Using Your Rental GPS

Ok, so you've got your GPS and you're ready to start using it. You've only got one question--how the heck does this thing work? Well, don't worry--we're here to help. Below, you will find video tutorials for all of our rental GPS units, a glossary of handheld GPS terms, and links to online resources to help you learn all about how to use a handheld GPS. Of course, you can always just give us a call if you get stuck at 866-797-4687, and we'll be happy to help.

Five Things to Learn Before Taking Your GPS Into the Woods

We know you're anxious to get off the couch and onto the trail. But taking a few minutes to learn these basic skills will really help you get the most out of your GPS unit. The exact procedures will be a little different depending on your GPS, but the general concepts are the same. You can use the GPS manual included in your rental packet and our video tutorials to help you learn these skills quickly. Spend some time practicing around your yard or neighborhood, and then you'll be ready to hit the trail.

1. How to create a waypoint: Waypoints mark a location you want to remember. You can create them at your current location, or at a different location. It's easy to do, and usually just involves pushing one or two buttons. You can create waypoints at places you want to return to later, like a campsite or a geocache. Alternatively, you can create them at places you haven't been to yet but intend to visit, like a landmark or a trailhead.

2. How to Go-to a waypoint: Once you've created a waypoint, figure out how to navigate to it using the GPS. Again, this usually just involves pushing one or two buttons. Keep in mind that when telling you how to get to a waypoint, the GPS just draws a straight line and doesn't take into account obstacles like streams, mountains, etc. In other words, don't turn off your brain when you turn on the GPS!

3. How to create a route using the GPS: Learning this function allows you to string together several waypoints that you want to travel to in a given order. For example, if there were several scenic overlooks you wanted to stop at on a hike, you could create waypoints at those locations and put them all on a route.

4. How to record tracks: Tracks are like a breadcrumb trail of all the places you've been with the GPS (while it was turned on, anyway). They are very useful if you have to retrace your steps, or if you want to repeat a hike you've done in the past. If you ever get lost, knowing how to use the GPS to get back to where you started will be a very useful skill to have.

5. How to change unit settings and data fields: Your GPS has menu pages where you can change various options, such as how units are displayed (miles vs kilometers, etc), how the map is oriented (north is "up" vs direction of travel is "up"), and what information is displayed in the data fields of various screens (distance traveled, average speed, etc). You'll want to learn how to access the menu pages so you can change these settings if you need to.

Useful On-line Resources for Handheld GPS

Garmin FAQ page for eTrex Summit HC

Garmin FAQ page for Dakota 10 GPS

Garmin FAQ page for Nuvi 1250

Download Garmin BaseCamp Software: This free Garmin software allows you to easily transfer data between your Garmin GPS and a computer.

Geocaching Event-in-a-box Support: Click here for tips on how to set up a geocaching event for your organization.

TrailheadFinder.com and Backpacker.com: Two great places to find and download hikes in the form of GPX files for transferring to your GPS.

GPS Forum: A great place to ask any question relating to any type of GPS device, and find the answer.