Handheld GPS, Cameraphone,
or GPS Navigator

A handheld GPS is actually a receiver of the GPS (global positioning system). Your options are plentiful. When I first learned about geocaching, what GPS to buy was the single hardest thing to figure out.

Some people told me to try some out first. How could I do that? I had no idea who had one except my dad and that wouldn't give me any comparison. The geocaching forums were very confusing. People were actually arguing over which GPSr was better. Being computer search savvy, ehem, I began an advanced search for the best GPS for geocaching. They were, after all, the most expensive item I would ever have to buy for this new adventure sport! Well, aside from the Jeep if I didn't win one and maybe a boat to reach that one cache out on that little island in the lake where my family camps each summer.

Anyway, I made a list of all the raved about GPS receivers. Then, I searched through the troubleshooting section of all the forums and crossed off any units that were mentioned a lot. And tada! Wait... my list was all marked off... every single one of them! What now?!?

I went to my step-mom who had been geocaching with my dad. Turns out, she had her own handheld GPS! It was a different one than the one my dad carried. It wasn't even the same brand! Hers was very simple to use and about 1/4 the cost of his. They had their differences and neither one of them could tell me that one was better than the other, just different features. I could get either (or neither) and be out geocaching today!

But what if I wanted to use all that cool software some people were using? What if I decided later to go to paperless geocaching? I would need some of these features wouldn't I? Did I have to buy the most expensive unit or could I get a cheap GPS for geocaching and do just as well?

Well, I bought the Magellan Meridian with a mid-high price at the time. At that time, geocaching was just getting the word out to the manufacturers that we needed more geocaching friendly features for our GPSr. Mine never did really sync well with my computer through the serial cable (do you even have a port on your computer anymore??? I didn't!). I was able to make it work though. You do not need to be computer savvy to make all this stuff work! I promise! Besides, the geocaching software and the GPS receivers have come a long way since the introduction of the cache hunt!

Could I use the GPS in my navigation camera phone or car GPS navigator? Yes and no and both! That helps, right? The handheld GPSr is the standard because it is made to withstand people lugging it into the woods and dropping it a lot. The ones that mount in your car are just not as accurate and the ones in your phone will also drain the battery. Better to stick with the handheld GPS standards.