Navigation Tools
The best navigation tools, reviewed and curated by the Trailspace community. The latest review was added on January 16, 2021. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily.














































Recent Navigation Tool Reviews

Garmin Alpha 100
When used with the TT15 or T5 dog tracking collars this is a great tool for those off-leash moments when hunting or just enjoying recreation with your dog. The Alpha 100 receiver can also function as a stand alone GPS with mapping. The Alpha 100 with the TT15 tracking collar allows you to track up to 20 dogs within a 9-mile range. It displays the track of each dog in a different color and lets you know when the dog has stopped and when the dog is barking. It has a training mode that can deliver… Full review

Gaia GPS Hiking, Offroad Maps App
The main takeaway for me was that planning a route was significantly faster and more intuitive than any other mapping app I’ve used. The app does all the things we’ve come to expect from mapping apps, including pinning waypoints, creating routes, and tracking hikes, but offers many features that others don’t, including the national parks maps from National Geographic and cell phone coverage maps. The interface is clean and easy to understand and the maps are sharp without clutter. Gaia GPS… Full review

Casio 3202 Twin Sensor Watch
Works fine. Very happy with it. I just needed an altimeter watch for whiteouts in the winter while hiking. I've been using it in weather around 15–35ºF so far and it works fine. Very happy with it. Had it for about a month. The manual is a problem to read, but I solved that by downloading the PDF version from the Internet and enlarging it on my desktop. Done that way, it is easy to figure out. Full review

Garmin eTrex 10
Cheap, light, reliable. Had mine now for about 4 years and love it. I never walk about the Australian bush without my Silva compass but the little eTrex 10 is always in my daypack. The user manual is pretty average, but fortunately the device isn't really that hard to figure out, and of course if all else fails there is always youtube! For my use I simply name my base camp and then go wandering and if I need help getting back I simply ask the device where home is and voilà. It is a direct line… Full review

Suunto 9 Baro
The Suunto Baro 9 allows users to track data like temperature, barometric pressure, and altitude. As an activity monitor, you can find a sports mode to track nearly any sport. The Suunto Baro 9 was my first GPS tracking watch, and I'll never return to a life without it. This product is easy to use, packed full of features, and versatile. Whether you'd like to track the number of vertical feet you're climbing in a rock gym or you're keeping tabs on your evening walks, this watch has your back. … Full review

Garmin GPSMAP 66i
InReach Service is expensive and set up to scam you out of money by automatic renewal of monthly service with no way to opt out when selecting a monthly plan. Garmin will charge you the minute your month is up and you can call them the minute after but they will charge you for the full month that is starting, no refunds, partial credits, or even an apology. I have lots and lots of Garmin products and have been a repeat customer of theirs for as long as I can remember. I have never had a problem… Full review

Casio PRW3500-1
Solar-powered altimeter, barometer and compass (ABC) watch with radio time calibration, temperature sensor, world time, stopwatch, and timer. The Casio PRW3500 digital hiking watch in compass mode, with three dots representing north and single dots representing the other points of the compass The Casio PRW3500 is one of the older models in Casio’s Pro Trek series of hiking watches (previously known as the Pathfinder series). I believe it has been discontinued, but it is still available for… Full review

SPOT Gen3
Very slow sending—awful customer support. I bought a Spot Gen 3 on Amazon (sold out on REI) for my first overnight four-day backpacking trip on the Timberline Trail. A couple things about the device itself: the construction is flimsy. The "waterproof" USB cap barely stays in place, which would likely result in the device being destroyed in rain, a fall into a river-crossing, or any other liquid-involved accident. Imagine falling into a river, breaking a bone, and your only way to let someone… Full review

Garmin GPSMAP 66i
I have never been more disappointed by a product. Every other Bluetooth device I own shows up on my phone and pairs in seconds. This device has never paired in less than a dozen tries. I have had to sit down multiple times with the Garmin "how to" video to pair it. I can't recommend this product at all. Full review