5 Popular Garmin Handheld GPS Tracker
GPS tracker is an essential gadget for hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. We list 5 popular Garmin handheld GPS trackers in this article, and let’s see how to choose the best handheld GPS tracker.
No matter for hiking, camping or other outdoor activities, a handheld GPS tracker must be on your checklist. GPS tracker is very useful, and it helps you quickly find your way or the locations of your friends, if there is any emergency. We list 5 popular handheld GPS trackers from Garmin in the following, and also outline their pros and cons. Let’s check one by one.
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Here are the Quick Starts of:
5 Popular Garmin Handheld GPS Trackers
1 Garmin eTrex 20x Price: $199.99

Garmin eTrex 20x is one of the most popular handheld GPS trackers with upgraded screen resolution and internal memory, compared with the previous version of eTrex 20. It is equipped with a 2.2-inch screen with color display and 240 x 320 display pixels. Even in full sunlight condition, Garmin eTrex 20x still has high readability.
For this small handheld GPS tracker, you’ll get up to 3.7GB of memory (microSD card enabled) to hold more maps. Garmin eTrex 20x uses a HotFix satellite prediction & WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, and tracks both GPS and CLONASS at the same time, which makes 20% faster and more precise than using GPS alone.
Overall, Garmin eTrex 20x has high price value, and can be used on bicycles, cars, boats, ATVs and etc. without problem. If you are looking for an affordable, small handheld GPS track unit, go get Garmin eTrex 20x.
- Pros:
- save up to 200 tracks, 10,000 points
- automatic routing
- 25 hours of battery life
- custom maps compatible
- preloaded basemap
- geocaching-friendly
- Cons:
- no barometric altimeter
- no electronic compass
- no wireless share technology support
2 Garmin Montana 680 Price: $459.99 (on Amazon)

Garmin Montana 680 features with a glove-friendly touchscreen display (4-inch dual-orientation, 272x480 pixels). Actually, one of the greatest functions of Montana 680 is its 8 megapixel auto focus camera. The camera helps you take high-quality pictures, and geotag images with coordinates automatically.
Additionally, Garmin Montana 680 handheld GPS tracker includes a 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription, which allows you to get a true representation of your surroundings. This time, no longer need to enter coordinates manually, Montana 680 supports uploading geocaching GPX files from Geocaching.com.
Garmin Montana 680 is one of the most powerful handheld GPS trackers and it offers many outstanding features. While compared to many other handheld GPS units, it’s a little bit large and heavy, and expensive. But if you are an experienced outdoorman who have enough budgets, and are looking for a durable handheld GPS tracker, Garmin Montana 680 is recommended.
- Pros:
- glove-friendly touchscreen display and 8-megapixel camera
- 1-year BirdsEye satellite imagery subscription
- both GPS and GLONASS satellite track support
- 3-axis compass with barometric altimeter
- mark up to 4,000 waypoints
- share tracks, geocaches, routes and waypoints wirelessly
- dual battery system: rechargeable lithium-ion pack or traditional AA batteries
- Cons:
- the touchscreen has no zooming and pinching supports
- lithium battery lasts around 12 hours only
- expensive
3 Garmin GPSMAP 64st Price: $349.99

Garmin GPSMAP 64st is full-featured with high-sensitivity GLONASS & GPS receiver with quad helix antenna. Even you are surrounded by tall buildings or in heavy cover, it ensures superior reception.
You are able to take advantages of its 2.6-inch sunlight-readable color screen and built-in world-wide basemap. Besides, GPSMAP 64st is preloaded with 250,000 geocaches as well as 100,000 maps from TOPO.US (or TOPO Ca.). With its 8GB internal memory and microSD card slot, you can download or add more maps conveniently.
Compared with many other handheld GPS trackers, GPSMAP 64st has a very obvious and useful feature - Smart Notification. Based on this, you will be able to receive texts, emails and alerts from your mobile phone wirelessly.
According to the feedback of its users, Garmin GPSMAP 64st acquires signal quickly. Generally, this handheld GPS tracker is suitable for your outdoor pursuits.
- Pros:
- lightweight: 8.1 oz (230 g) with batteries, and it’s very easy to carry
- high-sensitivity GLONASS & GPS
- preloaded TOPO.US. (CA) maps
- 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery
- Smart Notification, wireless connectivity through ANT or Bluetooth
- 3-axis compass with barometric altimeter
- Cons:
- no camera
- battery life is not as good as it promises
- manual only contains the most basic information
4 Garmin Oregon 650t Price: $549.99

Garmin Oregon 650t is a popular handheld GPS tracker option with more useful features & power for hiking and other outdoor activities. This handheld GPS tracker is equipped with one of the best screens that Garmin has offered, 3-inch sunlight-readable multi-touch screen display with dual orientation. It’s still easy to read in bright sunlight, or even when you wear sunglasses.
Its 8MP digital camera is also improved with autofocus, zoom and flash/torch, so you can take quality and geotagged photos. Another reason why many people choose this handheld GPS tracker is the double power. Garmin Oregon 650t features outstanding dual battery system: traditional AA batteries or internally rechargeable NiMH pack (last about 16 hours).
For a small screen handheld GPS tracker which with $549 tag, it’s a quite massive investment. Truly, many Garmin Oregon 650t buyers are satisfied with its screen and display. But if you take both its price and features into consideration, you can have a better handheld GPS tracker option.
- Pros:
- 3-inch multi-touch screen with dual orientation
- digital zoom camera with flash
- GPS and GLONASS satellite tracking, preloaded TOPO U.S. 100K maps
- built-in 3-axis electronic compass with accelerometer tilt compensation
- wireless compatible
- hold up to 4 million geocaches (almost all of them)
- dual battery system
- Cons:
- expensive (the discounted price is $549.99)
- pre-loaded maps were limited
- occasional software or location update problems
5 Garmin Rino 750 Price: $549.99

The 5W GMRS two-way radio feature is one of the main reasons why people buy Garmin Rino 750. The two-way radio ensures up to 20 miles extended range, and you are able to communicate with other Rino users by texts or voice. And besides, Rino 750 features Position Reporting allowing you to share locations with other Rino users on the same channel, in case of any emergency.
Garmin Rino 750 offers other useful features, such as GPS & GLONASS satellite reception, 3-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen with portrait & landscape view, dual battery system, weather forecasts & track in real-time and more.
Garmin Rino 750 is suitable especially for hunting or exploring. This handheld GPS tracking device’s features and battery work well. According to users, even in the large expanses of forests, Garmin Rino 750 enables them to coordinate hunts or teammates quickly and precisely.
- Pros:
- two-way radio and position reporting
- GPS and GLONASS for tracking in more challenging environments
- text or voice communication, Smart Notifications
- wireless connectivity
- real-time weather forecast feature
- charge from USB power source
- Cons:
- no camera
- software is a bit slow and clunky sometimes