Which GPS unit do you like and why?

[Cudedog]

Call me old-fashioned. . . but I really really love maps. I don't leave home without them.

A Triple-A (AAA) membership will cost about $50 per year and with that you get emergency roadside service (gas, change flats, towing - but perhaps not motorhomes or travel trailers) all the maps you could possibly want for just about every state, city, town and geographic area in the United States plus camping books, tour books (which show attractions), trip planning, discounts at campgrounds, discounts at various attractions and etc. The maps and tour books are included as part of the membership at no extra charge.

I also buy U. S. Forest Service maps for the areas that I am visiting volcanoes in. These are quite detailed and show the unpaved, but maintained, roads in Forest Service areas.

Anne

[Bethers]

Anne, I think I have 3 (maybe 4) atlases, do not go anywhere without one. I only use individual maps of specific areas to really get detailed roads ... then toss them when i go on. The good thing about them is they are usually free from visitors centers, etc.

[linann]

Sarah has a beanbag type holder for her GPS that keeps it in place. Maybe we can get her to take a photo and put it on here!!!

[FinallyTime]

To mount my Rand McNalley in a easy to see and touch-screen position on the dash, I put some sticky back strips of velcro on the dash and the bottom of the suction cup on the mounting bracket. Works like a charm and is easy to take off once I am in my campsite. (If I leave it on the dash my cat rubs on it.)

[Deeann]

Bethers, I checked into the Garmin units a bit last night. I'll Look at the Rand McNally units too. Don't want to buy the wrong unit. (Like I'd ever do something like that. lol)

[Bethers]

Bethers, I checked into the Garmin units a bit last night. I'll Look at the Rand McNally units too. Don't want to buy the wrong unit. (Like I'd ever do something like that. lol)

Kind of like why I have 1 tablets 1 tablet/ereader, 1 basic ereader and two laptops? But I sure know what I like now! Maybe. All of this is so dang personal - and I still prefer my atlases and Streets & Trips for planning and basics...

[Azusateach]

Mitch, I'd love to hear why you chose the Garmin over the Rand-McNally.

Frankly, I use as few maps as possible. I like to get in and go. But when I traveled with the trailer for long trips (like to Wyoming and Washington) I plugged my route into my old Garmin Nuvi and set it on my dash, just to see how many more miles I had until I got to stop for the night. On the rare occasion I needed help getting through a city I listened to it, but being from the L.A. area driving freeways doesn't give me heart palpitations like it does others.

When I retire & hit the road things might change, and if they do my guess is that I'll continue to use my iPhone to get me where I want to go.

[JudyJB]

I use my Rand McNally, but I definitely also use maps and Google maps online. All GPSs do weird things sometimes, so you really have to check them, but they do help you find intersections and not miss turns.

Like today, I had seen a tiny road on Google and the camp hosts assured me it was a good road and a shortcut. It was a very good road and took me through Box Canyon, which was really a neat place. My GPS would not accept it as a real road, which was fine because I had my map and had checked it out. I also knew it did not have any underpasses and things like that.

[snowball]

we have a Tom Tom Dh choose it...as it was cheaper I wish I had a different one though....and remember it's only as good as it's maps
coming across WY last year it kept wanting me to take these stupid side roads that wouldn't go anywhere could tell just by looking probably some
ranchers road
sheila

[Deeann]

I love maps. I never like to leave home without them. I just like to look at them and know where I am in relation to the rest of the world. I'm not happy just to have directions to my destination. I want to see where I am on a map. As long as I have a map in my hands I never feel lost.

My folks used to have AAA. I remember all the maps and information packets they give you. I think I'll get AAA for myself. Good idea Cudedog. Thanks for reminding me about that.

I've been looking at the Rand McNallys today. We're supposed to have some nasty weather move into Tulsa in a couple of days. I'll be stuck at home when that happens. That will give me plenty of time to finish my research on Garmin and Rand McNally and make up my mind.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I appreciate all the information. Now I need to get myself a little thread going on cab over campers. Think I'll do that right now while I'm thinking about it.