DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 Handheld Outdoors GPS Review

DeLorme’s Earthmate GPS PN-20 is a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled, bright color screen, handheld GPS which offers an impressive array of display options including up-to-date topographic maps, NOAA nautical charts, and four types of aerial imagery. The PN-20 is suited for outdoors use in all conditions being waterproof to IPX7 standards, vibration resistant and clad in an impact-resistant rubberized case.

DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 Handheld Outdoors GPS

The PN-20 is a good size for a handheld GPS unit and is suitably light. It has a decent size 65K-color daylight-readable transflective TFT screen suitable for any light conditions including direct sunlight.

One of the most impressive features of the PN-20 GPS handheld is the range of display options you have to for your surroundings. For example you can select between Aerial Photography, USGS Topo maps, DeLorme Topo maps, or Satellite imagery. Overall, the device provides a far more encompassing view of the surrounding geography.

Maps and Software for the PN-20

DeLorme offer some real value with their map and software inclusions.

The Earthmate GPS PN-20 comes with up-to-date DeLorme Topo USA DVD mapping software in the package. This is the full version of Topo USA, with all of its desktop and GPS capabilities included.

An included certificate offers free trial downloads of authentic USGS 1:24,000 quads, NOAA nautical charts, and four types of aerial imagery; Color aerial, USGS high-resolution city imagery (color), USGS black and white, 10-meter color satellite. Beyond the free downloads one can purchase an annual subscription to the DeLorme Map Library, for unlimited downloads during the 12-month subscription period.

The PN-20 comes with pre-cut map sections for the entire US, on three DVDs. You simply transfer the DVD to an SD card (DeLorme are including a 1GB SD card and reader at the moment) and load it into the PN-20.

DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 Handheld Outdoors GPS

PN-20 Features

Below is a comprehensive list of PN-20 features from DeLorme.

Plan Your Adventures with Topo USA and Downloadable Imagery, Maps, and Charts
Scout the terrain, land cover, and waterways as if you were there
Discover more than 4 million searchable places of interest―attractions, lodgings, restaurants, much more
See campgrounds, boat launch sites, unique natural features, and prime hunting and fishing spots, from DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer state topographic map books
View your destination in realistic 3-D, from any compass point, on:
- Topo USA
- USGS maps
- Aerial imagery
Automatically create routes on roads and trails – no tracing required
Easily add routes on the water, using the available detailed nautical charts
Insert waypoints, selecting from an extensive library of symbols for hiking, camping, geocaching, fishing, hunting, 4-wheeling, and countless other activities
Draw tracks
Add comments to your waypoint and track files
Quickly transfer your waypoints, tracks, and routes to the PN-20
Print maps for take-along reference in a variety of scales, including 1:24,000

Navigate with Complete Confidence, in your vehicle, boat, canoe or kayak, on your bike, or on foot
Display the map and imagery types that are most useful at any given time
Easily toggle the various map and imagery types on or off
Or, select Turn Imagery Off/On to toggle off/on all but Topo USA
Track your location on an established route or track
Automatically collect GPS tracks, or turn that feature off
Collect GPS waypoints with the touch of a button
Use the on-device routing feature to create road routes, or send maps generated on the PC directly to the PN-20
Hear audible alarms for upcoming turns on your road or trail routes
Navigate using the maps, imagery, charts, or use the GPS compass
Use the Find button to locate streets or trails, cities, waypoints, points of interest, natural features, addresses, coordinates, or locations you’ve recently searched for
Set up your information fields selecting from a wealth of information types, including:
- Course, bearing, heading, speed, coordinates
- Distance to next turn
- ETA at next turn, stop, or finish
- Back on course – see direction of travel to return to course
- Time to sunrise/set or moonrise/set
- Elevation, speed
- Speed – current, average, maximum, moving average
- Vertical speed
- Velocity made good
- Battery life
- Time and date
Update Your Topo USA Maps Files with Collected GPS Data
Easily transfer collected waypoints and tracks, with comments, to update your maps
Where applicable, convert collected tracks to routable roads or trails
Geo-Tag your photos with the precise GPS location where they were taken

DeLorme PN-40 Model

DeLorme has the higher specification PN-40 which has the following additional features over the PN-20. A check of the specifications shows the GPS accuracy is the same for the two models. The shape and design of the PN-20 and the PN-40 is near identical however, it’s simple to identify them as the PN-20 is bright yellow and the PN-40 is bright orange.

Fast, high-sensitivity 32-channel STMicroelectronics Cartesio chipset
Dual-core processor for rapid re-draws even with large aerial imagery files
3-axis electronic compass with integrated accelerometer which gives you direction even while standing still
Sensitive barometric altimeter for accurate altitude readings
Download data directly to SD card in receiver with fast USB 2.0 data transfer
500 MB onboard Flash memory vs 75 MB for PN-20
Pre-loaded secondary and connector roads (US only)

Read our detailed DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 review.