The Magellan eXplorist 600 fairly screams “take me hiking!”  It is lightweight, compact, has plenty of memory for topographical maps, and features an electronic compass, altimeter, and battery life of 17 hours. And it all fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.

When I first got the eXplorist 600, I was surprised at how small it was.  Its compact exterior is shaped to fit ergonomically in your hand, so it is comfortable to hold.  The buttons are conveniently placed and easy to operate with the thumb of one hand.  In spite of its small size, its screen is ample and in color.  And it weighs only 5.4 oz. (164.4 g) with the batteries, and it is water resistant, so you can use it in the rain.

Size is not the only attractive feature.  The eXplorist 600 is a mapping receiver, so it can download and display maps.  It supports SD memory cards, so it can hold a lot of map data if you get a high-capacity card.  Even with the 64K SD card that I used, it held sufficient maps, routes, and track points.  The receiver is perfect for using with a computer because you can transfer maps, routes, and waypoints to the receiver before the hike for use in the field.  You can even transfer data into a specific directory in either internal memory or the SD card for faster access.

The eXplorist 600 also has an electronic compass, an altimeter, and a thermometer.  The electronic compass is especially useful for hiking because you can know the direction you are facing even when standing still.  Calibrating the compass was a cinch.  The receiver tells you everything you need to do during calibration and then beeps when it is done.  Unfortunately, you cannot save battery power by disabling the GPS receiver while leaving the compass on.  The compass can only be used while the GPS receiver is active.  But saving power may not be an issue.  The eXplorist 600 comes with a rechargeable battery that provides 17 hours of continuous use.  It is not likely that you will use the receiver continuously on a hike, so the battery is likely to last for as many days as you can hike.

Magellan provides downloadable topographical maps for the entire U.S. which are nice to have on a hike.  Even with a topo map on the receiver’s screen, I still carry a 1:24,000 USGS paper map to provide the “big picture” view of the area.  The MapSend program that transfers the topo maps to the receiver lets you print out a paper copy.  The topographical map database includes a lot of points-of-interest including the locations of campgrounds and trails.

In the field, it took the receiver a while to lock the first time, but once it found the satellites, it provided the accuracy you expect of a WAAS-enabled receiver.

Even though the eXplorist 600 is perfect for hiking, you can also buy a bicycle handle bar mount, so I suppose you could take it biking too – that is, if you get tired of hiking. But with this unit beckoning, contemplating your next hike may not be an issue.

Key specifications:

• display: (Diagonal) 2.25″
• size: 2.2″ W x 4.7″ H x 1.3″ D
• weight: 5.4 ounces (164.4g) with batteries
• battery: Li-Ion rechargeable; 17 hours continuous
• data storage: SD card
• environmental: Rubber armored impact-resistant plastic, water-resistant seal
• MSRP: $ 349.95

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