At present the geocaching GPS brands most widely used among geocachers are Garmin, Delorme, Magellan and Lowrance. Should you be considering a very simple no frills geocaching GPS you should consider the Geomate Jr. Geomate is a relatively cheap GPS that comes pre-loaded with 250,000 geocache coordinates, but is deficient in the functions of some other units. It is a fantastic unit for kids who would like a GPS of their own. All today's geocaching GPS manufactures make good reputable units, the difficulty is deciding on which options do you really require and which are nice options. With GPS selling prices ranging from around $50 for a elementary model, to upwards of $500 or more, choosing your first GPS for geocaching is certainly a serious consideration. A little research now can save you a lot of cash (and dissatisfaction) down the road.



Below is a list of what are regarded as the minimum features for the best GPS for geocaching



Accuracy: Accuracy is not commonly considered to be a big point of difference between many GPS receivers seeing that they all acquire their readings from the same group of satellites. Nevertheless WAAS enabled gps devices will be the most accurate. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) was created by the Federal Aviation Administration as an air navigation aid designed to improve the Global Positioning System (GPS), with the objective of boosting its dependability, integrity, and availability. 



Durability: Eventually, you are going to drop your geocaching GPS and, sooner or later, it will get wet! So don't forget to start looking for a GPS that is solid and waterproof (or at least water resistant)



Good Battery Life: The simplest way to mess up a day of geocaching is to have to discontinue your search simply because you ran out of battery power. Good battery life is likewise a major safety factor. Following a day of geocaching especially in harsh terrain, you'll need your GPS to get you back to safety. Look for a GPS that utilizes replaceable AA or AAA batteries, and make sure you carry a spare set with you. Rechargeable lithium batteries undoubtedly are a great choice because they last much longer than regular alkaline batteries.



Backlit Display: While easily readable in full sun if you happen to be in an area with heavy tree cover, notably on a overcast day you will want to have a backlit display. That is certainly imperative if you happen to get caught outdoors at night.



Base map: A base map is just simply a map that will be permanently held in the GPS's memory. This is usually not a high-definition or highly detailed map, however does exhibit major highways and terrain features like rivers and lakes. This makes the task of looking for a specific location faster and easier and can help you stay clear of major obstructions. Basic GPS units without base maps simply display Speed, Bearing (Direction of travel), Distance traveled, and Distance to your final destination.



Topo (topographical) Map: A significant thing to remember when geocaching is that your GPS points the direction to your desired destination in a straight line, or as "the crow flies". It isn't like a automotive GPS that takes into account the roads that you are traveling on and shows exactly how much further you must go. Should you have to go up any hills or detour around a pond or lake the actual distance you must walk could very well be considerably more than what your GPS is indicating. A topo map allows you to see these obstacles before hand and conserve a considerable amount of time and energy.



Computer Interface: The majority of new gps for geocaching can be hooked up to a personal computer through a USB cable. The more expensive models are also able to link up through a wireless network or a Bluetooth connection. The ability to connect to your computer enables you to download cache coordinates and other related information directly onto your GPS at the click of a button. It is normally quite time-consuming to enter all of those coordinates on your GPS manually and if you happen to make a error you'll never find the cache.



Waypoint Saving: This feature can be used to store a unique location (waypoint) within your GPS unit's memory. Periodic storage of waypoints can enhance your safety in very difficult terrain as it will allow you to retrace your steps back to your original place. Certain geocaching GPS units include a "Track Log" feature that lets you to use previous waypoints as "breadcrumbs" to find your way back to where you began. The best gps for geocaching will have an "Auto Tracking" function intended to conveniently store waypoints.



Memory: The best geocaching GPS devices utilize microSD cards for keeping maps and geocache locations. The microSD cards are also very good if you conclude you intend to go geocaching in some other part of the country, (or the world) you are able to store all of your new maps and geocache coordinates on a spare card and very easily substitute it for the card you usually use.



When thinking about the best GPS for geocaching, don't forget to take into account all of the available features. Even though a fundamental geocaching GPS is undoubtedly less costly, it might be to your advantage buying a better quality unit that has all of the features you're looking for, as opposed to settling for a low end model which may give you dissatisfactory results and necessitate upgrading in the future.
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Geocaching is like a worldwide hide and seek game. Players, know as geocachers, hide geocaches and use a handheld gps unit to record the coordinates of the location. Then they post the coordinates on the web so that other geocachers can find the hidden geocache.

The word geocache  (pronounced geo-kash) comes from geo, which means Earth, and cache, which is a French word meaning to hide supplies. So in essence geocaches are supplies hidden all over the world.

Geocaching is fun for the whole family and an excellent way to get some fresh air and exercise.

To participate in the game you will need to purchase your own geocaching gps to guide you to the cache location.
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