Garmin Foretrex 301

Tough little device, handy for hiking and other active sports.

I use this device for hunting, jogging, canoeing, and hiking for about three years. While it’s too small to have detailed maps and other niceties, its “breadcrumbs” mean I can always find my way back to the start, and I can focus on looking for game, instead of looking for markers to backtrack.

The “AAA” batteries make it a little bulky, but it means you can change to fresh batteries while you are out for extended periods. 

While it takes a little work, programming a trail on the computer and transferring it to the GPS is not complicated, and make planning a hike a snap.

Has stood up to a few years of light use and casual neglect without any signs of wear and tear.



Only slightly bulkier than a watch


The compass is a little tricky, it's GPS based and it only registers changes while you are moving.

Its "info page" is configurable; you can select your most used data for the first screen, 
And scroll through the rest:


You can set way points to travel to, 

Or build trail on your computer and download them to the device.


You can access your stored route, saved tracks, and stored waypoints from the setup screen. 

My Garmin has been through lots of hinting trip, miles of hikes and jogs, and is several years old, yet shows almost no signs of wear. About the only thing I think of changing is the watch band, which is non-elastic so you either cinch it fairly tight or have it slide around a bit. On the plus side, there's an extension provided with the strap to fit over a heavy coat sleeve.