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bryanmichaelmeyer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 11-10-2014
Location: Los Osos, CA
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What GPS do you use off road in Baja?
This past February I was on a surf trip throughout the 7 Sisters and became somewhat disoriented during a search for a particular point break due to
my maps not showing the dirt roads. I ended up flagging down a motorcyclist who had a Garmin to become oriented. The Garmin view of the dirt roads in
the area were amazing and I was bummed I did not have one at that point. As many of you know this stretch of land is not conducive to taking a few
wrong turns without a ton of fuel on hand. I am sold on getting a GPS before our Thanksgiving trip and recently bought the Baja Almanac for backup.
So, what GPS's do y'all use for off roading in Baja? I am looking at a Montana 680t based on the two main differentiators compared to the 680.
thanks-Bryan
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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$500?
Keep the ocean to the southwest and you cant go wrong. Sorry, i cant help with a gps. Save your money and use the almanac. There are only so many
roads, right?
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2318
Registered: 10-17-2013
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I'm a big fan of Lowrance - most commonly used on boats. Good Baja maps and easy to import and export data (eg routes, waypoints, etc.). Distance
rings are helpful in the back country for judging, uh, distance.
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bryanmichaelmeyer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 11-10-2014
Location: Los Osos, CA
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With limited gas I was just not comfy proceeding and I was blown away by the motorcyclists view on his GPS. It had all the roads i was looking for.
$500 is better than being stuck in the desert in my opinion and i really like being able to use it on my road trips in the usa. Often finding detailed
forest maps is difficult. The Almanac is good a from what i can see. Also, my parents bought me an inReach that will tell me my coordinates so I can
triangulate my location with the Almanac's provided coordinates.
[Edited on 7-18-2016 by bryanmichaelmeyer]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I have a Garmin eTrex 20 handheld and a NUVI-52LM that mounts on my truck dash. They both are loaded with the CartoGrafia E32 Mexico maps. I prefer
the NUVI with it's larger screen. I seldom use the handheld except to take a GPS reading when on foot.
The eTrex 20 I bought new from Garmion.
The NUVI-52LM I bought on ebay for about $75.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Mood: Weary
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Garmin ETREX about 80 bucks, and an Alamanac cant go wrong
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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I recently got the LeadNav app for my iPhone. It's $20 and works great out in the boonies of Baja with no cel service. The app and a Baja Almanac
would keep you pretty dialed in for cheap.
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bryanmichaelmeyer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 11-10-2014
Location: Los Osos, CA
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff  | | I recently got the LeadNav app for my iPhone. It's $20 and works great out in the boonies of Baja with no cel service. The app and a Baja Almanac
would keep you pretty dialed in for cheap. |
Thanks Geoff! That app looks awesome-I will try it out. Cheap is good and leaves me money to renew my BajaBound insurance  I think we met in San Carlos last Sept. when you were on a trip with a bunch of Moto
guys.
[Edited on 7-18-2016 by bryanmichaelmeyer]
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Oh right on Bryan! Yes that was me.....there were some fun waves on that trip!
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10105
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Have had many Garmins on the boat over the years. They are absolute garbage compared to running the Navonics app on your phone or tablet. The app is
so much bigger, brighter, and much, much easier to use.
Same for land, use your phone with an app. Much better, bigger screen than a single purpose GPS. Spend the money to get a good phone like a Samsung
Note 5 or iPhone 6+. Samsung is a good bit better than iPhones fwiw.
[Edited on 7-18-2016 by JZ]
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BooJumMan
Senior Nomad
Posts: 891
Registered: 8-11-2007
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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GPS's ruined Baja!
In that pre-Google Earth and social media epoch, The Code was adhered to. It was based on a simple verity: if a locale had been transformational for
you, and you had put the hard yards in to get there and to learn it, to know it, why in god�s name would you broadcast the news, thus ruining the
future experience not only for yourself, but for future adventurers?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64746
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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No they didn't... good roads did!
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3060
Registered: 5-21-2013
Member Is Offline
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Chose a GPS for your needs. If you want to make tracks to share. Or do you just want to make waypoints. Or do you just want a pretty map with your
place on the map.
Of course you can share waypoints and tracks with any, but with tracks every GPS uses a different format which means you have to depend on your
computer in order to share with your friends.
Now days you can put Google earth on some GPS's if you like that kind of picture.
A GPS does not come with a background map so are you interested in turn x turn to find your way in the cities like modern autos have with their OEM
navigation system. Or do you just want to find an follow the mostly back country roads. Or are you an race oriented guy like myself and Stuck.
Garmin sells entry level units that have no map capability for a ridiculous low price. I have many Lowrance units and am happy with them all. I have
found good maps for them.
I also have several Garmin's and I have the low end and the high end. The high end has the same maps as my Lowrance. And the low end has nothing. I
use my low end unit daily as part of my fitness program. It gives me speed, time and distance which is all I need (It is an etrex).
Prices - High end Garmin Montana makes track, waypoints and can be loaded with excellent maps. Expect to pay 500-600+ with the accessories not
including the maps.
Prices for the Lowrance high end start at 500 for a typical 7" unit, but come with all you need except maps. Lowrance is difficult because you might
get a marine unit and be very frustrated. They sell land units, but are very hard to find. Example - look at a Trophy 5M Baja which sells for 399. And
buy Murdocknav maps for around 80.
For the average guy I recommend the Montana in spite of the high cost.
If you want something simple that has good map capability, then get a tablet and start accessorizing it. It will still work as a tablet, so its dual
purpose and it is much easier to justify the expense. The main issue will be track sharing due to format differences.
Most important of all, bigger is best. Now days I prefer my 7" Lowrance for very ease of viewing in my rig.
For a newbie choosing a GPS is a pretty daunting task. Just like buying a computer the first time.
Regardless before you buy signup to a forum for the brand you prefer and start reading and asking questions.
BTW, I nave some pretty neat maps on my phone. an I can find my way in a pinch. Iphone or android availability. Hard to live with the small screen.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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if the guy can't plan his fuel burn i doubt a gps will help!
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bryanmichaelmeyer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 11-10-2014
Location: Los Osos, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by PaulW | Chose a GPS for your needs. If you want to make tracks to share. Or do you just want to make waypoints. Or do you just want a pretty map with your
place on the map.
Of course you can share waypoints and tracks with any, but with tracks every GPS uses a different format which means you have to depend on your
computer in order to share with your friends.
Now days you can put Google earth on some GPS's if you like that kind of picture.
A GPS does not come with a background map so are you interested in turn x turn to find your way in the cities like modern autos have with their OEM
navigation system. Or do you just want to find an follow the mostly back country roads. Or are you an race oriented guy like myself and Stuck.
Garmin sells entry level units that have no map capability for a ridiculous low price. I have many Lowrance units and am happy with them all. I have
found good maps for them.
I also have several Garmin's and I have the low end and the high end. The high end has the same maps as my Lowrance. And the low end has nothing. I
use my low end unit daily as part of my fitness program. It gives me speed, time and distance which is all I need (It is an etrex).
Prices - High end Garmin Montana makes track, waypoints and can be loaded with excellent maps. Expect to pay 500-600+ with the accessories not
including the maps.
Prices for the Lowrance high end start at 500 for a typical 7" unit, but come with all you need except maps. Lowrance is difficult because you might
get a marine unit and be very frustrated. They sell land units, but are very hard to find. Example - look at a Trophy 5M Baja which sells for 399. And
buy Murdocknav maps for around 80.
For the average guy I recommend the Montana in spite of the high cost.
If you want something simple that has good map capability, then get a tablet and start accessorizing it. It will still work as a tablet, so its dual
purpose and it is much easier to justify the expense. The main issue will be track sharing due to format differences.
Most important of all, bigger is best. Now days I prefer my 7" Lowrance for very ease of viewing in my rig.
For a newbie choosing a GPS is a pretty daunting task. Just like buying a computer the first time.
Regardless before you buy signup to a forum for the brand you prefer and start reading and asking questions.
BTW, I nave some pretty neat maps on my phone. an I can find my way in a pinch. Iphone or android availability. Hard to live with the small screen.
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thanks Paul for the help and and positive contributions to my search... You nailed it with the points above as to why I am looking at the Montana
680t. I'll check out the Lawrence land units and sign up for some forums.
Cheers,
Bryan
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18115
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by bryanmichaelmeyer | This past February I was on a surf trip throughout the 7 Sisters and became somewhat disoriented during a search for a particular point break due to
my maps not showing the dirt roads. I ended up flagging down a motorcyclist who had a Garmin to become oriented. The Garmin view of the dirt roads in
the area were amazing and I was bummed I did not have one at that point. As many of you know this stretch of land is not conducive to taking a few
wrong turns without a ton of fuel on hand. I am sold on getting a GPS before our Thanksgiving trip and recently bought the Baja Almanac for backup.
So, what GPS's do y'all use for off roading in Baja? I am looking at a Montana 680t based on the two main differentiators compared to the 680.
thanks-Bryan
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For 7 sisters, just use a paper map (eg atlas). GPS is a poor substitute for a real topo map, especially in that area.
Anywho, I only use GPS phone navigation app in cities. Out in the boonies the paper maps are way more useful.
[Edited on 7-19-2016 by mtgoat666]
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3060
Registered: 5-21-2013
Member Is Offline
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Paper maps are off topic, however:
Good comment when I am in the backcountry in Baja the minimum paper map is the Almanac. Sometimes I print images from the INEGI topos where I am
going. Yup even with the Murdocknav maps I still need paper in some places.
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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The montana with the E32 maps will show you just about every road.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
Member Is Offline
Mood: Weary
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Why go and drive Baja's back roads without getting lost? Whats the point?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64746
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Don't forget to look over Google Earth of areas you have an interest in. You can see any and roads from space, print out the image, pencil in mileages
(using Google Path) and note GPS points (using the mouse/cursor).
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