gps 3 axis compass

[cantgetdrawn]

The thumbstick on my gps is sticking so I'm looking for a new gps.

I am looking for a gps I can pull out of my pocket and it will give me the relative directions to my waypoints from where I am without having to walk with it until it recalibrates. A couple of years ago I was trying to find my way out of dark timber at night to my spike camp and my gps would keep sending me in the wrong direction before it recalibrated. One time I walk about a 100 yards in the wrong direction before it show I was going the wrong way. I was not very happy.

The question I have there a real difference from the models that a 3 axis compass and those who don't. The 3 axis model say you it "shows your heading even when you’re standing still, without holding it level". I don't care about holding it level as long as it's not too sensitive. What I don't want to have is a situation where I have to walk in the wrong direction before it tells me I'm going the wrong way.

 

[gman82001]

my rino has the electric compass that has to be level and I love it its almost like a pointer to lead you where you need to go. My older rino doesn't have it and I hate it just for the reason you said I took off walking and it took 100 or so feet to say no go that a way dummy. I wouldn't worry about the 3rd axis personally but wont have a gps without the electric compass

 

[cantgetdrawn]

Thanks Gman,

It seems that all the new garmin model have the 3-axis electronic compass or none at all. Thanks to your post I understand that it is the older models that you have to hold level.

Now I am deciding between the etrex 30 and the GPSMAP 64s. The etrex 20 and GPSMAP 64 do not have a compass.