Best GPS for off roading?

Just thought I'd chime in and give a +1 for MotionX-GPS for iPhone.

I'd been using EasyTrails for about 2 years but was very disappointed that even after a couple e-mails to the developers they still haven't implemented decimal format for grid coordinates. Also the app left me stranded in the middle of no where with no direction on where to go forward because my offline maps didn't save correctly.

MotionX-GPS is more user friendly and has an awesome offline map feature. I love that I can just download a map area, save it to the phone, then put my phone in airplane mode when I hit the trail and never have to worry about loading/losing map data. It's pretty much fully functional with all of your standard tracking/saving tracks, waypoints, trip data, etc. I also like the audio updates it provides every 5 minutes giving you an idea how far you've come on the trail without having to constantly check the GPS. Also this app seems to be a lot more forgiving on the battery than what EasyTrails was. Exporting my saved tracks into Google Earth is really cool too.

A couple drawbacks: you can only save select map formats for offline viewing and none of those formats includes satellite images (like Google Earth for example). That can be a major drawback for some areas that don't have roads explicitly labeled but that you could see if you had a satellite view. The post-track data is not quite as detailed as what EasyTrails offered. Also there are a few simple improvements they could make to navigating the app with less gestures, but that's just me being nit-picky.

I've used it on 2 off roading trips so far, and really like it. I'd definitely give it 2 thumbs up if you're planning on doing a lot of wheeling in areas where you have bad cell service.

 

It's a little late but I created a pole for this thread to make it a little bit easier to tell what people like

 

What are the "other" votes for?

 

X2 - If the maps for the other states are as detailed as Maine, this is the unit to get!

 

Trail maps and everything?

 

There aren't what I would call "trails" in Maine....it's mostly old logging/forest roads & ATV trails (that were once old roads). It shows all of them and even ones that aren't navigable anymore.

 

In my county we have a gis mapping system shows property lines and owners. Can use gps to show location on map. It's pretty bad ass. Wish the whole state was rolled into one gis map app.

 

Do you use the Garmin Topo 24k maps? There are whole boards with sources for many of the files and shares on when the latest GIS/ etc maps are released. gpspower, gpsunderground

Even the ability to use garmin maps on your cellphones using a garmin ported app.


Do not leave out the Garmin MONTERRA. It is android based, has a few more sensors than the montana and being android based. You can use all the native apps you are used to. Gaia, Google maps(you can dl offline maps in GM now), BackCountry Navigator, PDF maps, and all the others. Field guides...

Monterra has an onboard NOAA radio, FM, SPEAKER, UV, Barometer, Altimeter, Camera, Flash, Lithium battery or 3x AA, Multi Touch screen, More durable than all previous garmin devices.

 

Monterra and Oregon have the same screen,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Ab2lr4WVI

Here is the comparison on Garmins site between the Oregon 680 and the Monterra

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/cat...p?compareProduct=113522&compareProduct=523677

 

Guys im looking for a gps that i can also use in the city. im thinking somewhere around 5" any suggestions? im just not looking for a handheld.

 

motion x is great.....
get an ipad, gps reciever and the app...
and you can down load maps for off line use and down load tracks from off road sites and share tracks...
and you have navigation and an ipad....

shot in the ozarks

 

http://www.pciraceradios.com/collections/gps

Go here and call them with questions. They map the baja race course and email it to all customers each year. They sold 50k the weekend of baja 1000, in mexico, where people dont buy stuff unless it will last FOREVER. The original owner is the weatherman it is now run by his son Scott who has been competing as a driver for 20 years. The weatherman is the air traffic controller for all race people at the mexico events and they only sell lowrance at his company.

SO to answer op questio? Lowrance, buy once cry once.

I got to use an older unit for chasing the truck and it was sooo accurate to mexican backroads i was astounded.

His gps can come with map data reaching from north baja, east to albuquerque, north to portland. Check the options to see an area of where is mapped.

If enough interest can be generated at once a i can organize a group buy for gps, radios, and there other products.

These arent toys either so the prices reflect that. However when your running around mexico or the desert at night, running out of fuel and the premapped mexican gas station pops up on the horizon of the gps, its worth every penny

 

I use the app Galileo on my iPhone. I'll try my iPad next time I go out. The pic was an outing from Plaster City to Ocotillo Wells.

 

No clear winner so far

 

Here's a few screen shots of Gaia on an iPad mini. Ipads with wifi + cellular have an internal GPS antenna that receives signals from GPS satellites, wifi-only iPads need an external bluetooth GPS receiver. You can also use it in your phone. It also works in airplane mode so you aren't draining your battery searching for cell. signals in the middle of nowhere. You have to download a large area of map data before you go out into sasquatch habitat, but there are dozens of different kinds of maps available free through the app. Gaia is the only GPS app I'm aware of that offers Google terrain. I also use USFS maps and elevation shading a lot, it looks great. You can overlay several different kinds of maps on top of each other and even use a slider bar to brighten or dim specific layers.

I sold my Garmin hand-held as soon as I got the Gaia app. Even in your phone it looks way better than a Garmin because of the screen resolution and variety of maps available. When you are out in the field using it there is an arrow showing your position on the map. When you download map data you can't just do the entire U.S. or North America all at once, map sections are limited to about 3 GB each so you have to download multiple sections to get a really large area. For example I would guess that downloading all of Oregon would be divided into maybe 6 or 8 sections, but they function seamlessly in use.

 

Awesome info, and that does look good!

 

I have motion X gps and love it, it's a great app and easy to use...
For the price try it out....
But Gaia looks good I may download it and try it out......

But an I pad app is the way to go. I love it and use it every time we are out in the truck...
More detailed forest/logging trails than a garmin...

Drawbacks are not downloading enough map and having a blank screen or sections...
And only a few map styles to download, but they always have all the roads, very up to date...
Maps can take a lot of space so 64G is recommended, if you want to store maps....
1 1/2 states takes up around 16 G for good detail, but you can download more or less detail..
The font for roads are too small, that is the only real issue I have so far, you zoom it but the font stays the same size, grrrrrrr....
Other than that great app....

 

I'll throw in my experience with Avenza PDF Maps. I've used it several times while navigating National Forest roads and trails in Florida. It's been mentioned, but the app is free, then you have to search for and download the map sections that you wish to view (some maps are free and some aren't). The GPS feature of my iPhone 5 works great with this app, especially when out of cell service. You can also mark waypoints and track your movements. The free maps tend to have less detail than the purchasable maps.

It's hard to say what the "best" setup is going to be as we all have different needs and situations. For me, cost and usability were at the top of the list. Avenza PDF Maps met those criteria, so I'm still using it.

I just purchased MotionX-GPS and will use it this weekend to see how it compares to Avenza.

 

Good info

 

Locus Pro is the cats pajamas for android based phones/tablets.