Summary
The Garmin Dakota 20 is a compact handheld GPS unit providing access to maps and satellite tracking for hikers, cyclists, skiers, backcountry explorers, geocachers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The unique thing about Dakota 20 is its mid-price range, although it offers many great features that other brands with the same price lack. One of its best features is its touch-screen interface, which is built into a tough, waterproof body designed to withstand the elements.
With its large internal 850 MB memory, the Dakota 20 has a base map with detailed information on roads, trails, rivers, and more. You can also input additional maps of your choice. If the built-in memory is not enough for you, the Garmin Dakota 20 has a MicroSD card slot that takes in up to 2GB extra memory for more detailed maps from the Garmin series (sold separately).
The Dakota 20 can run up to 20 hours on a pair of AA batteries, preferably Lithium or NiMH. Aside from its high-sensitivity GPS that is partnered with HotFix satellite prediction, it also includes a3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass and barometric altimeter. It also saves up to 50 track log 10,000 points for routes and up to 1,000 for waypoints. You can also share information wirelessly with other compatible Garmin models.
Product Snapshot
Amazon Price $249.99
Amazon Ranking 
Sample Customer Reviews
Typical quotes from among the 28+ customer reviews on Amazon include:
“Wonderful GPS unit for geocaching”
“Great for the outdoors and training—in both wet and cold conditions!”
“Great all-in-one GPS (biking, skiing, hiking, etc.)”
“Excellent upgrade from eTrex vista HCX”
Features
Here is a quick rundown of Dakota 20’s best features:
- Size: 5.5 x 10 x 3.3 cm
- Weight: less than 150g, including batteries
- 160 x 240 pixel 65k color TFT touchscreen
- High sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix
- Battery life is up to 20 hours
- Geocaching minus paper (could back up 2000 geocaches)
- 1000 waypoint / 50 route / 200 track capacity
- 850MB internal memory
- Global basemap included
- USB port for computer and power source
- Routing capability (maps could be added)
- Waterproof to IPX7 standards
- MicroSD card slot (up to 2GB)
- Tri-axis tilt compass
- Barometric altimeter and elevation plot
- Alarm clock
The Garmin Dakota 20 is quite different from a popular predecessor, the Garmin Oregon model, in terms of built and external features. It is compact but the overall feel is well-balanced, which is far different from the Oregon and another popular model, the eTrex HCx. Under the batteries, you will find the microSD card slot. It also has a USB port with a rubber plug. Indeed, this compact handheld GPS device is designed specifically for the outdoors because it is water-proof and dust-proof.
However, internally, the Dakota 20 and the Oregon have similar features and other functions. For one, the Dakota has a similar GPS firmware which also runs Hotfix. Additional provisions are made available for more GPX files and maps, which come in handy when exploring. It also has a tri-axis compass and accelerometer.
The screen provides excellent size and quality for its price. However, the alpha-numeric screen with its rows of buttons can be challenging for users with big hands, because the icons look cramped into a single page. The good thing about the Dakota 20 screen is its reflective capacity, which is excellent for outdoor use. On the other hand, if you want to use it indoors, or in low light situations, it is advisable to use the backlight. However, since the Dakota 20 is designed more for outdoor use, with the sun shining and all, then this would not be a thing to worry about because its reflective touch screen is good enough.
Another best feature of the Dakota 20, compared to the Oregon or other Garmin models, is the 3-axis tilt compensated compass. Instead of holding the device stead and flat, you can easily hold the Dakota 20 as naturally as possible because it has a better sensor. It could also be calibrated easily because all you have to do is a rotation on each of the axis. The bearing pointer is bigger in this model and it now glides than jump when you change directions.
Tips for Using the Garmin Dakota 20
One more thing that makes the Dakota 20 standout from the other Garmin models is its capability to create user profiles. This could come in handy for the owner or user who is always on the go. You could create a profile for your biking or hiking routes, another one if you are out having fun geocaching, another one for alternative driving routes to the office (in case of traffic jams), and so on.
Pricing
Amazon Best $249.99
Garmin Direct $349.99
Assessment
Pros
For its mid-range price, the Dakota 20 has a lot of good features to offer—from a huge internal memory and expandable capabilities to its compact size and solid body. It is designed for outdoor use so it is water-proof and dust-proof.
Its touch screen is also better than most because of the excellent 2.6 inch colored display screen.
Cons
Although the Dakota 20 has a responsive touch screen, the images can be hard to read in certain strong light conditions, unless you make the adjustments with hand movements and angles to shade it from bright sunlight.
Some users have experienced also issues with the GPS receiver performance. Data transmission and signals become slower when used under a canopy of trees, which could spell trouble for the STM Cartesio GPS built-in chipset. GPS reception issues does not seem to affect all Dakota 20 machines; hence, we suggest that, if you purchase this model, you test out the GPS capabilities quickly. If your testing shows signs of poor performance, you should return the unit and ask for a replacement.
Alternatives
Within the Garmin family of products, the best alternative for the Dakota 20 is the Dakota 10 Touchscreen GPS. It has similar features with its related cousin.
Some “unique” alternatives can be iPhones and Android-based smart phones with GPS capabilities and apps, such as the ViewRanger.
Another more affordable alternative device is the Peregrine Outfitters SPOT II Satellite GPS Messenger. One fun feature with this device is that you can send out messages via Twitter or email so family and friends know where you are at a given time. However, you need to subscribe to a satellite service for this.
Conclusion
In general, the Garmin Dakota 20 is a good buy with its many great features. It has a better screen than most of the other models in the same class and price range. You can take it anywhere given its size and ruggedly built features. Since it has a huge memory capacity, you can add more maps that meet your needs and lifestyle. And, to top it all off, the Dakota 20 has a long battery life.