Gear

GPS on the trail

A Garmin GPS unit held in the hand beside a paper map.

A standalone GPS versus phone GPS, battery life in the cold, the map format used by Garmin and Suunto, and when a dedicated GPS actually makes a difference.

GPS is a supplement to map and compass, not a replacement. Your phone is a GPS — in most cases it is the only one you need. A dedicated GPS unit (Garmin eTrex, Garmin GPSMAP, Suunto) gives longer battery life, a rugged casing, and better reception under dense foliage or in steep valleys. For a typical day trip or cabin trip it is overkill. For long expeditions and winter trips in avalanche terrain it is genuine equipment.

Phone GPS — what most people need

Modern smartphones have GPS, GLONASS and often Galileo reception. Apps such as Norgeskart, Ut.no and Topokart deliver offline maps that work without coverage. This covers 95 per cent of Norwegian friluftsliv.

Limitations:

  • Battery life in the cold. Lithium batteries lose noticeable capacity in the cold — typically 20–30 per cent around 0 °C, and up to half in severe cold (around −20 °C). The phone that lasts 12 hours at the office can last 4–5 hours in the mountains in February.
  • Screen in strong sunlight. Contrast drops, and you have to shade it with your hand.
  • Gloves. A capacitive screen requires mittens with conductive thread, or bare fingers.
  • Sensitivity to water. An IP rating protects against rain, not against a fall in the stream. A waterproof phone case solves that.

For most of Norwegian friluftsliv these problems are manageable. Keep the phone warm in an inner pocket, carry a power bank as backup, and learn map and compass as a fallback.

Dedicated GPS unit — when it is worth it

Garmin and Suunto dominate the market for outdoor GPS. Three categories:

Handheld outdoor GPS (Garmin eTrex 22x, eTrex Solar, GPSMAP 65). Rugged, buttons instead of a screen, AA batteries or a solar cell. Battery life 25–200 hours (model-dependent). Price NOK 2,500–6,000.

GPS watches (Garmin Fenix, Suunto Vertical, Coros Apex). Outdoor training plus navigation in one. Battery life 30–80 hours in GPS mode. Price NOK 4,000–12,000.

Cycling/specialist navigation (Garmin Edge, not for hiking).

When a dedicated unit pays off:

  • Long expeditions with no charging option for 3+ days
  • Winter trips below −15 °C where the phone becomes unreliable
  • Avalanche-search-related travel where you need an accurate position under stress
  • Professional use (trip leader, search and rescue, hunting)

For a private day trip or cabin trip it is hard to justify the investment.

Map formats and updating

Garmin uses its own map format (BirdsEye, TopoActive). Suunto has its own. Neither is compatible with the other. For Norwegian conditions, Norgeskart Topo (Kartverket’s free data) is the basis — every dedicated unit can import it via OpenStreetMap derivatives or official Garmin Norway packages.

Update frequency: paper maps from Kartverket are updated every 5–10 years. GPS maps can be updated monthly if you pay for it. On most trips the difference is marginal.

Backup strategy

For long trips or exposed travel:

  • Primary: Phone with offline maps (Norgeskart, Ut.no Premium, Topokart)
  • Backup: Paper map 1:50,000 + mirror compass
  • Emergency backup: Your head — you read the map before you set off

The GPS unit is the middle layer if you have one. For 90 per cent of readers, primary plus backup is enough.

Next steps

  • Map — the primary navigation GPS supplements, not replaces
  • Compass — a fallback that works without a battery
  • Power bank — what keeps the phone GPS alive on long trips
  • Mobile phone on the trail — the phone is the GPS most people already have
  • Orienteering — the skill that keeps the navigation in your head

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).