Top 5 Picks for the Best Marine GPS of 2018

Boating is more popular than ever right now in the United States. But people who love going out on their boats need quality marine navigation systems to help them. So what's the best marine GPS available?

There are plenty of great GPS options for boaters. It all depends on what they're looking for.

Read on to see our top five picks for the best marine GPS of 2018.

Garmin GPSMAP 78sc Handheld GPS

The Garmin GPSMAP 78sc Handheld GPS features a 2.6-inch LCD color display. The GPS also includes a built-in base map and a high sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix.

This Garmin model already has coastal charts for the United States pre-loaded into it. If you want to add additional maps, you can with the GPS's built-in microSD card slot.

The Garmin 78sc also offers wireless route and waypoint sharing that is compatible with other Garmin units. Plus, it is waterproof and can float.

Its current price is $338.99

Garmin STRIKER 4 Fishfinder Combo With Suncover

The Garmin STRIKER 4 Fishfinder might be the perfect GPS for the nearly 50 million anglers in the United States.

Its CHIRP transducer sends a constant barrage of high and low frequencies instead of just one single frequency.

Those frequencies supply CHIRP with more extensive information so it can craft crisper fish arches with better target separation.

The Fishfinder has a 3.5-inch color screen with a built-in high-sensitivity GPS. With it, you can mark hot spots for fish so you can return to them.

Garmin's sun cover protects the STRIKER 4 from poor weather conditions and harsh environments when you are not using it.

The combo's total cost is $140.99.

Raymarine Axiom 9 - 9" MFD Chartplotter with Navionics and Chart

The Axiom 9 has a 9-inch, all-glass touchscreen display and includes Raymarine's LightHouse 3 operating system.

This product also boasts a built-in GPS receiver that is bundled with Navionics+ Charts for North America. That means full coastal coverage for the United States, Canada, and over 80,000 inland ponds, lakes, and rivers.

The Axiom 9 also offers all of Raymarine's accessories. Enjoy Quantum radar, CHIRP Sonar, SiriusXM marine weather, audio integration, and Evolution autopilot, along with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Buy it right now for $1,049.99.

Humminbird HELIX 12 CHIRP SI/GPS Combo

The Humminbird HELIX 12 CHIRP SI/GPS combo has the largest display of all our GPS models. The GPS features a 12.1-inch screen with LED backlight.

The HELIX 12 also offers Side Imaging and Down Imaging sonar thanks to CHIRP sonar. It has built-in ContourXD maps and Ethernet networking capabilities.

Its price tag is $1,759.99

Garmin GPSMAP 1242 Touch

The 12-inch, touchscreen display of the Garmin GPSMAP 1242 Touch is nearly as wide as the HELIX 12's screen.

This Garmin model includes BlueChart g2 charts, LakeV? HD maps, Depth Range Shading, and Shallow Water Shading.

The 1242 Touch has built-in Quickdraw Contours so you can create your own HD maps. Also, it provides access to radar, autopilot, sonar modules, and sensors.

You can purchase it for $2,599.99.

Going Forward With the Best Marine GPS For You

Each of the five models above has something unique to offer boaters. It all depends on your needs.

Now that you know the features of our five picks for the best marine GPS, you can choose the right fit for you.

Do you have any questions about the marine GPS models from this article or any of our other products? If so, please contact us today so we can assist you!