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Welcome To TAKE A HIKE GPS Blog
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Lately, I've been thinking more and more about getting a GPS to use when I run. I run a lot, and I do a lot of races, and every time I do a race I see at least one person wearing one of those "GPS watches". I've always just used a stopwatch to keep track of my time, but maybe I could benefit from getting a GPS designed specifically for runners. I decided to do a little research to find out, and this is what I discovered.
What can a GPS watch do for me? At its most basic level, a GPS watch/running GPS unit is basically a stopwatch on steroids. It will of course keep track of your time, speed, distance, etc., but it will also keep track of your current pace, average pace, and pace for the current "lap" (which is any distance you specify, such as a mile). That, however, is just the beginning. Here's some of the features found on some GPS watches that I thought were really cool:
Once I read up on all the features available with a GPS watch, I realized it was just what I needed to take my training to the next level. Also, since I like gadgets, I think having a "toy" to play with while I train will help keep me motivated to run more often, and make those long training runs a little more exciting. If you think a GPS watch might help you reach your performance goals also, here's a few you might want to check out: Forerunner 910 XT 
This is the absolute top-of-the line GPS watch, leaving no bells and whistles behind. It's designed for multi-sport athletes and can even be used in the water. Forerunner 610 
This touchscreen watch also gives you vibration alerts when you reach various parameters in your training that you set (i.e., distance and time goals). FR 70 
A basic GPS watch for runners on a budget, this one still has enough capability to really improve your training. by: TAKE A HIKE GPS 3 Comments Links to this post  
Monday, April 23, 2012
Going Abroad and Need a GPS?
Summer is nearly here, and I know many of you out there are finalizing your vacation plans. If your plans include travelling to Europe, you may want to consider renting a GPS unit for your trip. Here are four great reasons to rent one of our GPS units before you vacation or travel internationally.
Domestic rates for a 1-week automotive GPS rental:
Take a Hike GPS: $31.00 (including shipping to and from your location)
Alamo: $83.00
Avis: $97.00
Enterprise: Hertz: $77.00 $90.00
European rates for a 1-week automotive GPS rental:
Take a Hike GPS: $51.00 (including shipping to and from any U.S. address)
Auto Europe: $70.00 (additional map regions $30 extra)
Budget: $158.00
Hertz: $126.00
EuropCar: $158.00
Retail price to purchase a new GPS unit (MSRP):
Garmin Nuvi 1250 GPS: $129.99
City Navigator Europe: $99.00
Total: $228.99
For our rental program, we use Garmin Nuvi 1250 GPS units. The easy-to-use navigation features of the Garmin Nuvi are perfect for both driving and pedestrian treks, and it's so intuitive that you can learn it in minutes.
Looking to purchase your own GPS device before heading overseas? Check out some great deals on auto gps units and international maps that you'll need for your travels. Regardless of where you go and whether or not you rent or buy a GPS, we wish you all safe and happy travels this season. Bon voyage! by: TAKE A HIKE GPS 0 Comments Links to this post
Sunday, April 15, 2012
It’s inevitable. The yearly summer gas-hikes are here. Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs on gas, food, and living. People go to extremes to save cash. Some go to the lengths of purchasing new eco-friendly vehicles or moving closer to work and making other large investments. But small fun purchases like a GPS gadget can easily save you cash. Here are five helpful ways to use GPS to save gas: 1. Find the lowest price Knowing where the to fill up cheap is always helpful. Wherever you are you can use your device to pinpoint and save locations with the lowest prices. These capabilities are becoming very common on the latest generations of GPS devices. Recommended unit: Garmin Nuvi 30 2. Good directions keep you from getting lost Going the extra mile is great except when it comes to driving. When you have good directions you save time and time is money when it comes to gas. Your GPS can get you to your destination faster with automatically plotted routes. Some devices offer the option of lane-by-lane guidance and spoken directions. This feature keeps drivers focused on the road and free of needless distractions and missed turns. Recommended unit: Nüvi 2455LT 3. Get live traffic updates Car GPS units offer live traffic updates which can keep you out of the jams. When the car is running idle, you're watching pennies and time slip away. Recommended unit: Magellan RoadMate 9020T-LM 4. Fast routes, not short routes The shortest route is not always the most fuel-efficient. Many GPS devices have two options to allow you to choose the quickest routes with the least amount of traffic. Recommended unit: Nüvi 3590LMT 5. Use waypoints When running errands or making your usual frequent stops, you can use your GPS device to save these locations as waypoints on the quickest route setting. You may find faster new routes to your usual stops. Recommended unit: Nüvi 50LM If you do not have a GPS device, check out our mail-order GPS rental service to save money--our rates start at under $3 per day! If you already have one, these features are common on nearly all devices and merely waiting for your use! by: TAKE A HIKE GPS 0 Comments Links to this post
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Admit it! Everyone loves a good Easter Egg Hunt. The only thing that keeps us adults from joining the kids in the fun, excitement and festivities is the embarrassment of breaking social rules. Instead of letting the kids have all the fun, make this year’s egg hunt one for everyone by making it an eggstravagant geocaching event. Here are some helpful ideas to make this year’s hunt memorable for you, your friends, and the entire family. Where? For a place to have your hunt, any large yard, park, or field works well. Pick a location that is unfamiliar to everyone. This makes the event more exciting and offers the opportunity to explore new places. Also, hide your clues or eggs in nooks, crannies, and in spots that work well as coordinates on your GPS device. But make sure boundaries are set and large enough to make the hunt more exciting. The boundaries can stretch for miles. Use your imagination! Eggs? Hide something other than eggs. Toys, food, funny pictures of your in-laws, short embarrassing stories about your family are all fun examples and ideas. Again, use your imagination and whatever resources you have to make the event memorable and fun. When? This year why not add a twist and have your hunt at night? This makes finding prizes or clues harder by using darkness,. Creativity is key. With what? You’re probably wondering about what GPS devices are best for egg hunts or extreme scavenger hunts. I recommend small, basic handheld devices like the Magellan eXplorist 110 or eXplorist GC, or a Garmin eTrex 10 or eTrex 20. These are great on price and can load plenty of waypoints to make your hunt a success. If you do not have enough of your own devices or not everyone in your party has a handheld GPS unit, renting is always an option. This is the perfect opportunity to rent the units you have always wanted to play around with prior to purchase. You can also teach your kids, parents, and friends how to use GPS units and sharpen your geocaching skills. Best of luck with your hunt, and have a happy Easter! GPS technology has made several advancements over the past couple of years allowing businesses to integrate GPS into their operations. wirelessmatrix.com provides GPS fleet tracking software to manage and monitor companies' shipments. by: TAKE A HIKE GPS 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, February 4, 2012
National Geographic Maps last week announced a partnership with AllTrails, a company that has built a sort of on-line community for outdoor enthusiasts. The new combined service will feature reviews of trails, user photos, and presumably, access to some type of maps for registered (read: paying) users. This is good news for most of us, since more access to this type of information can only be a good thing. However, for Magellan Triton users out there who download National Geographic maps from Topo.com to use on their GPS units, this news means you will no longer be able to do so after the next 30 days. The desktop software version of National Geographic Topo Explorer will continue to work, but users will no longer be able to download new maps from Topo.com. If you have unused map credits or have maps online that you haven't saved to your hard drive yet, you should use those credits and download the maps right away to avoid losing them. For new or potential GPS users out there, this news pretty much removes any incentive to purchase a Magellan Triton GPS unit, if there still was any. The access to National Geographic maps was really the only distinguishing characteristic of the Triton GPS units, and with that going away, there is no good reason to buy one. The low price tag is tempting, but you will be getting exactly what you pay for. Instead, spend a little more and go with one of the new Magellan eXplorist GPS units, or better yet, buy a Garmin! by: TAKE A HIKE GPS 0 Comments Links to this post
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Magellan has recently announced a new model in the eXplorist GPS series, the eXplorist 110. The new GPS appears designed to compete with the Garmin eTrex 10, the cheapest version of the new eTrex models.
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