Garmin GPSMAP H1 Review - Hands-On Test of Garmin’s New Hybrid GPS
Over the past three days, we’ve been putting the all-new Garmin GPSMAP H1 through its paces here in Northumberland.
This is Garmin’s latest premium handheld GPS, and the first in a brand-new series. The “H” stands for Hybrid, a design that combines physical buttons with a glove-friendly touchscreen.
This isn’t just an incremental update. Garmin has started from a blank sheet of paper and re-imagined what an outdoor GPS should feel like. Below, we’ll share our honest first impressions of the GPSMAP H1 out on the trail.
First Impressions and Build
Straight out of the box, the H1 feels rugged, modern and well built. It’s slimmer than previous GPSMAP units but still weighty enough to feel solid in the hand.
Garmin has ditched the old spine mount and introduced a new metal mounting plate with loop attachment. That means your old accessories won’t fit, but Garmin promises a more secure connection with the new Backpack Tether and Bike Mount (coming soon). Frankly, that’s a good move; the old mounts weren’t as reliable as we’d have liked.
The H1 is also IP67 water-rated and tested to military standards (MIL-STD 810) for thermal, shock and vibration resistance. It looks and feels like a device you’d trust in rough weather and long expeditions.
Screen and Interface
The headline change is the 3.5-inch colour touchscreen — a big step up from the 3-inch screens on older units. It’s bright, crisp, and genuinely glove-friendly. Better still, every tap comes with a subtle vibration feedback, so even with winter gloves, you know you’ve made a press.
Garmin has also cleaned up the interface. You now swipe between screens, tap to enter functions, and press the buttons to step back. It feels far more intuitive — closer to using a modern smartphone than a fiddly old GPS. And if you prefer the traditional button-only control, you can simply switch the touchscreen off in settings.
Navigation in the Field
On our test walk around Simonside, loading a course was quick and painless. We planned a 10-mile route in OS Planner (available free on our website), dropped it onto the unit, and within minutes were following the magenta course line. Recording the activity at the same time is now baked into the same screen, making the whole process feel logical and streamlined.
Older Garmin devices used to scatter navigation, track recording and trip data into separate menus. On the H1, it’s all in one place. You start your walk, the device records your track, and you follow your course. At the end of the day, one button saves the activity and colour-codes your track. Simple.
Other handy additions include:
- Quick Action Button — customise it to turn on the flashlight, start an activity, or trigger other functions.
- Built-in flashlight and siren — useful in emergencies or when finding your way back to the tent at night.
- Auto brightness sensor — adjusts screen brightness to save power.
Mapping Options
The GPSMAP H1 comes pre-loaded with TopoActive mapping for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It’s good for showing trails and terrain, and with the H1’s 64 GB of internal storage (quadruple the 67’s), you can download more mapping directly via Wi-Fi.
But — and it’s a big but — in the UK, TopoActive doesn’t differentiate between public footpaths and private drives. If you want true rights-of-way detail, you’ll need Ordnance Survey mapping.
The H1 supports the same map cards as before, including OS 1:50k and 1:25k TopoPro cards. With these, you see footpaths, bridleways, field boundaries, permissive routes and access land — everything you need for confident off-road navigation.
Battery Life
Garmin quotes up to 145 hours in GPS mode with SatIQ (which automatically chooses the best satellite mode for your conditions). Expedition mode extends this to a staggering 840 hours.
That’s a little lower than the 180 hours quoted for the previous generation, but in practice still more than enough for long expeditions. The trade-off is the bigger screen and faster processing speed, which we think is worth it. Charging is via USB-C, finally moving away from micro-USB.
Accessories and Connectivity
- New Spine Mount 2 system with carabiner included in the box.
- Backpack Tether and Bike Mount (sold separately) is designed to be more secure than older mounts.
- Wireless connectivity with the Garmin Explore app, which now feels far more integrated — syncing folders and courses seamlessly.
- Smart notifications from your phone (which you can toggle on/off).
Verdict — Our First Three Days
After just a few days of walking with the GPSMAP H1, we’re impressed. Garmin has finally been brave enough to simplify things, making the interface cleaner and more intuitive. The larger screen, hybrid touchscreen/buttons, and re-organised menus make a huge difference in real-world use.
Is it perfect? Not quite — the reduced battery life will niggle some, and you’ll need new accessories. But in our view, those trade-offs are well worth it for the leap forward in usability.
If you’re new to GPS handhelds, this is one of the best premium units on the market right now. If you’re an existing user, you may want to read our detailed comparison with the GPSMAP 67 series here: Garmin GPSMAP H1 vs 67 — Comparison article, should you upgrade?
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In short: The Garmin GPSMAP H1 feels like a true next-generation handheld GPS. More intuitive, more flexible, and a lot more enjoyable to use on the hill.
If you have any questions, please do get in touch with us here at GPS Training.