Tablet / GPS advice

[Java]

I'm interested in buying a tablet to use primarily for GPS offroad, mapping waypoints and tracking my routes, taking photos and video- atleast 1080 video- also basic phone / wifi, and I have some questions:


What tablet would you buy?

7", 8", 10"?

Backcountry Navigator or Gaia?

Vehicle mounting? (Jeep LJ, Nissan Xterra 2nd gen)


just FYI, here's a good article about using a tablet for GPS http://expeditionportal.com/overland-navigation-new-opportunities-with-tablets/

[Tom]

Backcountry Navigator or Gaia? PDFMaps (Avenza.com) loads MVUMs into the gps.
IMO 7 inch is plenty. I am using my cell phones gps 3x5.
Haven't stayed up to date with current tablet features though so no brand info to recommend.

[Chris]

I used to use a tablet but I found the best GPS for off-road is (surprise, surprise) a GPS!

[ExplorerTom]

I have an iPad with a Ram mount running Avenza PDFmaps and maps.me connected to satellite via a Bad Elf GPS antenna via Bluetooth. The Bad Elf is capable of recording tracks but I don't use that feature.

It works. I had the iPad before I started using it for GPS.

.gpx tracks can be front loaded via maps.me on the computer before transferring to the iPad. PDFmaps also has a storefront connected to it with various free and pay maps for given areas.

[Chris]

I used to use an iPad 1 wi-fi - cellular before getting the GPS. I still have it and take it on trips since I can use the cellular for web/e-mail too. MotionX has a nice app for off-road for the iPad that also allows for uploading .gpx files.

Tell me about the quality of Bad Elf Tom, I have a new iPad w/o cellular and am considering Bad Elf for traveling.

[ExplorerTom]

I am very happy with the Bad Elf. Satellite lock is strong and I haven't run into a location where I didn't have signal- canyons near Moab, thick tree cover........it might drop out going through Eisenhower but I'm not too concerned about getting off track there.

You can link several devices at the same time via Bluetooth. It charges via a USB so I can charge it off an outlet in the dash. Battery life is good. I can easily get a day wheeling trip out of a charge- for a multi-day I need to make sure I have the cord.

The Bad Elf itself doesn't have any maps. The app for it just displays heading, speed, altitude and a couple other. The iPad/iPhone just uses the Bad Elf's MUCH stronger GPS signal than your cellular device can achieve and uses that to display where you are on whatever offline mapping app you choose to use. The MVUM rarely shows me off trail- I think Chinaman Gulch had me in the creek when I was clearly on the trail.

I dont know know it this is an app issue or a Bad Elf thing (probably app) but if the battery on the Bad Elf does die, the blue dot on the map is still displayed. I'd prefer for the dot to go away if there's no GPS signal.

For the most part, I turn it on and the Bluetooth magic happens between devices. I put the Bad Elf in the cubby below the dash and don't touch it again until I turn it off.

I havent used MotionX much. It looks like a great tool but I haven't figured out how to properly use it I guess. The maps.me app I'm pretty happy with. You need to download the states (or countries) you're intending on traveling through ahead of time (similar to MotinX). The point-to-point navigation on the road is good but I haven't figured out the estimated time of arrival- it's always significantly off. I'm guessing the map doesn't have speed limit information and/or I've accumulated an "average speed" (which would be mostly offroad) and uses that.

[Chris]

Interesting, I was reading about it recently and think it may suit my needs when traveling. I'm a bit confused though, I thought it plugged in to the iPad lightning connector and the power plugged into the Bad Elf for charging. I'm guessing there are a couple options from what you're saying. I don't really care for the app since I have plenty of those already. The strong signal is a plus for sure.

MotionX isn't very intuitive but you can download maps for whatever area you want and load the gpx files - I have a bunch and CO & Utah maps. Once you understand it you'll probably like it since you can get gpx files to go with Wells books, Trail Damage gpx files, etc. There used to be a on road version but they dropped that since there are so many other ones.

I'll have to give it some thought and check out along with maps.me.

[96EXXLTinCO]

I know what you're getting at Paul. Most of the other contributors have iOS and use Gaia, which is also available for android, but I wasn't too interested in a $20 app. I use my Galaxy note4 phone with an app call mytrails that Sean showed me. The pro version of it is only a couple bucks and you can upload and then download GPX tracks across different devices. It also gives you all the other info you need for the site, max altitude, total duration and moving duration, distance traveld etc. It records tracks easily as long as I remember to keep my phone on the dash. You can add in waypoints while recording, but I have found that they don't necessarily upload into our other site in the right order so I end up deleting all waypoints on the site directly and loading them in manually right on the site. I haven't had a chance to mess around with it and see if I could figure out the issue there, most likely it's a coding thing with the site though. The only problem I run into with recording tracks with my phone, is that it takes the best pictures of anything I have as well and more often than not I end up hiking around a bit taking some pics and whatnot and forget to pause the recording so I end up with a really funny looking track. I then have to load it into a GPX editor and remove those areas where I was walking around. I haven't ran a trail in a while now, but I also have a Asus 7" tablet and older android phone that I plan to try recording tracks on so I can use my phone for pics and MVUM's only. Unless I can just remember to pause the dang track whenever I stop!! I can show you the app tomorrow night if you like, I have all my tracks on my phone, plus the MVUM's on PDF maps if you're not already using those. More than once those things have been a lifesaver and they run on GPS satellites only so no cell signal needed and as Tom said it's pretty accurate and has kept me off of a lot of private land, or at least land that's not included in the MVUM for the trail I'm on. As for video, I don't have any way of taking trail vids just yet, but I plan on getting a designated action camera for that.

[Java]

I'd like to see it, thanks, Chad!!

[fredrok]

iPad 3 w cellular (not activated but contains on board GPS) mounted with a Ram mount. PDF maps with MVUMs downloaded and custom .kmz files so co-located position on the maps. Control/stream my music from the ipad via Bluetooth to the rig and control the GoPro via wifi. I've NEVER lost a GPS signal with it - no external antenna. Though I've seen the Bad Elf get good reviews for those without the built in GPS. Problem is that it has been known to get bricked after an iOS update - then fixed later.

[Brad]

With my new vehicle purchase I decided I wanted a dedicated in rig tablet that can perform all my diagnostic needs and perhaps run some other nav friendly apps. Bought a hp stream 7. Still love my iPad 2 with gps but this is nice and small. And as it turns out I needed a windows based tablet to run my Land Rover diagnostic tools. I still have a Gsat receiver from my laptop nav days and I'm hoping to sync it up and try some different nav options. I will keep you posted!

[Java]

looking at this one http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-10-Inch-Tablet-Navy-Blue/dp/B00TR05L9Y/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_i

to run Backcountry navigator most likely

[Java]

So for what I need the Garmin VIRB Elite is the winner. It will also let me move my gopro to the back of the Jeep. :thumb:

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-trail/action-cameras/virb-elite/prod119594.html

[Hypoid]

Paul, thanks for starting this thread. You have me looking at a hand-me-down tablet that Jr. gave to me.

Now, I have to see what GPS apps I can find for Android 4.0.3. :)

[96EXXLTinCO]

Give mytrails a try Mike. Sean and I both use that, pretty versatile so you can use it however you like. Pretty good for a free app I think.

[Hypoid]

Thanks Chad! I still have to get acquainted with this new-to-me technology, even if it is an antique. :)

[Java]

I still have to upgrade my phone, I have a 9 year old flip phone that I still use for calls and an adroid something or other that I only use as a gopro remote and is so old it can't be upgraded. I'm not really into that stuff, it's just a phone to me, so I've had to spend some time reading up to catch up, and realized the tablet was not my best option. For making GPS tracks and trail videos the Garmin VIRB Elite is the better choice, but for following tracks I still need something. I'm probably just going to get a cheap 7 or 8" tablet and run one of the free GPS apps on it, keep using my old phone as phone but I'll put the google phone app on the tablet too. We loaded GPS app to my wife's Galaxy S6 and it's pretty cool, can't remember the name of it offhand but there were a few of them to choose from.

[Java]

Finally pulled the trigger on the garmin, found a great deal at $170.00 to the door. They have 3 left: http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Virb-Elite-Camera-Dark/dp/B00J9PRRAS/ref=sr_1_1?m=A316338Z3WYT8M&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1451580612&sr=1-1&keywords=garmin

and the really sweet deal is the same camera without the GPS. Garmin discontinued it and they're selling out the stock. Best deal in action cameras, IMO, $98.00 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EOHUVV8/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=

[Cr33p3r]

I leave my 10.2" Galaxy tablet home and take the 7" Galaxy Tab4 (limited space in the JK) and use the app MyTrails. It works pretty good overall, does have a hiccup once in awhile but it has a lot of functions ie. topo, satellite, waypoints, points of interest, tracking, plotting and labeling. If you decide to go with a GPS unit I have my color Lowrance that is loaded with trail/topo maps we could work out a stellar deal on.

[Hypoid]

take the 7" Galaxy Tab4 (limited space in the JK)What mounting system does it use? I have not looked too hard yet, but my tab is a 7" and I have not seen any mounts that I like.

[dieseldoc]

The garmmi. Elite looks to be a great unit....
But the XE...seems to have all the stuff in one unit. It has the GPS and suck in it and can overlay it.
Bigger cammera and holly cow water proff to 50meters! So bumper mountable for trail runs with water crossings....
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/action-cameras/virb-xe/prod165499.html

[Java]

The elite shoots in 16mp, the XE 12, for whatever reason. I need to shoot good video and create a track so the elite does what I need better. The elite is the right choice for me, but that's just me.

[Java]

Got a first test video done with the VIRB and a mechanical rotation rig I just bought. It's for making trail videos for trailsoffroad.com, if anyone is interested it's a great new guide site. I screwed up the rotations by starting them all in the wrong direction so they're chopped up, but the general idea is a look around at each significant waypoint. It will be mounted on top of my Jeep in actual practice, but the Jeep is in pieces so we used my wife's car for the test. It's the road that goes from White Ranch Park to Golden Gate Canyon State Park, just used it for a tech-test. Today I'm trying out a slider and a jib...


https://vimeo.com/152854212

[Hypoid]

That is slick!

For the people who already use tablets, do you mount the screen portrait or landscape?

[Tom]

Landscape, but thats because the software I used puts various controls on the left and right. Landscape leaves more map exposed

[dieseldoc]

Just saw a nice little unit at Costco. Hundred bucks comes with an 8g memory card.
And the mount too....
Might check into it as the return polices are still good with Costco if it should fail...

[Java]

Just got this $69.00 phablet https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0131LEP0A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and am considering this $59.99 app. Something is wrong about that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=850a3FaT3R0&feature=youtu.be

[Chris]

$59.99 for an app is just crazy especially when you can go to their site and download all their .GPX files to use with a .99¢ app.

[ExplorerTom]

Or download the .gpx files from Traildamage.com or trailsoffroad.com

but, it's your money.

[Java]

:lmao:

[Brian]

I need to get smarted on this stuff, and junk.

[Chris]

Nah, just use a good GPS.

[96EXXLTinCO]

Just got this $69.00 phablet

Let me know what you think of that tablet, that's a good price and I need a 7". I currently have a google nexus 7" but it's so ridiculously slow I can't stand to use it.

When I'm on trial, I'll use mytrails to record tracks, and use the PDF maps app to load up MVUM's. As long as your phone/tablet has GPS it will show you right where you are on the trail. Those have saved me from (potentially) being off trail. I don't take the chance, if it's not on the MVUM, I don't go on it.

[Java]

I just upgraded from the sweet flip phone below, and I chose the new one largely based on all of the 5 star reviews. In the box I got an offer for a free case if I left a 5 star review... Believe me when I say I know nothing and have no idea if it's good or not, but so far it is an upgrade. :) I'm running GPS, gopro and virb apps so far, and a cool Spirit Level app. It took my old sim card and a 32gb mini card, all the apps work, texting and calls are good. I'm happy.


http://prepaidmobilephonereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/T-Mobile-Sparq2.jpg