Magellan EXplorist Handheld GPS Review

Ratings: Ease of Use, Performance: 20/25, Look & Feel: 25/25, Features & Software 25/25, How much I enjoy 25/25
Total: 95/100

Magellan is one of the few large GPS product companies and many of their GPS products are not just for keeping hikers from getting lost. I have found an entire community filled with seekers of fun using these high tech devices for what is called Geocaching.

I'll start off with just what GPS is, the Global Positioning System is a satellite system that the government has made available for citizens to use free of charge. The satellite system started out with satellites in low earth orbit back in 1978 and the US Department of Defense has maintained the system. Not only the government and military uses the system but many people and companies use it for commercial navigation and map making as well as people using it to tell where on the earth they are.

GPS is a very handy system and has become an indispensable navigation aid and map making tool. There are over two dozen satellites in orbit around the earth and a GPS unit will tell your exact location, distance of travel and direction using several of these satellites. Using just three can tell your position but the more the unit picks up the better and more accurate it will be.

GPS units range from very inexpensive units around $100 to very expensive units used by airplanes, ships and others for navigation. There are units specifically designed for handheld use, car use, hunting and fishing, marine or boat use and combinations of these. Many GPS units can be used in many different ways such as finding your way while hiking or biking, navigating while boating, finding your way back to a choice hunting or fishing spot and driving to a particular destination. Many GPS units have computer hook up and map loading functions to install maps and be able to more accurately find out where you are and where you want to go.