For thousands of years maps have been the best, and only, method of finding your way from place to place.  In the UK we’ve been lucky to have probably the best mapping in the world, and the whole country is covered in maps at scales appropriate to a variety of uses. A road atlas could help you out on roads, but once you set foot off the highway you needed to learn the essentials of how to use a map and compass to determine your position.

The road atlas is rapidly becoming obsolete as sat nav takes over the task of navigation in-car, with voice direction, live monitoring and auto updating maps, but once you start off-road the world of GPS changes.

It’s important when considering using GPS in the outdoors that you always remember the technology can be a wonderful asset but it isn’t a substitute for map and compass skills. Even the most advanced GPS on the market can only show you where you are and what’s ahead, but the decision of which way to go will always be in your hands. Used properly, however, a GPS can be a valuable aid in deciding which way to go, along with adding security if you just want to confirm your position.

Outdoor GPS receivers range from under £100 to £300, with price depending on the combination of hardware and software features . The hardware can be PDA, mobile phone , dedicated outdoor receivers or even a wrist watch with integrated GPS, and the software ranges from no  on-screen maps to full Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping in colour.

Recently PDAs and mobile phones running both Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 have started integrating GPS and mapping. Combination on/off-road devices have also appeared with the Road Angel/Memory Map 7000, and Suunto’s high end watches feature GPS that can be linked to a PC.  Ask any outdoor user what GPS means to them, however, and the chances are they’ll be thinking of a standalone, single purpose dedicated GPS receiver.

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