Need help on what unit to buy and where to get the off road maps of national forests and such as well as the larger off road parks. The ones that show trails and any roads open to our use not just motorcycle/ATV's.

Need to get one very soon as I'm going trail riding with my son and his Cherokee next Wed/Thurs. Have no desire to be ticketed and fined for being somewhere we shouldn't .

Thanks in advance for your help.

Fred

 

Both Garmin and Magellan GPS (mostly handhelds) have topolo map options that can be purchased through the respected manufacturers. I prefer the handhelds due to ipx55 ratings that the nav/dash systems tend to not have. There are also some systems that will work on a phone or tablet (without internet).

 

I use several GPS units as I'm often way off the beaten path. My favorite happens to be the Garmin Nuvi 50LM which, happily, is also the cheapest. It displays even the most obscure hunting roads without having to download any additional topos or special updates. I also use a TomTom GoLive 1535 and an old Magellan Meridian Platinum handheld.

The TomTom is marginal. It displays most secondary roads and a few of the less traveled trails but it's constantly reminding me to update my subscription ($$) in order to have the latest data and I find that annoying. The Garmin has no such subscriptions, it just works. I also find the Garmin user interface to be more intuitive. The TomTom does have BlueTooth link so it will pair with my phone and read incoming texts as well as act as a speaker, a feature I really appreciate. I use the Magellan as a control for the other two and for when I need something portable when I'm hiking.

So, the TomTom is my daily driver around town mostly because of it's BlueTooth capabilities . It works fine for around-town navigation. I use the Nuvi50 when I'm on the road because it simply has more data on back roads and trails and I don't have to continuously dismiss pleas for subscriptions and money. The Garmin Nuvi2597LMT has the same GUI as the Nuvi50 but also has BlueTooth, for a price. The Magellan has a hard-wired charging mount right there next to my HVAC controls, it goes pretty much everywhere with me.


^Magellan Meridian Platinum^

^TomTom GoLive 1535^