New RV GPS

[cpaharley2008]

Rand McNally has a new GPS for rv'ers. You input your rv type and when it programs your routes it then considers the fact you have a rv and will keep you on roads that your rv will not have a problem. Another nice thing is it also has dog/cat hospitals and vets in it's POI's for those who travel with pets. Real nice.
TripMaker® RVND™5510

[GPJ]

I have the 7" version - the 7710. The extra 2" of screen is worth the additional investment. Routing is pretty good although of course, local knowledge is better. Here in BC, some of the outlying roads are not well served ie. it looks for existing addresses, and doesn't route well to a new address it doesn't know about. You can tell it the height, length, weight and type of rig you have and it will use that in its routing so that you aren't routed down roads with overheads too low or bridges not strong enough if you have a heavy rig.

They have already updated and added Woodall's campground information - I got the map lifetime updates - so it is nice to see that they are actually updating things.

Well worth the money IMHO.

[Marinab]

GP, where did you get yours? I was comparing Walmart and Best Buy and there was a bit of a difference. Thanks, Marina

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Rand McNally has a new GPS for rv'ers. You input your rv type and when it programs your routes it then considers the fact you have a rv and will keep you on roads that your rv will not have a problem. Another nice thing is it also has dog/cat hospitals and vets in it's POI's for those who travel with pets. Real nice.
TripMaker® RVND™5510

I'm sure that would be a valuable feature for some travelers, those with larger RVs and trailers come to mind.
With my little 13' I've not found anyplace I can't go except to Dante's View Point in Death Valley. No trailers allowed, but I wouldn't want to take my trailer there anyway.

[GPJ]

Marina:

I bought mine at Walmart about 6 months ago. They had the best price, stock, and of course a great return policy. I note that right now Walmart has the 7" version (7710) at the same price as the 5" version - both $298 including lifetime maps. That is a very, very good price for Canada and is available both on online and instore. If you prefer Best Buy, print out the Walmart site price and online availability at local stores, and take it to Best Buy for a price match.

[GPJ]

Byron:

Even though you won't make much use of the advanced height restriction/weight restriction routing, there are a bunch of RV specific features that make traveling easier:
-13,000+ RV parks and campgrounds, 6,000+ travel center locations – all with amenities such as dump stations, parking, showers, and electric hook up
24,000+ pet-friendly locations including animal hospitals, dog-friendly hiking trails, parks & beaches
-150,000+ places just off the interstate, organized by exit number – including propane availability, dump sites, RV parking, emergency services, stores, restaurants, hotels
-RV maintenance logs and safety checklists – standard and custom
-“Breadcrumb” feature that records the vehicle’s trail to help navigate back to a campsite when there is no road in place
-all the standard POI information
-routes and photos of Rand McNally suggested scenic trips, and lots more.

The extras are not as good as online research or comprehensive guidebooks and directories, but its all at hand and easy to access. It just makes travelling a bit easier.

I figures as I was buying a GPS system I might as well get one with these features built in.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by GPJ

Byron:

Even though you won't make much use of the advanced height restriction/weight restriction routing, there are a bunch of RV specific features that make traveling easier:
-13,000+ RV parks and campgrounds, 6,000+ travel center locations – all with amenities such as dump stations, parking, showers, and electric hook up
24,000+ pet-friendly locations including animal hospitals, dog-friendly hiking trails, parks & beaches
-150,000+ places just off the interstate, organized by exit number – including propane availability, dump sites, RV parking, emergency services, stores, restaurants, hotels
-RV maintenance logs and safety checklists – standard and custom
-“Breadcrumb” feature that records the vehicle’s trail to help navigate back to a campsite when there is no road in place
-all the standard POI information
-routes and photos of Rand McNally suggested scenic trips, and lots more.

The extras are not as good as online research or comprehensive guidebooks and directories, but its all at hand and easy to access. It just makes travelling a bit easier.

I figures as I was buying a GPS system I might as well get one with these features built in.

Thanks for the list, but...

I don't camp in RV parks
No Pets
Some of the other stuff stores, gas stations, restaurants, etc/ my Garmin has,
"breadcrumbs" Garmin has,

Extras in my Garmin, Closest 2 meter ham radio repeaters.
National Parks.
Traffic conditions. (notifies me when there's traffic problems on my route and will route around).
Many other attractions

I would certainly consider it if I was buying new today.

I would suggest anybody considering a GPS for traveling look at many and their features. One size does not fit all.

Thanks for pointing this one out.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I would suggest anybody considering a GPS for traveling look at many and their features. One size does not fit all.

Thanks Byron,

We don't travel a lot out of famililiar territories. Our old Windoze based GPS and planner (MS streets and trips) is better than the old paper map or Auto League TripTik. What seems to be available today is always bigger better and cheaper than what was available yesterday. On the odd occasion when we do travel into unknown territories, google maps and the mrs ipod fills in the missing pieces. Soon, we will delve back into the technology.

A mere 6 years ago, we invested a fortune into the GPS and software to go with our Dell Axim PDA's. Half way through Quebec on our way to the Maritime Provinces (where we needed it most), the map ran out saying we were "off road". A little freaky because we were on the Trans Canada Highway. It was like we were dropped off into an abyss.

By the time the software and maps were able to be upgraded, ours was too old to qualify. We could buy a top of the line new GPS for 1/2 the price. Sort of like my first intel 386 computer was $3G.

[Marinab]

Thank GPJ,
I don't have a gps system yet but I do have a dog and I camp in Rv parks. As I get lost all the time, I'm thinking that this might be very benifical to me.

[Byron Kinnaman]

A gps system is a nice thing to have, but... It doesn't replace a map and compass. I still use maps and onboard compass when traveling via roads. When hiking a topo map and compass come along. I both a travel gps and a hand held.

A gps system is helpful in some city situations, it also helps plan arrival times. The down side is not all information is accurate. I bought the vehicle gps because I had gotten into a situation where I didn't know where the next gas station was. I almost was almost ready to turn around when I found one.

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

A gps system is a nice thing to have, but... It doesn't replace a map and compass. I still use maps and onboard compass when traveling via roads. When hiking a topo map and compass come along. I both a travel gps and a hand held.

A gps system is helpful in some city situations, it also helps plan arrival times. The down side is not all information is accurate. I bought the vehicle gps because I had gotten into a situation where I didn't know where the next gas station was. I almost was almost ready to turn around when I found one.

I love this site!

I've been traveling for 20+ years to rural areas in the pacific northwest with just a map. And have gotten lost many times. Thank goodness I love adventure!

But, due to peer pressure, I have been thinking about getting a GPS system.

My question, is do you pay for the service? Or just the device?

Also, what sorts of features should I be looking for in a system (ie, gas station locations ... something I can always use on the road )?

[cpaharley2008]

The service is free. What this brand does is provide all necessary data for rv'er's vs general run of the mill type GPS devices. click on the link in the first post and it will describe the unit.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The service is free.

Now a days the service is typically included. Read the contract details!
If I was doing a major trip, the $100 to $150 investment would be worth it. Until then, I will wait. What you get for your dollar is very similar to what you get in a processor or laptop for your dollar.

In other words, if you need one today, buy it. If not, wait until you are ready to hit the road and have the time to go through a learning curve.

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The service is free. What this brand does is provide all necessary data for rv'er's vs general run of the mill type GPS devices. click on the link in the first post and it will describe the unit.

Thanks Jim, I was being lazy ... again.
It's just that between your post and Byron's post, I was wondering if this unit is missing features that I should consider when shopping.

The product video on your link, looks great. I do travel with dogs, and this product does address much of my travel needs.

BTW, Amazon.com has the 7" unit for $299 and your unit for $253, with free shipping (and no sales tax). Looks like I'll be making [yet] another purchase for my road trips. I probably should return all that jewelry I bought for myself the other day

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

Now a days the service is typically included. Read the contract details!
If I was doing a major trip, the $100 to $150 investment would be worth it. Until then, I will wait. What you get for your dollar is very similar to what you get in a processor or laptop for your dollar.

In other words, if you need one today, buy it. If not, wait until you are ready to hit the road and have the time to go through a learning curve.

Thanks for your reply.

I sent an email to Rand McNally asking about charges for the GPS service. Isn't that the way of the world, things that were free now are being charged or severely limited.

I have been using my computer to download routes and directions. But for those big trips into the wild this may be a good solution.

I haven't really been pricing any units, but I don't think they are $150 investments. They seem to be much more $$. hmmmm

[GPJ]

Jane:

The GPS service is free (the part of the system that gives you a latitude and longditude). The US military put the satellites up and allows free use of the signals they generate (actually, we have free use of some of the signal, higher precision signals are encrypted for military use only).

The GPS device takes the free GPS signals, computes the latitude and longditude, and overlays this position on a map which is in the GPS unit itself. What is sometimes charged for is map updates. Every year or so, map data suppliers make newer versions of the maps available. This would include new roads and updates to existing roads. GPS manufacturers make this data available for users to download to their devices at a cost or sometimes for free. Rand McNally makes these updates available for free if you have the lifetime map update version of their RV GPS devices.

How often you need to actually update maps is debatable. Annual updates are probably more than enough for most folks and some folks never bother to update maps. Rand McNally has made other updates available for free with the lifetime map option. For example, when I bought my unit, the Woodalls campground info wasn't available. After Rand McNally did the deal with Woodalls, they made the campground info available in a free update about 3 months after I bought the unit. This isn't just the position of a campground as per some other units, but an idea of facilities, cost and Woodalls ratings.

GPS units can be bought for $100 or less for a basic small screen and basic maps. The Rand McNally unit sets itself apart by offering enhanced routing (takes into account low clearances, narrow roads, bridge weights, etc.), RV related points of interest such as fuel stops, campgrounds, pet hospitals, pet friendly sites, etc. and a larger than average screen. Its cost is more than a basic unit, but there are so many more RV related features - for me it is worth the extra money.

There is one other RV oriented unit available from Magellan - I can't recall its name right now, but it looks pretty good too. Before purchasing, I compared the feature set for both and concluded that the Rand McNally unit was the best value for me - but each person has their own priorities and needs. For folks that only need basic positioning and a basic map, my unit is overkill.