Do you use Garmin or equivalent to navigate new trails?

[RebornRider]

I like getting new toys as much as the next guy, so I'm currently trying to justify a Garmin 530/830 (or similar). My strongest justification is that it could help me navigate new trails in unfamiliar territory. I am imagining that I would program in a trail I want to try from a source like Trailforks, then use turn-by-turn navigation to keep me on the trail I picked. So, here is my question:

Do you use a handlebar GPS to navigate new trails?

Or do you prefer to explore without relying on GPS navigation?

Special request: This is not meant to become a "Garmin vs. Whatever" thread or a "530 vs. 830" thread.

 

[Aikone]

Even on my doorstep I’m constantly using my Garmin 945 to navigate to new trails, mostly found through Strava heatmaps, OS maps & Komoot.

 

[Howz]

If I see a trail i don’t know on strava that I’d like to do, I download it and navigate with the Garmin, I originally had a Garmin 520 plus and changed it for the larger Garmin 1000, found this to be too large so went back to the 520 plus.

 

[Ogofmole]

I use a garmin GPS on my handlebars with OS maps installed.

 

[Gary]

Firmly in the second camp of preferring not to bother with GPS navigation at all.
Despite Having had a garmin 800 for many years then a couple of 530s and now an 830 I have NEVER used any of them to navigate trails off road.

 

[Pdoz]

I have a strong preference for getting as lost as humanly possible then pulling out the gps to see if I can get more lost on my way back. . Admittedly this results in me back tracking a fair bit ....bonus second run?

Oh, and leave trailforks / strava / google location services et al OFF - Most of the best trails I've ridden don't exist on any mapping app, and probably shouldn't. A couple of decades ago the local single line motorbike complex got mapped - weekend warriors destroyed it within months. Those trails were decades old.

 

[B1rdie]

I gave up trying to navigate trails on unknown territory using garmin many years ago. Used to do it with an 810. Then, started using it only to record rides and monitor heart rate, but since I started using an apple watch the garmin 810 now is useless to me.

 

[GMLS]

Have a look at the Karoo Hammerhead 2. It's the best device I've found for off road use by far

 

[RebornRider]

I gave up trying to navigate trails on unknown territory using garmin many years ago. Used to do it with an 810. Then, started using it only to record rides and monitor heart rate, but since I started using an apple watch the garmin 810 now is useless to me.

Have a look at the Karoo Hammerhead 2. It's the best device I've found for off road use by far

Are you guys using your GPS devices (Apple watch, Karoo Hammerhead) to navigate unfamiliar trails? I'm wondering how many riders do that.

 

[Ogofmole]

I use mine to track where I have been when downloaded to memorymap on PC. But can also help in poor vis up on the mountains to work out where you are.

 

[Mcharza]

I'm usually use Trailforks trails downloaded to Garmin device. Or Komoot trails.
Both are working nice on your Garmin device.

 

[iXi]

I've usually got a rough idea where I'm going and if it's a new area I check my garmin watch to check where I've been and where I want to go. I can live without it but it's nice to have

 

[GMLS]

Are you guys using your GPS devices (Apple watch, Karoo Hammerhead) to navigate unfamiliar trails? I'm wondering how many riders do that.

Yes.I either download routes used by others or make up my own on the pc and download to the device

 

[RustyIron]

I like to use Gaia app. It takes a little forethought, though. You need to find a gpx file for the intended route, then download the topo maps for the region. You can also create your own route, then follow that, but I've never needed to do that. Mostly, it's handy to just see the topo map, so I can figure out where I really am.

 

[GrahamPaul]

Do you use a handlebar GPS to navigate new trails?

Regularly. This country is too big and wild to rely on taking a chance - which is a good way to drop off a cliff (or take a shortcut across a fighting bull farm...)

 

[VWsurfbum]

I also use a Garmin to navigate trails, used to either follow other trails that looked good or created my own via the Garmin connect app on the PC or Komoot depending on what it is I'm doing.
I found that the Garmin Edge explore does all I need it to do, no need to spend mega bucks.

 

[Cavi]

use a Garmin 1030, I like the larger screen over the 530

 

[ottoshape]

No GPS to see where I'm going. Only really use it to see how to get back home or back to the parked vehicle.

 

[B1rdie]

Are you guys using your GPS devices (Apple watch, Karoo Hammerhead) to navigate unfamiliar trails? I'm wondering how many riders do that.

No, usually the trails on a trailcenter/bikepark will be well signalized or will be so close and with so many intersections that the garmin will not be helpfull to tell you wich is wich, like as if you would decide to go left or right by looking at the screen.
Now, for navigating wilderness I would choose a map instead of a gps if I could take only one.
As the 810 are light and small, I take it on the backpack, just in case.

 

[Kingerz]

Trailforks or Gaia on a phone.

 

[Growmac]

I use Komoot to plan routes, with VIewranger OS maps open to check a 'real' map. Once it's done I can just pull the route up on my Edge 530 and follow along. Use it for new routes and it works fine as long as you have a phone to check once in a while when the tiny map on the tiny screen just isn't enough.

 

[Neverbeentomoab]

I often transfer routes from the strava link on trail finder’s you tube channel onto my garmin 520+ and follow that. Works really well.

 

[stressballsteve]

Have a look at the Karoo Hammerhead 2. It's the best device I've found for off road use by far

+1 for the Karoo. I use it to help me find my way around new areas

 

[Waynemarlow]

Despite Having had a garmin 800 for many years then a couple of 530s and now an 830 I have NEVER used any of them to navigate trails off road.

To be fair Gary, do you actually ever ride off road

Starting to find different requirements between Eebs and Mtb’s as far as GPS requirements go. With your Mtb you tend to stay local and stay on trails that you have built up a network of over a number of years. You can almost do without a GPS.

Now with the Eeb I’m finding that I trail find much further out from my normal trails, which means a much bigger radius from home and thus a much larger area. The GPS together with a quick scan before setting off of a map, sort of gives a general heading and route, which you can update as you go along with a few quick scans of the screen. Certainly I have found very good riding in areas just outside of my normal range this way.

Then you can go to the extreme such as a riding buddy, who pours over Google maps and a dozen others, builds a gpx route, downloads it and off we go.

Finding my Garmin Explore to be very good, relatively cheap compared to the top end Garmins but seems to have all the basics.

 

[Gary]

What was your maximum radius from home before battery assistance Wayne?
I'm guessing within earshot of your mum shouting "IIIIIIIT'S DINNER TIIIIME WAAAAYNE!"

 

[Waynemarlow]

What was your maximum radius from home before battery assistance Wayne?
I'm guessing within earshot of your mum shouting "IIIIIIIT'S DINNER TIIIIME WAAAAYNE!"

Actually she used to have an unusual call for dinner, the range further than you would think.

 

[RebornRider]

OP here - thank you for all the replies! The thing that made the decision for me was finding the Garmin 830 for US$302.66 including shipping. This is by far the lowest price I've seen since the 830 came out. It was delivered a few minutes ago, so now it's time to find some new trails.

 

[Mountainebiker]

We love the Garmin (actually we find some of its functions slightly annoying as they are not always intuitive and just occasionally, for unknown reasons, it won't connect to the phone app) but once the trails are downloaded and set up they are so easy to follow. We use trailforks on the Garmin a lot (with mixed success in terms of quality of ride... but always a good starting point in a new area to know that a trail is probably rideable and not going to get you into major hike-a-bike trails) and it's so much better using that on the Garmin than on the phone.

 

[BBear]

I generally prefer to follow my nose, but I do have the back up of the OS app on the phone - which is brilliant provided you have 4G coverage. Always take paper OS maps if in the remoter hills.