Garmin vs Wahoo Elemnt

[capricapers]

I have a Wahoo Elemnt which I use primarily for Strava (speed, distance, Strava segments etc) and the only extra thing I wanted to use it for was for route navigation (getting instructions on where to go when riding a new route). I did not have much luck with route planning, so I don’t use that function.
My husband, however, is disillusioned with his Wahoo Elemnt (it will soon go on EBay, boxed) and is thinking of going back to Garmin. What is the BEST Garmin you can buy these days? He wants to use the Garmin Radar rear light system with it (looks a cool system, I think) and possibly the front light as well. He uses a Mac and has a smartphone. But is not the most computer/tech literate. He wants to use it for maps, route planning and route suggestions.

If the Garmin he chooses, thanks to your help, is better than my Wahoo Elemnt, I might go the Garmin route too. After all, Christmas is coming! THANKS.

 

[capricapers]

We were going to buy the Garmin Edge 1030 but it has some terrible reviews on Amazon.

 

[Freelanderuk]

I use the 1000 and have never had a problem with it , I don’t use for navigation but everything else ,I also use the Garmin radar rear light and would not be with out it especially when cycling on the country lanes it really comes into its own then

 

[capricapers]

I use the 1000 and have never had a problem with it , I don’t use for navigation but everything else ,I also use the Garmin radar rear light and would not be with out it especially when cycling on the country lanes it really comes into its own then

Thanks. Apart from the not-very-intuitive route planning (based on flybys and popular routes), I think it looks a very feature rich system. Thanks for your input.

 

[fixedfixer]

I use the 1000 and have never had a problem with it , I don’t use for navigation but everything else ,I also use the Garmin radar rear light and would not be with out it especially when cycling on the country lanes it really comes into its own then

I use an old Gamin Dakota 20 that has AA batteries - great for buying from corner shop en route. I usually create a track in Basecamp and follow it on the gps screen. Ideally I'd like turn by turn instructions that follow my track - rather than the unit deciding it knows better. Do any of the newer systems allow that?

 

[kingrollo]

I think some of the problem is that people have high expectations of the mapping/routing - 'it vaguely gets you where you want to go' would be my prognosis - I hate relying on the things.
I have heard if you want better routing / mapping - an app on a phone is the way to go - certainly google directions when walking works like a dream.

 

[fixedfixer]

Thanks. I've got some .gpx files and it would have been nice to follow them with turn by turn rather than keep looking down at a map and a 'track' line. I'm ok with the gps navigating me to a destination when I've no idea where it is.

 

[nickAKA]

I think some of the problem is that people have high expectations of the mapping/routing - 'it vaguely gets you where you want to go' would be my prognosis - I hate relying on the things.
I have heard if you want better routing / mapping - an app on a phone is the way to go - certainly google directions when walking works like a dream.

Agreed - Google Maps if you're navigating somewhere works better (in my experience) than a cycling computer that does turn-by-turn directions based on a pre planned route - with the caveat that I've never used Garmin, only Lezyne & Wahoo. I find the ones I've tried quite difficult to use & distracting. The worst thing about them is they give up if you make a wrong turn where Google Maps just re-plots the route based on current location. It's not without it's faults obviously, if set to cycle it will choose canal paths etc which I don't want and it therefore gives poor ETAs; not worked out how to stop it from doing that.

 

[Broadside]

I’ve had a Garmin 800 for the last 5 years and frequently use it with pre-planned routes in unfamiliar places, it has been brilliant but very recently the battery has stopped holding enough charge so it’s time for a new one.

I am sorely tempted to try Wahoo because they are cheap in comparison to Garmin and people seem to love them. The bit that really puts me off is that people seem to describe the Wahoo navigation as “good enough”, never “don’t worry, it’s brilliant”. Apparently if you zoom out when lost then all the local road detail disappears and you just appear as a dot on a featureless map!

This is making me look at the Garmin 1030 because reviews about navigation capability are that it’s great, but it is twice the price at £399.