Over the years the size of handheld GPS units has shrunk while performance and power have increased, as GPS technology has progressed . This is a good news for backpackers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and geo-cachers and other outdoor enthusiasts. These pocket sized units will help you find your way, keep track of where you are, and show you the way back to where you came from.

The handheld GPS units in general can be classified as two types. To begin with is a devoted component which is purely a GPS device for receiving. This kind of unit comes with several screens which display everything from the direction you’re going to the amount of time it’ll take you to get where you’re going.

An additional handheld GPS kind is a PDA add-on. In essence this is a hardware which can be connected to the PDA and offers it GPS functionality. This may be a good add-on yet you must know that the plug-ins have a tendency to take up room and be bulky, which you wouldn’t have to be concerned with using a dedicated GPS unit.

When you are buying a handheld GPS system then you should have a knowledge about these necessary things.

The main fact to decide before purchase is to plan how to use it. Getting a GPS signal to your receiver from the orbiting satellites is important, because it is dependent on line of sight.

The signal strength would obviously depend upon the places where you are going to spend your time and it would be quite weak in the deep canyons or rugged mountainous areas. There are still issues to think about, even though typically there will be enough satellites overhead to avoid this problem.

When thinking about a hand-held unit, you must also inspect the kind of accessories and add-ons that are offered for a specific model. Are freely installable and easily downloadable firmwares available ? You should ask if additional data and maps can be loaded onto your unit, to meet your specific needs. Is there software/hardware available that lets you interface the GPS unit with your home computer or laptop?

Most handheld systems give you all these options but you do need to so your research before hand. When selecting a GPS, you need to make sure it does exactly what you need it to do. That’s the only way to find the GPS that works best for you.

One of the top Garmin Handheld’s to get is the Garmin 60CSx. This GPS is in a club of its own. And currently it is on special offer for an amazing price! Find out more about the Garmin 60CSx GPS and the way you might receive a Massive markdown here.