MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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I am still in the market for a GPS which I can use to guide me on unfamiliar routes in the wilderness. I have posted previously about Garmin options and have received some very helpful responses. How does the Wahoo kit stack up against the Garmin?
Do you want it primarily to follow routes off road? in the wilderness as you said? Or were you being facetious and you'll primarily use it on road?
I've used my bolt a wee bit for on-road navigation and it's not as good at that as my Edge 810 was. It's still pretty decent at that though, and is generally better in other use (doesn't stop working, lose sensors, forget routes randomly).
Don't really like either of them for off-road navigation: I'd rather stop and use my phone or a map.
Bolt is not ideal for navigation. Its very good at what I consider to be its primary functions, it connects to my devices every time without fail and has never gave me any strange results mid ride.
However I think you need to determine what your use case is. I would never use my Bolt as a device to follow any off-road rides. I'd be looking at the newer (and more expensive) Wahoo Element Roam or the Garmin 830.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/04/garmin-edge-830-cycling-gps-in-depth-review.html
Been using mine for 6 months on and off road and never had any trouble with navigation. Battery life is excellent even when permanently back-lit (which is fantastic in the dark) and connected to phone. I upgraded from Garmin Edge 500 and it was a step into the future.
I've got an Etrex too which is what I use when navigation is paramount, but it's never been switched on since I bought the Wahoo.
Like those above, i've the larger Element having had 6 different Garmin all of which failed in some way, battery stopped working, constant glitches and mis-recording rides.
The Wahoo isn't perfect, and if off-rad navigation with real details is needed, i'd go Etrex, but if you want a bike computer that works every time you use it, where you can see the screen at night, where when navigating it lasts 13-14 hours and which integrates flawlessly with RWGPS, Komoot and Strava, then i really rate mine.
For example if i received a .gpx for an event with Garmin, i'd have to plug it into laptop then faff around dropping into Garmin with cable etc, with the Wahoo, you simply connect the Wahoo app with your others apps like Strava, press and hold on the .gpx and it asks if you want to send it to Wahoo and its done, then when you finish ride, it is there to view on different apps.
Again, you can plan a route in RWGPS and it automatically copies across to the Wahoo app, then across to the headunit next time you switch it on.
Genuinely off road rather than on, GC
Use my ELEMNT off road to follow trails and it works well
Use it with ride with GPS subscription- so can download a map to phone prior to leaving if I need more detail
Great thing about it is it works first time
I used to sometimes struggle with Garmin getting the routes into the device. Was frustrating when you want to set off somewhere
I use my Bolt a lot for off-road nav. Yeah it's basic, but that's usually all you need, a quick heads up which general direction to go in and then use common sense at what is in front of you.
Common sense doesn't always work mind you, what with overgrown paths, missing signage and bad weather.
I think it's great though. I tend to get my phone/OS map out if I need more detail, but rarely want for it.
I wish it had the ability to pan though as you often want to see what's coming up that zooming out doesn't give you.