IPad mini or dedicated navigation unit
- Thread starter Clrems77
- Start date
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my take
I don't have any experience with a dedicated off-road unit. But my wife and I are doing some back country driving around the mountains of CO.
We carry a DeLorme gazetteer of topos for my state, which is useful for getting the big picture of things.
We've been using or iPhones for mapping with the Pocket Earth app. We downloaded the Colorado topo maps for Pocket Earth. They are as accurate as any other topo I've found for CO in years of dirt biking.
It's really useful to be able to zoom in and out on the screen, see a larger picture of the terrain, figure out where to turn, know exactly where you are, etc. But an iPhone (even with a large screen like ours - iphone 11) is pretty small.
So we just ordered an iPad 10.2". Don't know how I'll mount it yet but it'll work in my wife's lap for now.
So my vote is for an iPad type device.
From my point of view it'll also serve as my business computer when I travel - I have fairly minimal needs when I'm on the roads. I'll get a lot of use out of it that way.
I don't have any experience with a dedicated off-road unit. But my wife and I are doing some back country driving around the mountains of CO.
We carry a DeLorme gazetteer of topos for my state, which is useful for getting the big picture of things.
We've been using or iPhones for mapping with the Pocket Earth app. We downloaded the Colorado topo maps for Pocket Earth. They are as accurate as any other topo I've found for CO in years of dirt biking.
It's really useful to be able to zoom in and out on the screen, see a larger picture of the terrain, figure out where to turn, know exactly where you are, etc. But an iPhone (even with a large screen like ours - iphone 11) is pretty small.
So we just ordered an iPad 10.2". Don't know how I'll mount it yet but it'll work in my wife's lap for now.
So my vote is for an iPad type device.
From my point of view it'll also serve as my business computer when I travel - I have fairly minimal needs when I'm on the roads. I'll get a lot of use out of it that way.
Louisiana Overland
New member
I use an ipad mini. It is wifi only and so i had to add a garmin glo bluetooth gps reciever. I run gaia gps for offroad trips and download map areas ahead of time on wifi. That way once im out with no phone sig or wifi i have the maps and gps capability. It works great. I pretty much only use the ipad in the 4runner. I can hotspot it yo my cell in the highway for waze.
utctscanr75
New member
I use the Garmin inReach Mini paired with a wifi only iPad and use the Gaia GPS app. Not the cheapest route, but the inReach Mini has an SOS function if I have an emergency and also allows messaging in non cell coverage areas.
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Lost-Again
New member
I have the Garmin mini too. Mainly for the Big Bend area where cellphones are not existent. I also blue to over to my iPad mini and fluctuate between Gaia Earthmate. Mostly Eartmate. Gaia did't work too well for me.
But getting back to the subject I found that I just used my 8+ more than my iPad.
But getting back to the subject I found that I just used my 8+ more than my iPad.