TL;DR: To quote a meme “My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.” Even after two years of updates, the Garmin Overlander is an overpriced poser with delusions of off-road capability.
Part 1 - Garmin Overlander experience
I have been a Garmin handheld user since the GPS II+. For the last number of years, I have used a Garmin Oregon 650T handheld for outdoor, off-road and on-road navigator. I also use the NMEA 0183 interface and a Garmin tempe sensor with the Oregon 650T. Recently my need has developed for something with the Oregon’s feature set, but with a larger screen and hands-free calling support. The Montana 700 series and GPSMAP 276Cx seem like great models, except they (somewhat understandably) don’t include a hands-free calling interface.
After the usually scrutiny of the available product options, I read and watched a number of reviews and various forums regarding the Garmin Overlander. I subsequently contacting Garmin support to investigate if shortcomings identified in reviews had been addressed with software updates. With some trepidation, I thought it would be worthwhile to give the Garmin Overlander a try. For context, the Overlander costs CAD $950, but was recently on sale for CAD $820. A current model iPad Air starts at CAD $780, an iPad mini starts at CAD $650, and a Microsoft Surface Go 3 Platinum (Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, 1920x1280 10.5” display, etc.) is CAD $820.
Please find below my observations, impressions and issues with a newly purchased Garmin Overlander in December 2021. Apologies if you have heard all of the following before. I am posting this as I was unable to find/confirm this information, prior to purchasing the Overlander, and thought others might find it useful. (The Garmin manual is terrible!)
The device:
- Current Garmin Overlander software version installed is 5.40.
- After installing all available updates, the device is running Android 6.0.1 with the most recent security patch dated February 1, 2019.
- Maybe a MediaTek MT8161 processor? (Quad core with a Mali-T720 GPU)
- 2GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, MicroSD slot for up to a 256GB card
- Wi-Fi appears to be 2.4 GHz 802.11n only, maxing out at 72 Mbps ☹
- Sensors: Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Light sensor, Barometer, Magnetometer
- Bluetooth phone connection provides audio for calls and contact lists – no media, android auto, or other functionality.
- The included magnetic mount, that attaches the Overlander to a mounting bracket, includes a connector for the USB for power or power/traffic cable, but does not duplicate the devices 3.5mm audio output, diminishing the utility of the quick install/removal with the magnetic mount. ☹
- Power draw is about 6 watts at 12.8 volts. This value may be slightly higher with maximum screen brightness and sound volume.
- Side-loading “GPSTest_v3.9.16.apk” shows GPS L1 code, GLONASS L1 code with SBAS. No carrier phase or Galileo signal reception indicated.
- Unsurprisingly, no RINEX logging as found in some of the newer Garmin handhelds.
- Speaking with Garmin Support, the Overlander seemingly has a split personality between the "automotive" and "outdoor" segments of the company.
- The “Ok Garmin” voice control only provides access to Driving Navigation commands. “OK Garmin, Call Mom” does nothing! There are driving jurisdictions that require hands-free calling to be activated with a single touch. The Overlander does not provide this. ☹
- [BUG] The “File Manager” app did not see the installed SD Card. (128GB SanDisk) A work around is to go into Tools -> Settings -> Storage & USB then click on the SD Card to browse the contents. (When installing a SD Card for the first time, the user is prompted to allocate the card as internal or portable storage. I chose portable.) Other apps see the SD card without issue.
- Physically removing the SD card can needs a bit of patience and persuasion. ☹
- The is no percentage battery charge state indicator. Only a small graphic on the status bar and “Charging” or “Full” type status messages buried in Settings.
The “Drive” app:
- Purchased in Canada, out of the box, on-road navigation appears to work as expected.
- Screen updates are smooth and voice directions appear accurate and provide plenty of notice.
- The occasionally animated highway exit graphics are very slick.
- After using the “Where To” app to select a destination, the "Drive" app does not let the user do much, other than navigate on the road to a destination.
- Tapping the Speed indicator to see a trip computer screen with an option to reset the fields, but no option to change fields or manage odometers.
- Tap the “Direction” field to change it to be Time-of-Day or Elevation.
- The “3-dot” menu provides basic route related activities and access to make a Bluetooth phone call.
- Waypoint icons in the Drive app are too big and have distracting white boxes around them, obscuring the map.
- Unlike some other navigation products, the Overlander does not appear to provide an “alternate route” function. This is not the same as changing the route calculation mode. Think in terms of “No, I don’t want to use that particular route (for reasons), show me an alternate fast route.”
The “Explore” app and map support:
- The “Explore” app cannot be used without first connecting over Wi-Fi to the Internet and creating or logging in with an explore.garmin.com account. So, if explore.garmin.com ever goes down… don’t factory reset the device, as you won't be able to use the Explore app! ☹
- Installed base maps are City Navigator versions for North and South America. Provided map options include Topo North America, OpenStreetMaps and Digital Atlas of the Earth.
- No included satellite imagery for Canadians, but apparently a “BirdsEye Satellite Imagery Subscription” is compatible. Not sure how this would be accessed.
- I did not find using an on map bounding box to select regions for map downloads particularly problematic.
- Using the Explore app for the first time and experimenting with the map layers resulted in the follow:
- Initially, with no other map layers enabled, the Explore app showed a road map with terrain shading and contour lines.
- [BUG] Enabling the “Topo North America” layer does nothing
- Enabling “OpenStreetMap” displays the downloaded OSM map
- Enabling “Digital Atlas of the Earth” appears to show the base topo/road map [BUG?]
- [BUG] Disabling all layers does not restore to factory default road map with the shading and contour lines. The map now appears to be a street map only, no topo features.
- [BUG] Enabling the “Topo North America” layer has no effect, it does not show and topo features; the on-screen road map remains unchanged.
- If you are thinking that explore.garmin.com map app is a replacement for BaseCamp, it clearly is not. Not even close.
- To investigate loading older maps, the Overlander was tested with PC MapInstall and “Garmin Topo Canada v4”. When MapInstall installation completed, the relevant files were visible in Windows Explorer (file manager) on the “Overlander” storage. Opening the “Drive” app resulted in an update installing screen and then the Overlander restarted. However, beyond seeing the copied files in the storage, there is no evidence that the Topo Canada v4 map is on the device. Going into the Settings -> Navigation -> Map and Vehicle -> myMaps option does not show the Topo Canada v4 map as an option to enable. Explore app -> Map Layers - Manage Maps does not show the installed Topo Canada v4.
- Garmin Support suggested that map products older than 3 or 4 years may not work with the Overlander. ☹ I do wonder if an updated MapInstall application could format older maps to work with newer devices. There are occasional benefits to having access to older maps – especially if you are off-road / overlanding.
- I did speak with Backroad Mapbooks (BRMB) and they confirmed their current GPS maps are 100% compatible and functional with the Garmin Overlander. FYI – apparently a Gaia GPS subscription only provides BRMB roads and trails, but none of their POIs and other map features.
- What about off-road navigation features? Well, as the included Topo North America maps weren’t working on the Overlander… who knows?
Continued...
