Good GPS for forest roads ?

[outwesty]

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to explore the forest roads around Tahoe. Most of the trails are pretty easy but I've hit a few burly spots but nothing a syncro with a locker couldn't handle.

Today after work I left blackwood canyon and attempted to hook to the Rubicon trail(before it gets to the famous parts of course). I ended up turning back after an hour and a half. When I got home to google earth I figured out I was less than a mile from the Rubicon...bummer. I could have just done a big loop back to hwy 89. It would be so much easier with a GPS so I could see dead ends, trailheads. etc. I see people I pass on the trail with GPS's on the dash but have not talked to anyone about them yet. Any recommendations out there for the roads less traveled?


Mt. Watson north shore

Mt. Genoa East shore between Spooner and Kingsbury grade.

[geo_tonz]

I use GPS a lot for work, hiking around the tundra, flying in helicopters...

My personal fave is Garmin's GPSMap 78s:
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-water/handhelds-wrist-worn/gpsmap-78s/prod63602.html

It's the newest version of what was/is the industry standard for resource work, The GPSMap 76 series. Waterproof, floats, tough, lasts all day on a set of AA's, simple easy to use controls. I use it with the Ram mount system on snowmobile/quad handlebars and with vehicle mounts. There's also an external magnetic antenna you can get for ~$30 if you're worried about signal strength (but it would be fine IMO).It's a great unit. The screen might be a bit on the small side for dedicated vehicle GPS work though. But if you're going to want to wander the bush with it too or take it in the boat nothing else will beat it. Magellan fans can suck it! Also you could actually use their "Birdseye" product with it where you can download their satellite imagery as a background instead of just a line map. Their image coverage in Canada blows unfortunately but I'm sure it'd be good in your area.

The other unit I use in the bush more and more? My iPhone. You can actually cache satellite imagery in the google earth app so that even if you are out of cell range you can see yourself live on google earth.
http://www.google.ca/mobile/earth/
Or download the Trimble map app or a number of others...
http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/
I do feel like a bit of a douche wandering the woods with my iPhone but hey...It works...and it has a camera. Then pop it in the holder in the van and I have a decent gps navigator with a decent sized screen. Really, for most wandering about the iphone can handle it pretty well...I've also heard you can make phone calls on them now!
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"Ron Burgundy": 1991 Vanagon Multivan (Weekender) 2.1L Auto - Driver/Camper

[syncrodoka]

I ran a Delorme PN-40 for a while with good results and it helped me find some trails that I may not have explored down south.
I recently misplaced it along with a ipod Nano and a Garmin Nuvi- the delorme will be the one replaced first.

[outwesty]

[outwesty]

[geo_tonz]

All the garmins do pretty much.
The 78 has both the 4 pin and the mini usb ports so you can run it of their 12v-usb adapter, or just use the usb data cable if you have a usb power port in the van, or the older 12v to 4 pin adapter.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-water/handhelds-wrist-worn/gpsmap-78s/prod63602.html
^^^Click on accessories and then cables.

BTW, I bought mine on sale at Walmart so they're available anywhere.
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"Ron Burgundy": 1991 Vanagon Multivan (Weekender) 2.1L Auto - Driver/Camper

[syncrodoka]

[outwesty]

Sweet. I didn't research hard enough

I have owned a few brands of car GPS units and can say that the Garmins are my favorite in that area. I am going to head to Cabellas this week and check out both of these.

Thanks

[geo_tonz]

They are a little more but my personal preference is one with an internal compass (3 axis yada yada). I've been using them for over a decade so I know with the non-compass models you have to start moving in a straight line to get the GPS to point right (needs change in position to tell it which way you're facing/heading). Newbies spend a lot of time walking in circles cursing the GPS for the first while without the internal compass to make the unit point in the right direction from a standstill. The barrometric altimeter is cool if you are actually doing some surveying or you really want to pay close attention to the weather but otherwise it's never used.

Looks like the Delorm PN-40 is probably an older model that you might have a hard time finding. I think the PN-60 replaced it and is listed most places now. It looks alright. Has a compass! No experience with Delorme at all so I cannot comment.

All I can say is the Garmin GPSMap 76 series had and still has total dominance in Northern Canada's mining exploration sector, which is pretty much the one group that would be the toughest on that type of equipment. The 78s is the next generation and I've used it and like it and think it's a suitable upgrade to the "old faithful".

The Garmin Montana's and Oregon's might be another option with a nice display, but I'm pretty gunshy when it comes to touch screens and -40C, sand, mud, rain and bug spray. Though I do pack my iPhone in a ziplock bag...
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"Ron Burgundy": 1991 Vanagon Multivan (Weekender) 2.1L Auto - Driver/Camper

[outwesty]

I was just going to ask about the Oregons. The reviews I have read are good but I do hear you on the touch screens. I will have to get both of these in my hand soon to see. Thanks

[dobryan]

I also use my iPhone with the 'Gaia GPS' app. The gaia app (and other gps apps) lets you download maps into the phones memory so you do not need a cell signal to access the internet to use a map. I can download USGS quad sheets for an area and know exactly where I am even when out of cell range. All sorts of other road, satellite, and other maps are available for free as well. My iPhone and this app saved me the cost of a dedicated gps unit.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[hans j]

[phlogiston]

i too was initially dubious of the garmin oregon touchscreen. but i was won over by the larger display size and bought one anyway.

now i'm just wrapping up my 2nd season of carrying it with me on hiking, climbing, and snowboard mountaineering missions throughout the cascades. i've used it in every kind of environment from bright sun to snow caves and it has been exposed to everything from wind driven sand to heavy wet snow to spending the night in a soaking wet backpack hip strap pocket.

i bought the unit from REI, fully expecting to break it and return it within the first snowboard season, but i just carried it up and down mount adams last weekend and it's still working great! it helped me find a dead end forest service road to camp on, thus escaping the nightmare at the trailhead, and helped me find my way back to the trail from the bottom of the line i rode.

i think the key to its longevity is that it uses a resistive touch screen rather than the capacitive style that most people are familiar with from cell phones. a resistive touchscreen is more weather resistant and can be used with gloves on. the downside is that display contrast is reduced, and i'll admit it's pretty hard to read under certain conditions (bright, diffuse sunlight, like a cloudy afternoon).

also, battery life is pretty limited. i've been running eneloop 2000mAh NiMh batteries, and can just barely get a whole day of use out of one set, if i keep the backlight turned down and switch the compass off when i'm not using it. i find the user interface to be clunky and awkward... common things (like switching the compass on and off) require drilling down through several levels of menus and then back up to get to the map again.

but all in all, i've been pretty impressed by the durability, and have really enjoyed the larger display size over the GPSmap garmins that i've used in the past.

[geo_tonz]

[Royb]

Avenza is another iphone app that will read pdf maps and has free quads and other paid maps. Some National Forests make pdf maps available on their websites free.

Garmin doesn't do great for Forest roads, but there's an application for uploading better maps (aside from their Mapsource program).
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1991 Westy

[dobryan]

[furrylittleotter]

Compass, map, odometer.

[outwesty]

[bquigs]

I put Backcountry navigator on my Samsung android tablet (with GPS) and used it in Death Valley this past winter (unfortunately not with my Syncro, I live in Maine). I thought it was an excellent app. Here's why:

1) You can capture online map data for off line use. This is critical for backcounty use.

2) The free maps that app connects to are great and include true USGS topo at 1:24000 which is hard to beat. They also have several different aerial photo maps including one with a USGS overlay/mark up which gives you the topo and features over the photo. In open terrain you can often see the roads that are not on the map There are some pay only map packages, i didnt check those out.

3) The app does a great job at rendering the maps so its pretty fast. For instance if you are really zoomed out it will draw the 15minute USGS and when you zoom in it will give you the 7.5 minute map, this is excellent. Does similar with the photos.

4) You can import as well as export GPK or KMZ files for overlay on your choice of maps. SO, make POI's of trail junctions using Google Earth at home and load em up for use in the field.

5) Does all the typical GPS track, position, bearing distance stuff

6) The full version was only $15! Hard to believe really.
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87 Syncro Zetec

[geo_tonz]