Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25179
8 W Multisport atheletes require a GPS that has the durability biking ~ A and hiking require, along with the weather resistant qualities MULTISPORT a 1> Garmin eTrex Vista ~ No GPS is as versatile as the Garmin eTrex Vista. The big brother needed for watersports and all foul-weather activities. 1 in the Garmin eTrex series, the Vista adds three crucial multisport features while maintaining the convenience of the original eTrex. One of the longtime shortcomings of GPS units has been that the technology is only accurate when the device is in motion. Stand sti ll and the GPS can tell you where you are, but not which direction you are facing. This limitation forced users to carry an analog compass for map reading (a good idea anyway), but the Vista fixes that problem by integrating a highly accurate digital compass. The second brilliant addition is the GPS-calibrated altimeter complete with a display that plots elevation data over a scalable time line. While many altimeters are prone to error due to their reliance on barometric data, the Vista compares elevation readings to both the GPS satellite system and an internal barometer to ensure accuracy. Better yet, Garmin improved a third yet often overlooked feature, the amount of onboard RAM. With 24 megabytes the Vista has enough overhead to store detailed maps of any region in the country (and many global regions too) downloaded from CD. The ~ unit's built in basemap of the United States provides information on ~ roads (including gas stations, fast food, etc.) and marine markers just about anywhere. Small enough to fit easily in a pocket, but powerful enough to stand up to any task, the eTrex Vista is the best companion an active athlete can have. GARMIN, WWW.GARMIN.COM. $345 ft BYFOOT W Perhaps more than any other outdoors activity, hiking has the potential to take you literally off the path. Those are the times 2 when you'll appreciate a GPS the most. A GPS can also be used to share a favorite campsite with a group of friends. You can map out the route and send it to your friends so they can meet you at the campsite simply by using a GPS to follow the directions. 3 2> Casio PAT-2GP-l V Satellite NAVI Data-deprived hikers and Dick Tracy fans alike will appreciate this ultratransportable GPS watch. A small but functional screen displays direction and speed as well as up to 200 landmarks. A separate 400 "track points" are stored by the watch to monitor progress to and from a destination, while buttons on the massive face access the display modes, give the distance to an endpoint, provide multitasking, allow a PC interface and more. The watch lacks some of the sophisticated features of its more advanced cousins, but it's a friggin' watch for Pete's sake! A single CR2 lithium battery powers the Navigator for nearly 3.5 hours in auto mode (longer in manual mode), more than enough hiking time to find the Blair Witch and get back home to return the sound equipment. Oh yeah, it tells time too. CASIO, WWW.CASIO.COM. $500 8 BYBIKE With a bicycle-mounted unit, you have the freedom to take paths you don't know without the fear of getting lost. Simply make a turn where you'd normally go straight and you can add dozens of new routes. When you get home you can upload the new route into mapping software and see where you've been. Or, you can choose to download a street map into the unit before heading out the door. 4 3> Garmin eTrex Venture Nestled inside a waterproof housing less than four inches long, weighing only six ounces and available with an optional handlebar mount, the Venture is a cyclist's dream come true. Since this device measures speed and distance by GPS rather than wheel rotation, your data will be much more accurate. Using either the onscreen map or the compass-like direction indicator, it's easy to tell at a glance where you're going and where you've been. Waypoints are easy to set and the large, clear LCD screen makes finding the correct route a breeze. The map even supports scaling from a 5OO-foot view all the way to a 5OO-mile view. The included one megabyte memory (as opposed to the Vista's 24) allows for downloading a day's ride without putting the price out of range. Two AA batteries power the unit for about six hours. A convenient PC uplink port makes post-ride review a snap and even enables riders to download any of a number of GPS- compatible maps into the unit to be displayed during a ride. GARMIN, WWW.GARMIN.COM. $ 169 5 67 a BY KAYAK A GPS device is a natural fit for a canoe, kayak, or small boat. Nautical charting software is available for the entire planet, making it as easy to navigate the Yangtze River as the local lake. Combat the effects of the tide in a river by marking the launch point and when you're ready to return, follow the compass, which can be set to point to the launch- no more ending up miles down shore at the mercy of the current. 4> Garmin GPSMAP 76 Most of the trad itional marine GPS units are large deck- mounted affairs complete with sounding sensors and even fish- finders. Those units are great for commercial fishermen but lousy for paddlers. The GPSMAP 76 is portable, submersible and it floats. It has a built-in detailed map of every major body of water in North and South America complete with cities, political boundaries, roadways and more, and eight megabytes of memory for map storage. The unit operates for 16 hours on two AA batteries. The backlit display makes night navigation easy and the comfortable set of controls can be operated with cold, wet hands. GARMIN, WWW.GARMIN.COM. $399 BY CAR Sometimes finding a tra ilhead is a greater cha llenge than actually tackling the trail. Secluded spots make for great adventure sport experiences, but can often be difficult to locate without a seasoned guide. Fortunately, car-mounted GPS systems have evolved to the point where they can help locate not only the closest Patagonia store but the nearest trail as well. CD-ROM maps pinpoint exact locations and even provide driving directions, while streamlined interfaces and voice prompting allow for more time watching the road and less time fiddling with yet another set of buttons. 5> Magellan 750NAV This vehicle-mounted GPS is nothing short of a miracle. Looking more like a Walkman-on-a-stick than a sophisticated navigational tool, the 750NAV can be mounted to any vehicle and provides information that would have made the Apollo astronauts weep with joy. The system also has optional coverage maps for the entire US, including more than 500,000 "points of interest" such as hotels, gas stations and ATMs and a directory of services available at almost every interstate exit in the country. Cooler still is the way the system directs drivers to their destination via voice prompts, adjusting in real-time to driving changes such as detours or a sudden hankering for a Krispy Kreme. Future upgrades will allow off-roaders to mark waypoints while destroying their favorite environment. For those on the go, the 750M provides all the same features of the 750NAV but is portable, allowing the driver to remove the computer and display when the SUV arrives at the tra ilhead. MAGELLAN, WWW.MAGELLANGPS.COM. $2,100