What is the best RV GPS Unit?

I am trading my Class B+ for a new Class A. The new Class A is higher and longer. I am looking for a GPS unit that would warn me that a bridge or overpass is two low. Maybe route me around these problem areas. You all have been very helpful in the passed.

Thanks, Ron

The Garmin 465T has been well-reported on in the past, and the newer dezl 560 is (to me) an even better unit -- I'm very pleased, and it has modes for RVs, trucks, cars, and pedestrians. Rand McNally has a couple of units out (about the same except one is a 5" screen and the other is 7").

A search for those in the forums should get you some discussion. In any case, I expect you'll get a number of other responses here.

I have the RM 7710 but really don't have enough experience with it yet but so far seems to work well. This summer it will get the real test. I have a 465T also that I use in the Jeep. The 465T locked up on me in Richmond, VA at probably the worst time so I no longer rely on it.

I keep going back and forth on these units as I just don't like the small screens. I only need one when I'm in the MH so now I'm leaning back towards the GPS units for laptops. Garmin and MS Streets & Trips seem to have a lot of good reviews and a lot less money. Need to do more research.

You can also get any Garmin or other and add the height files. They are available here for a small charge: http://www.lowclearances.com/index.html Scroll to the bottom of the home page and there is a list of all the GPSs and software with which it is compatible. The info is updated regularly.

While the POI height and weight files are very helpful, they are not taken into consideration when the GPS calculates your route.

Is there a GPS that routes you around low clearances?

The RM 7710 will warn you if your route includes a clearance too low for you.  It will also warn you if your length or height violate any laws in the states that you will be in.  It has a 7" screen which even I can see   We use the RM 5510 in the car and the RM 7710 in the MH.

Tin man said:

Is there a GPS that routes you around low clearances?

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My Garmin 465t does, as well as overweight bridges. I would expect that the other truck/rv specific models do so as well.

08ItCam26A said:

I am trading my Class B+ for a new Class A. The new Class A is higher and longer. I am looking for a GPS unit that would warn me that a bridge or overpass is two low. Maybe route me around these problem areas. You all have been very helpful in the passed.

Thanks, Ron

Click to expand...

We just picked up a low end Rand McNally RVND5510, it supports weight, propane and height restrictions. So far it's done a pretty good job, but as with all GPS units you don't want to leave your brain at home, nor your common sense.

Unless you want to be the newest story of interest on the internet lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2QIH2uz3p8

Best RV gps unit.  There isn't one.  There are several that attempt to be the answer we are all looking for but I don't think that unit exists.

I have the Rand McNally 5510 and it does a pretty good job.  But several times it has taken me off of a state highway onto local roads only to bring me back to the state highway.  Each time, the local roads had low hanging tree branches and were narrow with little or no shoulders.  I know that it monitors the road you are on and weight restrictions.  It also tried to route me on a county road that had a low overpass one time but I checked several low overpass data bases and that overpass is not in any of them.  I do continue to use this unit.

I have recently purchased CoPilot live for my android smart phone and am in the process of testing it.  It also has an rv mode.  I'm struggling with the user interface as it is different than any other navigation program/device that I've used.  It allows you to input the height of your rv so I assume it will try to avoid low overpasses.

Should you want to use your smart phone as a navigation device you need to know that someone will call you just as you need to make a critical turn; at least that's the way it seems to happen to me.  And, if you have an android smart phone, the built in navigation program is really pretty good, it just doesn't have an rv mode.  One feature that I have found very useful with the smart phone navigation app is that you can tell it what you are looking for.  In my experience that feature has worked well about 90% of the time and lets you find a location while driving without distracting your attention from driving.

It doesn't matter how many poi's the units have, they will never have all the ones you need.  I believe that is an unwritten rule for gps navigation units.

Good advice, lost-n-ohio.  I couldn't have said it better myself.

I've been using a laptop PC and DeLorme TOPO (http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10742&minisite=10020) for years. I like the larger map display, the ease in entering a route and changing it, the fact that it displays hundreds of campgrounds, a grade profile to show the elevation changes, all the US road maps and the topi maps as well.

You do need to hook up an inexpensive GPS/USB unit to the computer to get the continuos tracking, which I consider a small price to pay for all the added features you get.

This option gives you a real heavy duity GPS and if you use one of DeLorme 's handhelds, you can use it for hiking and travel in your toad as well.

We've seen a few people during our travels that use a laptop and navigation software. Or even just google maps and they have their travel companion call out the directions. Not sure what the difference between that and an old fashion map is, but to each their own!

I suppose you could find an application that works with a USB GPS chip and would act just like an RV GPS or Smartphone GPS.

AverageBOB said:

I suppose you could find an application that works with a USB GPS chip and would act just like an RV GPS or Smartphone GPS.

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This is exactly what TOPO does, only with bigger, more complete, and easier to read maps.

If you don't need the extra features of Topo, the DeLorme Street Atlas product has been our favorite for 15 years.  We map out every route and use it constantly while we're traveling.  We're using it with a GlobalSat BU-353 USB GPS Receiver but have used it with several different DeLorme Bluetooth and wired GPS receivers in the past.

The advantage of a dedicated GPS unit is the ease of transferring it from one vehicle to another.  The computer just doesn't fit in our truck so we use a Garmin Nuvi for that.  It's due for replacement and we're considering the Garmin Dezl and the Rand McNally models right now.

Another vote for the Rand McNally 7710!

Had the same concern about height clearances (especially since I'm in the Northeast), and so far, so good! Simple to use. Camping World has the best price (right now). Definitely get it with the lifetime maps, right out the gate. Cheaper in the long run. It has campground info on it, and you can add your own points of interest as well (hospitals, local vet hospitals if you have animals, Walmarts, Flying J's, McDonalds, etc.).

I would also recommend getting a good hard copy atlas to go along with it. Good old fashioned insurance, since no GPS is absolutely perfect. I got this one: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/rand-mcnally-2013-large-scale-road-atlas/61518

The GPS is indispensable, how did we get around before it?  BY MAPS!!! We traveled many trips with AAA trip tiks.  And the Good Sam campers guide.  The low bridges, read the signs, but I must admit you cannot beat the GPS for all the information it has stored.  What is lost is the basic navigation skills.  Sometimes called common sense. 

Remember "garbage in, garbage out". It has been said in the previous posts get a good map..read it..know how to read it..and remember if you are on a odd number interstate, you are going either north or south, and a even number interstate you are traveling east or west.

Maps and GOOGLE Maps and CO-PILOT app on our IPad that has an RV function.

After a lot of research this is what works best for us. Streets & Trips 2011 with all the POI?s loaded. These include the low clearance, Walmart?s, Camping World, Casino's, campgrounds, etc. S&T was about $35 then I added a Holux GR-213 GPS receiver with a 6? USB lead for another $35.
Very easy to see on the laptop and now I don?t have to look for free wifi (which is all I use) if I want to look up a location or address. I don?t use any mifi devices etc and my phone is not very ?smart?. I gave up the iphone a year ago and don?t miss it. Here?s the orig post with larger pics so you can download and zoom in. Hope it helps. http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=52021.msg481966#msg481966