Best aftermarket GPS for off-roading ?

I current have an old Garmin Etrex hand-held, but all I use it for is retrieving the altitude and coordinates of my location. Lousy for navigation with such a tiny LCD screen.

I also have an inexpensive Tom-Tom with a color display that works pretty well for highway traveling, but it rarely recognizes forest roads that are not paved. It also does not show altitude or GPS coordinates.

What do you use, and why?

 

iPad with cellular, no service needed.
Versatile, nice screen, many apps such as motion x work very well.

 

X2

I like the Gaia GPS app for iPhone. I just used for 3 weeks hiking through the Swiss Alps. Great user interface. Not sure if they have a version for iPad.

 

I use an older Garmin 60csx. Screen is small, but I can load multiple maps on the sd card and can get free maps off of gpsdepot. This lets me switch from street navigator maps to topo maps. I've been places where I don't get cellular service so my iPad/iPhone do not work all the time, but do have the nicest maps.

 

+1 THey don't make them any more but are worth it if you can find one. Better than the next iterations available IMO.

If you want to drop some coin get a Montana.

 

Certain apps such as motion x you don't need cellular service, however the iPads that have the capability of cellular service also have a GPS chip integrated. When your at home or anywhere with wifi you can select a map area, even topo or trail maps and predowload it into the iPad itself, then when you are anywhere, even the most remote of areas, the gps signal overlays your position on the map you downloaded.

 

Garmin Monterra
It's a dedicated GNSS unit that runs Android OS. Poor battery life but it's perfect when you can keep it plugged in. Run any app you want or the native Garmin software with their topos. GPS and GLONASS capable.