Navigation Setup For Tacoma

[joker2041]

I have been contemplating a trip to Moab Utah this summer if funds allow it. If not I am going to travel somewhere a bit closer to Kentucky for a expedition type of trip (camping,exploring,offroading). I also have a Jeep ZJ that is not real road worthy, but more of a trail rig that I use.

I need a good GPS and mount setup that can be used in both vehicles. The only experience I have with GPS systems, is on the military side of things i.e. 10 digit grids, and waypoints.

I would like to have something that is user friendly, will work deep in the woods, and also on the road along with topographical maps. I have looked at the Garmin Nuvi 500 but it seems to have mixed reviews. This is typical for anything electronic usually, but with the cost of a decent GPS I want to only make this purchase once and be happy with it.

Tell me what everyone is using. If you have pics of the mounting solution post pics if you can!

Thanks!:ylsmoke:

 

[TangoBlue]

Have you looked into the Garmin Dakota or Oregon GPS? I have the earlier Colorado model. Designed for hikers but with windscreen (included) or platform mounts avaialble it makes it a true "truck to hoof" capability. Mine was loaded with US Topo and I added the road maps - City Navigator NT.

I does what I need it to do off and on road.

 

[RU55ELL]

 

[ywen]

garmin 60Csx

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-GPS-60CSx-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B000CSOXTO

 

[joker2041]

x 2 on the Delorme. I have a PN30 w/RAM mount & auto charger. They are a fair compromise for both vehicle and hiking use.

The PN-60 is supposed to add features like SPOT integration and custom messaging...something to consider.

I have looked at the Delorme Gps units online, and I read a few reviews that said it was a complicated unit to use. What is your opinion on this?

Like I said in my OP, I am not real familiar with GPS units, so I dont want to get something that is going to be to complicated.

 

[soonenough]

x3 on the PN-40 (sorry for the crappy cell phone pic)

The PN can be used for highway-type navigation, although that's definitely not it's strong suit. I had it route me from Lubbock, TX to Houston, TX and I thought it was acceptable, although you definitely had to pay attention because the little buzzer that goes off when you're approacing a turn is very hard to hear at highway speeds. I have mine mounted to the A-pillar grab handle with a tube-type RAM mount and cradle.

Regarding the level of difficulty of use - I guess that depends on how well you get along with gadgets. If you're the type of person that has trouble using computers, hates technology, etc, you might find it frustrating. It definitely doesn't have a clean icon-based interface like an iPhone or some of the newer Garmin models. I personally like the interface and find it to be very intuitive because it utilizes a bunch of different 'pages' that you switch between to do various things. For example, there's a Map page, Compass page, Satellites page, Trip Statistics page, Route page (where you're going), a Track page (where you've been), a page for device settings, etc. All in all I think there's approx 12 different pages, and you switch between them to display the information you want. By default, you can cycle through four of the pages (Satellites, Map, Compass, and Trip Information) using the 'forward' and 'back' buttons, and the remaining pages are accessed through a separate menu. However, it's easy to configure this however you want, so that you can easily click through any of the pages you want. I know this sounds confusing, but once you see it it's very easy. And regardless of what page you're on, there's a dedicated button that lets you access the options and settings related to that specific page.

As for the Nuvi 500 - I've read a lot of reviews from people that like them, but IMO if you're going to take the GPS out of the car and hike with it, it's just too delicate. I have the Nuvi 750 which is very similar in construction, and to me the touchscreen seems like an inherent weak spot for a GPS that needs to be fairly rugged.

 

[joker2041]

Well I scored a Delorme PN-30 GPS unit with all hardware and software on ebay for 107 bucks shipped today. It was a used unit, but is supposed to be in perfect shape. The software was still in the shrink wrap, so not too bad of a deal I dont think!:wings: