One of the best ways to explore areas not accessible on foot is by kayaking. You can always take a different route, head to another coastline, or make your way down another river.
However, finding your way back can be hard when all the surrounding areas begin to look the same — Navigation when in a vessel has been an issue since the dawn of humanity.
To solve this, we have five of the best GPS for kayaking to review, and by the end, you will have more chances to see which best meets your kayaking navigation needs.
What is a Kayak GPS?
A GPS or Global Positioning System came into existence from the US government. It was developed as satellite technology to locate and thus guide their submarines. It was found to be such a useful technology; they let it loose onto the public.
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Nowadays, we rely on these systems to map where we are and plot routes to our destination. The question is, why do we need one for kayaking?
A GPS unit will show you your exact location. As long as it is functioning, it is nearly impossible to become lost.
Satellites make it easy for the devices to track where you are better than using a smartphone mapping system.
GPS systems can track speeds and direction, so you can get a good idea of how long your trip will take as you combine both.
There are three areas; these devices rise above using a smartphone. Battery life is much better, they are durable and rugged, and they don’t rely on phone networks for a connection.
Now you can see how these GPS can help when in your kayak; you need to find out which is the best GPS for kayaking?
Top Kayak GPS Reviews
1. Garmin GPSMAP 64st, TOPO U.S. 100K with High-Sensitivity GPS and GLONASS Receiver
Garmin is one of the world’s best GPS makers. The Garmin GPSMAP 64st is no different and has many features designed for the most avid kayaker.
The screen may not be the largest at 2.6 inches and 160×240 pixels, but it is visible in sunlight, and you can clearly see where you are going.
The GPS comes pre-loaded with 100K TOPO maps for the US and all the surrounding waters, so it lacks coordinates. Additionally, you can download more to the Garmin Basecamp software and the 8GB of internal memory, as well as the included memory card slot.
You can use the device rather than a compass if you are navigating along with a heading, thanks to the integrated 3-axis compass.
With a barometer, you can detect if there is a storm heading your way. One thing that concerns GPS users is if they lose a connection. The Garmin GPS and GLONASS satellite receiver use these two networks to full effect. There is little chance you can’t make connections with these, no matter where your kayak fishing trips take you.
Pros
- High-resolution maps
- Easy to add more maps on top of the 100K TOPO US maps
- 1-year BirdsEye Satellite imagery subscription
- Built-in barometer and compass
- Uses both GLONASS and GPS networks
- Great rugged build quality
Cons
- Small screen compared to rivals
- Not the most modern design
Technical Specification
- Power: 2 x AA
- Water-resistant: IPX7
- Screen size: 2.6 inches
- Battery life: 16 hours
- Memory: 8GB
When it comes to battery life, you can find it will last 16 hours. Besides, you can use traditional AA batteries or an optional NiMH rechargeable battery pack. With 200 pre-installed routes, there is little chance you can’t find where you are going.
It isn’t the cheapest option with a guide price of around $235, yet with the expandability and rugged construction and IPX7 water-resistant rating. You can find this Garmin GPS map is one of the best handheld GPS 2020 devices you can buy, and it will last for years.
With the Garmin eTrex 10, you have one of the most affordable GPS options available. While it resembles a phone in design, the screen delivers 2.2 inches of the monochrome display. Like other Garmin GPS, it comes with IPX7 waterproofing and is incredibly rugged.
Battery life is excellent and can be up to 25 hours of continual use. The screen is easy to read in sunlight, so choosing one of the many worldwide base map sets of maps is straightforward. Garmin includes geocaching by default, and you can see elevation levels in 3D views.
Pros
- Very low price
- Rugged and waterproof
- Support for WAAS enabled GPW, Hotfix and Glonass
- Compact and easy to operate design
- Long battery life
Cons
- Small screen
- Only comes with 50 pre-installed routes
- Possible delay in the software menu
Technical Specification
- Power: 2 x AA
- Water-resistant: IPX7
- Screen size: 2.2 inches monochrome
- Battery life: 25 hours
- Memory: None disclosed/ none upgradeable
For the budget-conscious, this cheap GPS is suitable for any kayaker. With a starting guide price of around $85, it doesn’t stretch anyone’s budget, yet it doesn’t skimp on features to find your exact location.
The small device delivers a 20% faster lock-on time than GPS alone using GLONASS satellites. In addition to this, you can use the HotFix satellite prediction, so in deep canyons, you won’t have any issues.
For any kayaker who wants a reliable GPS receiver, the Garmin eTrex fits the bill. It does lack some features, yet none of these detracts from the purpose of this device. It holds up to 2,000 waypoints and 200 routes.
While the base map by default is limited, you can download more topo maps into the 3.7GB of internal memory. It offers fantastic battery life and is around 25 hours. When it comes to pinpointing your location, it is accurate while remaining quick to do so.
Pros
- Lightweight and Inexpensive
- Great screen
- Long battery life
- Durable button construction
Cons
- Limited base map by default
- Lacks some features
- Basemap display size smaller than screen
Technical Specification
- Power: 2 x AA
- Water-resistant: Yes
- Screen size: 2.2 inches
- Battery life: 25 hours
- Memory: 3.7 GB expandable with MicroSD card slot
No one, who wants a kayak tracker, needs to look much further. With a guide price of around $120, it is affordable enough to meet most people’s kayak fishing budget.
With the WAAS-enabled GPS, HotFix prediction GPS, and GLONASS support, the easy-to-read screen GPS for kayakers is a pleasure to use.
With a 2.2-inch 65k color screen, you won’t struggle to pinpoint your location with the device’s high sensitivity.
It is an excellent choice and can be the best Kayak GPS in this price bracket.
4. Garmin Oregon 650t 3-Inch Handheld GPS with 8MP Digital Camera (US Topographic Maps)
The Garmin Oregon comes with a few features other kayaking GPS don’t offer. First is the inclusion of an 8 MP digital camera. With this, you can take snaps of where you are and know exactly where you took them.
The handheld GPS comes with a larger screen at 3 inches, which is a joy to use, even in full sunlight. You do need to adjust the brightness to save on battery life.
You can use either of the dual battery systems, and these being 2 x AA or a NiMH battery system that is sold separately. The controls are all on the touch screen, which makes it easier to use than buttons, and you can hold the device in any orientation and make use of the auto-rotate feature.
There is a 3-axis compass, and the GPS features are standard with GLONASS support. Besides, there is an included accelerometer and barometer.
Pros
- Easy to use the touchscreen
- Built in camera and Micro SD card slot
- Great Bluetooth connectivity
- Great 100k map detail and location pinpoint
Cons
- Expensive
- Some rare software glitches and crashes require a restart
- Limited default maps installed
Technical Specification
- Power: 2 x AA
- Water-resistant: Yes
- Screen size: 3 inches
- Battery life: 16 hours
- Memory: 4 GB
The Garmin Oregon can be one of the best GPS trackers for hiking and when in your kayak. With the sharing capabilities, you can let others see your routes, waypoints, and geocaches.
One of the most significant downsides is the price. With the original guide price of around $580, it is right at the top end of most kayaker’s budgets.
However, you do get plenty of features that make this the best GPS map-reader you can find for this. (Find the Best Inexpensive Fish Finders For Kayaks)
With the entire US topographic data included along with a worldwide base map and shaded relief. You have everything you require for kayaking, hiking, and climbing.
Following on from one of the crowd favorites comes the Garmin eTrex 30. With this comes better maps, a better display, and more functions. The screen size is 2.2 inches and has a 65K color display depth.
Reading in the sun is accessible on the 240×320-pixel screen. By default, you have a worldwide base map that offers shaded relief, an integrated tilt-compensated compass, and a barometer.
The downside to this is that you have to download all the US maps before using them in any detail.
Pros
- Connect wirelessly to compatible Garmin devices
- Preloaded base map
- Load more maps with microSD card slot
- Ample 3.7 GB of internal memory
- GLONASS and GPS networks
Cons
- Awkward menu
- Few navigation buttons
- Small display
- No pre-installed US maps
Technical Specification
- Power: 2 x AA
- Water-resistant: Yes
- Screen size: 2.2 inches
- Battery life: 25 hours
- Memory: 3.7 GB
The eTrex 30 may be a smaller version of the GPSMAP kayaking GPS. It offers some of the same features, but it can lack visibility if you mount it to your kayak.
With a guide price of around $135, it is a decent option to have a device that comes with a few upgrades.
Like many GPS devices, this offers evolution rather than revolution, yet it still comes as one of the best GPS for kayaking once you add all the additional maps you require.
You can make full use of the internal memory and load TOPO 24K, HuntView, BlueChart g2, City Navigator NT, along with the BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, although for this, there is a subscription required. (Find the Best Kayak Rack for Car Without Rails)
Battery life is as good as many others, and you can have an optional mapping for turn-by-turn road direction if required.
What to Look for When Buying a Kayak GPS
Nearly every handheld kayaking GPS has one thing in common, and that is the use of satellites to pinpoint your location.
It doesn’t matter what the extra features are. At the core, they pinpoint your location along a longitude and latitude dimension. With this, you know exactly where you are.
Because there are many on the market, they do offer different features to each other. You can also find a few different types that meet different needs.
All the above fall under one umbrella, and that is to tell you where you are and where you are going. These all have tailored map screens and serve on purpose, although some do come with added features.
The other group you may see acts as fish finders, or the fish finder comes with a built-in GPS. These marine GPS systems will be custom-made to fit on fishing kayaks rather than being held by hand.
The difference being, the fish locator GPS isn’t suitable for any other activity, unlike these, where you can take them hiking, ow when out kayaking with kids, etc.
To make sure you have the right GPS, you can tuck in the pocket of the seats for kayaks. To keep it close, consider the following points.
Easy to Read Displays
No matter which handheld GPS you end up with, you need to find it easy to read. It would help if you thought of sunlight conditions, so the screen needs to be bright and a high resolution.
Most come with small screens, so they remain portable and light, so zoom functions are another welcome addition.
Durability
Many individuals may prefer to skip using one of these GPS devices and use their cell phones. Not only can these lose signal and thus not know your position, but also they are nowhere near as durable as these GPS systems are.
Carrying these systems around introduces them to countless bumps and bangs, and there is no way a smartphone could withstand this kind of treatment.
Aside from this, with changes in temperatures, a phone battery would die far quicker than the battery in a GPS.
Mapping
Many of the better GPS navigation systems deliver a sizeable internal memory, plus the chance to expand using an SD card. Depending on the brand will determine how much map info you get right out of the box.
Many only arrive with maps of the US and surrounding waters; even on some models, this may require a download or two. Other models come with maps that cover most worldwide countries.
To stop this, these may not be in a high enough resolution to cover where you are taking the best tandem kayaks on a weekend trip. Maps you can download can cost you extra, yet some brands offer this free.
Power and Battery Life
Kayaking location GPS can last a long time on one set of batteries. While you can adjust the brightness, you need to keep this low when not extending the life.
You use AA batteries in many cases, or you can purchase NiMH battery packs. Either way, you don’t want to be carrying extra batteries on the off chance you need to change them.
As a minimum, you need a battery life of more than a 16-hour run. It should cover you efficiently for a two or three-day expedition with no worries.
Using a dual battery system GPS offers you flexibility in power options, and you may find you can use the NiMH better if they are rechargeable and have a small solar panel.
Satellite Coverage
You can find many GPS units that can read multiple satellite networks. GPS is a US network, while GLONASS is Russian. If you are taking the top brands of kayaks in any other region aside from the US, you may use the GLONASS network by default.
Inside the USA, you will most likely use the GPS positioning systems first. All this is automatic, and it is good to know your GPS unit can read from a GLONASS satellite and one inside the USA.
Another thing that can help GPS pinpoint your location even closer is the WAAS system. The Wide Area Augmentation system is an air navigation system inside the USA. It makes GPS more accurate by using ground stations, which measure slight differences in satellite readings.
The augmentation system; was quickly adopted by most civilian GPS devices because of the improved accuracy in the readings.
Waterproofing
Any kayak GPS unit has to be able to stand up to the job. You find most are rated to a minimum of IPX7. So, even if you manage to drop your device in the water, or you unfortunately capsize. Your device can last in water up to three feet in depth for a specified amount of time.
In most cases, it should only be a few splashes they need to contend with.
One area, which is often an oversight for your device getting wet is storms. When you are out kayaking, it can be hard to know what the weather will do. GPS units that come with a barometric altimeter can give more insight into if a storm is heading in your direction.
They do this by reading the pressure in your location, as well as altitude, though kayaking will nearly always be at one altitude unless you are heading downriver.
Final Verdict
There were many things to consider in the above GPS reviews. Each device offers something different from the others. When we came to the price to performance ratio, a clear winner emerged from the rest of the pack. (Find the Best Pedal Kayak)
We ran through GPS units in every price bracket, and on the cheaper end, there were omissions in features, while the top end was considerably higher than many individuals’ budgets would allow.
Therefore, comparing all the middle runners, we saw the clear favorite was the Garmin GPSMAP 64st, TOPO U.S. 100K with High-Sensitivity GPS and GLONASS Receiver.
More than enough features would easily make this a justifiable option if it cost much more. It is waterproof, has excellent satellite coverage, and comes with one of the best easy-to-read displays.
Add to this the dual battery option, the easy-to-use buttons, and the Garmin were a delight to use.
One thing that stood out was the service and the chance to use kayak GPS mounts to make the device hands-free. From here, it is simple push-button control without detracting from what is happening on screen.
In addition, this device had the most abundant internal memory out of any, so there will be no map data deletion to install others, no matter where you take your kayak around the country or the world.
The Garmin was clearly the best GPS reviewed here, and it can give years of excellent service to anyone who required a flexible handheld location device.
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