What is best for walking - a GPS watch or GPS unit?

One of the questions we often get asked – What is best, a GPS watch or a handheld GPS unit?

So, let’s look at the pros and cons of walking with a GPS watch or GPS unit.

[lhmhn]

Hi John, thanks again for a great video! My personal preference is to use my Fenix 6X Pro while walking. I find it very easy to check the watch during the walk to see if I am still on the right track. This works for me much faster than having to check my Oregon 700, Montana 700 or GPSMAP 66S, one of those I also have with me, to see if I'm still on the right track. I'll find the navigation experience during the walk, on the watch great.If I need a bigger picture of the surroundings, or there is a problem witch the watch, of course I use one of the other units. Anyway, that's my personal preference. Greetings from the Netherlands, Lars

[RavW]

TY so much for this! I'm a directional dope -- for 52 years now! LOL. My biggest problem is at amusement parks, huge botanical gardens, or this past weekend, a Renaissance Fair, when, by the end of the day, Everyone in the group had learned where all the major stages were and I had no bloomin' CLUE! Even though I was the one with the map!

I had the map, could easily get us to "X" building -- and continued navigating the group to "Y" stage and the "Z" jousting run using the map. But the NEXT time there was a show at a prior location -- and we are now in a totally different area of the park -- I'd have NO CLUE how to get back there!

I need a watch or GPS device where I can program each destination (like a stage or specific shop) under a name -- plus all the ones that follow. Then, 3 hours later when my kids run off and say "OK mom, meet us in 1 hour at building "Y" -- I can actually find it again! B/c by then EVERYONE in the group remembers where it is, but I can't even tell which direction I'm facing.

I need to be able to plug in "Building Y" that I saved while I was there, and it will triangulate from where I am and tell me where to walk. Where do I turn through all the curved alleys, floral arches and bridges, and past all the loos and witches breweries -- and actually find my kids again amidst the swarm of little people in medieval costumes?

ANY ADVICE? I've spent HOURS tonight reading about these devices and it seems the GPS unit would be more likely. BUT they all talk about altitude and clearly assume a person is HIKING.

I'm just trying to navigate some man-made geo-nightmare like Harry Potter World! Or a water park that spans 2 miles!

**** I need to be able to go to a place, SAVE the location with a name, and then use it later (from wherever I am in the park) to take me back there. Then obviously, I need to be able to DELETE all these saved destinations when the day is over for the NEXT time I go to one of these places that are the bane of the existence for noobs like me!

I can't tell if ANY of these devices do this???

Any advice, by chance, for a Lost Mom who just needs to find her kids in byzantine nightmares for the hopelessly geographically impaired?

Thank ye kind sire! I would be SO grateful for ANY generic advice; as well as advice on a particular unit that you think would do this well (ideally w/o spending for extra features I don't need.)

Cheers!

[johngrattan]

When I need to more than the watch can deliver I go to the os map app on my phone, it's a great backup to the route downloaded on my watch.

[stefanmarch]

I have both a garmin etrex and a Satmap but havn't used either for several years. I find mapping on my android mobile phone better. Screen is clearer, no delay picking up satellites and one less device to carry. Up to now I've been using komoot to navigate and os to occasionally check footpaths both on my phone. As a newcomer to instinct 2 solar I've be using komoot and watch navigation together but experimenting with using watch with garmin explore on phone.

[evliyacelebi]

mean difference between watch and handheld gps is satelite birds eye screen. garmin 66s has satelite maps and big difference

[Northern_Rockhopper]

Thanks for sharing… I currently use the premium os maps on my phone which works really well, I’m not sure if I can justify the price of a fenix 7 just for the convenience of not getting my phone out my pocket. Although the handheld looks like a good option if I’m going to go out for longer trips. Thankyou

[nicholashoward]

What if you just use your Gps handheld or watch just to get the OS grid ref then use a OS map which I do on my walks.

[flatmoon]

I use a map and compass with an very old Magellan (Army issue), so no bells and whistles. I didn't know that fact about no O.S. on watch. Do watches show a grid ref(6 or 8), because that's all I need.

[thompsonmt]

What about accuracy and tracking speeds

[stevia]

When I import a gpx file created using OS mapping to my Epix, I notice that the route doesn't overlay exactly onto roads etc on the Topoactive mapping (where it did overlay exactly on the road when created in the OS mapping). Could you please tell me why this is? I think I'll be updating my old Montana when they bring out the next new version - hopefully with multi band. Thx, Steve.

[grymw]

I’m thinking of having OS maps premium on my iPhone, my question is, is this good enough for hiking would or a Garmin etrex be worthwhile, does the phone do the same

[colinrobert-kvup]

Gps print of how scales. Zooms. How. High. Z is. Northing of, easting of. Zero. 120. Is. 60 to time of today. John.