Can anyone recommend a decent gps for off road travel in the USA?
- Thread starter 100acrehuphalump
- Start date
apollo
New member
good info here, thanks for the info on your link RobRed
...a related question--as someone new to oem vehicle navigation systems, is it possible to load additional or new maps onto the factory nav (other than the updates to the system)?
ie, can i upload maps purchased elsewhere to my factory toyota nav?
(i've always just cached the area i need on my iphone google maps prior to going 'offline' and used that before, but i'd like something other than my phone)
...a related question--as someone new to oem vehicle navigation systems, is it possible to load additional or new maps onto the factory nav (other than the updates to the system)?
ie, can i upload maps purchased elsewhere to my factory toyota nav?
(i've always just cached the area i need on my iphone google maps prior to going 'offline' and used that before, but i'd like something other than my phone)
brentbba
Explorer
I see nothing has changed in several years. Several years back, Panasonic came out with a very nice 7" double din w/nav. I called tech support to see if add'l maps (topo) could be loaded to it, hoping since it was after market that it'd support it. Nope. Maybe that's changed but I can see factory nav's not doing it. Dealers make big bucks charging to do a simple memory update for newer maps.
Rockhounder
Explorer
I use the Lowrance unit with the 6 inch screen. It is primarily used to nautical navigation, so has full 3-D underwater features shown, Google Earth style. I bought a map of the western united states,, on micro sd card, it is super cool in that it shows all the tiny elevation details, even so detailed that even though it does not show smaller roads as colored lines or callouts(it DOES show major roads and all interstate and local highways and county roads), it shows so much detail in the ground that you can actually see the lighter and shadowed shapes which match up to graded road surfaces, culverts, and even shapes of buildings and structures! Super super awesome, It is shaded in realistic ground/mountains colors, so it really looks like a simple version of Google Earth in terms of color detail, with the addition of the crazy detailed topo, which I really must assume is a result of a radar from space generated map in terms of elevation detail.
We do a lot of offroading to get to specific old mines, or mineralized areas of the desert, where there are no roads to, and it is awesome to be able to see and identify washes, obstacles in the path, etc, all on the gps topo virtual generated view, before we get there... i WOULD SUPER RECOMMEND IT IF YOUR MAIN USE IS TO GO WHERE THERE ARE NO EXISTING ROADS, IN MOUNTAINOUS OR RUGGED AREAS.
We do a lot of offroading to get to specific old mines, or mineralized areas of the desert, where there are no roads to, and it is awesome to be able to see and identify washes, obstacles in the path, etc, all on the gps topo virtual generated view, before we get there... i WOULD SUPER RECOMMEND IT IF YOUR MAIN USE IS TO GO WHERE THERE ARE NO EXISTING ROADS, IN MOUNTAINOUS OR RUGGED AREAS.
my two tablet apps do pretty well the same thing. BCN gives me real satellite imagry, Canada topo gives me super detailed contours and shading and co pilot gives me street nav. I am super happy with it. I had the lowarance unit on my side by side UTV. IT was awesome but one day just ******** the bed. So I replaced it with the garmin montana..
I use to use Delorme's Laptop GPS system. It allowed me to sit down and actually develop to waypoints for my trip sitting in my office. It's great if you have the space and a power converter to operate a laptop. I seem to remember it wasn't very expensive either. You can't get it to automatically choose the offroad route, but if you set up the waypoints on the route it will route you that way.
PolarBearX
Observer
So whats the best/inexpensive iPad (Wifi only) GPS attachment you guys would recommend. Those that have that current set-up? I'd like to track myself while viewing a topo map. Save route etc etc
I have always DL maps onto the iPad. Trying to move away from that.
I have always DL maps onto the iPad. Trying to move away from that.
