if you're considering an Adventurer 2800

frostyuk

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Just wanted to say a few words about the Memory Map Adventurer 2800 in case anyone is considering one for trail use.

Good points:
Cheap(ish) 1:50000 full uk mapping, handlebar cradle and silicon sleeve with
memory map PC software for about £300
Good clear screen and navigation arrow


Bad points:
no user documentation so need to rely on the support forum for help
only ipx5 weatherproof
standard battery life running the screen at 75% brightness is about 5hours
add the extended battery (extra) gives about 9 - 9.5 hours life
when the battery dies you lose your track of where you've been
to add turn by turn road directions you have to change the sd card, you cant have both the os and turn by turn on the same card

if you can run less than 5hours the unit is good and i like it, to go beyond that you either need to wire the unit in or use the extended battery. The extended battery unit makes the whole unit longer and thicker and it no longer fits the cradle. so you have to mount the unit via the extended battery. The extended battery connects to the main unit via the mini-b usb connector which means leaving the cover plate open which is also where
the sd card lives, thus you're no longer weatherproof in my book. Also the only thing holding the main unit into the extended battery is the usb connector and a silicon sleeve, maybe ok on a bicycle not on a trail bike. Oh and you have to charge both unit separately. So to improve the situation you then need to use something like a ram aquabox (the A6 medium wide is about the only unit in the range deep enough to take the unit and extended battery) which is big and bulky or you need to wire the unit into the bike. If you go the latter route you may be able to use the slightly smaller medium aquabox as you can get rid of the extended battery, but you will need to get an adaptor to reduce the voltage and preferably a right angled mini-b usb connector.

Having already bought the A6 unit i've carried on using this even though its bulky and wired the unit to the bike via a waterproof connector. As the memory map license isnt transferable legally all you can sell is the hardware not the os mapping software and i've heard of people having had problems after buying secondhand unit as they often cant print maps from the PC
software even after changing email addresses etc.

hope that helps anyone looking at these. Oh the Adventurer 3500 whilst IPX7 waterproof and replaceable batteries still only has a similar battery life as the 2800 or so i'm told.
 
Just to add to and endorse the above really.

Main user negatives for me are the poor battery life plus the inability to track North (top of screen is always grid North regardless of your direction).

Plus points are the cracking software, though it would appear the maps I've bought for it are not transferable to Satmap say (according to Satmap website)

However, mine has now failed and has been assessed as uneconomic to repair (screen freezes, locks out, noise on screen etc). Not aware of this being a common problem but a poor show. Purchased Feb 2010, 1st used May 2010. Hopefully they'll sort under warranty.
 
Memory map on other platforms

I know the thread is a year old but I have only just joined & thought I would add my 2p
Memory map will run on many (all?) satnav units that use pocket Windows OS. I originally used it on Road Angel but have more recently been using it on Binatone X350 and A430 units. These are not waterproof but I put them in the map pocket of a tank bag and run power to them from my Optimate plug via an adapter that also fits in the bag pocket.
Binatone units are often heavily discounted in Maplins, Asda, Argos etc or are £15 to £30 used on EBay.
Memory Map + maps fit on a 2GB SD card and the maps, routes ,tracks, marks can be interchanged between PC version of memory map and the satnav version.
The method is given on a flying website http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47228&start=45
 
Good reviews, thanks. Make the dual-layer Garmin devices like the Oregon and Montana seem good;

Oregon - 8 hour battery life on rechargeable AA's. Easy to swap if you need to without losing anything

Waterproof

GB Discoverer maps are routable on the road and you can switch from OS view to automotive view on the fly, also switchable from north up to track up

Maps are on a micro SD card which is transferable

Can transfer Memorymap routes (directly via USB), or using Garmin Basecamp you can use the maps on the unit to plot , join, split and save routes and tracks

Oregon has a good Touratech cradle, Montana has a powered cradle
 


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