Member III
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- First Name
- Scott
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- Viking
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17968
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- Air Force Veteran
Those fancy mapping apps will not save you...
- Thread starter WYWander
- Start date
Advocate II
My only experience is that O helped another Overlander that had the Garmin Overlander edition. We talked for hours trying to get it to work right. He threatened to send it to me to figure it out and then teach him how to get it to work. I politely declined. What a pain it was. We talked to tech support and we were more knowledgeable of their product then they were. It was really sad. The file management architecture is not for the faint of heart, from planning on a pc to transferring the GPX file to the device took a long time to get it synced and then it only worked once. Now I am not an expert on the garmin devices but I played one on tv for 1 season!!!
IMHO, I would not buy one.
That something, a real early 21st Century thing, for the Overlander who has most everything I suspect, showing snowmobile trails!
I don't have one, I probably would never use one if I had it. The Garmin unit I mentioned which I bought decades ago was state of the art, used only a few times in boating lakes and rivers, then it went to a drawer. Later, it went to box in the closet, it still lives today in the garage with a very dead battery.
I think tech is stealing the adventure out of adventure travels, what's adventurous about seeing what's around the next corner or over that hill? Seems to be very little discovery to experience and motivate exploration, you can simply turn on your gizmo and zoom in to an area on the face of the earth.
Gaia lost me with a severe price hike, lack of new features/polish, and the removal of my most-used map layer. In protest, I gave OnX a try. It's fine, I guess. Neither of them have ever worked like I wanted them to.
Avenza has the map layer I want, but has no web-based interface to build routes and add markers. I'm not doing all of that on a phone/tablet. I have too much data to move over. I need a keyboard, mouse, and a large screen to work from.
I'm looking forward to what Mapkind is able to offer. Mapkind GPS Developer Venture4wd/Chris has lived and breathed maps for years. I know he understands the sort of functionality we need most from a mapping app.
Avenza has the map layer I want, but has no web-based interface to build routes and add markers. I'm not doing all of that on a phone/tablet. I have too much data to move over. I need a keyboard, mouse, and a large screen to work from.
I'm looking forward to what Mapkind is able to offer. Mapkind GPS Developer Venture4wd/Chris has lived and breathed maps for years. I know he understands the sort of functionality we need most from a mapping app.
Off-Road Ranger I
- 2,865
- First Name
- Donald
- Last Name
- Diehl
- Member #
0745
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- WRPN 506
Agreed, I’m subscribed to Gaia. I’ll give it another try when we get back out west. So far- not impressed. We were in Grand Staircase and then up into the San Rafael Swell. Our Nat Geo maps were much more accurate than Gaia. We also Google earthed the area for even more detailed info. However, our best adventures and discovery of the best campsites has always been and remains to be, seat of the pants navigation and checking the paper maps once in a while.
Influencer II
- 2,192
- First Name
- Mike
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- Johnston
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25039
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Two caveats before I light this fuse. Yes, every electronic toy in your rig will eventually fail at the worst possible moment, so have a backup. And yes, not everybody wants to spend absurd amounts of money turning their truck into a rolling NASA experiment.
Still, Starlink may be the single most useful piece of off roading equipment I’ve bought in years. Constant connectivity changes the whole game. Gaia, OnX, Overland Bound, Google, whatever digital map poison you prefer, all of it keeps working out in the dead zones where cell service disappears and common sense usually goes with it. Even when you forgot to preload maps because you were too busy airing down tires and congratulating yourself on being “prepared.”
And the Starlink Mini feels strangely reasonable price wise once you compare it to the rest of the electronic bling people build into their rigs. HAM radios, Garmins, boosters, enough wiring to interrogate Soviet spies. Relative to that madness, the cost barely registers.
The real comfort comes later, deep in the middle of nowhere, when something mechanical starts coughing and grinding in the dark and you realize you can still call for help. That changes the mood considerably.
Still, Starlink may be the single most useful piece of off roading equipment I’ve bought in years. Constant connectivity changes the whole game. Gaia, OnX, Overland Bound, Google, whatever digital map poison you prefer, all of it keeps working out in the dead zones where cell service disappears and common sense usually goes with it. Even when you forgot to preload maps because you were too busy airing down tires and congratulating yourself on being “prepared.”
And the Starlink Mini feels strangely reasonable price wise once you compare it to the rest of the electronic bling people build into their rigs. HAM radios, Garmins, boosters, enough wiring to interrogate Soviet spies. Relative to that madness, the cost barely registers.
The real comfort comes later, deep in the middle of nowhere, when something mechanical starts coughing and grinding in the dark and you realize you can still call for help. That changes the mood considerably.
Just think how Overlanders survived before Marconi saved the day with his spark gap transmitter and receiver back in '96........that's 1896!
Even back in the '70's traveling all over Europe in my '64 VW Bug and later in my '72 Volvo 145, with no cell phone, no radio, just a small mirror and a horn. Usually pitched a tent, but not always in stealth mode in forests or beaches. If we had trouble you'd hike out for help.
In fact, the family story about homesteading a few Sections for the ranch began when the wagon broke down and there, they were, in the early 1800's.
Adventure? Following directions with your GPS with your Sat Phone in the console doesn't really seem that exciting. maybe some have lost interest from boredom.
Even back in the '70's traveling all over Europe in my '64 VW Bug and later in my '72 Volvo 145, with no cell phone, no radio, just a small mirror and a horn. Usually pitched a tent, but not always in stealth mode in forests or beaches. If we had trouble you'd hike out for help.
In fact, the family story about homesteading a few Sections for the ranch began when the wagon broke down and there, they were, in the early 1800's.
Adventure? Following directions with your GPS with your Sat Phone in the console doesn't really seem that exciting. maybe some have lost interest from boredom.
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Off-Road Ranger I
- 2,865
- First Name
- Donald
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- Diehl
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0745
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15 years ago the kids insisted we get a PLB. So we did. I keep it registered and carry it with us when we are hiking. Just in case. Starlink has made almost all other long distance communication devices obsolete. Our kids gave us a Starlink mini as we began our full time travels. There is something to be said for being able to make or receive a phone call from friends or family when we are hours or days away from any cell phone service.
I, too, have recently invested in Starlink Mini and have a Garmin Mini for hiking. I also have detailed paper trail maps for various wilderness areas and even a Rand McNally street maps book. These are all tools I use to enhance my travels. Like having a nicely engineered hammer rather than a rock. None of these items lessen my sense of adventure, which is rooted in exploration and discovery. There are trails I hike repeatedly and the experience is different each time - weather, wildlife, terrain, people or no people. I try to revel in and appreciate each unique experience. Having better mapping only makes me more prepared and efficient. Satellite service, GPS, etc. are all just better hammers.
