gps for walking around

I'm thinking too about a Garmin GPSmap 6sc - it's about half the price of the iPad., with no worries about finding wi-fi in the hill towns. (Okay, not a fair comparison with everything else an iPad does, but, it really is the gps feature I'm interested in.) Have any of you helpful folks traveled with one?

I personally would not get a gps, but a device that can do multiple tasks. My iPad has gps, plus I can use it to check email, check bank accounts, download books to read, add my complete itinerary to the calendar, and lots more. It might be a bit bigger than you might like, but there are lots of other devices out there that you may find just as helpful.

Thanks Angela. An iPad would not be too big - I just want something that works. I had thought first about getting an iPhone, since they come with gps, but was told to expect a huge bill if I used it abroad. Does it cost anything, besides the usual monthly plan, to use an iPad abroad? I've been looking for an excuse to buy one anyway.

Call me old school, but I use a compass. Between that and asking the locals for directions, we haven't had a problem.

I haven't had personal experience abroad yet, I'm going in May. However I know people who have taken their iPad to Italy. The best way to use it is with wifi from your hotel and from other places that you might get to use it free (many international chains such as McD's and Starbucks allow you to use it if you make a purchase). Set up your gps to show where you want to go before you head out the door and you are golden. You do have the option to get Internet anywhere at all if you get a device that allows it (Verizon or AT&T, of which I've heard AT&T works better in Europe), however the fees involved can end up being cost prohibitive. Mine ipad has Verizon, and I'm planning to just use free wifi at the hotels I'm staying. I'm thrifty like that.

Oh, and you don't have to have a monthly plan with an iPad. I have my device set up for Verizon, but I don't actually use it. We already had wifi in the house, so I use that, but I wanted the option to get Internet anywhere for my home based business (in case someone wanted to place an order with me while I was away from home).

Okay, maybe I have misinformation, and maybe not all gps maps are equal, but my understanding is that gps is designed for driving. That means it will take you a mile or two out of your way if you are in an area with one-way streets, pedestrian-only streets, limited access streets - pretty much all over Rome and Tuscan cities. It would seem better to have a device that connects to Michelin or Google or similar sites with maps with walking directions.

The one I am looking at is in the Outdoor line - the kind of device that hikers use. It has a "breadcrumb" feature, so you can easily find your way back to your car or hotel. There is a marker feature on it too, so you can - say - take note of an interesting- looking cafe and find it again. This particular model has a camera, and one can download maps to it as well.

It's not as great in reality as it seems. GPS doesn't work well in cities with narrow winding streets and tall buildings. It also takes walking sometimes half a block just to figure which direction you are going. I wouldn't get a stand alone unit for walking and instead would use my smartphone with a pre-loaded map. A compass and decent map are best for city navigating on foot. For drivingGPS's are great and I would use a stand alone designed for the car.

Liz, I always pack along a small Garmin Nüvi GPS unit, and it's proven very useful on a couple of occasions. I try not to use it for long periods of time, as the battery only allows a few hours of use. I haven't noticed too much of a problem using it in a city environment, even between tall buildings. As long as I allow it to get a "lock" in an open space (always a Piazza around), it seems to maintain position quite well. Aside from the initial cost of the GPS unit, there are no charges to pay, so it's cost effective solution, and it's nice to have it available in case I decide to rent a car. The Garmin 275/275T is currently listed on Amazon for about $130. Happy travels!

Thanks to all of you. This is all helpful. I have a Garmin Nuvi that I have used in my car for years - never thought of just carrying it around. I'll try taking it on a walk around my neighborhood today and switch it on just to get me back home. To use it in Italy, I think, I can order a chip rather than downloading maps.. It's funny, but I never thought of the old-school compass idea (so, as far as street maps are concerned, I would know which end is up). I am guessing now that that is the reason I have little trouble with road maps, but a whole lot of trouble with street ones. (That and the fact that, in Italy at least, I couldn't easily see street names.) So still not sure what I'm going to do, but I have a few months to decide.

Liz, As you've noted, you'll have to check on the issue of European Maps. The Garmin model that I use is equipped with both North American and European maps (which I've updated a few times). I'm not sure if the Euro maps are available on a "chip", or whether you would have to download them? Good luck!