Which secondary GPS would you suggest?

[tyclyd]

I always travel alone and have until now relied on my old but updated 660 but going further off track in eastern Europe I discovered that reliance on this single device is a mistake as coverage is patchy and sometimes all I need is GPS backup. I do use large scale maps and a good compass to plan and plot on the routes but am looking for a second GPS device to support me and wondered if anyone had any views on suitable devices. I have been looking at Garmin GPSMAP 62st or GPS Map 78 or a Montana 650t and wondered if anyone had any views or suggestions for alternatives - Thanks.

Gary

 

[John Armstrong]

If you have a smart phone, and it has a built in GPS receiver (ie doesn't rely on a data network to know where it is) then get some mapping for it.

I know TomTom, Garmin, Sygic etc do maps.Just updating the Sygic maps on my HTC.

 

[rce]

Garmin GPSMAP 62st or GPS Map 78 or a Montana 650t and wondered if anyone had any views or suggestions for alternatives - Thanks.

Gary

If it is a backup device why not save money and get something like the Etrex 20, I have one as my on bike GPS and it is brill. Smaller too so will take up less space.

 

[E. Buygum]

I always travel alone and have until now relied on my old but updated 660 but going further off track in eastern Europe I discovered that reliance on this single device is a mistake as coverage is patchy and sometimes all I need is GPS backup. I do use large scale maps and a good compass to plan and plot on the routes but am looking for a second GPS device to support me and wondered if anyone had any views on suitable devices. I have been looking at Garmin GPSMAP 62st or GPS Map 78 or a Montana 650t and wondered if anyone had any views or suggestions for alternatives - Thanks.

Gary

Not sure what benefit a second device would bring; I suspect you'd just have 2 devices giving you duff information, especially if they are from the same manufacturer. Isn't the problem usually with the mapping, rather than the device? On the limits of the Garmin mapping, it does get unreliable with instructions to join roads which don't exist or the display showing you're in a field when you're on tarmac. If a particular manufacturer has superior mapping in a particular part of the world, it would be obviously beneficial to have one of their devices but when I looked (Googled) for the best device for Eastern Europe/ Western Asia, the Garmin seemed the best I could find.

If you are in a geographical area where satellite reception is poor, wouldn't that affect a second device just the same? What about an external aerial? May help but otherwise back to paper, compass, road signs judgement and luck.

 

[Rushy]

A map ?..serious reply.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Have a word with yourself.
Why would you try so hard to eliminate the slightest remotest possibility of having something even approaching an 'adventure', ie getting a bit lost.

There is such a thing as over preparing you know.
And having to rely on other people occasionally is good for the soul.

 

[tyclyd]

Thanks for the suggestions

Maps are great so long as you know a starting point and in terms of adventure I am lucky to be able to do what I do - I'll look at the little Garmin but the mapping issues identified are points well made.

 

[siwhite]

Etrex 20 is ace and costs buttons these days. Maps can be 'found' for nothing in darker corners in the internet and stored on Micro SD cards.