Nav units

[Frisco]

Planning a trip from Texas to Virginia.  We generally use our iPhones but wanted to see if you all think the RV Nav units are worth the money.

[pjcd]

I use a Garmin Navi, but my kids use the phone for everything, I think that that phone actually gives better directions, but I'm use to the Navi, so I've stuck with it.

[FastEddieB]

The Waze app on our phones is so great I don't see any reason to go with a dedicated nav unit.

[mojospeople]

Agree with just using the phones assuming you're happy with the nav on them. Google maps has gotten really good with super precise directions. I'd be hard pressed to change from it myself.

[PaulJ]

Guess I am ole school I love my Garmin RV 660LMT.  This unit does not constantly say "recalculating " it just corrects and tells you where to turn next past the turn you missed or decided not to take.  None of these units is 100% accurate.  This Garmin has to be placed in Truck / or Trailer mode depending if you are pulling or not.  I like the fact it avoids U-turns, low bridges, weight restricted roads and toll roads if desired.  It has life time traffic and map up dates for FREE.

We do have the I phone if needed.

[Pinstriper]

My nav unit is between my ears. I look at the maps and have a pretty good idea of what's coming up and what the alternate/parallel routes are before I leave. Now, mostly that is off google maps in the first place. But you should have a general idea and specific landmarks you are tracking to.

After that, yeah Waze rocks for knowing about accidents and such on the road ahead, IF YOU HAVE SIGNAL.

All the rest of my GPS units are full of fishing and hunting maps; never looked at them for any travel other than forest service logging roads, sans trailer.

[Pinstriper]

I just acquired a Spot 3 at Cabela's on sale for $89 (regularly $150). It isn't a NAV, it is more like a PLB with the ability to send predefined messages with your location. So you can hit SOS and they'll send search and rescue looking for you. Or you can send the "I'm OK" message to whoever is waiting for you, a "Help Me" for non-life threatening situations that will get you roadside assistance if you sign up for that service, plus a custom message that you can use to send to friends something like "Here's where I am, have a deer down, come help pull us both out", or you could set it up to say "On my way home, here's where I am now". Everything but the SOS is customizable. You decide what it says, who it goes to.

The catch is you gotta set that up before the trip; or at least before you lose internet service from your phone.

The unit communicates via satellite.