Garmin Oregon 550t
The Oregon is the only one of the three that has a basemap that allows you to view the surrounding elevation in 3-D. It also comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera for recording waypoint images (or just taking goofy trail photos) and a voice recorder. Another cool feature of this GPS is the ability to upload the trail images to Microsoft's Picasa directly from the handheld. In August 2009, the Oregon was priced at $599
Magellan Triton 2000
The Triton is the Inspector Gadget of GPS handhelds. Besides having a touchscreen, a 2-megapixel camera and a voice recorder, it also has a flashlight, an MP3 player with a headphone jack and a lanyard clip for attaching to your belt or backpack. The Triton retailed for $399 in August 2009.
DeLorme PN-40
DeLorme's long-awaited offering into the burgeoning handheld GPS fray is the newest of the three; unlike the other two, the PN-40 lets you navigate using a background of satellite photos, United States Geographic Survey maps or nautical maps. Like the Triton, the PN-40 sold for $399 in August 2009.
