Smart Phone for GPS?

[Asgard]

Been using Garmin Montana for a few years now and tbh its not great and im beginning to wonder if an android rugged phone with suitable software could be better, for road stuff ive used google maps lately in the car and its far superior to the tom tom which I have now thrown away.

Anyone with experience of both?, I use the montana for road and trails (B.O.A.T.S etc)

[Tramp]

Have used many garmins the newer 595lm has crazy road routing algorithms...I've also used a ulefone armor 14 it's screen went after 3 months..total crap...now a Paper weight..

Use a cheap Samsung phone with osmand offline for most stuff.now...a old car nuvi 65lm with a mount is very cheap and great at goto places...simple and works...keep the montana for offroad.

[Magnusson]

I have been looking into CarPlay (Android Auto for Android users) for motorcycles. For just over 100 pounds (less direct from China) you get waterproof touch screen extension for your nice phone. Can be permanently mounted and wired in.
Reviews state that the touch screen does not need specific gloves.

[Ksithumper]

Chinese rugged Android phones are cheap and have massive batteries. Both Blackview and Doogee have been bulletproof for us.

In the UK I use memory map running standard Ordnance survey maps, abroad I use Osmand.
Generally use google maps on the road.

You don't need a phone signal - GPS works without, so no data charges.
I can get 2 days riding from a full charge, even though phone is 3 years old.
No need for a case or anything, 100% waterproof, even if you fall off in the river (don't ask).

Downside? They are a bloody brick to cart around if your only phone, and the cameras are pretty average.

[DanielS]

I have been looking into CarPlay (Android Auto for Android users) for motorcycles. For just over 100 pounds (less direct from China) you get waterproof touch screen extension for your nice phone. Can be permanently mounted and wired in.
Reviews state that the touch screen does not need specific gloves.

I've bought one of these and have been meaning to test it. Worked fine with my Android phone using wireless android auto. I just need to check more apps and see what is and isn't android auto compatible. A couple of photos below. Don't worry about the weird screen quality, it's just because it's a photo. To my eyes it looks fine.

As KSI says too, I used to have a Blackvue phone, it was a brick! It also came off my bike at 70mph on the motorway and survived (Even the screen!) but it had a mediocre processor so was sluggish and was heavy! But it served me well for the 3 years I used it as my daily phone. I only changed due to some cyber security rules at work saying we needed to use the latest patched version of Android if we used our phones for work, which I did.

Right now I use my Oneplus Android which is a normal size (Ok, perhaps a little larger as I wanted a 6.5 inch screen) but it's thin, good specs, decent camera and most of all, waterproof. I use it on a quadlock with the vibration dampener and it's served me at least 10,000 miles with no issues at all. That's the only reason I've not moved over to the Android Auto/Apple Carplay unit yet as the phone does it all and I'm not sure of all of the advantages of the dedicated unit yet.

The downsides with the dedicated carplay/android auto unit I have are:
- Not all apps support Android Auto/Apple Carplay (The ones I mostly use do such as Waze/Google Maps, but I'll check the others later)
- My phone gets to stay in my pocket, yay, but wireless android auto/carplay may drain the battery, I need to check this out, so I'd still like to charge the phone when on the go perhaps. When I use my phone as my satnav then it's always on charge.
- The screen on my phone is actually marginally larger
- My phone is slimmer and easier to mount (i.e find space to mount it)
- I'd still need to unclip the android auto unit when I park up and then store it somewhere. Not a big deal, but still.

Regardless of the solution, my days of using dedicated GPS units are over. Phones/tablets etc I find much more versatile. That's just my opinion, not fact, so don't shoot me

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[simonw]

... Regardless of the solution, my days of using dedicated GPS units are over. Phones/tablets etc I find much more versatile. ...

Clearly. How else would you listen to your favourite Kylie Minogue tracks whilst out adventuring?

[DanielS]

... Regardless of the solution, my days of using dedicated GPS units are over. Phones/tablets etc I find much more versatile. ...

Clearly. How else would you listen to your favourite Kylie Minogue tracks whilst out adventuring?

I knew someone would pick up on that! Do you blame me though, goodness me, gold hotpants!

[Asgard]

Thanks for the replies, others experience helps a lot.......
Definitely edging towards the Android toughphone route now............next question of course is mounts???

[Asgard]

Do you blame me though, goodness me, gold hotpants!

Now you've done it............... I just can't get them out of my head

[DanielS]

Na na na, na na na na na, na na na