This is a question we spent months trying to figure out. And for us, the third time was a charm.
Nothing … well, almost nothing … is worse than being led astray by the GPS system we trust to get us safely to the campground. RVs come with their own unique travel challenges. Drivers need to consider bridge clearance, tight curves, steep inclines and more when planning a route. But how do you find a reliable GPS made for recreational vehicles? If you’ve been shopping for one, I’m sure you feel the same pain we did. The options and the buyer ratings on these products are overwhelming.
Investing in the right RV GPS is more than just a travel convenience, it can affect our safety and assist in times of crisis. In theory, an RV GPS will follow established truck routes, allowing you to avoid narrow roads, city traffic, sharp turns and other obstacles to large vehicle travel.
My husband and I each had our own preferred brands we used in our cars and when it came time to buy one that would be suitable for a more cumbersome traveling – as with our travel trailer – he put in a substantial amount of time researching which ones were best and ended up buying a brand he was familiar with.
Our First Try
Our first RV GPS was the highly-reviewed Garmin RV 660LMT and we were happy with it at first. Patrick liked the intuitive menu layout. He spent hours learning how to set and customize it beforehand. We planned to stay pretty close to home on our first trip with the trailer, heading toward a state park in the mountains only an hour and a half away. How difficult could navigating that trip be? We were keeping it simple. We decided to trust the Garmin, assuming it would make route selections based on RV safety issues, but ended up with random (and rambling) choices that were not justified.
If you’ve traveled on narrow mountain roads in any vehicle, then you understand how few opportunities there can be to turn around after a missed turn – much less finding a suitable spot for an RV turnaround. So imagine our dismay when we missed a critical turn without any verbal warning. We noticed the park signs after we’d already passed the turn.
I get it. Backwoods travel is tricky. Rural roads are difficult to navigate. Can we really expect a GPS unit to know it all? I would say yes, if it’s marketed as a GPS specifically designed for RV travel. Parks aren’t known to change locations. Even when they have multiple entrances, or list an office as their address, I would expect an RV GPS to know the best way to get to any state or national campground. Otherwise, we’re better off following a map.
It’s partially on us for not testing the GPS unit in depth before relying on it. We really should have
The Garmin BC 30 Wireless Backup Camera was also a dud. The image quality was passable, but poor. We set it up to work through the GPS, but it was glitchy, flipping back and forth wildly between the camera and the navigation system, rendering it useless for either feature. The transmitter was well within suggested range. The idea of having the GPS and backup camera on one screen seemed like a good idea at first … but no.
We returned this unit after the first trip. (The backup camera went in the trash.) Sigh.
Our Second Attempt
After more research and more than a little frustration, Patrick decided to try the Garmin RV 770 NA LMT-S. This time, we tested it locally first. This unit was sporadically quirky as well, giving voice instructions to turn while showing an arrow pointing straight ahead. Following the voice instructions led in a circle back to the original intersection. The arrow on the screen indicated the correct route, but constantly double-checking the screen for accuracy isn’t a safe or convenient way to travel.
On our first camping trip with this unit, it ended up recommending a route that was an hour and a half out of the way. I had already plotted the trip on Google Maps as a precaution, so I knew what to expect. Nothing could explain the lengthy detour. The shorter route did not involve any toll roads, traffic or hazards that would justify the longer option. It was simply a shorter highway option. By the time I realized that it had deviated from the shorter Google route, it was too late to backtrack. We took the next exit, opting for a smaller highway to get us back to the shorter route, hoping the GPS would adjust and help us out. At that point, we just couldn’t imagine adding an extra hour and a half to our trip. We managed an awkward side trip back to the main highways Google had suggested. The unit did readjust to the shorter route at that point.
We held on to this second unit longer than the first — hoping we could make it work – allowing for potential user error and a learning curve, but it ultimately went back as well. We just found its directions to be too unreliable. Kudos to Amazon for being a good sport about our second GPS return.
The WINNER!
Our third try was the Rand McNally RVND 7″ GPS. Although the reviews weren’t quite as high on this one, the positives seemed more realistic and relevant (and any negative reviews seemed either petty or due to user error so we decided to risk it). At first glance, the menu system did not seem quite as intuitive as a Garmin, but that may be chalked up to a change from a brand we’d used for years to something entirely new. So far, this unit has given us reliable directions. It offers viable alternative routes. The larger screen is nice. While it does seem to start up and calculate the route more slowly, perhaps that’s because it’s making accurate calculations up front. It determines the best route based on our unique RV specifications (length, weight, height). We can also select points of interest, rest areas, and campgrounds along our route.
Patrick prefers flat disk mounting to the windshield mount that comes with the Rand McNally. This was an easy fix. He simply purchased a dashboard disk separately for a few extra dollars. We’d noticed that some reviewers claimed the screen was too light to see it well in the daylight. We have not had this issue, but that may be because we chose to mount on the dashboard instead of struggling with
When we were comparison shopping, we also noticed that some reviewers complained that the battery life was too short. We keep our GPS plugged in while we’re driving, so battery life is not a consideration for us. Keeping the GPS on the dash vs. the (hot, battery-killing) windshield would help with battery life if that is an issue for some users. (I suppose this might matter if you’re trying to use it for geocaching, but I would guess most people use phones for that?)
The affordable price also weighed in on our decision. All in all, we are very satisfied with the Rand McNally RVND 7 and offer our vote of confidence in this product for those who have struggled with unreliable GPS directions!
OTHER RAND McNALLY RV GPS OPTIONS :
- Rand McNally
OverDryve 8 Pro 8″ Truck GPS Tablet with Dash Cam and Bluetooth - Rand McNally TND 740 IntelliRoute Truck Navigation GPS with 7″ HD Vibrant Display
Have you struggled with an RV GPS purchase? Share your experience or recommendations in the comments below…
Things to Consider When Shopping for GPS Units
Other than the obvious price shopping, it’s a good idea to watch for:
- Ease of use
- Customization for various types of RVs
- Warning systems for road hazards and detours
- Size of display and readability while driving
- Do you want/need extras like bluetooth connectivity, voice operation, road assistance, etc.
Other Thoughts
This should probably go without saying, but perhaps others can learn from our mistakes:
Test your new GPS on short local trips and know how to use all important features well in advance of using it on a camping trip.
Until you’re confident in your GPS, take a deep breath, allow for extra travel time to avoid stress, and have a backup plan.
On a somewhat related side note, I have a TomTom GPS in my car that is at least 10 years old and still gets me where I need to go. Tom has never led me astray and he is set to give me instructions as a very calm and polite British male. Mmm hmm. (My husband keeps his GPS set to a young female voice. Our preferences make me giggle, but hey – whatever makes the trip more pleasurable, right?)
So … if we ever need to resort to another RV GPS, I might have to chime in and suggest giving the TomTom Trucker a try. 😉
Have any RV GPS wisdom to share? Chime in by leaving a comment below…
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