GPS for outdoor use?

[motohooligan]

I use Navigon on my Iphone 5. It's free if your phone is jailbroken. You can go places and save the GPS coordinates for next time. Plus no data/internet is required.

That's called stealing...

I have a Garmin Oregon 450. It is very rugged. Sometimes the screen is a little hard to see in bright sun light. I think i paid about $250 a few years ago. Amazon has them for ~$240. You can load topo maps on it if you want. I definitely think a dedicated GPS is worth it if you are planning on any multi-day trips. The smartphones will only give you a couple of hours of use and then be dead. If you want buttons instead of a touch screen, look at the Garmin GPSMAP series. Uses same hardware as the Oregon line. The touchscreen on the 450 is not capacitive (means not like an iPhone) so it is not nearly as responsive. But you can touch it with gloves on.

[AirbornePathogen]

+1 on Garmin, I had an eTrex Legend, and loved it.

[theGinsue]

I've got 2 eTrex units and love 'em. I recommend immediately putting a screen scratch guard on any unit you get though. Otherwise, with much use the screen will get heavily scratched and is all but impossible to view in daylight (learned this lesson from my buddy's unit before I got one. My screen protectors have kept mine prestine.

[Jherexx]

Another +1 on the eTrex, you can usually pick-up the older base model for less than $100, good enough for what you need it for.

[gnihcraes]

garmin etrex - pick it up at a local pawn shop, usually several to choose from - $20-50 range.