Enjoy Safer Hiking With A Portable GPS

| Sunday, September 4, 2011
By Jashua Moses


People the world over enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, enjoying nature and hiking through beautiful scenery. As a sport hiking has become very popular and many people choose to spend time experiencing the wonderful sense of freedom that comes from it. For the person who wants to have an enjoyable but also safe experience in the outdoors it is essential that the proper precautions and preparations are made. There are dangers in the wilderness and one of the most common ones that threaten anyone who spends time hiking is getting lost in unfamiliar surroundings.

Established hiking trails are well-marked and would basically be safe for the hikers, allowing them to stay on course. From time to time, some hikers would leave the regular trail and would go exploring or visit a particular site. Now and then, the weather would suddenly change making it hard for amateur hikers to follow or find the trail marks.

In the past, a hiker is usually escorted by a local trekker during any hiking trip. The trekker is experienced and very familiar with the hiking areas of the region. But with the advancement of technology, the local trekker is being replaced by the Global Positioning System (GPS) and getting lost outdoors is no longer as great a threat as before especially if one is equipped with a portable hiking GPS unit similar to the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Hiking GPS. This handy GPS unit would allow hikers to set their trips before leaving the safety of their homes or base camp and keeps track of their present position. It basically shows them the path from base to the target area and the actual progress of the hike. It would also allow them to back-track the route in case they want to go back. Some GPS units can download images such as a topographic map of the region where backpackers are hiking.

As any hiker knows this is one activity that is rather rough and his equipment needs to be able to rise to the occasion without malfunctioning. The GPS device has to be waterproof so that it will not be damaged if wet, and it needs to be well made and rubberized in order to protect it if it is knocked around a bit. The device you choose needs to be practical and easy to use, providing you with maps and images of the area. One such device is the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Hiking GPS which is capable of high speed downloading of the maps and images you might need. As with this model the unit should be small and lightweight to avoid being an extra burden for the hiker. A very important feature that you should look for in a device like this is good battery life since it is not always possible to predict how long a hike will last. Although some newer models have a reputation for being heavy on the battery but there are units that offer up to twenty hours of use. While this is suitable for a short hike it is not for a longer hike and so it would be necessary to have extra batteries on hand.

Responsible hikers will take into consideration the proper gear needed for their hike to be as safe as possible. Along with that they will make sure that they have sufficient food and water as well. These days a portable GPS device is an essential part of any hiker's gear and no hiker should set off without one. Before setting out on your next hike you should consider equipping yourself with a GPS device like the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 Hiking GPS. By doing so you will be going a long way in protecting yourself while enjoying time in nature.




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