Magellan GPS 315
By Jeff Porcaro

Being a high tech junkie, I am always looking for new electronic products that help me get the most of my outdoor experience. I always carry maps and I love to use a GPS to track my trips. Recently our staff got our hands on the Magellan GPS 315, and immediately put it to work tracking gear testing trips in Utah and Georgia.

The Magellan GPS 315 has 12 channels to quickly lock in on the satellites to get your position fix. I was surprised at how quickly the unit acquired my position after turning it on. The 315 is lightweight, at only 7 oz., and small, measuring 6.0" (h) x 2.0" (w) x 1.3" (d). The GPS 315 uses only 2 "AA" batteries, which give you up to 15 hours of usage. This is one of the best GPS receivers in regards to battery usage.

The efficient use of only two batteries, and the unit's lightweight, make it a prime candidate for backpackers, hikers, and hunters who want to carry a GPS, but not one that feels like a brick. Not only won't you be reaching for new batteries every few hours, but when you do need to replace them, you'll only need two, not the four or eight common with most other comparable receivers.

One of GearReview.com's staff recently carried the Magellan 315 on a weeklong 50-mile hike in Utah's High Uintas Wilderness Area. While he didn't leave the GPS on all day, he did use it several times each day to determine his exact position, especially when approaching trail junctions or water sources. He reports using a single set of batteries for the entire trip. After his experience, he resisted sending the test model back to Magellan. A couple of weeks after the onset of UPS-induced separation anxiety, he bought his own 315.

The Magellan GPS 315 stores 500 waypoints and 20 routes with 30 legs per route. You have to option of using 11 different coordinate systems including LAT/LON, UTM, and MGRS. You can also use any of the 72 map datum settings to be sure your map and the GPS are in sync. The 315 ships with data on 15,000 cities worldwide and can have additional Points of Interest downloaded to the unit. With a 10-year lithium battery you don't have to worry about losing your settings when the batteries die.

Northfinder is one of our favorite features of the receiver. Northfinder displays sun and moon positions for the current location on a compass-like screen. All you do is align the sun or moon icon with its real-world counterpart and the arrow on the GPS display points North. This feature is designed for use when you are not moving, as the receiver quits tracking direction when you stop.

A favorite feature of our Fly-fishing Editor is the best fish-and-game time calculator. This feature factors sun-moon data and your position to determine the best time to go fishing or hunting.

Other useful features are the backlit screen and ability to connect the GPS to a PC for uploading and downloading of waypoints. The PC connection requires an additional cable.

The Magellan GPS 315 has a suggested retail price of $149.99

Summary: A great GPS. If you are in the market for a GPS receiver, the 315 offers a great price, low weight, efficient battery consumption, and all the features you'll need in a basic GPS. Despite its low weight, the unit's durable construction means it will take a beating. The features are simple to use and this receiver has all of the basics that you need to navigate in the outdoors. This quickly became a favorite receiver for the GearReview.com staff.

Jeff Porcaro is a co-founder and contributing editor at GearReview.com

For more information, contact:
Magellan
960 Overland Court
San Dimas, CA 91773
(909)394-5000