What are you using for a GPS setup

cheroy

cheroy

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
23
Age
51
Location
Nova Scotia Canada
first of all if this thread is in the wrong location my apologies

just wondering what people are using for GPS setups. I like to log my rides and they are a handy device in unfamiliar areas. Currently i am using a garmin GPS Map 60CSX and carrying it in my pocket.

i would like to upgrade to something with a larger display and mounted to my handle bars and hard wired to 12V.

costco has a great price on a garmin nuvi but the problem there is they are not weather resistant. if you go to a weather proof model the price is not what i would call affordable.

what GPS setups are people running that are handle bar mounted, large display (compared to a hand held) and hard wired to your 12v source?

thanks
 
Garmin Nuvi 500. I use it in my truck as well. Like Mr. Sled said, just change the map overlays. I have belt case for it also, so carry it when hunting. I have Red Pine trail maps, for sledding and topo maps for hunting and off trail riding.
 
I'm using a garmin 450 Oregon with Canadian topo maps & a free map for ofsc sled trails in Ontario. Works great, a little small but I can still use it in my truck.
 
I've been using my phone with the Polaris Snow Trails app (now called RiderX). I have a great Ram-mount waterproof case from Ultimate Add-ons that I had to order from the UK. I also installed a kit to keep the phone charged. I did have a few problems this year that I have listed below. Other than that I really like it as when I walk away from the sled my tracks are on my phone and synced with the online account without me having to do anything. The current phones are really powerful for GPS and other apps as long as you keep them charged.

  • Snow Trails App upgrades have introduced bugs - hopefully they will fix these
  • Need to add a heat element as the phone will not charge if below a certain temp. - there is plenty of power available for this I just have to design one.
  • This one is self-inflicted - Route wiring so that when you open the hood it doesn't rip the plug end off.
 
At one point i mounted the otterbox belt clip to my handlebars and used my iphone. not ideal but it worked. More or less just used with the gopro app so I could see what it was recording
 
Since 2007 I've been using a Garmin 60CS which I load my custom layers on. I use variations of the RAM Mounts depending upon the sled I'm riding. RAM mounts tolerate the vibration and don't break (mostly aluminum and rubber construction)

Pros:
Color screen
Waterproof
Runs on AA's, 1 set lasts a full weekend
Glove compatible (not touch-screen)
Direct sunlight visible
Records tracks
Enough memory to hold a couple state's worth of trails plus a decent basemap for streets/roads
Built-in compass (more accurate to figure out your bearing when you're just walking)
Able to place markers, useful for marking bad portions of trail or when someone's sled breaks down and needs to be picked up by trailer.

Cons:
Screen size is limited. Its perfect size for riding, but when you're wanting to zoom out and find where you're going next, you kinda wish you had an extra inch
Not touchscreen (yes this is a pro and a con), zooming is easy with keys, but panning the map is much faster when you have a touch screen.
Gotta hook it to a laptop to upload maps or download your tracks.
 
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