Without a doubt, sat navs have revolutionised road navigation and potentially saved many a marriage from the usual “Turn left there. No THERE!” argument. Well, now the wisdom of the ‘nav extends to those keen to be green: walkers and hikers.
The Satmap Sports GPS* is a brilliant idea taking the technology out of cars and onto footpaths and hiking trails. This hand held device will tell you exactly where you are and where you need to go, which makes it not only a great safety device on your next hike, but also a handy gadget the next time you need to meet your friends at that obscure Russian restaurant on the other side of town.
This device comes equipped with full UK road maps with the added option of over 150 Ordnance Survey maps available on individual SD memory cards. Maps include national parks and trails, regions and counties so no more will confusions arise such as heading North to Leeds to visit Leeds Castle (for those unsure, it’s in Kent…)
The Satmap Sports GPS* has full GPS capabilities including route planning, real time clock, direction indicator and Electronic Compass. The GPS Unit includes a carry case, lanyard, USB cable and rechargeable batteries, so it really is a matter of buy-and-go. With a well-sized 3.5″ LCD colour screen, gone are the days of you needing to stop in your tracks and squint at a tiny point lost in the crease of a paper map.
The Satmap Sports GPS* is designed to take a bit of a battering and is appropriate for British weather. It is waterproof and shockproof much like a child that hits adolescence. It further has a long battery life in the event that you take your slow ramble a bit too seriously.
If you’ve ever considered becoming a bit of an adventurist and exploring a mountain, but have been unsure about how to go about it, then this is the perfect gadget for you. Priced at £299.99 it may seem an expensive outlay, but it’s a lot cheaper than paying for air rescue to lift you off the side ledge of a mountain after one too many wrong turns. It will also save you having to hunt around for maps every time you fancy some outdoors life, only to find that the tourist office is closed on week-ends. I can see this gadget soon becoming as much of a necessity as hiking boots for both casual and serious ramblers.
Shop for it: iWoot.com (click here) for £299.