Hello Folks, I am thinking about getting one of those small GPS units you can take out riding with you, but I don't know a whole lot about them. I was hoping to get some insight from you all out there. Here's my main question. When your out trail riding and there are lots of different turn offs, how does the GPS help you find the correct one to take back home? Does it say go left or right when you try to back track or what?  My sense of direction is soooo bad that I have gotten lost on several occasions.

All information will be helpfull. Thanks!

I can say I was thankful a person in our group had one when we were riding in Shawnee in Southern Illinois.  It's a large place and it wouldn't take much to get lost.

  It helped us out different times and seemed to work well.  There were times they had to find a clearing away from the trees for it to work but otherwise it was very helpful. 

I think the GPS had an arrow that directed you on where to go.  I didn't sound too complicated to use but they did suggest to keep the directions with you especially if you just use it every now and then.

  I guess there's codes you can put in the GPS that keeps track of where camp is, the campground supplied us with those.

I have an older unit ... Magellan 315.  It has a track display.  Most of the units have the same.  You can follow your track back.  if you get off the original trail, you'll see the track go off within a few steps.  Usually the trail keeps you right on the money.  With a clear view of the sky, my unit will display which side of the road I was riding in the display.  The heading feature doesn't work so well, horse riding in the mts.  It is a direction as the crow flies... too bad there's a mountain in the way.  It's fun and useful... BUT  bring spare batteries... it 's just a weight if your batteries are dead.

I use mine in conjuction with a Topo mapping program on my computer. 

Prior to leaving I print out maps with Lat & Long lines. The GPS will give me my coordinates and I match them to the topo map. I can tell pretty close if I'm on the trail I was planning on riding.

I also download a copy of the waypoints from the days trail and save a map of where I was.

It helps me know how far I've gone, elevation change, how fast I'm moving etc.  I mark where the truck is and more than once I've short cutted my way back in order to bet a storm or weather front. I've also marked where deer & elk where that I shot so I can come back with pack horses and help and get it.

My biggest complaint is with them is trying to keep a view of the sky.  They don't work well in heavy timber or in my front shirt pocket. They seem to work best if I velcro them to my hat or upper sleeve of my shirt.

I have the basic Garmin ETREX that can be purchased in most places for around $99.  I have seen it on sale at Target from time-to-time for $89.  Believe me, it is money well spent.  I just mark the place I ride from (trailer, home).  Then set my "Go To" back to that waypoint and it will show me the direction I need to go to get back there wherever I am.  Will also give the mileage back, so you can tell if you are getting closer or further away to where you're trying to get back to.  Of course, that is as the crow flies.  You can also mark other waypoints wherever you want and find the way back to those too. 

I have a Garmon GPS and as others have said it's great when you have a signal but timber and terrain can sometimes block it.  Like Terri said, you can mark your camp and turn offs with waypoints and follow them back.  I believe most have a "track back" option.

Try to study your map before you leave, refer to it on the trail and carry a compass! 

One poster already said it, but it's worth mentioning again...carry a regular compass with you as well!  I used my Garmin in Shawnee last spring and it was great, but did cut out with the timber.  When my friends and I stopped at a fork in the trail, my friends compass immediately told us that camp was south of us so we took the most souther trail (that's if you pay attention to which direction you left camp). My Garmin needed me to move to get my compass back working.  Everything else about waypoints, and trackback are correct, as well as carrying extra batteries.  I love it and won't go on long rides without it.  It took me a while to learn it though.  Lots of hands on help from other GPS owners picked up where the manual left off.  Enjoy!

would not ride in new areas without one, the new ones do not loose signals in deep woods anymore

Really, I wonder how they manage that.  What brand do you have?

bought a gps this year this weekend was 1st time using it was a great investment just marked camp & since we dont like to backtrack when we wanted to head back just went in the direction the arrow pointed but with trail closings in shawnee we did have to do a little wondering around posted land to get back but it always told us which way camp was & how long it was going to take us to get there

Mines a 5 year old Garman Etrex Summit and it ABSOLUTELY looses signal in heavy forest.

I've seen folks get better signals by buying the option extended anntenas or velcroing the GPS unit to their helments. But if you put it in your shirt pocket or your horn bag, you will loose signal. My biggest complaint with them.

I've never been with out signal long enough to cause a problem. You just see straight lines on you tracks and know it drew a line between two points where it had signal. Not a big deal when I'm out riding, but when I'm trying to make maps for other to follow, they expect the trail to go where the map shows.