Stand-alone GPS

SubLime

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2019
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145
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WI
Looking for an in cab GPS.

I want something in a 5 or 6 inch screen. The main requirement is that I can generate a route at home on google maps
and then load that route into the GPS. I know I can just use google maps on my phone but I prefer a separate GPS.

recommendations?
 
What is your budget, and is this mainly for on-road or off-road?
 
Also, I guess I should point out that I won't have a recommendation for you because I use my phone, and only on-road (I use maps off-road). I only asked because it will likely help another member provide a recommendation...
 
What is your budget, and is this mainly for on-road or off-road?

I'd like to stay under $500 and have it be used for both on and off road.
I'm cheap and don't do unlimited data on my phone.
 
I've been happy using Garmin for on road applications. I've read that a lot of ADV riders use some type of Garmin for off road.

Many Garmin units allows you to add routes.
 
My Garmin is a 5 inch IIRC. I dunno if Garmin et al make them larger - I'd think a small tablet with software of choice would be a good fit for the OP if the size is right for him. Hell, maybe even a decommissioned smartphone - they're big enough and drive about the same at the GPS level. There's plenty of useless 3G and early 4G devices out there that aren't usable as phones anymore.
 
I have the Garmin, I think it's a drive 61, maybe a 65 and really like it, I don't know if you can load routes or not (never tried) but it does show forest service roads
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I do keep hearing good things about Gaia.

I do, too, but I'd also look at OnX these days. Their hunting app is really good (I use it), and I've heard they're really coming on strong in the off-road market, too (I don't use it). I will say that I used to use Garmin GPS devices for a couple decades or so going back to the 1990s. In fact, at one time, I had a basic GPS unit (a Magellan with no mapping capabilities) and used an old-school DB-9 RS-232 serial cable (Zorba will appreciate that!) with a laptop running Microsoft Streets & Trips, which was a mind-blower, but very cumbersome. But, I digress...

I probably stopped using Garmin Nuvi devices about 6 or 7 years ago, so what I'm about to say is dated. The Garmin Nuvis were great for on-road, but there was no comparison to second-generation phone navigation apps when I finally tried them (I was slow to embrace the smart phone - Zorba will not appreciate that, ha ha!). More importantly, I found them completely useless off-road.
 
Get a refurb'd iPad mini off Amazon and a satellite receiver to connect with bluetooth (I use the Garmin Glo). Add GAIA App as suggested above, pick your favorite mount and boom. Done. This setup is so much more versatile than a dedicated GPS since the iPad can be used for a lot of other stuff (like downloading the FSM for your particular year Jeep from our very own WrangerlTJForum to use as a resource for trail repairs).
 
I do, too, but I'd also look at OnX these days. Their hunting app is really good (I use it), and I've heard they're really coming on strong in the off-road market, too (I don't use it). I will say that I used to use Garmin GPS devices for a couple decades or so going back to the 1990s. In fact, at one time, I had a basic GPS unit (a Magellan with no mapping capabilities) and used an old-school DB-9 RS-232 serial cable (Zorba will appreciate that!) with a laptop running Microsoft Streets & Trips, which was a mind-blower, but very cumbersome. But, I digress...

I probably stopped using Garmin Nuvi devices about 6 or 7 years ago, so what I'm about to say is dated. The Garmin Nuvis were great for on-road, but there was no comparison to second-generation phone navigation apps when I finally tried them (I was slow to embrace the smart phone - Zorba will not appreciate that, ha ha!). More importantly, I found them completely useless off-road.
I have 3 Nuvis - liking the oldest one the best as the newer pair takes 1.2 forevers to boot up for incomprehensible reasons. They're excellent onroad, but you're right - useless off. Hence my rec to look into a small tablet or de-comissioned smartphone and load software onto it. I may be doing just that eventually myself. There appears to be a way to "sideload" offroad topo maps onto a Nuvi, but it looks like a PITA and I doubt its anywhere near as good as Gaia or similar.
 
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My aftermarket head unit came with a GPS antenna and a version of android operating system. I can use Google Map downloads on the road and Gaia map downloads offroad. So far, it's very helpful.
 
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Gaia vs OnX as far as I know, OnX may have the edge if you hunt but otherwise I believe it's a tossup. East vs West may also be a factor. My Tab has a built in GPS antenna, Is there a big advantage to having an external antenna(?)? My reasoning behind using a tablet/Ipad is that they're cheaper and more easily updated and you can use them for music and (obviously) as a computer, tabs being bigger thus more user friendly for me at least.

Edit: with both Gaia and OnX you can share and or download tracks.
 
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I haven't pulled the trigger on this, but I saw a husband and wife overlanding couple who use an old iPad mini (w/ bluetooth) and used this GPS receiver along a Gaia subscription. The other piece of the puzzle if finding a mount for the iPad, but there are many options out there.
 
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I haven't pulled the trigger on this, but I saw a husband and wife overlanding couple who use an old iPad mini (w/ bluetooth) and used this GPS receiver along a Gaia subscription. The other piece of the puzzle if finding a mount for the iPad, but there are many options out there.

This is the setup I use. I originally had a iPad mini without cell capability and was doing some research and at the time very few tablets had actual GPS receivers in them, most were using cell towers to triangulate your location. If you have ever driven to a place with no cell service then turned your phone on and realize you have no maps that phone doesn't

DC6048C4-A4C7-4889-AE77-14640795457C.jpeg
have a gps chip. I bought the antenna at that time. I have upgraded my tablet and did not get the cell but opted for max memory. The new iPads have a gps antenna if they have cell capability (even without turning on the cell service) the one drawback I cannot Bluetooth antenna to the iPad and music to the radio at the same time. I use a ram mount with a spring loaded tablet mount I found on Amazon. Works well I can see over it and it’s above the a/c vents.
 
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