<p>Not everyone understands the importance of a handheld GPS unit when you’re outdoors and your cell phone won’t pick up a signal. However, a lot of sports and fitness enthusiasts are now using GPS devices to improve their workouts and help ensure their safety.
Several popular fitness GPS systems exist, and they’re often imitated by other models. Most use touchscreens and some of them – like the Garmin Approach GPS GPS units – have color displays. Many record where you’ve been and/or measure distances. Some can be mounted on a bicycle’s handlebars. Models such as the Garmin Oregon GPS will record the trail you’re following and let you create and overlay custom maps so you can display new trails.
Other models are designed to become a part of your workout. These gadgets are small, resembling something that you are used to wearing. The Garmin GPS Forerunner system imitates a wrist watch, and while it doesn’t display your location, it does record your coordinates and use them to later create a map of where you were.
Using sports and fitness GPS technology creates a safer environment for your activity. Features provided on the touch screen maps allow you to see where you are. If you wander off the trail on accident, using this technology can help guide you back to safety. If your way should become blocked, you can find a safe alternative route with these systems.
A unit’s tracking features will show you how much of the trail is left or the length of a detour or shortcut. Because the information displayed is real-time and updated continuously, a GPS unit can help you decide whether it makes more sense to carry on or go back.
Golfers can take advantage of the Garmin Approach Golf GPS units. They come preloaded with detailed maps of more than 10,000 American golf courses, and course updates are free. These units are roughly the size of a smart phone and will display your exact position on the golf course. You can also use one to measure exactly how far you hit your last shot.
Operating the Garmin Oregon GPS Unit is simple, and it can be used as a handheld device or inside your car. It will display your current location, but you can also have it track where you’ve been. The most recent version even comes with a camera so you can snap photos of your outdoor adventures.
As mentioned earlier, you can wear a Garmin Forerunner GPS like a wristwatch, but if you prefer, you could mount it on the handlebars of your bike. Its touchscreen display records your coordinates once every second. After you return home, you can pair it up with your computer and create a map. The included software allows you to use other recorded information, including the distance you covered and your heart rate, in your fitness program.
