The eXplorist 500 is rechargeable and doesn't take normal batteries, which could be a problem if you're away from home for a while. it's one of the most sophisticated models, though. You can save your routes and favourite spots and even find out the vertical profiles of paths, so you can work out whether you can really be arsed to cycle up that steep hill.

Price: £349

Stockists: 0800 624 35526

The pocket-sized, waterproof, rugged GPS is the lightest on test. It's easy to use and has a compass to show directions as well as telling you how to reach the next waypoint. It gives your speed and travel time and tells you how inept you are by recording how far off-track you go. With two AA batteries it lasts for over 48 hours, so make sure you're home by then.

Price: 89.95

Stockists: 01506 406277

The 60C is super-precise, its colour screen is great and it has loads of functions, but the price is hard to justify. Also, the manual is an epic of War and Peace proportions - MF nodded off at around page 63, when it started to explain how to 'predict the times for hunting and fishing for a chosen date and location'.

Price: £468.83

Stockists: 0870 850 1241

This device is more delicate than the others on test. It's not ideal for adventure racing, but it's great for those who travel a lot, thanks to it's large screen and detailed maps of 27 European countries and clear on-screen and spoken directions. But most impressive is its GPS receiver, which was the best on test at picking up signals.

Price: £375

Available from Halfords: 0870 121 4488

Not so much a position-finder as a speed indicator, this device uses satellite to work out how far and how fast you've run with an accuracy that's unrivalled among normal running aids. It's compact and it straps easily to your arm but be warned, if you do a lot of running in urban areas, particularly near tall buildingd, you might dip in and out of different signal ranges and get inaccurate times.

Price:£99

Stockists: 0870 85 1241

It's waterproof and has all the usual GPS features, but for a little extra cash it also has a tourist guide that can locate anything from a train station to a local chippie, at home ot abroad. Detail is easy to see on the big clear screen - it's almost as if you have a page from an old-fashion atlas n front of you.

Price: £275

Stockists: 01506 406277