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Garmin GPSMAP 79s Marine GPS Handheld

Curated from 30 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: January 25, 2025

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Garmin GPSMAP 79s Marine GPS Handheld

Brand: Garmin
Price: $264
Snoop Score:
4.3
Sentiment
6.3
Popularity
8.5
Technical
2.5
Buy on Amazon for $264See All Marine GPS Chartplotters Reviews
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Snoop's Take

The Garmin GPSMAP 79s is a robust marine handheld GPS device designed to provide reliable navigation and tracking for boaters and outdoor enthusiasts. It features a high-resolution color display, supports multiple satellite systems, and offers advanced tools for route planning and waypoint management. Consumer sentiment highlights several strengths, including the intuitive route planning feature enabled by the Active Captain app, which allows users to upload routes directly to the device. Users appreciate the rugged and durable design suitable for marine environments, with one stating, "Garmin makes a nice one for a reasonable price." However, some users have experienced inconsistent GPS tracking results, noting, "I've found if you begin before all the Satellites are found then it's unlikely to find them." Overall, the Garmin GPSMAP 79s is recommended for its category, particularly for those who value a durable, well-supported GPS device for marine use, despite some concerns regarding pricing for updates and tracking performance.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Marine GPS Chartplotters

The active captain app allows you to plan your routes and waypoints on your phone, then uploads to your gps unit when your own the boat.

Positive Feedback

the prices for updates on those systems are extortionate.

Negative Feedback
Product
4.3
Garmin GPSMAP 79s Marine GPS Handheld
Buy on Amazon for $264
Coastal Navigation
2 / 10
Recreational Fishing
1 / 10
Vessel Monitoring
1 / 10
Integrated Marine Systems
3 / 10
See how this compares to all Marine GPS Chartplotters

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Intuitive route planning feature with Active Captain app
“The active captain app allows you to plan your routes and waypoints on your phone, then uploads to your gps unit when your own the boat.”➕
Rugged and durable design suitable for marine use
“My BIGGEST thing I’m looking for something that will Auto Guidance or ez route routes with safe depth for my boat.”➕
Garmin makes reliable GPS units for marine use
“So not ideal.”➕
“Garmin makes a nice one for a reasonable price.”➕
Accurate distance tracking in water
“Sometimes it works great, sometimes it absolutely doesn't.”➕
“I haven't had any GPS issues as crazy as this.”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
High prices for updates and features
“the prices for updates on those systems are extortionate.”➕
Inconsistent GPS tracking results
“I've found if you begin before all the Satellites are found then it's unlikely to find them once you're swimming and you get weird results.”➕
“The hardware that is capable of doing this are the smartwatches that have multiband/dual frequency GPS.”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
Simrad GO9 XSE - 9-inch ChartplotterSimrad GO9 XSE - 9-inch Chartplotter$999
9.3
DetailsBuy
Garmin GPSMAP 943xsv Combo GPS/FishfinderGarmin GPSMAP 943xsv Combo GPS/Fishfinder$1319
8.4
DetailsBuy
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 54CV Chartplotter/FishfinderGarmin ECHOMAP UHD2 54CV Chartplotter/Fishfinder$399
7.8
DetailsBuy
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 94sv ChartplotterGarmin ECHOMAP UHD2 94sv Chartplotter$1299
7.4
DetailsBuy
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 53CV Chartplotter/FishfinderGarmin ECHOMAP UHD2 53CV Chartplotter/Fishfinder$349
6.3
DetailsBuy
Simrad Cruise 5-5-inch GPS Chartplotter with Preloaded C-MAP US Coastal MapsSimrad Cruise 5-5-inch GPS Chartplotter with Preloaded C-MAP US Coastal Maps$313
5.9
DetailsBuy
Simrad NSS 4-16" SolarMAX HD Display Chartplotter and FishfinderSimrad NSS 4-16" SolarMAX HD Display Chartplotter and Fishfinder$5799
4.7
DetailsBuy
Garmin GPSMAP 79s Marine GPS HandheldGarmin GPSMAP 79s Marine GPS Handheld$264
4.3
DetailsBuy
Garmin GPSMAP 78S Marine GPS NavigatorGarmin GPSMAP 78S Marine GPS Navigator$449
4.1
DetailsBuy
RAYMARINE Axiom+ 9-9" MFD ChartplotterRAYMARINE Axiom+ 9-9" MFD Chartplotter$1461
3.7
DetailsBuy

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Discussion on alternatives to fishfinders for chartplotters
“I keep coming across Charplotter/Sonar combos that are advertised as "fishfinders".”➕
“The Garmin echomap plotter is a better option than the strykers for sailing, imo, but B&G are made/optimized for sailing rather than fish-finding so that is where I am now looking.”➕
“I know there's a smartphone app that's good for charting.”➕
“I was hoping I could get something to use/check all day while I'm out for a long day of sailing, and fire up Navonics closer to shore to find marinas and such.”➕
Tablet-based solutions for chart loading
“I use Open CPN and run it off a tablet or phone for this very reason”➕
“If you're looking to use something on an Android device, this is what I would recommend”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Price Matching Information
“Here's a little tip, west marine price matches Amazon and all you have to do is show them the link.”➕
“Good to know, thank you!”➕
Advice on Garmin Lineup
“Most of the big differences in the Garmin lineup is the model of transducer that comes with it and whether it has down imaging, side imaging, panoptix, etc.”➕
Alternative Mapping Solutions
“I don’t need anything fancy, just need to know what’s around me.”➕
Exploring alternatives to Garmin devices
“Been messing around with Navionics and iNavX and they seem pretty good.”➕
“Get a 8" android tablet with built in gps.”➕
“This is perfect”➕
Discussion on alternatives to dedicated GPS units
“I’m just astonished at the prices for some of these units.”➕
“I have a Garmin echomap 44cv installed on my 20' bowrider for the lakes I travel.”➕
“A lot of capability for the price.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Chart providers facing subscription issues
“Personally I run SEAiq on my phone, tablet, and laptop.”➕
“Happened to me again on another customer boat in the Chesapeake and I didn't have radar on that boat.”➕

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