later.

GPS enabled units can use positioning information for a variety of uses. Often they come with a built in altimeter, barometer, compass (or ABC for short). For most purposes you’ll need to be able to get your current position, save it, and then navigate to it at a later point. Other useful addons include built in topographic maps or live map tracking.

Garmin is the brand leader in the GPS industry. The most common form factor is handheld, however, wristwatch and smartphone versions also exist.

Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch

✔ 10 hour GPS battery
✔ 5 ATM water-resistant
✔ Smartphone enabled
✔ Heart rate monitoring extra

Garmin Fenix 3 HR

✔ ~16 hour GPS battery
✔ 10 ATM water-resistant
✔ ABC
✔ Wrist-based heart rate monitoring

Garmin Tactix Bravo

✔ 20 hour GPS battery
✔ 10 ATM water-resistant
✔ ABC

Garmin GPSMAP 64st with TOPO Canada

✔ 16 hour battery
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ Canada TOPO map
✔ ABC
✔ Smartphone enabled
✔ ANT sensors extra

Garmin GPSMAP 78S Marine

✔ 20 hour battery
✔ IPX7 water-resistant, floats
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ ABC
✔ Chartplotter

Garmin Foretrex 401

✔ 17 hour battery
✔ IPX7 water-resistant
✔ ABC

Garmin eTrex 30x

✔ 25 hour battery
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ ABC
✔ Maps extra

Garmin eTrex 20x

✔ 25 hour battery
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ Maps extra

Garmin eTrex 10

✔ 25 hour battery
✔ Worldwide basemap

Garmin Etrex Touch 35t with TOPO Canada

✔ 16 hour battery
✔ IPX7 Water-resistant
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ Canada TOPO map
✔ Barometric altimeter, compass

DeLorme AG-009871-201 Inreach SE

✔ 100 hour battery
✔ IPX7 Water-resistant
✔ Free maps via smartphone
✔ Smartphone enabled
✔ Built-in SOS

DeLorme AG-008727-201 InReach Explorer

✔ 100 hour battery
✔ IPX7 Water-resistant
✔ Track logging, waypoints, route planning
✔ Free maps via smartphone
✔ Smartphone enabled
✔ Built-in SOS

Bad Elf 2200

✔ 16 hour battery paired
✔ Smartphone enabled

Bad Elf 2300

✔ 24 hour battery paired
✔ Barometric altimeter
✔ Smartphone enabled

Bad Elf 1008

✔ Smartphone lightning-connected attachment

Magellan CX0310SGXNA eXplorist 310

✔ 18 hour battery
✔ IPX7 Water-resistant
✔ Worldwide basemap
✔ Compass
✔ Maps extra

TomTom Adventurer Smartwatch

✔ 11 hour GPS battery
✔ 5 ATM water-resistant
✔ ABC
✔ Smartphone enabled
✔ Wrist-based heart rate monitoring