Garmin Overlander

pluton

Adventurer
My biggest gripe with Garmin devices is traveling back in time (technology-wise) when I open the box.
Their OS's and GUI design seem like they are from 1983---pre-Mac and Windows.
From all I can find out, the Overlander cannot use maps that aren't provided by Garmin....which makes it crippled in my estimation. I still want a Garmin Montana with a 7" screen.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Their OS's and GUI design seem like they are from 1983---pre-Mac and Windows.
I've only used Garmin's typical handheld receivers but I think the interface is fine. Yup, it's not Android or iOS but what I need is there and easy to use. But my comparison is using a phone-sized device with small virtual buttons working a cascade of menus. The screen on my GPSMaps 78 is smaller but dedicated function, physical, tactile buttons work well, especially with gloves on.
From all I can find out, the Overlander cannot use maps that aren't provided by Garmin....which makes it crippled in my estimation. I still want a Garmin Montana with a 7" screen.
So they broke the ability to display maps that do exist coming from the reverse engineered IMG compilers?
 

bomar

Adventurer
I got mine a week or so ago....

It is just a pain going to every area you might goto to download all those maps.

Also it seems the compass calibration will not stay on mine. I have done it about 15 times so far.

It will work for my needs.
 

pluton

Adventurer
I've only used Garmin's typical handheld receivers but I think the interface is fine. Yup, it's not Android or iOS but what I need is there and easy to use. But my comparison is using a phone-sized device with small virtual buttons working a cascade of menus. The screen on my GPSMaps 78 is smaller but dedicated function, physical, tactile buttons work well, especially with gloves on.
Yep, actual buttons and controls are nice..touch screens are overrated. My Montana is OK, interface-wise....I use it, and get what I need from it.


So they broke the ability to display maps that do exist coming from the reverse engineered IMG compilers?
Garmin ONLY mentions "maps you can download from us, including USGS Quads".
I'm not familiar with the term "reverse engineered IMG compilers", but I'm thinking of the '.gmap' maps you get from GPS File Depot.com
I suspect that if their market research tells them they are losing a significant number of potential customers because of the attempt to have everyone be a subscriber, they would be able to change the restriction with a simple firmware update.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I'm not familiar with the term "reverse engineered IMG compilers", but I'm thinking of the '.gmap' maps you get from GPS File Depot.com
Yes, that's what I mean. Garmin doesn't make their format for their maps public but there are hackers who figured the basics out, that's the old cGPSmapper ad MapTk tools, and now mkgmap for OSM.
 

brushogger

Explorer
Mine finally arrived. I know it's pricey, but it's exactly what I've been looking for. The ability to integrate wireless cameras, and my inreach pretty much sold it. Plus, I love the magnetic connector. When I get it permanently mounted, it will be very easy to remove the thief attractor, and take it with me. Texting with this thru the inreach is so much easier than doing it directly on the inreach. I also ordered the mount for the inreach. I'll post pics when the install is complete
 

brentbba

Explorer
Mine showed up too. Only have had time to do an initial charge and update of software and maps. Bought it because this 'appears' to be the first real crossover by Garmin to satisfy both on road and off road use. I've had the Garmin Drivetracker 71 for a year or so and had only purchased that one because it at least had 100k topo maps for offroad. Yes, it's designed for dog trackers, but I only mildly off road. I liked the 7" screen with my aging eyes but no use off road in the last year - not getting out much any longer. We'll see about the Overlander. Like @brushogger, the mag mount makes for quick and easy removal!
 

Speedkills

Member
I returned mine, didn't like it much at all.

Pros - Great magnetic charging mount. Integrates with Garmin InReach. Supports cameras. Integrated tilt-sensor (only accurate below about 10mph though).

Cons - Interface is terrible. Voice recognition is worse than your phone 5 years ago. Has an integrated browser, tried downloading tracks from 4 different sites, crashed on ever one, so that was useles. Search for anything by voice, you won't get what you want, but you will get a bunch of sponsored content from foursquare, ******? They force you through their horrible web replacement for Garmin BaseCamp. It's just like it but much worse. I tried to upload a few sets of my tracks by national forest, it refused to import them because they had more than 250 tracks. Yes Garmin, large national forests due contain more than 250 tracks.

It runs on Android, I'm frankly shocked they could screw it up that much, I mean it's not like they have to code up their own browser. Just use chrome like every Android phone does and let me visit trailsoffroad.com and download some content. Or let me use Garmin Explore on my phone and send tracks over. Nearly all I want to do is load tracks on this and then go drive them, why make that core functionality so poor in something meant for overlanding?
 

35Intl

New member
Has anyone hardwired their Overlander? Looking into getting one to use in several vehicles. On this rig i am wanting to mount it in place of the useless rearview mirror and would rather not have the cord hanging. Unfortunately Garmin does not list a compatible hardwire kit.

20190907_194445.jpg
 
Has anyone hardwired their Overlander? Looking into getting one to use in several vehicles. On this rig i am wanting to mount it in place of the useless rearview mirror and would rather not have the cord hanging. Unfortunately Garmin does not list a compatible hardwire kit.

You could just get one of these hardwire kits from amazon, but you'd still need to remove the magnetic base+whatever ram mount you use (suction, most likely). The wire will stay there, and plug/unplug from the magnetic mount+ram mount+suction cup to move vehicle to vehicle.
 

emulous74

Well-known member
I used mine on my trip from Austin, TX to the American Prairie Reserve near Malta, MT and back. I did not download any maps as it came the day I was leaving. I got one camera installed (still have 3 more to install). I ran it alongside of Google Maps, I constantly flipped between the Drive mode (standard road GPS) and the Explore mode (supposedly their off-road mode). In the drive mode, compare to Google Maps, the Overlander was more accurate on speed limits, the nice feature on the Overlander is it would indicate before a speed limit was changing. Entering the same address Google maps always took me on a quicker route than the Overlander. Where the Overlander excelled over Google maps was the what's up ahead feature on the Overlander. It allowed me to plan Gas stops up to 150 miles away, the integration with iOverlander in this feature made quick work in finding a place to sleep/stay for the night while on the road, being able to add that spot as a stop in the trip with just a button push made it effortless. Where google maps was better was more accurate GPS positioning, the Overlander was always a little behind in where it thought I was. Google maps also re-routed much quicker and more effective when I went off the suggested route. Google maps did majorly fail me by taking me on a track, rather than a dirt road that was supposed to take me an hour to get to my end spot, that ended up taking me 4 hours as I got stuck in the mud a lot. In talking with some folks, APR has asked Google to change this route, and Google has refused, if I would of followed the Overlander, I would of been there a lot sooner and not have me, my truck and my trailer completely covered in mud. Thank God I had maxtrax with me, otherwise I'd probably still be stuck.

The Explore mode was great in that it knows the difference between private and public land, it even shows driveways on private land. It was essential in letting me know if I was on APR's land or private land, where public lands started and stopped and 95% of dirt roads, tracks and paved roads. This became essential in deciding to take a track or not, because I could tell how long it was, if it connected with other tracks and where it actually lead. It also indicated somewhat the terrain and what it crossed. The explore mode was very accurate to water, included creeks, rivers, ponds. This came in really handy when I got stuck in the mud, because I could lay a path around the most probable spots of mud due to creeks crossing the track/trail. The Explore mode also was great in letting me to manually find routes to places I wanted to go. You can switch between drive mode and explore mode continually and drive mode keeps reporting if you inputted a route and transfers it to the explore mode.

The quality of the wireless camera is not great, it's very basic, low resolution and not good in low light conditions, all the cameras are configured to be backups cameras, so when used differently it's not the best configuration, but it is better than nothing, I have the one I have installed on my front license plate and pointed down so I can see what I'm driving over.

The one feature that I found useless was inputting the length of my truck with the trailer attached, the only thing I got out of it was a constant message of unknown if the road/track/trail was good for a vehicle with a trailer.

While I know this isn't an exhaustive review or even close to it, I thought I'd share my first experience using it.
 
Well that’s pretty interesting as a review and very enlightening let me ask you this not being familiar with the Overland or although I do know what it is what kind of topo comes preloaded with that at what kind of scales and how far in can you zoom?
 

deserteagle56

Adventurer
If I cannot use maps other than Garmin products on the Overlander then I will never consider owning it. I mean, really? What are they thinking? I know what all my buddies who are into hunting and use the special hunting maps say about this!

Why couldn't they just make a Montana with a 7" screen? That's all my old eyes need!
 

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