Garmin Nuvi 550 Rugged waterproof GPS with full European maps by Garmin

With the rugged, waterproof and multi-purpose nüvi 550 sat-nav, you can do it all: drive, hike, bike or boat. nüvi 550 is geared for adventure and is ideal for those who want to go out and explore the great outdoors in every way they can. With a built-in compass and integrated Wherigo™ and Geocaching player, this sat-nav goes beyond navigation to bring the fun of the many family treasure hunts and adventures available online. With detailed European street maps, text-to-speech spoken road and place names and topographic shaded contours, this easy-to-use sat-nav is the perfect companion for navigating your active lifestyle.

Multi-mode for Multi-purpose Navigation

Four bespoke user modes bring customised features for driving, boating, walking and cycling. This flexible navigator combines the advanced navigation and large colour display of Garmin’s in-car sat-navs with the rugged resilience of our outdoor GPS handhelds. Slim and streamlined, it fits neatly into your pocket, bag or backpack, with a removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery that packs in 8 hours of power. Optional mounts for each mode of transport make it an even better fit. nüvi 550 comes equipped with the latest technology from Garmin, including sophisticated NAVTEQ™ mapping data and waterproof card slot to load different types of mapping such as TOPO for outdoor navigation and BlueChart® g2 Vision® cartography for marine use.

Driving

nüvi 550 makes driving safe, simple and stress-free. Its built-in, unique driver safety system contains details on hundreds of fixed, mobile and temporary speed cameras, variable limit and red light speed cameras across Europe. Smart GPS software uses a patented "corridor" technique of camera validation to bring you only the relevant alerts. The nüvi welcome screen greets you with two simple questions: "Where To?" and "View Maps." Just tap the touchscreen to look up addresses and services and for voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions to your destination with road and place names announced as you approach. Add an optional traffic receiver accessory for live traffic avoidance using data from real cameras located every 2 mi (3,22 km) along every major route. This live analysis provides real-time incident reporting so Garmin can find the best route around the tailbacks.

Boating

When loaded with optional BlueChart g2 Vision marine cartography, the waterproof nüvi 550 provides detailed chart-specific information, spot soundings, tides and currents, wrecks, port plans, restricted areas and more. The mapping and memory card slot is located within the waterproof battery compartment to avoid water damage. Just select the boating mode and pair with optional marine mount to take your adventures to the water. nüvi 550 is ideal for the occasional boating enthusiast who wants one navigational device for foot, car, bike or boat.

Walking and Hiking

nüvi 550 takes walking and outdoor pursuits in its stride, with shaded, contoured maps and a sunlight-readable, waterproof touchscreen. Select the walking mode to activate the built-in compass page, journey track log and integrated Wherigo/geocaching player. Or plug-in optional topographic mapping for routing on road, track and path, with detailed contours, geographic points and shaded terrain.

Wherigo lets you create and play GPS-enabled adventures in the real world. Be guided by GPS technology to physical locations across the landscape and interact with virtual objects and characters.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for the whole family, combining the thrill of a treasure hunt with the discovery of new places. Geocachers hide-and-seek prizes hidden across the landscape using clues posted on the internet and coordinates loaded on their GPS handheld.

Scootering and Biking

nüvi 550 fits comfortably on your scooter or cycle for navigation on 2 wheels. An optional scooter mount provides a secure fixing to cushion against vibration from your travelled terrain. The user interface is simple to control on the move, and you can enjoy clear directions on the go. Its rugged UVA/B and fuel-resistant design make it a trustworthy companion, while the waterproof casing braves all weather to give turn-by-turn directions for the most direct route in the quickest time. Just select the bicycling mode and you’re away.

Advanced, Enriched Navigation

With a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and HotFix® satellite prediction, nüvi 550 locates your position simply, quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and near tall buildings and trees. If you’re planning on sightseeing, discover photo navigation to plan trips to landmarks, viewpoints and attractions simply and easily before you set off. Just choose and save location-tagged photographs from the millions of Google™ Panoramio pictures online. Then, at your leisure, select a photo destination for turn-by-turn directions to the scene. Once you’ve arrived, protect your sat-nav with Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft protection system which uses GPS to lock to a secure location of your choice.

Expand your GPS

Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 550 includes many travel tools, including a world travel clock with time zones, currency and measurement converter, calculator and more. Show off photos of your all-terrain excursions with the integrated picture viewer and discover Garmin Extras to get even more mileage from your nüvi 550. You will find free downloads including custom points of interest and brand new vehicle icons from the Garmin Garage™. Available third-party travel guides include The Good Pub Guide and Falk Marco Polo Travel Guide for directions to thousands of recommended places to drink, eat and visit.