Best GPS For Kayaks: Top 5 for Happy Navigating in 2022
Some people love getting lost in nature, but nobody wants to be lost entirely! Whether you are on an expedition or just trying to navigate yourself to the next seaside camping spot, it can be difficult to judge from the water exactly where you are.
This is why we have collated the best GPS for kayaks for all your water-resistant, navigating needs!
Importance of a Kayak GPS
A kayak is a vessel to aid your exploration into nature. Whether it be a river, lake, or sea, it can be easy to get lost in the magic. The sunset beckons you further and to push harder, paddling until you lose track of where you are and don't know how to get back to civilization.
Navigating seas, lakes, and rivers is tricky and has been developing since the first boat entered the water. The good news is, these days, you won't have to whip out the maps, nautical telescopes, and calipers to navigate. Technology has developed significantly since then, and you are now able to use a very convenient and transportable GPS system the size of a mobile phone.
So, Why Does the Modern Explorer Need a Kayak GPS?
You may hear a distant voice from a seasoned kayak pro telling you that back in their day, they only needed a compass, a map, or the stars, but why make it more difficult for yourself? If you want a journey into the unknown with effortless navigation, then look no further!
Kayaks allow us to venture to destinations you can't hike or find places that you can only access via the water safely. Having a GPS will enable you to adventure further into the wild with no worries and as much freedom as possible.
What Kinds of Kayak GPS Are Out There?
There is a dizzying amount of features and extras to overwhelm you when looking to buy a GPS, which we will get into, but first, what kinds of kayak GPS systems are out there?
Wearable
A wearable kayak GPS comes in the shape of a regular watch. It has an obvious appeal for any kayaker. You always know where it is, and it's convenient. You don't need the extra hassle of securing it to your boat, and chances are you won't drop one!
They can include extras such as a heart rate monitor for fitness fanatics or other training features that can help with any health and physical records. However, the downside is their small displays limit the features other GPS systems might have.
Handheld
A handheld kayak GPS receiver is a popular choice for kayakers due to it being small, convenient, and easily kept in a bag or on a lanyard around the kayaker's neck. Generally, it has a larger display, which enables the GPS to have more features than a wearable. However, if you are known to be a little clumsy, it's important to note that these are easier to drop.
Console Mounted
Console mounted GPS devices are often bulkier and rely on external power sources. It's not the most common or popular choice for regular paddlers, with the exception of fishing kayakers where they sometimes include features like fish finding and sonar functions.
Specs and Features
Waterproof Ratings
So you want an electronic device that you're going to take out on kayaking trips, without being obvious, you're going to want it to be waterproof!
It goes without saying that it's essential to check the waterproof rating on a GPS receiver, after all, it will be spending most of its time in or around water. You'll want one the best waterproof GPS systems as a navigator for your kayaking travels.
What To Look For
When looking at water resistance, a few terms are used to gauge the GPS tolerance of water. Many devices are designed to withstand a splash here and there or some light rain, but ideally, you want to make sure the device is totally waterproof if you're going to be kayaking.
Also, some GPS devices can only be submerged in the water for a short amount of time, whereas the best kayak GPS models will allow long submergence times.
Extent of Resistance
The IP code should indicate to what extent of resistance the electronic device will have to water ingress. For example, if a handheld GPS receiver is IP67 rated, it is 100% protected against dust and sand and can also be submerged for 30mins under 15cm-1m of water.
Some wearable devices might have an ATM rating system, which is the depth the kayak GPS system can submerge in static non-moving water. If required, it could be used in marine navigation for kayaking as a wearable unit can also be a GPS for rivers and rated at 5ATM allows a dive up to 50m below the water surface.
Display
On GPS devices, the screen size is measured in inches from corner to corner diagonally across the screen. Most devices are 2 to 5 inches.
It's important to consider what size of kayak GPS screen you need. Think about what type of device you want. If it's a mountable GPS, it will require a larger screen as it will sit further away from your eyes and won't be as easy to read if it's too small.
Readability
A question that pops up quite often is whether you will able to use a kayak GPS when its dark, well the thing is that the GPS is less likely to work when the sun starts to go down so don't be too quick to dismiss that pro kayaker urging you to navigate by the stars if night kayaking is your niche.
However, the good news is it should work consistently and successfully throughout the day. Most devices have readable screens, but some are easier to read in sunlight with the specially designed sunlight readable displays.
Weight
If you plan on leaving your kayak to do some hiking, you might want to consider the size and weight of your unit. It would be cumbersome to climb up the hill if you had to pack up and carry a clunky mountable fishfinder GPS device.
Memory
The whole point of a GPS system is to store maps, plot your current location, and guide you to your next destination, therefore you will want to make sure that it can integrate with the latest maps.
You will want to pick the best GPS for kayaking with enough internal memory to consistently load, store, and update the latest maps. After all, you don't want to be fiddling with an SD card or memory card slot while trying to navigate in the wet.
Battery life
We've all been in a situation without chargers, and your rechargeable device gives in and dies.
In order to avoid that frequent frustration, a GPS with a more reliable long-lasting battery life is a better idea.
A lithium-ion battery system is durable but is by far not the cheapest option, with a lower budget option being aa batteries, but the advantage of GPS units that have a long-life battery is the ability to last a long time.
Durability
If you're going to be kayaking, you want any kit you take with you to be durable. Most devices are designed with paddle-proof hard touchscreens and have a high tolerance for damage.
The best GPS unit should be water-resistant to any kind of water, including saltwater.
Some GPS systems can come with anti-slip rubber covers to ensure a good grip when faced with moisture and preventing any damage from accidental falls and impact.
Navigation: Galileo, GPS, and GLONASS
Galileo, Galileo, will you do the fandango? But, what or who is Gallileo? Or indeed the fandango for that matter?
Although we can't answer what the hell a fandango is, we can explain the difference between Galileo, GPS, and GLONASS.
We all vaguely know what GPS is or means, but what you might not know is that it isn't the only navigation system out there.
GPS (Global Positioning System) is the space-based radio navigation system and the American satellite navigation system. Galileo is the European satellite navigation system, and GLONASS is the Russian satellite navigation system.
Utilizing all three makes navigation quicker and more accurate. It also means if one system is down or fails, there are backups available to support your navigation. The systems are all compatible so that it can be used all at once.
CHIRP
As if you didn't have enough navigational features to think about, you then have the likes of CHIRP and Hotfix to consider.
CHIRP stands for Compressed High-Intensity Radar Pulse, which basically means that it can use solar technology to scan the water for fish. Covering a wide range of frequencies, CHIRP can produce very accurate readings.
The difference between a GPS and a fish finder is the different types of technology. GPS maps the land above the water, whereas fish finders use the sonar technology for maps below the water's surface.
So, if you fancy both features to be available, it would be a good idea to consider getting a fishfinder GPS combo.
Hotfix
When looking around for the best GPS for kayaking, you may notice features like Hotfix pop-up in relation to a few products.
Hotfix enables the GPS to be incredibly fast. It keeps you located even in places like caves or deep canyons, which is great for river kayaking to allow the best coverage.
WAAS
WAAS or Wide Area Augmentation System is a system of satellites designed to provide GPS signal corrections, increasing the overall accuracy of the device.
The really cool thing about WAAS is that it can give you a position accuracy within 3m, 95 percent of the time! It's five times more accurate than a conventional GPS system.
Can't I Just Use My Smartphone?
I know what you're thinking, why bother shelling out for an all singing all dancing GPS system when you already have a mobile phone with built-in maps?
Well, smartphones have a big old Achilles heel, and it comes in the form of cellular signal.
Smartphones usually count on assisted GPS, which means they rely on the phone receiving data. This is a very useful system to find the address of that fantastic seafood restaurant in the city center. Still, when you find yourself in the middle of nature and away from cellular towers, they will prove ineffectual.
Smartphones also have a lot to concentrate on besides maps, which can more often than not drain the battery. So, it might be best to purchase a GPS if you plan on adventuring long hours in new and exciting places.
Our Top Picks
Now that the endless list of different features has been explained thoroughly and we're all exhausted from the extensive list of GPS lingo, let's find the best GPS for kayaking!
1. Garmin GPSMAP 66st
The Garmin GPSMAP 66st is a durable handheld device.
You certainly won't be caught out with this GPS. It has up to 16 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 170 hours in expedition mode supplied by 2 AA batteries and a rechargeable NiMH battery pack, all supporting the sunlight friendly three-inch color display screen.
It comes with an inbuilt worldwide basemap to aid you in all your expeditions into the wild with the opportunity to take advantage of the 16GB internal memory and extra memory slots so you're able to add as many maps as you like. If the preinstalled 100,000 maps aren't quite cutting it, the memory slots enable you to quadruple the storage!
In addition to that, it sports a built-in compass and a barometric altimeter paired with the GPS's three access compass to reduce any chance of error and with added advanced mapping features like shaded relief, it will make navigating a doddle.
The altimeter measures the altitude should you decide to hop out of the kayak and adventure into the mountains, and the barometric feature measures the pressure so that you know your exact elevation, and it is also able to predict the weather conditions on your excursion.
It's part of Garmins GPSMAP series, which is at the higher end of the Garmin range. This is the most accurate Garmin GPS, with a powerful quad-helix antenna, and connects to more satellite networks than most devices.
This GPS device might be the best kayaking GPS in terms of budget and affordability for something pretty high quality.
It's compact, water-resistant, and knows your paddling routes, how you got there, where you are, how fast you were going, and the route back. Perfect for anyone recording waypoints, mapping, and logging their paddles!
Garmin uses the GPS GLONASS systems and this device has an added hotfix satellite predictor, which is ideal for kayaking on rivers.
The display is readable even in the brightest sunlight and has a broad range of additional maps available through the memory card slot. There's no reason to fear the dreaded death of a battery either as it's battery life is 25 hours so that you can paddle until your heart is content!
This device also supports paperless geocaching for downloading geocaches straight to the unit. It also takes 2 AA batteries and has a water rating of IPX7 and is WAAS enabled.
It's certainly not the most advanced device, but as an entry-level, it's a solid purchase.
Garmin is at the top of their game when it comes to GPS devices. The Montana 680 T certainly has all the bells and whistles!
It comes with a worldwide basemap already uploaded plus a dual GPS and GLONASS system, which happens to have a high sensitivity receiver that shows precise location readings. On top of that, 250,000 geocaches and 100,000 maps, not to mention the 3-axis compass and a barometric altimeter.
The Montana comes with not only a rechargeable lithium-ion battery but an additional space for 3 AA batteries to ensure from 16-22 hours of battery life, enabling you to enjoy your kayak trip freely and save yourself losing charge halfway back!
It's a durable unit with an IP rating of IPX7 so it can withstand full accidental submergence in water for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes, which is ideal for clumsy dunking mishaps.
A marine GPS device has to be able to help users guide their kayaks in coastal settings and deep seas. When it comes to the best GPS for marine use, Garmin dominates the market for their technology and reliability.
The 4-inch high-resolution color display is more than suitable for a bright midday paddle as it is sunlight friendly.
The Montana also features a kayak GPS app that allows you to record, view, and analyze any paddle, track, or waypoint all in one convenient place.
The Hummingbird Helix 5 is a fishfinder GPS system and actually one of Hummingbirds smaller devices lacking some of the power that their larger models have. However, it is more than capable of handling anything you require from a smaller boat or kayak.
It features an impressive 5-inch WVGA 480x800 color display with CHIRP technology, which ensures a sophisticated sonar package. This package maps out three-dimensional images showing you in detail exactly where the fish are underwater.
It is not a handheld unit, so you have to be prepared to mount it on your kayak. It will also need an external power supply, and therefore a battery will be required.
The kayaking GPS is pretty similar to a smartphone but with added chart plotting and cartography.
It also has expandable storage if you intend to make use of the memory card slot.
So if you're looking for a compact mountable fishfinder kayaking GPS with high resolution and detailed sonar images we've found it for you!
The POLAR M 200 is perhaps the best budget option for a wearable GPS. It has a waterproof rating of up to 30m and an internal memory of 4 MB, and rechargeable batteries with a battery life of up to a whopping six days.
Having a wearable GPS is an appealing convenience for any kayaker. It makes it easily accessible and visible and pretty tricky to accidentally drop.
For fitness enthusiasts, this device can follow your heart rate and other health recording statistics. Therefore it's useful for assessing training and additional sports tracking when not paddling in the kayaks. The fitness tracking connects to the GPS app available on mobile and desktop for all your data recording needs.
Of course, being a wearable device does mean a small round screen size though, if all you really need is some basic GPS features at a low-cost, the polar 200 GPS is the right fit for you.
Another nice feature is the GPS also comes in different colors so you can choose the best color to match your kayak and paddle in style.
Our Top Pick
After many reviews and consideration, our top pick for best kayaking GPS in the kayak GPS units category is (pause for dramatic effect).
The Garmin Montana 680t! This GPS is smart, compact, and loves to go for long walks on the beach and paddle into the sunset.
If you want to use a GPS device with excellent internal memory, a worldwide basemap, decent battery life, and the ability to communicate accurate information with you and GPS satellites, how can you say no to this product?
Admittedly, it doesn't really come particularly cheap. Nevertheless, If you are willing to shell out for the top of the range product, we say go with Montana!
This GPS is genuinely one of the best Garmin can offer when it comes to kayaking GPS. It has endless features, tracks boundless maps, and a durable exterior that'll survive any adventure thrown at it.
At the end of the day, you are the only one that can decide which is the best GPS for kayaks that does everything you want it to do, whether it be measuring your heart rate, recording each waypoint, or finding fish. Only you can determine what's the best in your eyes or, indeed, your kayak!
Happy navigating!