Best GPS

Both Rand and Garmin truck GPS are way overpriced for what they are, IMO.

I would try out Hammer and see how it does. It's fairly new so I'm sure there will be a few bugs but I think there is more potential for it to outshine Rand of Garmin.

 

Just save your points and buy one

 

This, along with a few city maps is all you really need. But, I'll admit, I do use google maps quite a bit. It really is easier.

Funny little story. A friend of mine is into all the latest tech gadgets. When the Roomba first came out, he bought the first one he could get. He drives a Tesla. Always has the latest Apple products. He is incredibly smart, too. But take away his electronic gadgets, and he melts down.

We took a road trip one day to Hagerstown, Md. We used my truck, which is a 97 Chevy. It is a bare bones work truck. On the way home, 81 was closed. I jumped off and took a few back roads to avoid route 11, which was backed up. I'd been on most of the roads I was taking, but it had been a while and my memory was a bit fuzzy. Still, I had a general idea.

Meanwhile, he has spotty phone service, and no GPS. He's losing his mind, in full blown panic mode. I'm calm as can be.

We get home, and we're talking, he asks me how I know how to get to all these places I go in a big truck. I told him my atlas never failed me. He looks at me in disbelief and says "You DO realize this is the 21st century, right?". I said "Yep and those atlas books have been around way longer than I have, so I know they work!" He was pretty agitated that I was right on this occasion.

Guess I'm not as dumb as I look!

 

They are all garbage to some degree. Best to learn to do it old school and pretrip it before setting out.

 

The garmin is better than the Rand. I have both. I use the garmin and google maps. I have an Atlas, just never needed to open it yet..

 

RM is ok and has saved me a few times but it has also tried to screw me. Once or twice a week it will try to route me down a road with a very big, "NO TRUCKS" sign. I have no idea why.

So, in unfamiliar areas I use the RM in conjunction with google maps, keep my eyes peeled for low bridge signs, no thru truck signs, and bridge weight signs.... and it seems to work.

Gotta have the paper atlas too just because cell signal and satellites fail.

 

Be aware that as far as I know and from experience rand no updates . Garmin on the other hand updates still available on my 2007 model

 

Just in case everything is fail.