Best GPS for RV

[acalcock@mchsi.com]

Which one should I get?

[ducksface]

Not a standalone.
They're dinosaur flip phones.
And like flip phones they have adamant supporters.

Any good android tablet will let you get up to the second info on roads, let you Download off-line maps and let you run four or five maps at the same time in case you want to.
It'll run iExit, and instant weather and tell you gas prices. It knows the hours of local businesses, will call one for you and get you a yelp rating if you're prone to such.

Or get a stand alone for some reason.

[Elite Washington]

We have a Garmin RV 890 that I got last year. Up until then I always just used my cell and google maps. That worked fine as we weren’t leaving the West Coast. The need to get a dedicated unit was because of our trip from Washington state to Disneyworld. I can say the unit worked great runs the Android system and is basically just a tablet with Garmins map app. It does a lot more then just operate as GPS and is worth the cost I would say.

[sportcoupe]

My Garmin RV 1090 lets me input the RV info like propane, length, width, height and weight. Then it only routes me on roads without restrictions.

Show me a phone nav app that does that. I'll wait.

[kwplot34]

I have been using a Garmin stand alone unit for 15 years and never an issue, they do way more than just give you a map and directions to follow. If you have an issue with the stand alone units it's most generally operator error or lack of understanding on how to use it.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

My Garmin RV 1090 lets me input the RV info like propane, length, width, height and weight. Then it only routes me on roads without restrictions.

Show me a phone nav app that does that. I'll wait.

Your wait is over (actually never started):

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US

[Chateau_Nomad]

Does your trip planning involve:
primarily freeways?
major metropolitan areas (BIG cities)?
a lot of New England areas?
Appalachian mountains with sometimes sketchy roads?
unfamiliar "off the beaten path" areas

If your travels IN AN RV often involve a combination of ALL of these, I wish you good luck with finding EVERY railroad underpass, EVERY narrow dirt/gravel road, closed bridges, construction zones and places/situations you don't want to be in with your RV... because odds are you eventually will find yourself there.

Each device has it's strong points, and no method is perfect. You will eventually lose your cell signal and/or satellite reception when faced with a critical route decision. Maps you download today likely won't include surprise road/bridge closures that happen today. Same for paper maps.

In the above scenario, I urge you to use several different options - as many as you can... get a GPS unit, preferably with free lifetime updates, and familiarize yourself with changing routing ON THE FLY. Use Google Maps / Waze and get comfortable with changing things as you travel... you EVENTUALLY will have to navigate on the fly, and the more familiar you are with your devices the less stress you will have.

Use your favorite app on the device of your choice - iPad, Android tablet, your phone... whatever. What works for YOU may be awkward for someone else. Fortunately with today's navigation technology, you have many options. The key to successful stress-free navigation is to familiarize yourself ahead of time (maybe the "off season" if you have one) with how each device/app/method works.

On that note... I wish you SAFE and stress free travels!!

[Bob Denman]

The Garmin RV 1090 is fearuew-packed, and pretty darn accurate!
But it never hurts to carry a compass, and have a Spouse who is a whiz at map-reading!

[RACarvalho]

After using Goodle, Apple and Waize and getting into trouble, I bought a Garmin dezl 580 LMT-S and it is great.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

The Garmin RV 1090 is fearuew-packed, and pretty darn accurate!
But it never hurts to carry a compass, and have a Spouse who is a whiz at map-reading!

Occasionally my copilot gets distracted with sight-seeing, napping, etc.

Then I have to gently remind her of her expected contribution to our travel adventure...

We used to run road rallies together in our younger years, and she's a GREAT navigator!

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

The Garmin RV 1090 is fearuew-packed, and pretty darn accurate!
But it never hurts to carry a compass, and have a Spouse who is a whiz at map-reading!

A key is the spouse.
My only complaint:
' we can go through aunt-sister in browneye county or we can go through dog-thrower. Which do you want to do'?

Me
'I don't know, I'm not sure what state we're in'

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Your wait is over (actually never started):

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US

Still waiting as that app doesn't download to my fruit phone.



Glad it doesn't because the reviews are horrible.

[ducksface]

Google had us miss a 5hr backup by the very last exit on our last trip. Just that red-line.
Spousal unit had been watching it for an hour and it was getting worse not better.

The recent 12hr back-up on the news?
A one-trick standalone(including most of my apps) would have dumped you right in it.
Google and waze did not.
Most apps let me work them off-line and kick back to Wi-Fi when it senses a signal.

I cannot find a negative to a $150 android 10"+ tablet.
My standalones have all been gifted away.
(Yup I had multiples of them back when gps was a tough job on a 15" laptop.)

But some people love a stand-alone over a tablet.
(My 10" rv nav tablet is right now in the house displaying the local radar weather on an app.)

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

Still waiting as that app doesn't download to my fruit phone.



Glad it doesn't because the reviews are horrible.

It's been one of mine since windows ce, maybe 2001 but certainly before 2006. I still run an updated ce version on my offroader. The offroader is a
'The wrong Turn may kill you' situation.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Google had us miss a 5hr backup by the very last exit on our last trip. Just that red-line.

The recent 12hr back-up on the news?
Your standalone would have dumped you right in it.
Google and waze would not.
Most apps let me work them off-line.

I cannot find a negative to a $150 android 10"+ tablet.
My standalones have all been gifted away.
(Yup I had multiples of them back when gps was a tough job on a laptop.)

But some people love a stand-alone over a tablet.
(My 10" rv nav tablet is right now in the house displaying the local radar weather on an app.)

Google (and the hundreds of apps that piggy-back off it) have MANY shortcomings... you simply haven't FOUND them yet!

The root of the issue is that Google is FIRST and FOREMOST an advertising company that just happens to provide mapping services. WHY?? To route potential customers to places of business, etc. who either are current or potential advertising customers within Googles ecosystem.

Notice how Google routing always focuses on the FASTEST route... time is money baby. Sure, you CAN use certain avoidance features (dirt roads is NOT one of them). At it's heart, Google Maps has always had this focus as a business model. That's why it's FREE TO USE... just like a "free" sample of ice cream or wine.

Now... tell me how "perfect" using only Google Maps is? And remember, Waze and all the other mapping aps that use a Google Maps API - are just a Google Maps framework with conveniences (window dressing) overlaid. The handiest is likely the live "crowd sourced" traffic updates.

For navigating to an address in my car, Google Maps (Waze) is an excellent option. But for avoiding dirt, gravel, narrow roads, tunnels, underpasses in my RV, I use MANY more sources... INCLUDING my "old fashioned" Garmin GPS.

I guess if you stick to freeways, Google Maps based navigation is all you'd ever need. You'd always have a cell signal and if semis can make it, so can the largest of RVs.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Google (and the hundreds of apps that piggy-back off it) have MANY shortcomings... you simply haven't FOUND them yet!

The root of the issue is that Google is FIRST and FOREMOST an advertising company that just happens to provide mapping services. WHY?? To route potential customers to places of business, etc. who either are current or potential advertising customers within Googles ecosystem.

Notice how Google routing always focuses on the FASTEST route... time is money baby. Sure, you CAN use certain avoidance features (dirt roads is NOT one of them). At it's heart, Google Maps has always had this focus as a business model. That's why it's FREE TO USE... just like a "free" sample of ice cream or wine.

Now... tell me how "perfect" using only Google Maps is? And remember, Waze and all the other mapping aps that use a Google Maps API - are just a Google Maps framework with conveniences (window dressing) overlaid. The handiest is likely the live "crowd sourced" traffic updates.

For navigating to an address in my car, Google Maps (Waze) is an excellent option. But for avoiding dirt, gravel, narrow roads, tunnels, underpasses in my RV, I use MANY more sources... INCLUDING my "old fashioned" Garmin GPS.

I guess if you stick to freeways, Google Maps based navigation is all you'd ever need. You'd always have a cell signal and if semis can make it, so can the largest of RVs.

This is where a sygic overlay(or 30 others including a stand alone)compliments.
My whole neighborhood isn't in waze because no one with their waze on has driven through it.
Waze does one thing for us: real world real time real people real voices real conversation telling us what's 500ft or 500miles ahead. That's the reason it runs concurrently, not exclusively, with whatever else fits BEST for the drive we're on.
One of my apps is called
Blood tracker
It allows a couple of hundred different pin drops within a short distance and absolutely tracks you to the foot.
The right tool for the right situation. Or the tool at hand.
Torque has an overlay which tells you things like throttle position vs mpg vs braking vs rate of altitude change and lays them onto google earth while doing a video of the trip like a dash cam.

I pay for google earth pro.
I think it was $15 23 years ago, or whenever the beta came out.

I'm not sure anyone with apps is saying to use only one app. That becomes a standalone.

One
Is
None

Post 111 in my signature thread shows maybe half of the nav apps we use, situation dependent.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Waze traffic alerts is effective on moderate to heavy traveled roads/highways. The traffic alert feature is synonymous with the prolific CB radio traffic communication of years gone by.

I've recently driven my truck from Athens Ohio to Columbus on Route 33, a weekday outside of "drive time" hours (which I avoid if possible) and got maybe 2 alerts of traffic radar - it missed the other 5. Just like the old CB, Waze depends on "current user density" to be an effective tool.

So, yes... use ALL available navigation tools which apply to your situation.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Duck ..."LG V20 phones, the last of the replacebale battery phones"

"Replaceable" is a relative term... it depends on your will, desire and tolerance prying glued components from their "sarcophagus" and soldering in a new Amazon sourced battery. When successful, I pride myself in defeating planned obsolescence!

While I use a Google Pixel as my "daily", I still use my LG Stylo 2 (with replaceable battery AND micro SD storage card) for app development. It won't update to newer Versions of Android unless hacked.

But if you're just using a device as "single specialized function" - no need to update. I use an ancient "un-upgradable" iPad as a light dimmer interface. That's all it does.

[ducksface]

I'll have to get a picture because no one will believe how old one of my repurposed cell-phones is.


I use an app called
Alfred
It turns a $5 cell phone into a remote viewable web-cam.
Minimal value to it now that a usable remote cam is $15.
Just a fun thing.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-LCLEB...%2C720&sr=8-18

8300mah.
It's why we have the v20 phone(and the sd card.)

[ducksface]

I should have typed:
Swappable
Batteries.

We both have the same phone so we can swap and carry extra batteries.
Spouse carries three of those with her when hiking.



The wife easily breaks phone screens.
The v20 is $100+ on eBay or Amazon. It's $100ish to have the screen fixed.
I have broken screen phones all set up for nav in just about every vehicle we own even the quad.