Buying a GPS for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-racking! With so many GPS units to choose from, where does one begin? Many brands, like Garmin and Bushnell, have entry-level units, which is a good starting point. For Garmin, good entry-level units are the Garmin eTrex H or Garmin GPS 72H while Bushnell offers BackTrack-3 or BackTrack-5. Stripped of bells and whistles, these basic devices will perform all necessary GPS tasks, including marking waypoints, tracking progress and creating straight-line navigation. With all units, there are pros and cons but ultimately it's about meeting the needs of the user. As a reference, here's a quick rundown of main features and difference between the Garmin eTrex H, the Garmin GPS 72H, the Bushnell Backtrack-3 and the Bushnell BackTrack-5.
| | Garmin | Bushnell | | | GPS 72H | eTrex H | BackTrack-3 | BackTrack-5 | | Dimensions | 4.4"x2.0"x1.2" | 2.7"x6.2"x1.2" | 3.3"x2.1"x0.8" | 3.5"x2.3"x0.9" | | Display Type | 4 Level Gray LCD | 4 Level Gray LCD | Grayscale LCD | Grayscale LCD | | Weight | 5.3 oz | 7.7 oz | approx. 4 oz | approx. 4 oz | | Battery Type | 2 AA | 2 AA | 2 AAA | 2 AAA | | Battery Life | 17 Hours | 18 Hours | 20 Hours | 20 Hours | | Waterproof | Yes IPX7 | Yes IPX7 | Water-Resistant | Water-Resistant | | Routes | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | | Track Points | 2048 Points | 10,000 Points | 0 | 0 | | Track Log | 10 Tracks | 10 Tracks | 0 | 0 | | Waypoints | 500 | 500 | 3 | 5 |
|
