Your boat’s chartplotter is great — until the power dies, the fuse blows, or you step into the dinghy to run ashore. A handheld marine GPS is the backup every prudent Captain carries: a rugged, floating, waterproof unit that keeps working when the boat’s electronics don’t. It’s also the primary navigator for kayakers, dinghy sailors, and anyone in a boat too small for a fixed plotter. Here’s what the Insiders keep in the ditch bag.
Saltwater Insider is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
Best Overall: Garmin GPSMAP 86sc
For an all-around handheld, the Garmin GPSMAP 86sc does it all with no compromises. It floats, it’s fully waterproof, it carries preloaded BlueChart coastal charts, and the battery life is built for long days offshore. Add a bright, sunlight-readable screen and Garmin’s bulletproof reliability and you’ve got the unit most Captains reach for when they want one device that handles navigation, waypoints, and emergency backup. This is the benchmark.
Direct link goes live at launch
Best Budget Pick: Garmin eTrex 32x
You don’t have to spend big for a rugged, reliable handheld. The Garmin eTrex 32x is affordable, tough, runs forever on a pair of AA batteries (a real advantage when you can carry spares), and accepts optional marine charts. It’s the smart, no-frills backup that lives in the glovebox or ditch bag and just works when you need it. For the Insider who wants insurance without the price tag, this is the one.
Direct link goes live at launch
Best Radio + GPS Combo: Standard Horizon HX890
Here’s a clever two-for-one: the Standard Horizon HX890 builds a full DSC VHF radio and a GPS into one waterproof, floating handheld. In an emergency, it can broadcast your exact position with a distress call at the press of a button. For the Insider who wants both a backup radio and a backup navigator in a single device in the ditch bag, this combo is hard to beat — and it’s the kind of redundancy that saves lives.
Direct link goes live at launch
Best Touchscreen: Garmin Oregon Series
If you’ve grown up on smartphones and want that familiar feel, the Garmin Oregon series brings a bright, dual-orientation touchscreen that’s still readable in direct sun. Customizable activity profiles let you switch between boating, kayaking, and hiking, and free trip-planning software lets you build routes at home. For the Insider who wants a modern interface in a rugged waterproof shell, the Oregon delivers.
Direct link goes live at launch
Why a Handheld When You Have a Chartplotter?
Simple: redundancy is seamanship. Fixed electronics fail — a blown fuse, a dead house battery, water in a connection — and they always seem to fail at the worst moment. A floating, battery-powered handheld is completely independent of the boat’s electrical system. Every offshore Insider and every smart coastal cruiser carries one. It’s also your navigator the moment you step off the big boat into a dinghy, kayak, or paddleboard.
What to Look For
Three features matter most on the water. Floating and waterproof (look for IPX7 rating at minimum) means a dropped unit survives and stays findable. A sunlight-readable screen is non-negotiable — a dim display is useless at noon on open water. And battery type matters: AA-powered units let you carry spares for unlimited runtime, while rechargeable units are tidier but need a charged battery before you leave the dock. Many units now include enhanced MOB (Man Overboard) functions worth having.
Keep It Ready
A handheld GPS is only valuable if it works the instant you need it. Before every trip, power it on and confirm it grabs a satellite fix quickly, check the battery (or pack fresh spares), and make sure your waypoints and charts are current. Periodically update the firmware and inspect the waterproof seals. Store it in your ditch bag so it’s always where you can grab it in a hurry.
The Bottom Line
For the Insider who wants one do-it-all handheld, the Garmin GPSMAP 86sc is the benchmark — floating, charted, and built for long days. Watching the budget, the Garmin eTrex 32x is rugged insurance that runs on AAs. Want a backup radio built in, the Standard Horizon HX890 gives you GPS and DSC VHF in one. Whatever you pick, keep it charged, current, and in the ditch bag — because the best backup is the one that’s ready when everything else quits.