New Garmin epix

Screen's too small. You'll shoot your eye out!

billy

Screen realestate is always the issue with a GPS and a screen this small will definitely prove challenging for useful navigation.

The breakthrough here is the fact that they now have a screen resolution high enough that topo mapping can be displayed on a tiny screen. That's a big step forward and the fact that it's color is a bonus.

Now if Delorme will take the leap and add a color mapping screen like this to my inReach Explorer, I'll be a happy camper.

Apple's iPod Nano 6th generation has had an awesome, bright, readable, responsive touch-screen(!) for a couple of years now. If they plopped a gps chip in there, you'd have a wrist mountable gps with a great screen for about $150. I can't figure out why Garmin makes stuff that seems to be about 3 years behind mobile-device technology and still costs $100-$500 too much.

I see these are pre-order and won't be out till April I've been waiting for something wrist sized and light that would have mapping on it, my Foretrex 401 is handy, but obviously no mapping

I don't like the price, but I do like the concept

There's always this: http://www.leikr.com

Though I don't use a gps, I've always thought that the iPod Touch with Bad Elf dongle was about the perfect gps.

interesting :) really like the "big" screen, battery life looks like a downfall for it though currently; looks like it could be a little more water resistant too IPX6 vs ATM 5 for the epix

I just wish that I could get a smartphone with the option to have use AA batteries (NiMH, Alkaline, or Lithium) in pinch and a better GPS receiver.

Having transitioned from a Garmin handheld to OruxMaps-I have no desire for Garmins other than accuracy.

The Monterra would have been great if it had included phone functionality and guaranteed updates to Android.

Backcountry navigator on my android is pretty much perfect. throw in a 64gb microsd card and i could probably fit half the US topo maps on the thing. Picks up a signal in seconds, carry a solar charger and a lifeproof case and you've got a pretty darn reliable GPS that works forever assuming it's sunny. If it's not, get one of those charger packs that allows you to go from AA batteries to a microusb port. Not as great as a self contained unit, but the fact that the phone can also make emergency calls, read ebooks, etc, makes it a pretty awesome multifunction piece of gear.