GPS advice please

[numbnuts]

Thanks for all your input. I don't have a smartphone and have no plans to buy one. I don't want a device that records my heart rate, blood oxygen or blood sugar, just gives navigation info; so it looks like the OsmAnd is what I need.

OsmAnd is an App used on a smartphone

 

[Trickedem]

I have an etrex 30. It is good, because it uses AA batteries and is relatively reliable, although it has randomly turned itself off a few times. What I don't like is that it doesn't do turn by turn instructions if you are following a route. I admit to being confused about the difference between routes and tracks and the number of waypoint limitations. The instructions are abysmal.
I also have a Garmin 800. Battery life is not so good (about 10 hours). It won't record rides longer than about 300km without crashing, it also misbehaves if you turn it off when you stop, because when you start it again the timer is no longer running and it doesn't warn you. (I've been caught out by this a few times). However it is fantastic at doing turn by turn instructions. Copy a gpx tcx file (route or track) onto it and it will then calculate the turn by turn instructions automatically. I have used it to navigate around UK and France and it has been an absolute godsend. In common with the Etrex devices, the instructions are awful.

 

[JtB]

Someone here wrote a good description about the differences between routes and tracks.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Veering away from etrexes for a while, some of the cycling-specific Garmin GPS can show OSM maps. I know this because a mate of mine bought one (an old model) for very little on ebay and I sorted him out with a micro SD with UK OSM maps (from talkytoaster). Unfortunately I don't know the model numbers, or the battery life. Similar maps of France could be obtained from velomaps, but I don't know if they will have all the voies vertes etc.

 

[arallsopp]

There's quite an overlap between maps and devices. I mean, you can run OS/Landranger/Terrain/Satellite/Topo maps on many of the devices mentioned on this thread. Whether you run it in a smart phone, Garmin HCx, Legend, Etrex, Oregon, Apple, HTC, Magellan, I think its a little like the Nokia vs Motorola days of yore. You'll find one of the device ecosystems to be intuitive, and all others to be hell. I went with Garmin, just because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the first to find a specific problem. They've been bouncing off handlebars and dropping battery connections for at least a decade now

 

[Steam Pig]

We use a Garmin gps map62stc mainly bought for hill walking but with handlebar mount is OK for cycling, it is possible for you to specify activity, eg walking, mtb ing, cycling, it will also allow you to specify on or off road.I thought It was expensive when we bought it but now we use it for both activities, the battery life is pretty good too, and you can add cadence, heart monitors etc

 

[Deleted member 23692]

basically a portable map which must show all rights of way, that includes public footpaths, bridleways in the UK...

The only mapping with anywhere close to that level of detail/accuracy is OS 25k (explorer series). The accuracy of OSM and it's derivatives is laughable in comaprison

 

[Steam Pig]

You can download user specific areas you're interested in to the Garmin gps map series at 1:25,000. Otrherwise I think it's pre loaded world map at 1:50.000

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I picked up a cheap Edge 705 on ebay for £45 plus £7 for a new battery, a few niggles to start with like it switching off mid ride (rolled back to an earlier firmwear) and auto lap on distance (I used to use 5km as markers) seems to get confused and stop recording the track, but with a sp/cad still recorded the distance ect, just nothing could read it, this seems to have been cured by turn off the auto lapping.