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Thoughts on Garmin Overlander?

Slapping_Rabbits

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I just watched this vid on the overlander from garmin. What do you think? I like my fenix 5x and the little map f
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Jowen

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I have found my tablet that is cellular Wi-Fi and gps with a gps antenna and gia pro loaded is all I need cost for set up is around 300 for all. The topo is good, trails are very nice and pleasure to work with, just that am cheap on some things, but you can sit in your room and plan and eliminate a expensive piece of gear.
 

Gladiator Overland

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There are always some benefits of using such a unit. I do very much like the portability of the unit, that it is more of a one stop shop for the use needed, much more robust than an iPad or such and weather resistant. Allows easily to use add ins like the enreach also virb control. They do make a great virb360 camera btw. Anyways a pretty elephant option. I do plan on trying one, alongwith an inreach-Mini. I also plan on running an iPad as well. Will use it to supplement all other mapping, obd2 port reading, and other basic functions as I will also have an external lte WiFi connection and booster in the vehicle. A great plus is me having a dedicated source for navigation and would allow my passenger use of iPad with wireless drive or certain streaming apps to starve off boredom of certain drives with tv shows or a movie for their entertainment at the same time.

Currently I am using the IPad as my external navigation unit in my 4Runner. I do also use the factory head unit. But do enjoy Waze as well for navigation and will be of benefit when I have Apple CarPlay in the JT.
 
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Slapping_Rabbits

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There are always some benefits of using such a unit. I do very much like the portability of the unit, that it is more of a one stop shop for the use needed, much more robust than an iPad or such and weather resistant. Allows easily to use add ins like the enreach also virb control. They do make a great virb360 camera btw. Anyways a pretty elephant option. I do plan on trying one, alongwith an inreach-Mini. I also plan on running an iPad as well. Will use it to supplement all other mapping, obd2 port reading, and other basic functions as I will also have an external lte WiFi connection and booster in the vehicle. A great plus is me having a dedicated source for navigation and would allow my passenger use of iPad with wireless drive or certain streaming apps to starve off boredom of certain drives with tv shows or a movie for their entertainment at the same time.

Currently I am using the IPad as my external navigation unit in my 4Runner. I do also use the factory head unit. But do enjoy Waze as well for navigation and will be of benefit when I have Apple CarPlay in the JT.
Nice! I like the iPad option bc then you have something that can be used to entertain kids! I haven't looking into the 360 camera. I guess you could probably easily hook it up to the battery and have it somehow linked to the ipad...
 

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Although more expensive, the iPad route is more flexible since it is basically a computer also. Able to take pictures and video, entertain, and so forth. My setup is a non-cellular iPad pro with external GPS (Garmin GLO2) and just use my cellphone or Jeeps wifi when in service. I download maps from Gaia when I go to an area with no cell service. So in my case, where I already had an iPad at home, it was cheaper to ruggedize it with an appropriate case and full GPS than to buy a $700 single use device. If one doesn't have or need an iPad/tablet, then I can see it being a reasonable purchase.
 

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Slapping_Rabbits

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Although more expensive, the iPad route is more flexible since it is basically a computer also. Able to take pictures and video, entertain, and so forth. My setup is a non-cellular iPad pro with external GPS (Garmin GLO2) and just use my cellphone or Jeeps wifi when in service. I download maps from Gaia when I go to an area with no cell service. So in my case, where I already had an iPad at home, it was cheaper to ruggedize it with an appropriate case and full GPS than to buy a $700 single use device. If one doesn't have or need an iPad/tablet, then I can see it being a reasonable purchase.
Yeah I know guys that sail that use tast type of system. It seems pretty great.
 

Desert Outlaw

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I am super cheap. Geo Tracker GPS running on my Google Pixel 3XL and I found all of the trails across northern Baja California and Southern California.

Mission Impossible
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Joshua Tree - Berdoo Canyon Road

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Joshua Tree - Brooklyn Mine Jeep Trail

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I'm not a fan of the dedicated GPS devices because there is so much more that can be done with a tablet--iOS or Android. Play music, road navigation, radar weather (with internet connection), store trip documents, store useful pdf's and images (such as backcountry permits), control ham radio, control GoPros, etc. And, since my tablets (a 2012 Nexus 7) and phone (Pixel 2) are both Android, I can use the phone as a backup to the tablet for all of those functions.

Last year, after running the western half of the TransAmerica Trail (TAT), I put together a series of videos about my Jeep mods, comm gear, etc. One of these covers how I handle mapping, and may be of interest to anyone who is looking for answers. I will add the the product I recommend, Backcountry Navigator Pro, is being replaced by Backcountry Navigator XE. That will be subscription based, but I believe that it will remain much less expensive than buying maps for a Garmin (or any other brand GPS) device. I will also add that Gaia app has some very nice features, too, so you may wish to investigate it. Meanwhile, here is a link to the video I put together (starts after that part of the TAT video at 13:36 if not forwarded automatically) ...

 

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I like the iPad in a life proof case- or other ruggedized tablets with an internal GPS. You can add other apps and upload photos with geotags and attach your photos to maps. The dedicated system might be better if you use it a lot, but portable intuitive devices are easier for occasional use.

I have been happy with google maps downloaded into offline modes on my iPhone. Navigate frequently through the mountains in Maine far from cell service consistently (allagash wilderness) and to Bermuda Via sailboat with no external GPS antennas for the phone and the battery is great as long as airplane mode.
 

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I like the iPad in a life proof case- or other ruggedized tablets with an internal GPS. You can add other apps and upload photos with geotags and attach your photos to maps. The dedicated system might be better if you use it a lot, but portable intuitive devices are easier for occasional use.

I have been happy with google maps downloaded into offline modes on my iPhone. Navigate frequently through the mountains in Maine far from cell service consistently (allagash wilderness) and to Bermuda Via sailboat with no external GPS antennas for the phone and the battery is great as long as airplane mode.
IIRC, the wifi+cellular iPads are the only ones with an internal GPS. My old one was wifi-only and my maps were useless (well, not really; they worked as well as a paper map) when I was off road and without cell service (paired from my phone). I had considered buying a Bad Elf external GPS to connect to, but I've got a new iPad Pro now with wifi+cellular. I just haven't tried it out off road yet.
 

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Slapping_Rabbits

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IIRC, the wifi+cellular iPads are the only ones with an internal GPS. My old one was wifi-only and my maps were useless (well, not really; they worked as well as a paper map) when I was off road and without cell service (paired from my phone). I had considered buying a Bad Elf external GPS to connect to, but I've got a new iPad Pro now with wifi+cellular. I just haven't tried it out off road yet.
That sounds....expensive
 

jurfie

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That sounds....expensive
Lol...which part? The Bad Elf GPS is only $130 or so. I almost pulled the trigger, but then my old iPad slipped out of my bag for the second time and shattered the screen and damaged the body. That part was expensive :facepalm:.

But it was a few years old anyways, so a good excuse to buy a new one. I use my iPad every day, so to also use it as an off road GPS system was cheaper than buying a dedicated Garmin unit.
 
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Slapping_Rabbits

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Actually that's a great point. Im going to look up some android devices
 

WhatExit?

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I've followed these discussions for years and generally speaking, the popular vote goes to iPad first, Android 2nd and dedicated devices third (except for the offroaders who swear by Lowrance but that's a different subject). As for software, Gaia and MotionX are 2 very popular options.

For more on this subject you might want to go to www.ExpeditionPortal.com and do some searching there as the subject has been covered exhaustively.
 
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Slapping_Rabbits

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Awesome. There is so much good stuff on that site!
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