Maxtrax or DeLorme?

[Jacob LaTour]

I have a little money to throw at the truck. Was thinking a set of Maxtrax. Recently ive been reading about navigation tools, im thinking about giving a DeLorme or something similar a try. Currently I just save offline google maps. Just downloaded Gaia, haven't tried it yet..

Wondering what you think is more useful for overland travel. A set of Maxtrax or a DeLorme?

 

[KD7WCD]

I have a little money to throw at the truck. Was thinking a set of Maxtrax. Recently ive been reading about navigation tools, im thinking about giving a DeLorme or something similar a try. Currently I just save offline google maps. Just downloaded Gaia, haven't tried it yet..

Wondering what you think is more useful for overland travel. A set of Maxtrax or a DeLorme?

I use my tablet these days for all of my navigation. I've been using Backcontry Navigator. I was a die-hard Garmin guy but find I really like the simplicity of the GPS overlay on a traditional Topo Map.

Backcontry Navigator is very reasonable price and no subscription needed.

I'd go for the Maxtrax. Never have had them but always looking at the yearningly. Fun decision to have to make.

Sent from my "Smart Phone"

 

[Road]

I have a little money to throw at the truck. Was thinking a set of Maxtrax. Recently ive been reading about navigation tools, im thinking about giving a DeLorme or something similar a try. Currently I just save offline google maps. Just downloaded Gaia, haven't tried it yet..

Wondering what you think is more useful for overland travel. A set of Maxtrax or a DeLorme?

I think it depends on whether you plan on having both eventually, or not, and how far afield you plan on going.

If doing mostly day and weekend runs to places you and friends already know pretty well, or if your running buddies already have great nav tools, get the Maxtrax. Then the nav tools for yourself when you can.

If you really think you're only ever going to have one or the other, I'd go for nav stuff, personally. In fact, if you plan on going to remote places, I'd save a bit more cash and get the Garmin Inreach Explorer+ (developed by Delorme). I have both Maxtrax and the Garmin Inreach. Guess which one gets used more, teaches me more, and helps me get to places more?

 

[AZ WANDERING BEAR]

If you are running Gaia on a tablet with gps you have navigation covered. Spend some time getting to know the program. I am loving it. So the choice is recovery vs communication via InReach.

As said above, going on short trips where you have a pretty good idea where you will be going and when you will be returning, the emergency communication capabilities of InReach are somewhat less important. In the US almost all SAR operations are run by the County Sheriff's office and if they have some idea of where you were traveling they can be on you in less than 72 hours after you are reported overdue and often much quicker. For longer and more remote trips I feel a bit more secure with my InReach along. Also letting the friends and family back near home keep up with where you are and that you are OK is a nice for them.

MaxTrax (and some of the less expensive options) are just the bomb for sand and mud extractions. Mine permanently stay on the 4Runner and have saved my bacon multiple times.

Can't say what is the best choice for you. But both pieces of kit will probably find their way into your rig eventually.

 

[Jacob LaTour]

Some great responses thanks guys! You're right in the end ill buy both. But for now I have to decide which first. Most of my trips are solo. But im hoping to change that here soon (one of the reasons I joined overland bound)

Is there any other benefit of using Gaia on a tablet over a phone than the size of the screen? Excuse my ignorance im just an avid google maps user.

 

[AZ WANDERING BEAR]

Is there any other benefit of using Gaia on a tablet over a phone than the size of the screen? Excuse my ignorance im just an avid google maps user.

Other than screen size there is no difference. I run Gaia on my iPhone as well for hiking.

 

[Michael]

I agree with @Road !

If you are going to get one OR the other - get the Delorme InReach - or if you will be remote and off-grid. You can always get unstuck without Maxtrax!

 

[nickburt]

I agree with @Road !

If you are going to get one OR the other - get the Delorme InReach - or if you will be remote and off-grid. You can always get unstuck without Maxtrax!

Agreed.
But if you don't intend getting off grid alone, then maybe spend the money on something else.
InReach is good, but expensive, depending on the package, so, for me, it is only needed if there's risk in being remote.
There are cheaper alternatives to Maxtrax also.

 

[James Deaton]

I use my iPad Air2 with Gaia, coupled with a Bad Elf GPS Pro+. We also have iOverlander on the ipad, all our music, 50 movies, and other apps like MyRadar, Geocaching, clinometer, google earth, etc. it’s truly a do it all.

I bought two sets of X-Bull traction mats on amazon. They look just like Maxtrax, highly rated on amazon, and are only $89/pair. Even if i only use them a few times i am saving tons of money... i couldn’t pull off $600 in Maxtrax...

James

 

[Jacob LaTour]

Thats sounds like a sweet set up! Im going to keep an eye out for an Ipad with gps. Right now im using my Samsung Galaxy s7 for everything. Does anyone know of other tablets worth looking into? I was thinking maybe one with expandable memory??

Also I discovered TRED Pro's they look a bit better. I like that theyre not susceptible to melting. Anyone have experience with them? Also they have lifetime warranty apparently.

 

[James Deaton]

Don’t bother with an GPS iPad. It’s only assisted gps, not the real thing. If you really want it to work in the middle of nowhere you need a gps receiver, like the Bad elf.

I used mine all day today in the wilderness of Oregon with no cell signal, and it was flawless. I had it bluetoothed to the iPad, my iPhone 8, and my wife’s iPhone 8. When we got out of the truck to Geocache we took the gps and used the phones to find them, so we could leave the ipad mounted in the truck...

James

 

[Jacob LaTour]

Don’t bother with an GPS iPad. It’s only assisted gps, not the real thing. If you really want it to work in the middle of nowhere you need a gps receiver, like the Bad elf.

I used mine all day today in the wilderness of Oregon with no cell signal, and it was flawless. I had it bluetoothed to the iPad, my iPhone 8, and my wife’s iPhone 8. When we got out of the truck to Geocache we took the gps and used the phones to find them, so we could leave the ipad mounted in the truck...

James

Good stuff! any pointers on more capacity with the ipad? does 16gb or 32gb go very far? I like the idea of loading movies on it too

 

[nickburt]

Don’t bother with an GPS iPad. It’s only assisted gps, not the real thing. If you really want it to work in the middle of nowhere you need a gps receiver, like the Bad elf.

I used mine all day today in the wilderness of Oregon with no cell signal, and it was flawless. I had it bluetoothed to the iPad, my iPhone 8, and my wife’s iPhone 8. When we got out of the truck to Geocache we took the gps and used the phones to find them, so we could leave the ipad mounted in the truck...

James

Yes, it does rely on a cell service to improve accuracy, but it does quite well without. I recently cancelled cell on mine and use the wifi hotspot on my 'phone if I need the Ipad to connect to the internet etc... but use the Ipad's own GPS to navigate with. Worked OK for US on a few trips in Europe last year.

I've got a Royaltek datalogging GPSr, but never tried it bluetoothed to the Ipad - will have to try it one day.

 

[James Deaton]

I bought an iPad Air2 with 128GB of storage for $350 last year. It’s excellent for trips, can be used in any car, plane, or home, and the itunes movies never scratch like dvds. We love it, and are super glad we got it instead of any car mounted system...

 

[Jacob LaTour]

I bought an iPad Air2 with 128GB of storage for $350 last year. It’s excellent for trips, can be used in any car, plane, or home, and the itunes movies never scratch like dvds. We love it, and are super glad we got it instead of any car mounted system...

How much space of that 128gb have you used? If u dont mind me askin

 

[James Deaton]

The operating system, or iOS, takes up about 2-3GB, each movie is about 2GB (x50 movies), plus music (which is pretty small really)... plus downloaded Gaia maps for offline use (I download high res maps of where i’m going before each trip)... i like to try to keep 10-12GB free at any given time.

James

 

[KD7WCD]

I use an old LG tablet I got when my wife upgraded her's. It has been great as a dedicated device. Only keep NAV stuff and a couple of hours of music on it. I run with Backcountry Navigator and back it up or upload relevant maps between trips.

Sent from my XT1650 using OB Talk mobile app

 

[James Deaton]

Yep, anything like that works... i just use apple because all our music is on itunes, and we have 150 itunes movies... plus its just simpler for us because the OS is pretty much the same as our phones, so no learning curve.

James

 

[KD7WCD]

Yep, anything like that works... i just use apple because all our music is on itunes, and we have 150 itunes movies... plus its just simpler for us because the OS is pretty much the same as our phones, so no learning curve.

James

Totally agree. Not that the apple OS is any better than Android. (Android [emoji12] [emoji106] ) But yes, a good strategy to go with what you know. The reality is they both do the same thing of overlaying GPS info over nice looking maps.

Same can be said for the. Traction boards. They all pretty much do the same things. And there fans can give pros and cons of each. First question is are they something useful. If so then consider all the other things such as cost, quality, style, coolness..........

Sent from my XT1650 using OB Talk mobile app

 

[James Deaton]

Yep... i just found the ones on amazon with the best reviews, under $100/pair.

James