Garmin Overlander

[MiamiC70]

An interface that isnt “flashy“ as you put it is very telling that the team who developed it is not the best, brightest or properly lead and motivated. This environment typically leads to an interface that is dated, laggy and buggy. Garmin is a premium product, with a premium price tag shouldn’t users expect better and shouldn’t the manufacturer of a premium product strive for more?

 

[jprovence01]

There is literally nothing not flashy about this device. It’s maps are far more engaging than any phone map program. The exit ramp feature is superior to every other app. So much information is conveyed on the right window. The maps are vivid, 3-D, clear and detailed.

People are really missing the boat here.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[moto-treks]

As for dated.. my favorite way to operate a room's lights is with a switch on the wall. Up for on, down for off. Most of the light switches in my house are 81 years old and work as fast as I can move my hand & never require an update or a reboot or a password or any other hassle. Up for on down for off, every single time instantly and without fail.

That's the feature set I want out of a product and to the extent that it's possible that is the experience I get with these standalone Garmin nav units.

I’m really starting to like the Apple HomeKit lights. “Hey Siri, turn on the lights” and presto - the lights turn on while my arm are full of whatever I happen to be holding.

 

[jprovence01]

At no point have I experienced lag or any obvious bugs in the three Garmin units presently in service in my household.

As for dated.. my favorite way to operate a room's lights is with a switch on the wall. Up for on, down for off. Most of the light switches in my house are 81 years old and work as fast as I can move my hand & never require an update or a reboot or a password or any other hassle. Up for on down for off, every single time instantly and without fail.

That's the feature set I want out of a product and to the extent that it's possible that is the experience I get with these standalone Garmin nav units.

Pretty sure your just looking for a paper map. I get that Garmin is a bit closer to being fool proof as tech goes, but it’s still not without updates, reboots etc. Again, this is the Overlander specifically. It’s quite a bit different from previous Garmin units. My Montana, was as you say, a light switch. Dead simple and was very close to a paper map as you can get. The Overlander; which this thread is about, is not that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pluton]

An interface that isnt “flashy“ as you put it is very telling that the team who developed it is not the best, brightest or properly lead and motivated. This environment typically leads to an interface that is dated, laggy and buggy. Garmin is a premium product, with a premium price tag shouldn’t users expect better and shouldn’t the manufacturer of a premium product strive for more?

I just bought a new Montana 700 to replace my 2011 Montana 650t, whose touch screen started to fail at about the 9 year mark.
Wow---for a company having 13,000 employees and $694,000 net income, the interfaces are a bit feeble. However, they're pretty much the only game in town. The last Trimble or Magellan units I saw were even more retarded (tho that was years ago).

 

[deserteagle56]

The Montana is a "hiking" style GPS per Garmin. I'll bet there's a thousand people using the Montana on or in a vehicle of some sort for every person that uses a Montana while hiking.

I'm old and have trouble seeing even the Montana screen so in my vehicles I generally run the Montana - because I can load tracks onto it - and a RV type Garmin with a 7" screen so I can get the bigger picture and orient myself better to my surroundings. Customers like me is what Garmin loves - buying two GPS units where one should have been sufficient.

Why can't I have a GPS unit with a 7 or 8" screen - and all the features, all the capabilities that my Montana has?? Why has Garmin disabled the ability to load tracks onto their automotive and RV GPS units? THAT'S what upsets me about Garmin.

 

[moto-treks]

Why has Garmin disabled the ability to load tracks onto their automotive and RV GPS units? THAT'S what upsets me about Garmin.

I've used the Montana on my Moto for years both as an auto-routing GPS and a track following GPS. I've even used it hiking a few times but I do find it a bit larger to carry around. I did need to fix the battery-reboot problem of the Montana by placing a foam earplug in the battery compartment Before that it was the Zumo 500, Oregon, the 276, GPS II and one that that only displayed Lat/Log and a directional pointer.

When the Overlander came out I had a Montana and a RV routing GPS. I decided to sell both of those as the Overlander provided the same capability in a single unit. Today, I've used the Overlander in RV mode while driving my class A, in car mode while driving the Jeep on highway and in the Offroad mode (tracks) while driving the Jeep Offroad. I have yet to find a limitation to the Overlander in any of these modes. It handles routes or tracks. I also download the satellite imagery while Offroad to aid in campsite selection. I've loading tracks onto the Overlander while in the middle of nowhere with zero cell phone reception. I've also downloaded tracks in the middle of nowhere and loaded those onto the Overlander via the web based explorer site when I've had cell phone reception. After the first two software updates the Overlander has become stable with added functionality (The Montana needed a few updates too). Actually, the Overlander always functioned well as a GPS. It was just the update process that wiped out some of the downloaded POIs that needed to be fixed.

While I've not acutely tried loading a track into the Overlander via the SD card (new capability in the last release) I did see the option. I'll give that a try in the next week or two just to make sure it works. Before that it was possible to load a track into the Overlander but you needed a computer that had access to the Overlander file structure.

 

[jprovence01]

I've used the Montana on my Moto for years both as an auto-routing GPS and a track following GPS. I've even used it hiking a few times but I do find it a bit larger to carry around. I did need to fix the battery-reboot problem of the Montana by placing a foam earplug in the battery compartment Before that it was the Zumo 500, Oregon, the 276, GPS II and one that that only displayed Lat/Log and a directional pointer.

When the Overlander came out I had a Montana and a RV routing GPS. I decided to sell both of those as the Overlander provided the same capability in a single unit. Today, I've used the Overlander in RV mode while driving my class A, in car mode while driving the Jeep on highway and in the Offroad mode (tracks) while driving the Jeep Offroad. I have yet to find a limitation to the Overlander in any of these modes. It handles routes or tracks. I also download the satellite imagery while Offroad to aid in campsite selection. I've loading tracks onto the Overlander while in the middle of nowhere with zero cell phone reception. I've also downloaded tracks in the middle of nowhere and loaded those onto the Overlander via the web based explorer site when I've had cell phone reception. After the first two software updates the Overlander has become stable with added functionality (The Montana needed a few updates too). Actually, the Overlander always functioned well as a GPS. It was just the update process that wiped out some of the downloaded POIs that needed to be fixed.

While I've not acutely tried loading a track into the Overlander via the SD card (new capability in the last release) I did see the option. I'll give that a try in the next week or two just to make sure it works. Before that it was possible to load a track into the Overlander but you needed a computer that had access to the Overlander file structure.

I was able to take GPX files from my iPhone via the SD card reader, add the files, then load them to the Garman. By all accounts that should’ve been the most impossible feat in all of technology. And I did that a couple weeks ago before the update.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[enjoitheride]

I just picked up an Overlander, and I am excited to get it out in the field. I have been using Gaia for a while, but wanted to get away from it and using the iPad. I have many other Garmin products, so this purchase made sense to me.

 

[Jupiter58]

I have been extremely happy with my zumo 390 on the bike, thinking about a zumo xt for bike and vehicle.
Now I have to look into the overlander!
I do find garmin the most robust and reliable over any phone apps I have used.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Not really much to do with the GPS side but are there any alternatives to the $200+/- Bc35 wireless backup camera for an overlander?

Didn't even know it was a feature when I got the thing, with my Skamper in the back a backup camera could be kinda nice but $200 is sort of a big pill for something I won't really need everyday.

And is a cradle worth it or does the magnetic holder hold it pretty well offroad? Just played with it using the included suction cup mount over the offseason and I like the magnetic mount for on the street anyway.

 

[jprovence01]

Not really much to do with the GPS side but are there any alternatives to the $200+/- Bc35 wireless backup camera for an overlander?

Didn't even know it was a feature when I got the thing, with my Skamper in the back a backup camera could be kinda nice but $200 is sort of a big pill for something I won't really need everyday.

Unfortunately not. Heck, I've never seen it go on sale either.

 

[moto-treks]

Not really much to do with the GPS side but are there any alternatives to the $200+/- Bc35 wireless backup camera for an overlander?

Didn't even know it was a feature when I got the thing, with my Skamper in the back a backup camera could be kinda nice but $200 is sort of a big pill for something I won't really need everyday.

And is a cradle worth it or does the magnetic holder hold it pretty well offroad? Just played with it using the included suction cup mount over the offseason and I like the magnetic mount for on the street anyway.

The magnetic mount was worked for me in Offroad conditions. I did switch to the 1" ball so that I could clamp the GPS in place. I found the ball for the suction cup slipped when driving washboard roads. Magnetic mount has never been a problem. I haven't had any problems with the BC35 camera either. It's a little slow to connect at first but once you've made a connection it will redisplay a bit faster. Slowness could be the need to spin up the application on the Overlander. This is in backup camera mode where the camera is powered by your backup lights.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The magnetic mount was worked for me in Offroad conditions. I did switch to the 1" ball so that I could clamp the GPS in place. I found the ball for the suction cup slipped when driving washboard roads. Magnetic mount has never been a problem. I haven't had any problems with the BC35 camera either. It's a little slow to connect at first but once you've made a connection it will redisplay a bit faster. Slowness could be the need to spin up the application on the Overlander. This is in backup camera mode where the camera is powered by your backup lights.

Windshield is fine for my F-150, it is too big for the windshield in my Ranger so I was going to mount it on the dash. I think the diamond base with a short coupler going to the included RAM adapter that bolts onto the magnetic cradle would be about perfect for what I have planned.

I keep looking at the camera... it is just a tough sell for me at that price.

 

[jprovence01]

Windshield is fine for my F-150, it is too big for the windshield in my Ranger so I was going to mount it on the dash. I think the diamond base with a short coupler going to the included RAM adapter that bolts onto the magnetic cradle would be about perfect for what I have planned.

I keep looking at the camera... it is just a tough sell for me at that price.

And to think, you can have up to 4 separate cameras! And the Garmin Switch to control everything else on the truck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk