A hand held GPS system is something that many people today could not live without even though they've only been in popular use for a few years. Hand held GPS systems are small, portable global positioning systems that can be carried in pockets or mounted in a vehicle. Most can easily fit in the palm of your hand and be taken in and out of the vehicle to attach to a computer for charging and for downloading maps and road information.

The Garmin Etrex Legend hand held GPS is one model of these types of systems. These hand held GPS units often look like small walkie-talkies or cell phones, but offer global positioning, directions and maps. Some are designed to simply be held while others come with equipment that allows you to mount them in your vehicle when you're using them on a trip.

Hand Held GPS Reviews

Consumer magazines, electronics magazines and many different organizations offer hand held GPS reviews. Several sites online offer similar reviews of the products that they sell. These reviews can help you find the best hand held GPS system for your needs because they usually list all the different features of the models from the popular brands.

There are five GPS brands that are the most popular. Garmin, Mio, Nextar, TomTom and Magellan are the most popular companies offering GPS systems. Each company typically offers everything from an inexpensive handheld model to the vehicle mounted all-inclusive model that offers a wide variety of features.

Find a Cheap Hand Held GPS

A cheap hand held GPS is one option for the person who wants one of these systems without paying much money. But it's important to realize that cheap systems offer only the most basic features like voice directions and basic maps.

It's also possible to save money on a GPS system by purchasing used or refurbished models online or on eBay. This can allow you to get a model with several of the more advanced features for a price that's not much higher than that of a basic system.