GPS for trail riding recomendations
 

Did some serious trail riding last summer with my UTV and soon realized how poorly the trails are marked. So I see I need to invest in some type of GPS unit to find my way around easier. Now I am no computer wiz by any means, and I don't own a smart phone, my phone is for dummies and it is still smarter than I am. I know just enough about a computer to get myself into trouble. So.....what kind or type of GPS or trail tracking system should I get that is very easy to use and where to I go to learn how to use it?? I have ask around here and they go off on a bunch of technical lingo that I do not understand and then talk about highway use....not looking for highway use, already have that in my car. Also have a GPS unit in my boat, but that only shows a track line and marks waypoints so that would be difficult on a trail unless I was to follow my same way back. Looking for something that can show a trail like a road to follow. Anyone want to educate this old man as to what would be best for me? Thanks in advance for your help

All I can tell you is that Garmin is good and someone else can recommend a model. Also RAM Mounts are really good and they make mounts for specific models in 10 different brands. For example they have 3 pages to choose from just for Garmin brand. https://www.rammount.com/device/gps-mounts

I had a Garmin Nuvi 500 that lasted well over 10 years of brutal New England trail riding. Finally died last year just after our Utah trip. New quad came with a Garmin Montana 680t. I'm a big fan of topographic maps and this unit comes with them. Very nice and simple to use with all the bells and whistles if you want more versatility. You can get them on sale at Cabelas once or twice a year for around $350.

Thanks for the info guys, I already use the ram mounts on my 4 wheelers and in my boat and you are correct, they are the only way to go, not cheap but they work really well. I have a garmin in my car but the offroad part does not work well and being the cheap model I don't think it loads maps and wouldn't know how to do that anyway. I have seen topo maps but do they actually show you the trail? Tried using a topo map while riding with my granddaughter on her smart phone ( her phone is a lot smarter than I am) and it showed the area like from a satellite, but the trail could not be seen. It showed us where we were at as a spot on the map but we had no idea where to turn if we came to a crossroad on the trail. We ended up asking some other folks on the trail where the trail back was and yes they were kind enough to point it out. Just would like something to show it better or mabey we weren't using it correctly....

Im just running a cheap Garmin Etrex20 been using it for years without issue. I found some older maps for my area that showed alot of the old resource roads.. Pror to this i had a migellin and after trying to connect to the computer again to retrieve my tracks it would no longer connect to the computer. Tried 4 different computers all the same issue. Their tech support was useless so i took it back and then provided them with the receipt that i had taken it back asking for a refund to the map pack i had bought. They refused so they lost my support for life

Yes Zrock most of the recommendations have been garmin and I have had good success with them on my boat, even though that unit is quite simple to use. I did talk to the head guy at BassPro hunting center and he gave me some good information on using a Garmin and downloading maps to use and even gave me a quick demo on how they work. Still have a lot to learn yet and now have to decide on which model to but, they have an awfull lot of models to choose from.

When I say topo maps it just means the topographic maps that the USGS put out on paper are loaded on the GPS. A Garmin Montana 650 doesn't have them, but a Montana 650t does. The contours can be compared with the area you're in if you can get a look at the landscape while riding. For us, here in New England, many trails follow old stagecoach roads or roads cut in by paper companies, etc. So, some of the trail is on the GPS. The best feature is the tracking feature that leaves a trail highlighted on your screen as you drive. In essence, you're making your own map of the trails. I almost always try to purchase maps for areas I'm going to ride. Once I'm out on the trails I can stop and look at the track I've left and compare it to the paper map. Using that method I always know where I am. GPS is just good insurance to get you where you want to go or back to where you started.

My ancient and discontinued Garmin GPS 12 doesn't have any kind of maps, road or topographical, but I can do like Moose said and compare the track to a paper map. I like to keep the location of several trail-head parking lots in it. If I need to find my way back I click Go To and click on the name I gave the parking lot and it gives me the distance and direction I need to go so I don't have to backtrack my own trail. Unfortunately it can't tell the direction it's facing while sitting still. I either have to get out my compass or start riding until it knows where it's going.

Yep the old garmin 12 is just what I have on my boat....works great on water ..no trails or roads to follow. I have numerous points where I unload my boat so I know which one to go back to. Have even used it in thick fog in the past. I would prefer something that shows the trails though while on my UTV. We used my granddaughters phone this past summer and while it showed the trail head we came across many cross points on the trail leading back. Without the trail being shown we did not know which way to turn and it ended up taking us about 2 hours to get back where it should have been a 20 min ride tops.

The best feature on a GPS is the tracking mode where it leaves a highlighted trail of where you've been. Especially good at night where visibility is barely what's in your headlights' range. If we are returning late from an all day ride, I zoom in the GPS so that I know if I've just zipped by a trail we need to take. Otherwise it's tough to tell at night.