GPS units are like quads; there is a lot of brand allegiance. My 1st unit was a Garmin 12XL (still have it). Garmins are like Hondas in that they are very reliable. Yes, between waypoints the routes are just straight lines. You can, however, add more waypoints at turning points, junctions, etc.
My second unit is a Lowrance GM100. It comes with roads and trails built into a CD-ROM disc. With "OziExplorer MC", I add new trails based on the tracks I've recorded while riding. All the Paiute ATV trails were on the Compact Disc.
Not satisfied, I bought a palm PC that I'm going to use with a new version of OziExplorer that displays trails and elevation contour lines on the palmtop PC. I need to get some flash memory to hold the rather large electronic maps that I've downloaded from CD-ROMS that are easily obtained. Haven't gotten this setup on the trail yet, but I believe it is what I've been searching for. Hope this helps

 

SCman, I am getting the Garmin GPS III+ from santa I am going to be making trail maps for all of the jolly roger systems around here. It does follow you as you ride around corners and across creeks and over mountains and does a great job of mapping. I got it for $364 from Wal-mart. Check out all it's features at www.garmin.com I checked them out for the past 3 months comparing all brands and makes and this one is by far the best you could get for atving and trail mapping. You can even download the owner's manual from the web site so you can see everything it does before you get it. This is a very nice unit and it will do just what you want. The III+ can even get maps downloaded from your pc from CDS. There are many GPS that are cheaper that will do some of the things this one will do but none can do them as well and this one has the very best base map of them all. It's sweet, check it out at the web site.

L8R,

Steve

[This message has been edited by myscrambler (edited 12-16-1999).]

[This message has been edited by myscrambler (edited 12-16-1999).]

 

Has anyone ever mapped out previously unmapped trails with a GPS? I am thinking about hinting at Mrs. Clause for a GPS. I know next to nothing about them other than they are great finding your way back. Are they capable of producing ground routes, or are the routes between waypoints basically "as the crow flies"?

I'm thinking it would be handy when riding Jolly Roger trails to make maps for future use.

[This message has been edited by SCman (edited 12-16-1999).]