P500 I'm looking for GPS with Topographic Maps

[JACKAL]

I looked into this.... They don't cover my corner of the world. Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

You can add anything you want to it. My go to spot for free topos is https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBhAD&usg=AOvVaw0xbduxDB_pjGLcQ315LRmo . just search by your states and see what's available.

 

[Admin]

 

[pFive]

I bought a Lowrance Elite-7TI. It has both land and water features. It's waterproof and touchscreen.
View attachment 92215 View attachment 92216

I have been curious about those, A buddy has a Lowrance fish finder looking thing with a different chip with land mapping? It's older but has large screen. mounted on his on his ATV front rack. he has ran it for for years and has made a lot of maps with it and swears by it, but I know little about them.

 

[tjoreo]

Does anyone use Avenza?

I have been using the Avenza on my tablet and it works pretty well. There are tons of free maps available but you do have to download each one separately. The forest service around here is actually pushing you to use the app instead of paper copies of there yearly travel plans. I like it because the gps in the tablet will pinpoint where your at and follow you where every you go. The bigger screen of the tablet is very nice.

 

[16p500]

I have been curious about those, A buddy has a Lowrance fish finder looking thing with a different chip with land mapping? It's older but has large screen. mounted on his on his ATV front rack. he has ran it for for years and has made a lot of maps with it and swears by it, but I know little about them.

Lowrance does has offroad mapping available for purchase, however I usually just make my own using the unit. You can record your trails and save them. It works great for what I needed. You can also load your own maps to a sd card and put it in the unit.

 

[pFive]

Lowrance does has offroad mapping available for purchase, however I usually just make my own using the unit. You can record your trails and save them. It works great for what I needed. You can also load your own maps to a sd card and put it in the unit.

What file type/extension do they use?

 

[16p500]

What file type/extension do they use?

Usr.

 

[JCart]

I have an iPad 3 Mini in a life proof case and when I need greater GPS accuracy run a blue tooth antenna call Duo Sky Pro. Nice thing with Sky Pro antenna it uses the USA and Russian constellations of satellites so in effect twice the number of satellites or more. Increases accuracy especially in thick crown (tree) cover or steep valleys. I use both for work and play, both are very compact. Use Avenza maps almost everyday for work and it’s a great product, don’t need cell service once maps are loaded. I primarily use custom PDF georeferenced maps. Also use Hunt Buddy as it has all the provincial hunting regulations and is designed for hunting in B.C. Canada. Maps.me is another mapping utility I use and this one you don’t need wifi/cell to work, primarily use this one for vacationing outside Canada. Also use google earth went in cell service. Not used my Garmin for year... and in terms of on the water pretty sure there will be a blue tooth depth sounder that will work with iPad and with Sky Pro you’d have a pretty robust mapping system.
Cheers,
j

 

[pFive]

Usr.

So, I wonder if you could use GPSBabbel to convert popular shared files into usr?

 

[16p500]

So, I wonder if you could use GPSBabbel to convert popular shared files into usr?

According to GPSbabel.org, yes you can. Although I have not personally tried it yet.

 

[ctom99]

I have used Garmin products in my cars for more than a decade and would like one for my P500.
All I can find are small handheld units. I would like a larger screen, perhaps 5 or 6 inches that can be firmly mounted.
I think that I will have to go with a different brand.
If I could find a unit that I can also load with marine charts for the Great Lakes it would be a bonus. I do not need a depth/ fish finder.
Please note that I live in Ontario Canada. I probably will not have any use for USA maps and charts.
Price will be a consideration but not the major factor. This $11,000 machine has already cost me a lot more and I expect even more outlay in the future.
I look forward to any recommendations you have.

You might consider Garmin's GPSMAP 276Cx. This unit appears to meet your criteria. It has a 5" screen and will accept Garmin's topo maps / driving maps/ marine charts. RAM & Garmin brand mounts are available for it.

 

[tomcj2]

This unit appears to meet your criteria. .

Thanks! I like everything about it except for the price, but I will probably buy it anyway.
I can find very few reviews. Does anybody here have any experience with it?
My wife has not yet seen my avatar. I think I better change it before she does.

 

[ctom99]

Thanks! I like everything about it except for the price, but I will probably buy it anyway.
I can find very few reviews. Does anybody here have any experience with it?
My wife has not yet seen my avatar. I think I better change it before she does.

If you're wanting to save a few bucks, I've had good luck in buying factory-refurbished Garmin GPS units from GPS City. As a rule, I hardly ever pay for add-on warranties, but I've found that the 2 year warranty extensions that GPS City offers are legitimate, and well worth the money. I very recently replaced my old Garmin GPS (that was still usable, but had developed scratchy speech after almost 3 years use) with an current refurbished unit at a very large discount. If you were to go this same route, the cost of the refurbished GPSMap 276CX with 3 years of warranty would be $517.50

 

[tomcj2]

I've had good luck in buying factory-refurbished Garmin GPS units

I always buy factory-refurbished if available. Some technician has turned them on and knows they work unlike "factory-new" units that just roll off an assembly line and have a high failure rate.

 

[snakeriver]

OK this is a little late but I have been using a 7 day free trial on an app called ONX Maps, and am happy with it so I just purchased it. It is usable on a cell phone, tablet, a home computer, or it even has chips to go into Garmin GPS units. The app has topographical maps, satellite, or a highbred version of the two. By down loading maps of where you are going it will even function where and when there is no service. It has a lot of overlays such as GMU hunting units, land owners, government and free to use lands as well as many more. I have not done it yet but the app claims that you can print out maps at home. This app will also let you set way points and save them. The information is updated annually for each state. You have the option of buying one stat at $29.95, or the entire US for $99.95. This app is used by hunters in the Washington and Idaho area that I live in and I can't find anyone so far that dislikes it. Check it out it may be what you are looking for.

 

[tomcj2]

Check it out it may be what you are looking for.

Thanks for the suggestion but it doesn't appear to offer any Canadian data. I looked into all of the suggested apps but finally decided to bite the bullet and ordered Garmin's GPSMAP 276Cx. I'm just waiting for Canada Post to settle their labour dispute so they can deliver it.

 

[snakeriver]

Thanks for the suggestion but it doesn't appear to offer any Canadian data. I looked into all of the suggested apps but finally decided to bite the bullet and ordered Garmin's GPSMAP 276Cx. I'm just waiting for Canada Post to settle their labour dispute so they can deliver it.

Let us know how it comes out.

 

[Mudder]

OK this is a little late but I have been using a 7 day free trial on an app called ONX Maps, and am happy with it so I just purchased it. It is usable on a cell phone, tablet, a home computer, or it even has chips to go into Garmin GPS units. The app has topographical maps, satellite, or a highbred version of the two. By down loading maps of where you are going it will even function where and when there is no service. It has a lot of overlays such as GMU hunting units, land owners, government and free to use lands as well as many more. I have not done it yet but the app claims that you can print out maps at home. This app will also let you set way points and save them. The information is updated annually for each state. You have the option of buying one stat at $29.95, or the entire US for $99.95. This app is used by hunters in the Washington and Idaho area that I live in and I can't find anyone so far that dislikes it. Check it out it may be what you are looking for.

Think it show live locations with Ipad without gps and without cell service? Don’t know what these apps use for tracking, but has to be gps equpped??

 

[snakeriver]

I have used mine without cell service on my cell phone. You simply download a map into a offline folder, put the app into the offline mode, and your cell phone into airplane mode and it will tack very well. All of the overlays that you add to the map are there. I have not tried a tablet as I am still debating on whether I want to buy one or not. You can go to the companies web site and download the app for a no charge 7 day trial. I would say that is the best thing for anyone interested in the app just to make sure that it fits their needs.

 

[snakeriver]

OK I just got an answer from the ONX folks, and the devise that is used must have an internal GPS for no service tracking.

 

[ctom99]

Let us know how it comes out.

TomCJ2, would you mind posting photos of your installed Garmin gpsMap 276Cx? I'm thinking about buying this same unit for my P500, and would like to hear your initial thoughts on the unit and see how you decided to mount it. Thanks!