It’s my intention to do some off road trail exploring this year (Beacons, Peaks etc and a Scotland trip is being planned) and with that aim in mind I’m going to purchase a GPS. I’ve never used one before and I find the different models and formats a little bewildering.

The emphasis of the GPS must be firmly on navigation with detailed topographical information and a decent sized screen. I’m not hugely interested in performance data. I like gadgets that are intuitive, functional without too much faffage or an overwhelming list of features or connectivity options – just simple upload/download to a Mac.

What GPS would you advise is best?

Cheers.

It’s hard to beat the Garmin range. Something like an etrex 20 or 30 would do the job.
Open street map data is now a decent alternative to os map data too – downloadable in the right formats from sites like talky toaster.

A Garmin edge 810 or 1000 would also work, but the screen is smaller and so not as good for navigation IMHO

Get an etrex, I manage to navigate a CX bike over 95 miles of the moors with a 30. The only thing they aren’t that good at is being run over by range rovers, they tend not to like this and it should be avoided.

Also the bike mounts are sh*t, like really sh*t and I have seen on the bear bones of someone modifying it with inner tube to make the attachment tighter. I have also seen people tying it to their bars with a lanyard for when it does vibrate free from its mount.

I have an etrex20, but… they have a tiny screen, aren’t intuitive and very faffy.

A mobile phone with Memory Map on it would meet your stated requirements better, but you’d be better off with the garmin.

Buttons = Etrex. Touchscreen = Dakota 20. Both use AAs. I’ve the latter it’s ace and the £2 bike mounts of fleabay are great too.

Talkytoaster free maps too, with contours.

re mounts being sh**e: Yup. I’ve got the Etrex Legend HCX (about 6 years old). I have a lanyard for when it vibrates off its mount and I strap it to the bars (when on bike mount) with something elastic (hair band/elastic cord)to reduce vibration. A furious rocky descent will sometimes cause it to switch off. I wish there was a stem mount.

Apart from that I have used it in the French/Swiss/Italian Alps/Pyrenees/Lakes/Dales/Scotland & even Japan for navigation on and off the bike. You’ll have to buy TOPO maps for the device. For Switzerland & Japan I downloaded some open source maps. I plot or download GPS routes, edit in memory map & upload to the etrex. Its bombproof, waterproof, dustproof. AA Nimh recgargeables do last about 25hrs and if they go flat its easy to buy a couple of batteries. The Garmin bike specific GPS’s don’t have enough navigational tools for me and the internal battery is a big no-no.

Garmin Oregon. I think the larger screen makes it a worthwhile upgrade over the Dakota

Garmins as mentioned above. The Edge range while have maps on the higher end and are nice, are more oriented to performance and training. The other stuff may be more rugged.

Will get good battery life from a dedicated device.

If you want to try a phone, or use one for back up or something, I recommend ViewRanger for maps. Can buy OS maps for it, but can use free OSM maps also which are just as good plus have additional things OS may not have. Licence for VR transfers to any device and you can sync routes and stuff between them and web account.

Can also transfer GPX files between various devices, web, and transfer them to as Garmin as a route to follow.

Cheers for the recommendations.

I’ll take a look at those suggested.

eTrex looks favourite given specs, price and that it’s button operated as opposed to touch screen, which might be problematic in wet/muddy conditions.

I want the unit mounted to the bars and don’t wish to tax my mobile with navigational duties, ideally.

Etrex is a favourite for navigation. It’s easy to use, and you can access the files directly and copy them to your computer. It sounds like the kind of thing you want. Personally, I’ve never found any problem with the official Garmin mounts…apart from that one time I lost one 🙁 Couldn’t say what happened there. Might well have been that I didn’t clip it in properly, but I always use a lanyard now too. The mount is solid though – in 3 years of use it’s never budged any other time.

Edge units are more training focused with loads and loads of data, and the cheaper ones don’t have maps. They’re dead easy to use after the initial setup though and I prefer my 500 day to day. Etrex comes out when navigating is the priority though.

I have a Satmap Active 10. It works well and is durable BUT the interface is clunky and incredibly non-intuitive. Downloaded the Viewranger App for iPhone – free – way better, works great – as long as you’re prepared to mount your phone on your bike. There are good waterproof mounts by the way.
If you want ordnance survey maps you have to pay for those, but you can choose your areas and it doesn’t cost a great deal. 1:25000 Open Cycle Map is free but I prefer OS maps.

Can you do routable maps on an Etrex like you can on a Garmin 800?

You can’t get turn-by-turn but you can overlay a GPX plot from bikehike (or similar) onto the OS map and then follow that.