Recommend a tablet for Off Road

[Coyotesong]

So the 8.4" system in the Gladiator is utterly useless off road as almost all apps are lost once cell or internet is lost. I see a lot of people running tablets off road. What is a good tablet for off road?

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[Moabite]

I use an iPad Mini with Avenza, but there are several good apps. I've downloaded every 1/24000 topo and orthophoto map in Grand County (Moab) onto it and also have every trail in the county on the maps. It took a while to set it all up but was worth the effort. Photo of installation:

 

[Keller]

Agree with above.

IPad mini with Otterbox Defender case.

https://www.otterbox.com/en-us/ipad-mini--5th-gen-/defender-series/apl2-ipad19.html

The case makes the iPad just about bullet proof.

 

[wyodirt]

gotta agree with the iPad mini, I have an iPad pro and its just too big to mount stable for off road use. I'm looking to get an older iPad mini (wifi only), as the internet connection will not be used other than to download maps.

 

[robburns76]

make sure you get a cellular enabled ipad mini (even if you dont use the cellular part) because they have the built in GPS and you wont have to have a separate GPS for it.

I love mine in a ram mount, hooked to a Carolina Metal Masters Ram Ball for the grab handle.

Others have mounted them using a 67 designs mount which are nice as well (but different ball mount size)

 

[wyodirt]

Good point about the GPS, I do have a Bluetooth receiver I place on the dash. I use this along with the Gaia GPS app. Gaia has very good downloadable maps available. Topo, Satelites, Roads, even ones with property lines.

 

[robburns76]

I also use Gaia - i have the premium membership (was on sale the other day, might still be). nice to add as many layers as you want.

 

[Coyotesong]

I use an iPad Mini with Avenza, but there are several good apps. I've downloaded every 1/24000 topo and orthophoto map in Grand County (Moab) onto it and also have every trail in the county on the maps. It took a while to set it all up but was worth the effort. Photo of installation:

What mounts did you use? How is it in the passenger seat?

 

[WhatExit?]

make sure you get a cellular enabled ipad mini (even if you dont use the cellular part) because they have the built in GPS and you wont have to have a separate GPS for it.

I suggest you consider getting an iPad or tablet without cellular and instead use the money on one of these Bluetooth GPS receivers which will work all the time even when cell service is lost which is commonplace off roading...

https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-bluetooth-gps-receivers

I'm likely going with this one:
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00AYAZENY/ezvid02-20

 

[jurfie]

I suggest you consider getting an iPad or tablet without cellular and instead use the money on one of these Bluetooth GPS receivers which will work all the time even when cell service is lost which is commonplace off roading...

https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-bluetooth-gps-receivers

I'm likely going with this one:
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00AYAZENY/ezvid02-20

Those are a great option, but the iPad does not use the cellular network for GPS, so losing cell service is irrelevant.

 

[WhatExit?]

Those are a great option, but the iPad does not use the cellular network for GPS, so losing cell service is irrelevant.

I'm not saying you're wrong but from what I find online it seems that you could be...

Link to the following: https://www.lifewire.com/ipad-gps-information-1683262

Which iPad Models Have Built-In GPS?
A built-in GPS chip is usually found in Apple's "WiFi+Cellular" iPad models. These devices cost more than the standard "WiFi-only" versions. Apple has never explicitly said why it doesn't include a GPS chip in the WiFi-only models. It might be because many apps that use GPS for navigation and other duties need to draw on data from the internet, even when they're out of range of a WiFi signal. This means the GPS apps are effectively "broken" when out of WiFi range. You don't need to pay for a data plan for the GPS chip to work. But, if you get a WiFi+Cellular model with no data plan, you can't receive fresh maps, points of interest, and other related data when out of WiFi range.

WiFi-Only iPads Can Still Track Your Location, Though
Confusing the issue somewhat is the fact a WiFi-only iPad can fairly accurately pinpoint your location under many conditions. As long as it can pick up even a few Wi-Fi signals, it can use Wi-Fi positioning, which draws on a database of known WiFi hotspots, to determine where you are.

Link to the following: http://kb.hemamaps.com/article/AA-00312/0/Apps-iOS-Which-iPad-models-have-GPS-built-in.html
WiFi-only iPad models (ones without cellular network capability) do NOT have a built-in GPS . Your only option if you have a wi-fi only iPad is to use an external Bluetooth GPS receiver . Note also, that WiFi-only iPads do NOT have a compass sensor built into them.

 

[jurfie]

I'm not saying you're wrong but from what I find online it seems that you could be...

Link to the following: https://www.lifewire.com/ipad-gps-information-1683262

Which iPad Models Have Built-In GPS?
A built-in GPS chip is usually found in Apple's "WiFi+Cellular" iPad models. These devices cost more than the standard "WiFi-only" versions. Apple has never explicitly said why it doesn't include a GPS chip in the WiFi-only models. It might be because many apps that use GPS for navigation and other duties need to draw on data from the internet, even when they're out of range of a WiFi signal. This means the GPS apps are effectively "broken" when out of WiFi range. You don't need to pay for a data plan for the GPS chip to work. But, if you get a WiFi+Cellular model with no data plan, you can't receive fresh maps, points of interest, and other related data when out of WiFi range.

WiFi-Only iPads Can Still Track Your Location, Though
Confusing the issue somewhat is the fact a WiFi-only iPad can fairly accurately pinpoint your location under many conditions. As long as it can pick up even a few Wi-Fi signals, it can use Wi-Fi positioning, which draws on a database of known WiFi hotspots, to determine where you are.

Link to the following: http://kb.hemamaps.com/article/AA-00312/0/Apps-iOS-Which-iPad-models-have-GPS-built-in.html
WiFi-only iPad models (ones without cellular network capability) do NOT have a built-in GPS . Your only option if you have a wi-fi only iPad is to use an external Bluetooth GPS receiver . Note also, that WiFi-only iPads do NOT have a compass sensor built into them.

You're right, the wifi-only model does not have GPS. I was actually specifically referring to the wifi+cellular model, though I wasn't clear.

 

[Cape taco12]

I'm not saying you're wrong but from what I find online it seems that you could be...

Link to the following: https://www.lifewire.com/ipad-gps-information-1683262

Which iPad Models Have Built-In GPS?
A built-in GPS chip is usually found in Apple's "WiFi+Cellular" iPad models. These devices cost more than the standard "WiFi-only" versions. Apple has never explicitly said why it doesn't include a GPS chip in the WiFi-only models. It might be because many apps that use GPS for navigation and other duties need to draw on data from the internet, even when they're out of range of a WiFi signal. This means the GPS apps are effectively "broken" when out of WiFi range. You don't need to pay for a data plan for the GPS chip to work. But, if you get a WiFi+Cellular model with no data plan, you can't receive fresh maps, points of interest, and other related data when out of WiFi range.

WiFi-Only iPads Can Still Track Your Location, Though
Confusing the issue somewhat is the fact a WiFi-only iPad can fairly accurately pinpoint your location under many conditions. As long as it can pick up even a few Wi-Fi signals, it can use Wi-Fi positioning, which draws on a database of known WiFi hotspots, to determine where you are.

Link to the following: http://kb.hemamaps.com/article/AA-00312/0/Apps-iOS-Which-iPad-models-have-GPS-built-in.html
WiFi-only iPad models (ones without cellular network capability) do NOT have a built-in GPS . Your only option if you have a wi-fi only iPad is to use an external Bluetooth GPS receiver . Note also, that WiFi-only iPads do NOT have a compass sensor built into them.

IDK if an IPad is different than an IPhone but if you place an IPhone in airplane mode you can use any GPS app that has downloaded maps. So even googlemaps ONLY if you download a region in offline mode before hand. So you can not navigate in/to areas that are not stored yet without service to update the map.

I use a Surface tablet and USB GPS antenna on the boat for complicated route planning. The Mouse and the keypad make it so much better. Mine has like a 5foot wire and I run it to the cabin top if my GPS is slow. If you use it a lot, permanently mount the antenna on your rollbar and just plug in whatever tablet.

For Land Nav in Northern Maine I use the iPhone in airplane mode and I prefer googlemaps in offline mode in conjunction with a paper gazateer. But I don’t do much with the surface other than tool around the area when I’m at the cabin or campsite. I haven’t tried any other mapping software so those are likely better but it has most of the Hiking trails and cool stuff I want to find.

 

[robburns76]

I'm not saying you're wrong but from what I find online it seems that you could be...

Link to the following: https://www.lifewire.com/ipad-gps-information-1683262

Which iPad Models Have Built-In GPS?
A built-in GPS chip is usually found in Apple's "WiFi+Cellular" iPad models. These devices cost more than the standard "WiFi-only" versions. Apple has never explicitly said why it doesn't include a GPS chip in the WiFi-only models. It might be because many apps that use GPS for navigation and other duties need to draw on data from the internet, even when they're out of range of a WiFi signal. This means the GPS apps are effectively "broken" when out of WiFi range. You don't need to pay for a data plan for the GPS chip to work. But, if you get a WiFi+Cellular model with no data plan, you can't receive fresh maps, points of interest, and other related data when out of WiFi range.

WiFi-Only iPads Can Still Track Your Location, Though
Confusing the issue somewhat is the fact a WiFi-only iPad can fairly accurately pinpoint your location under many conditions. As long as it can pick up even a few Wi-Fi signals, it can use Wi-Fi positioning, which draws on a database of known WiFi hotspots, to determine where you are.

Link to the following: http://kb.hemamaps.com/article/AA-00312/0/Apps-iOS-Which-iPad-models-have-GPS-built-in.html
WiFi-only iPad models (ones without cellular network capability) do NOT have a built-in GPS . Your only option if you have a wi-fi only iPad is to use an external Bluetooth GPS receiver . Note also, that WiFi-only iPads do NOT have a compass sensor built into them.

As the others mentioned already, you want the cellular enabled ipad because it has the built in GPS. you dont even need to put a sim card in it or activate any cellular service. you just need that model instead of the wifi one because of the built in GPS. Gaia, google maps, etc will work fine as long as you download the maps when you have an internet connection prior to going out.

 

[WhatExit?]

As the others mentioned already, you want the cellular enabled ipad because it has the built in GPS. you dont even need to put a sim card in it or activate any cellular service. you just need that model instead of the wifi one because of the built in GPS. Gaia, google maps, etc will work fine as long as you download the maps when you have an internet connection prior to going out.

hey Rob, the point I was trying to make above and will do again is this - when we go off roading we go to lots of places (hundreds/thousands of square miles) where there's no cell service (e.g., Death Valley, etc.). Having an iPad or iPhone, etc. isn't really going to provide the results needed. That's why a GPS receiver is a great solution.

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