Outdoor GPS Units - Release date history

We currently take our colour screen handheld GPS units for granted, but it was not always that way.

From the early years of outdoor GPS navigation technology has certainly progressed. In this article we look at the history of the main GPS manufacturers and the release date of the main GPS units built for the outdoor market.

If you have any interesting facts/ stories about GPS units please leave a comment in the comment box below. 

Garmin

35 years ago (1989) the co-founders of Garmin, Garry Burrell and Dr. Min Kao set out with a vision to utilise GPS technology for the consumer market.

Since then Garmin made that vision a reality and pioneered many new product categories, evolving into a global technology leaders in Outdoor GPS Navigation.

By 2000 Garmin had sold three million GPS devices, and was producing 50 different models, with a number of these being for the outdoors.

Garmin Handheld Outdoor GPS Devices

Garmin GPSMAP 12 series

GPS12XL – 1998
GPS 12 – 1999

Garmin eTrex series

eTrex Yellow – December 1999
eTrex Summit – June 2000
eTrex Venture – January 2001
eTrex Vista – January 2001
eTrex legend – January 2001
eTrex Camo – February 2001
eTrex Vista C – July 2004
eTrex Legend C – July 2004
eTrex Legend CX – January 2006
eTrex Vista CX – January 2006
eTrex venture CX – March 2006
eTrex H – June 2007
eTrex Legend HCX – June 2007
eTrex Vista HCX – June 2007
eTrex Summit HC – June 2007
eTrex Legend H – January 2009
eTrex Vista H – January 2009
eTrex 10, 20, 30 - May 2011
eTrex 20x, 30x - May 2015
eTrex Touch 25 & 35 - July 2015
eTrex 22x & 32x – June 2019
eTrex SE – March 2023
eTrex Solar – November 2023

Interesting fact/ thought - Solar has to be the way forward with Garmin GPS models going forward, fingers crossed.

Garmin Geko series 

Geko101 & 201 – January 2003
Geko 301 – May 2003

Garmin Dakota series

Dakota 10 & 20 – June 2009

Interesting fact/ thought - It was a real shame Garmin did not keep going with their small screen GPS unit. Hugely popular in it's time and we still see a number still being used.

Garmin Oregon series

Oregon 200 – July 2008
Oregon 300 – July 2008
Oregon 400t – July 2008
Oregon 450 & 450t – December 2009
Oregon 550 & 550t – May 2009
Oregon 600, 600t, 650 & 650t – January 2013
Oregon 700, 750 & 750t – June 2016

Interesting fact/ thought - I personally think it is really sad Garmin have discontinued the Garmin Oregon range of GPS units. In it's time it was the best selling model by Garmin.

Garmin GPSMAP series

GPSMap60 – January 2005
GPSMap60c & 60cs – November 2003
GPSMap60cx & 60csx – January 2006
GPSMap62, 62s & 62st – June 2010
GPSMap62stc & 62sc – June 2011
GPSMap64 & 64s – January 2014
GPSMap65 & 65s – September 2020
GPSMap66s & 66st – September 2018
GPSMap66i – June 2019
GPSMap66SR – September 2020
GPSMap67 & 67i - March 2023

Garmin Colorado series

Colorado 300, 400 – January 2008

Garmin Montana series

Montana 600, 600t & 650 – May 2011
Montana 610 & 680 – August 2015
Montana 700, 700i & 750i – August 2020

Garmin Monterra series 

Monterra – June 2013

Interesting fact - The Garmin Monterra was the only Garmin GPS unit that ran on an Android operating system. This enables users to pre load the unit with apps such as Memory Map for the OS maps on the unit.

SatMap

Satmap Systems Limited, a business based in the UK was founded on 19 October 2005 and based in Leatherhead, Surrey.

Since 2007 it has produced a standalone handheld GPS satellite navigation mapping device for use by walkers, cyclists, mountain rescue, emergency services and the military. Satmap Systems Ltd.

With the launch of the SatMap Active 10 in 2007 it certainly took the world by storm, being the first Outdoor GPS unit to have not only a full colour screen but OS maps on this.

Active 10 - March 2007
Active 12 - March 2014
Active 20 - June 2017

Interesting fact - The first ever iPhone was launched in January 2007 and went on sale in June 29, 2007, the same year as the iPhone was launched.

Magellan

Magellan Systems Corporation was set up in 1986, interestingly, three years before Garmin.

Magellan introduced the first handheld commercial GPS receiver in 1989 and was the first company to make GPS devices affordable to consumers. Magellan introduced the first handheld commercial GPS receiver in 1989 and was the first company to make GPS devices affordable to consumers. 

Magellan Handheld Outdoor GPS Devices

Nav 1000 – May1989
GPS 2000XL - 1996
GPS 300, 315 & 320 - 1999
Meridian, Meridian Colour, Meridian Gold, Meridian Marine, Meridian Platinum – 2002
SporTrak Map – 2002
eXplorist 100, 200 & 300 – June 2004
eXplorist 210 – August 2005
eXplorist XL – August 2005
eXplorist 400, 500 & 600 – January 2005
eXplorist XL – August 2005
Triton 200, 300, 400, 500, 1500 & 2000 - September 2007
eXplorist GC – March 2010
eXplorist Pro 10 – April 2011
eXplorist 510, 610 & 710 – May 2011
eXplorist 310 & 510 Topo – July 2012

Interesting fact - If I remember correctly (please let me know in the comment box below), Magellan where the first GPS manufacturer to release a GPS unit in the UK with maps.

TwoNav

In 2001 a group of enthusiasts began to develop software to check waypoints in paragliding. In 2005 TwoNav worked on and created software that worked on Nokia's Symbian phones and windows Mobile PDA's.

In 2008 TwoNav launched their first GPS unit, the Aventura, with a 3.5 inch screen.

Aventura – 2008
Sportiva – 2010
Ultra Wrist Device – 2012
Delta – 2013
Sportiva 2 + - 2013
Anima – 2014
Velo, Horizon, Trail & Aventura – 2016
Trail2 , Aventura2 & Cross – 2019
Terra, Trail 2 Plus, Cross Plus & Aventura 2 Plus – 2022
Roc – 2023

Have we missed anything?

If we have missed anything please leave a comment below and we will add it to the lists above.

It's fascinating thinking back over some of the GPS units we have seen over the years. If you have any memories of past GPS units, again please leave a comments in the comment box below.