Overland & Hiking Units

hmotorsports

New member
Hey Gang,

I'm looking for setup that I can use for overland navigation, but then when I get to a destination, I want to have nav, txt and sos capabilities while I'm out hiking. I don't know if there is one product that would be decent for both OR if this will require a couple different bits of hardware? I realize I can use Gaia on my phone, but was trying to keep my phone as a back-up only and not my primary. Anyone have any good setups/recommendations you can share?

Thanks!
 

Howard70

Adventurer
I tried using a Delorme (Garmin) InReach as my SOS, txt & navigation unit for a while. It worked, but wasn't terribly satisfying on the navigation side while in a vehicle. I suspect it would be OK for a long backpacking or bikepacking trip if your route was well established before departure, but the small screen and limited types of maps available seemed restrictive for spur of the moment route alteration and exploration by truck or motorcycle. We still carry InReach for text (when out of cell coverage) and SOS (never used so far but it is comforting) but run Gaia on two iPads and two iPhones for navigation and general mapping. We actually travel with two InReach devices because we're often out of cell coverage and I'll take a long point to point backpack, bikepack or packraft trip and am able to remain in communication via text with my wife to coordinate being picked up, etc.

Howard Snell
 

hmotorsports

New member
Thanks @Howard70 ! Sounds like I might have to make an investment in the ipad for the Jeep with GPS from the inReach. Then use the inReach and mobile phone combo for hiking...both running GAIA. Do you have any issues when hiking using the phone/gaia setup?
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Seems like the closest single device solution would be a Garmin GPSMAP 66i. It should be better as far as maps and navigation than the InReach Explorers. It derives from the actual handheld GPS receiver lineage with two-way satellite added rather than the other way with the previous devices. If you've used a Garmin hiking handheld before the 66i seems similar to me in the store anyway.

 

pluton

Adventurer
Look at the GPSMap 66i and decide if you can live with that screen. Only because it's small...compared to modern smartphones. The overall unit has the features you want.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Look at the GPSMap 66i and decide if you can live with that screen. Only because it's small...compared to modern smartphones. The overall unit has the features you want.
The 66i comes from the traditional Garmin handheld lineage so it's got physical buttons which just means the screen being 3" diagonally actually seems more like a smart phone since your fingers aren't covering half of it touching virtual buttons. To me, just a personal thing, I prefer the buttons because it's no harder (nor easier indeed) to use with gloves on.

But it also interfaces to a smart phone so if that's a more natural interface (such as composing InReach messages) it can do it.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,539
Messages
2,875,661
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top