Garmin Oregon 400t
Garmin Oregon 400t has won praise from a variety of GPS, outdoor and electronics publications and websites. In a comprehensive overview of available online reviews, ConsumerSearch.com calls it "a dream come true in a handheld GPS receiver". "Backpacker" gave the Oregon 400t a 2009 Editor's Choice Award and gave it high marks for its ease of use, fast satellite acquisition and features.
The Garmin Oregon 400t is a mapping handheld that comes with preloaded topographic and 3D maps of the U.S. or Europe. One of its key distinguishing features is an easy-to-use, touchscreen interface that many reviewers have raved about. It features a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled receiver. The Oregon 400t can wirelessly share data with other Garmin Oregon, Colorado and Dakota units, so users can share hikes, waypoints and other information. Other features include barometric altimeter, electronic compass and microSD slot. Battery life is provided at 16 hours by Garmin.
Magellan Triton 2000
Magellan Triton 2000 is the Swiss Army knife of GPS units, something that "Backpacker Magazine" appreciated it when it ranked the Triton 2000 as its choice for "Multitasker" in a January 2009 GPS comparison. In addition to being a mapping GPS with included U.S. base map, the Triton 2000 features a 2 MP camera for snapping backcountry photos, a voice recorder for your intimate, mid-journey thoughts or sounds of nature, a digital music player and a flashlight to potentially save a little room in your backpack. The handheld includes a 2.7-inch color touchscreen, electronic compass and built-in barometer. It uses a SIRFStar III chipset. Battery life is given at 10 hours by Magellan.
Bushnell Onix 400
In the backcountry, you don't have access to television or Internet to check the weather. You could carry a NOAA radio with you, or you could get location-specific weather information laid right on top of your GPS with the Bushnell Onix 400. This handheld is a mapping unit with 3.5-inch color screen. It separates itself from the pack by featuring an integrated XM receiver capable of delivering weather through XM NavWeather (subscription required). The unit also delivers XM commercial-free radio and entertainment with an appropriate subscription, providing a source of entertainment on your trek or at the campsite.
In terms of navigation, the Onix 400 includes a SiRF receiver, downloadable satellite imagery and 3-axis digital compass. It even allows users to layer information like satellite photos, topographic map and compass over top one another to get a better comparative view of the surrounding area. The unit includes a battery conservation mode and Bushnell rates it up to 30 hours of battery life. However, the additional features like satellite weather and radio will drain the rechargeable lithium-ion battery more quickly. In a test, "Backpacker" found that the unit only provided four hours of battery time when using the extra features.
