Nat Geo and Satmap Systems Join Forces For New Handheld GPS Device

I've written on more than one occasion about the great maps that National Geographic produces for adventure travelers and hikers. Those maps are durable, offer tons of information, and take up almost no room in your backpack. Now, the convenience of those maps is coming to a handheld GPS device thanks to a collaborative partnership between Nat Geo and Satmap Systems, who are making the new Active 10 TREK GPS system available this week.

The Active 10 TREK will retail for $369.99 and comes preloaded with U.S. and World Base Maps, with the National Geographic Maps being made available on SD cards for $99 each. Those additional maps include the Topo! USGS topographic map series, the AdventureMap series of international adventure travel maps, as well as the National Geographic’s premier Trails Illustrated series of maps, which are being made available for the first time on any GPS device. Those maps focus on national parks, national forests and many popular recreation areas, and are an excellent resource for hikers and backpackers.

Satmap is a well known and respected manufacturer of GPS devices in Europe, but is just now venturing into the North American market. Partnering with National Geographic has given them a leg up on the competition already, as they will now have access to content that no other GPS company has. Their handheld devices are used for everything from mountain rescue to geocaching, and just about everything in between.

In total, there will be 14 different Topo! series map packs available at launch covering the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, the Mid-Atlantic region, Montana, Nevada, New England, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The remaining states will be made available in the first quarter of 2011. Three SD cards containing the Trails Illustrated maps will be available as well covering California’s Sierra Nevada, the Southern Appalachians and America’s “Greatest National Parks," with more to follow soon as well.

To check out the Active 10 TREK GPS device in more detail click here and to get more information on the  Nat Geo maps that are available on SD cards click here. The device also has several accessories available including a Bike Mount, Vehicle Mount and a Deluxe Carry Case, which retail from $14.99.

This looks like a really promising handheld system that when combined with the National Geographic maps packs could become quite a great resource for outdoor enthusiasts of all types. I'm working on getting my hands on one to review, so hopefully I can post some thoughts soon. As a gear and gadget fan, who also loves Nat Geo, I have high hopes for the Active 10 TREK. Stay tuned for more soon.