Purely offroad accuracy nothing else needed

[kuri77]

Hi Everyone,
Just getting into the GPS thing and have read reams of info. No one, that I can find, seems to have addressed the most important and only important thing for me - accuracy offroad. I have no need or desire for anything else. Am not interested in going back to anyplace I've been since there are so many new places to go. POI's aren't needed in the woods and I can google a map of any where I want to go in town. Not putting anyone down for wanting, using or needing any of these things however I just want the GPS that will give me the right choice when I'm out in the sticks. So many rider reports of GPS readings that took them 10 miles down a dirt road to a locked fence and had to backtrack. Others report that a so-called paved road was gravel or dirt when they were on street tires. Others say the GPS showed them a road ahead after a grueling ride and it wasn't there or it turned out to be a paved road or a dead end.
Back to what I want, the most accurate GPS out there. All other considerations are secondary. Any suggestions for me? Thanks.

[Clamper]

Howdy and welcome to the site. You are asking the wrong people.

Set up a meeting with Gamin, tell them that you will ride on roads they don't have listed and then mail them a flash drive of where you went and have them add it to their maps of the area.

They all still have too many inaccuracy's in the maps and I only use my GPS as just a helper, not the Gospel truth of where I'm going.

Good Luck

[denny]

Maps with that kind of accuracy are just not available.

MAYBE?? the Military has them, but not available to us meager citizens.

[Ironheadziggy76]

Welcome to the site kuri77! I have to agree with the others, it's going to be hard to find that kind of accuracy that would be affordable to the average consumer. I'm guessing it would be on par with the difference between a cell phone and satellite phone.

[Whosoever]

Welcome to the site kuri77! I have to agree with the others, it's going to be hard to find that kind of accuracy that would be affordable to the average consumer. I'm guessing it would be on par with the difference between a cell phone and satellite phone.

I have a Garmin 60csx and it is pretty accurate. Just getting home after the Chillout I transfered my track to MapSource and then on to Google Earth to compare the spots I visited. It was right on with a few feet which is close enough for me. The other thing....there are a lot of maps that can be used with this device. I use both the City Navigator and the US Geo Topo and National parks.....not exactly how sure I've named that but the point is you can go back and forth between the maps on the unit and the mapping software to make comparisons. I've owned a number of GPS over the past few years and this unit gives me what I really want at a price I can afford, even in dense tree cover.........and it is waterproof.

[Clamper]

Whosoever,
There is a difference between pre-programing and hitting the back trail. You are programing, he is checking to see where he is and where the road or trail goes. Go on down to Arizona. Program your GPS to take you to the Sky Harbor Airport. Let me know if it takes you to the Terminal or the opposite side of the Field in the commerical area and tell you that You have arrived. Garmin said they would look into it.

[Whosoever]

Whosoever,
There is a difference between pre-programing and hitting the back trail. You are programing, he is checking to see where he is and where the road or trail goes. Go on down to Arizona. Program your GPS to take you to the Sky Harbor Airport. Let me know if it takes you to the Terminal or the opposite side of the Field in the commerical area and tell you that You have arrived. Garmin said they would look into it.

Clamper...I am not exactly sure what your suggesting to me since I am no where Arizona but I would suggest the following. On the ADVRIDER Forum there is a guy who's username is DocRock. He is a quite an expert when it comes to the use of planning off road treks and working with a GPS..incidently identical to mine. He and his wife are currently on their way to Alaska via backroad trails. Their story is an excellent read. With that said here is a link: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=344776&highlight=mobius

He has generously openned up his files, and maps to anyone who wishes to see them. His planning process is very meticulous.

If nothing more....anyone with an adventerous spirit will enjoy reading his reports and seeing his video.

[SidecarMike]

I'm guessing that a lot of the stories you've heard are either repeated from somebody's second cousin's dog's best friend's neighbor, or from the use of a ten year old Eagle Explorer. I would recommend you look at units made for hiking or geocaching, as opposed to ones designed for motorized travel.

[Clamper]

Whosoever,
what a great ride. It will take me a couple days to read it all. Can't say that I've ever run across a dead guy laying on the side of the road. Glad he was OK, and just taken a rest. (G) Thanks for the link.

[George]

I have a hard rule: no u-turns. No GPS and often no detailed maps. Can't get lost without going past orbit altitude. It's all right here. Only issue is having enuff gas to get back to civilization and that's not generally an issue with the ST1100 (7.5 gallon tank.)

So far, I've had little need for GPS or more detailed maps than provided by yur average gas station paper.

YMMV.

[DBrent]

Kuri77, you will get this sorted out with others offering their experiences.

I do not want to navigate with a GPS. I only want to know where I am and what roads are available. The Garmin is very popular for navigating, but I bought a Delorme PN20 and then the newer PN40. The Delorme is really meant for the out of doors activist. They come with TOPO software. You can add additional maps, and for an annual subscription to their map library for $29.95, you can download USGS Quads, which as you probably know are the very fine detail maps. The subscription also includes aerials, allowing you to layer maps. The Garmin 60CSx comes the closest to it, but you have to buy expensive TOPO maps to go with it and Quads.

For an infinite number of unit reviews, go to GPS Tracklog, a blog about GPS units. http://gpstracklog.com/.

Good luck in the search for YOUR perfect GPS unit.

Brent

[BJFazio]

The Garmin 60CSx comes the closest to it, but you have to buy expensive TOPO maps to go with it and Quads.


FYI: If one is interested in a Garmin 60CSx, Cabela's is having an in-store Memorial Day weekend sale, and the 60CSx (with topo maps) is $219. Not sure if all stores have this going on, but I saw it at the store here in Louisiana.

If you live anywhere near a store, check it out on-line at cabelas.com. Appears to be a very good price on this unit.

http://cabelasflyers.dirxion.com/4hg/gonzales/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.3.1.0001#

[kuri77]

Thanks to all for their replies. After considering advice from others too I went with the Garmin 5000 now and if that doesn't suit my purpose will put it in my wife's car and go with the 60csx that so many swear by. Too bad the screen is so small.

[Trekker]

Keep in mind that any increase in solar activity (flares & stuff) will cause disruptions in GPS accuracy. And any GPS is only as good as the database loaded into it. In reality a GPS is a great tool that compliments good paper maps.

[Whosoever]

Thanks to all for their replies. After considering advice from others too I went with the Garmin 5000 now and if that doesn't suit my purpose will put it in my wife's car and go with the 60csx that so many swear by. Too bad the screen is so small.

Kuri....regarding the small screen on the 60csx...that was my concern at first after having 2 other units with much larger screens. But, considering the unit is on my handlebars sitting in a RAM Tech mount this has not turned out to be a problem as I am much closer to it than I would be in a car. Although they others had large screen displays and talked to me thru my StarComm system, the "silent", (i.e. it doesn't talk) gives me so much more info than the others did. Enjoy your new unit...and have some fun!

[flailer]

The highest resolution Topography maps ARE available, and are FREE . I'm using the demo version of " Back Country Navigator " on my Android phone , and you can use the GPS built into HTC brand of smart phones.... Frick'n ROCKS !!!

GREAT for trails, hiking, mtn biking... dirt biking