Best GPS or Watch for turn by turn?

GPS Computer that’s good for trails?

I currently have a Garmin Vivoactive 3 that I wear regularly while working out and riding. I probably do not use it to its full capabilities, but it’s fun to have an idea of my HR and what I expended calorie wise. Venturing off in to unfamiliar trails, I have had to utilize the ‘back to start’ feature to get back to the parking lot which was very helpful.

On a recent trip to a new trail I quickly realized that my Strava map was not lining up exactly with that of one that I was given to by a local for a good riding route. Trying to follow along on my phone and comparing two maps really sucked! 

I do not know much about cycling GPS computers, but is it possible to input a route in to one of them and have it give you turn by turn while riding on the trail? Is it possible to upload maps via iPhone to a cycling computer? 

If that is possible, what computers do you recommend?

I’m also fine with updating my current watch to something else that may be able to do turn by turn and such, any recommendations?

Download the Trailforks app.

Trailforks/Gaia/Caltopo are all good apps to have on your phone.  Assuming you can get a decent GPS signal they'll show you where you are and the surrounding trails.  I don't think they do turn-by-turn, but you'll be better off in the long run learning to read the map and figuring out the navigation yourself.

As much as I love tech, when I'm going somewhere new I always print out a paper map of the area that I can reference without having to worry about battery life, getting a GPS signal, etc.

Garmin Edge 530 is my go-to. Shows turn by turn navigation on the trails or roads, right there on my handlebars. And if I pause at a trail intersection (even when I'm not following a track) it shows me which trails are at that intersection and a trail name/colour (black/blue).

Speaking from personal experience (riding on the steep North Shore trails under heavy tree cover), GPS watches are not as accurate dedicated bike computers, should that matter to you (or where you ride).

I have a Garmin Forerunner 945 watch and an Edge 530 mounted on the bars, and the 530 is more accurate than the 945. (breadcrumb trail matches map positioning).

A friend has an Apple Watch 3 which is laughably inaccurate when you look at her Strava results!

Posted by: mrbrett

Garmin Edge 530 is my go-to. Shows turn by turn navigation on the trails or roads, right there on my handlebars. And if I pause at a trail intersection (even when I'm not following a track) it shows me which trails are at that intersection and a trail name/colour (black/blue).

I have the same and it has been excellent. You can make a route on trailforks and the 530 gives turn by turn directions. I think the new higher end Garmin is even better.

This seems like a good spot to remind everyone to be very careful with how and where you record your rides. Ive developed a bad habit of stalking folks through your ridelogs and you might think that you are not revealing, and ultimately blowing up, trails that are on the DL, but you very well might be for folks who have figured their way around the back ends. Theres tons of ridelogs for "secret" trails being put up everyday - dont be one of these guys. If you must GPS your ride, do not upload it to any online account and for god sakes, please dont link your strava account with your TF or other accounts.

Posted by: Ddean

This seems like a good spot to remind everyone to be very careful with how and where you record your rides. Ive developed a bad habit of stalking folks through your ridelogs and you might think that you are not revealing, and ultimately blowing up, trails that are on the DL, but you very well might be for folks who have figured their way around the back ends. Theres tons of ridelogs for "secret" trails being put up everyday - dont be one of these guys. If you must GPS your ride, do not upload it to any online account and for god sakes, please dont link your strava account with your TF or other accounts.

You really won't like the latest update that Strava have just pushed out...the "improvements" to the segment explorer have revealed some real gems. Take a look around and zoom in your favorite areas...🤨

I'll throw my super low budget option in - Suunto Ambit Peak3 - good GPS tracking, amazing battery life, many functions including the heart rate stuff, ok software support and ability to build your own turn by turn gps routes from any decent mapping website that exports the right file formats. And because it's in weird not supported limbo at Suunto it's very cheap.

Downside, it's basic with a B&W display and looks (is) old compared to the latest Fenix/Suuntos/Garmins but you can pick them up for next to nothing - same as a set of tires. I'm looking at replacements but this thing is also bulletproof so it's hard to get rid of it

Posted by: SixZeroSixOne

Posted by: Ddean

This seems like a good spot to remind everyone to be very careful with how and where you record your rides. Ive developed a bad habit of stalking folks through your ridelogs and you might think that you are not revealing, and ultimately blowing up, trails that are on the DL, but you very well might be for folks who have figured their way around the back ends. Theres tons of ridelogs for "secret" trails being put up everyday - dont be one of these guys. If you must GPS your ride, do not upload it to any online account and for god sakes, please dont link your strava account with your TF or other accounts.

You really won't like the latest update that Strava have just pushed out...the "improvements" to the segment explorer have revealed some real gems. Take a look around and zoom in your favorite areas...🤨

So I deleted Strava apps from my phone and iPad but the Garmin I use is still downloading g to Strava. How do I stop that?

(Never mind. I figured it out .didn’t think to scroll down the page)

Also, I have found that the new Trailforks heat map has revealed new, not on their map trails that were built last spring. Aptly named Social Distancing 1 and 2. I note there is another trail in the same cluster.

Posted by: SixZeroSixOne

You really won't like the latest update that Strava have just pushed out...the "improvements" to the segment explorer have revealed some real gems. Take a look around and zoom in your favorite areas...🤨

Even since they turned off Flyby sharing by default, I regularly see tracks on secret/unsanctioned trails. Some people just don't care.

Posted by: DanL

I'll throw my super low budget option in - Suunto Ambit Peak3 - good GPS tracking, amazing battery life, many functions including the heart rate stuff, ok software support and ability to build your own turn by turn gps routes from any decent mapping website that exports the right file formats. And because it's in weird not supported limbo at Suunto it's very cheap.

Downside, it's basic with a B&W display and looks (is) old compared to the latest Fenix/Suuntos/Garmins but you can pick them up for next to nothing - same as a set of tires. I'm looking at replacements but this thing is also bulletproof so it's hard to get rid of it

That's what I have.  Such a great piece of gear, even if it is old school.  It'll be a bummer when Suunto eventually stops supporting it in their software.  I'm not sure any current watches have the exact same feature set.

I can still get by with their mishmash of softwares, but yes, I'm really unable to find something that combines the longevity and feature set. Once I figured the turn by turn setup to export out from maps, it was all gravy

If you mark/edit a TrailForks ride log as "Private" and "hide track/gps", does it still show up on the TrailForks Heat Map? and does setting a privacy zone keep rides from showing up on the Heat Map too?

And as far as what type of device to use.  I was comparing Garmin Map GPS 64, to Garmin Extrex 30 to iphone for the Fromme Fundo.  All the devices had a bit of lag and showed your spot behind where you really were under tree cover (the GPS 64 was the best and iphone the worst), but not in any predictable way.  So for the Fundo it meant waiting at trail start and end points for your location dot on the device to line up with the track (it really harshes your flow man!)

As far as a device for turn by turn navigation, such as you would use when driving a car, good luck.  There are so many intersections in typical mtn bike areas that no hand held or bar mounted device can keep up.  For GPS races such as bike pack races, it is better to use something with a detailed map view and a preprogrammed route, and then after every intersection quickly look at your device to see if you are on the track, and even then you will be circling back at times to check.  Plus the original tracks offered for download on TrailForks or GPS race sites, were often recorded with a device with limited accuracy.  For my upcoming race, I am going to edit in an artificial zig zag at problem intersections, so that you know before you get there that some extra care is required.