Unlike handheld GPS receivers, the Garmin Foretrex 101 always lets you have at least one hand free. Because you wear it like a watch, you never need to use a hand to hold it. And since it's waterproof, it's perfect for any kind of water sports.

Weighing only 2.6 ounces, the Garmin Foretrex 101 won't strain you wrist. But despite it's light weight, its 12-channel GPS receiver is as accurate as much larger and heavier models. Its regular position accuracy is within 15 meters and when receiving Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) signals, it's less than 3 meters. If you have a Differential GPS (DGPS) beacon receiver, you can achieve similar results since it's also DGPS ready.

Even with a display of 1.43" W x .92" H, you get all the usual GPS navigation information with the Foretrex 101. Pressing one button cycles through the six main display screens. The Map Page display shows waypoints with names and symbols and an animated figure at your location. As you move, the figure also moves, and your path is shown with a dotted line which is recorded by the track log. The map scale is adjustable from 20 feet to 800 miles.

When you want to get trip information, the Garmin Foretrex 101 has the Navigation Page and the Trip Computer Page. The Navigation Page has a compass image to indicate the direction to your destination. There are two data fields to the right of the compass to show information of your choice, such as speed and distance to the destination. The Trip Computer Page has three screen choices for showing trip information. The first display shows four data fields and when you scroll down, the next screen has two data fields and the last screen has one data field filling the display. And whenever you return to the Trip Computer Page, it shows which of the three screens you last looked at. There are 31 navigation items to choose from for the Navigation and Trip Computer data fields.

For creating waypoints and routes, viewing routes and tracks, setting display options and accessing other functions, there's the Main Menu Page. To check on the GPS satellites the Foretrex 101 is tracking, you use the Satellite Page. It shows the satellites' relative location, the overall signal strength, and an estimate of the current position accuracy. If you're involved with a timed sport, you'll make use of the Timer Page. The four digit display counts down from a time you set and can sound tones at intervals and when it expires. The timer can be set to also count up after it hits zero.