The Atlas MNS is the quickest responder of the bunch. Flip it on and, before you can say “lost,” it locks on to satellites and starts kicking out coordinates. Scroll between pages and the dual processor pulls up weather, altitude, and navigational data almost instantly. Signal acquisition also shines in challenging conditions—like the heavy tree cover of West Coast temperate rainforests—where other units falter. Ideal for traveling.
Bonus: With detailed regional topo maps available on individual MMC cards, loading up maps is as easy as popping a card into the slot—no PC required.
Bummer: The monochrome screen sometimes makes it hard to differentiate between trails, roads, and contour lines. 9 oz; www.brunton.com