A small but powerful GPS

The Garmin eTrex 20 is a small, light and very useful handheld GPS.

The device has six buttons and the joystick on the top makes it easy to operate all functions with one hand. It is compatible with all Garmin topo maps but you can of course save money by using your own maps too.

The device is preset with six different profiles that allow you to customize the display for different activities. It weighs just 140 grams including batteries and has a whopping 25 hours of battery life, almost double that of larger devices.

As I understand it, the eTrex series sold now is an updated version of the one sold previously. The small size must of course affect satellite reception and therefore accuracy but I have not noticed this even in fine navigation.

The small 2'' screen gives little space for the map and adding data fields becomes almost impossible but the map is clearly visible and the functions in relation to weight and battery life still make the GPS a winner for those of us who like to move easily and quickly in the terrain or want to have a light unit in the pack as a backup.