Best Nav System for Off Roading?

My old radio is falling apart, thinking of doing a Double DIN bezel upgrade and installing a Double DIN Screen/Nav System. Anyone have any recommendations of Nav Systems and in particular anything specifically good for off roading. If I'm happy with the system I'll probably install one in my car too.

Right now I have a Samsung Tablet with Backcountry Navigator and downloaded TOPO maps. It would be nice I could do something similar with the nav system and could just ditch the tablet. So I guess I need a Nav System that runs Android and I can install BackNav on it.

Anyone know of anything like that or have a better alternative?

Sorry to divert a bit but....I have a samsung galaxy tablet. I run it off my wifi at home for websurfing. I wonder what I need to make it into a navigation unit? If it works, I d make a mount for it on the dash. Do these tablet come with a gps chip in them? Do they have internet cell service ability for realtime gps?

I am real bad at technology computer stuff. the tablet someone gave me used. I dont know anything about its full capability. Using it as an off road nav system is interesting, specially if if can work without the need for cell phone service as some places I go have no cell phone towers.

So do galaxies all have gps ability?

Also where is a good source for topomaps that I can print out from the web? It is always wise to carry a paper map and compass if for anything at least as a back up "system".

Anyway how did you use your tablet for navigation? Please let us know, I am intrigued at the possibility.


Also the year model, i.e. early or late style dash, makes a difference in mounting options, which have you?
The early dash has a tighter radio opening area. on the late dash in a 2001 XJ my friend mounted a double high radio with navigation, fits like it belongs, has a rather large screen, near as big as that on my galaxy tablet. it has gps, but the maps are not near as detailed as a large paper USGS topographical map, but still very useful.

In a late dash style XJ the fit should be easy for a double high "radio" unit.

Thanks!

Unless it's a really really old tablet it should have GPS capability.

You just need to download an app that will let you download/use offline maps because obviously you won't have WiFi while you're wheeling. There are a lot of good options out there. I use "BackCountry Navigator" I really like it for off roading and hiking, it has a variety of sources of different types of maps that you can download for offline use.

I see you're based in Cali, there is also California Trail Maps that you can purchase that is a little more geared toward off roading and has more specifics about different offroad trails than your standard Topo map.

I use this mounted to the bolt holding the front passenger seat to hold the tablet:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F3F09NU

But I wish I had gotten something a little bit longer because it's constantly bumping into the shiftier.

Got a smartphone? You could always have the tablet treat the phone as a hotspot, but you'd have to keep the limits of your data plan in mind.

Can you get a head unit that supports mirroring the tablet's display to its own? Then the NAV/topo runs on what you have now, but you interact with it through the radio.

Yeah, most head units support screen mirroring so that is an option. But, I'm trying to see if there is a standalone solution so I can ditch the Tablet/Phone. Seems pretty easy/cheap to just make a headunit that essentially just has a tablet buried in it.

InsaneAudio (https://insaneaudio.com/) pretty much has what I'm talking about but I'm trying to see if there are any other recommendations out there.

I am looking at getting an ATOTO A6 pro for the exact purpose, and use an app with downloadable maps. The Atoto has GPS, wifi and bluetooth capabilities, and runs on their version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Cal has a post on this forum where he talks about his install.

Good advice, I may just go from some random brand on Amazon like that too. Was trying to go with a name brand but I don't know if the $$$ is worth it. I would look for something with a little bit newer version of Android though, Android 6.0 is kinda old now,.

Yeah i was worried about the age of it, but I figured I'd start off with the cheap option and see what features i did and did not care about before coughing up for an expensive unit.

Initially I didn't order the dash cam or backup cam. First drive with the Atoto, a young girl sped past me at 75, almost hit me, swerved, hit a couple of walls and totaled her car.

Dash cam and backup cam are sitting on my desk waiting on some free time to install them now.

cal said:

Yeah i was worried about the age of it, but I figured I'd start off with the cheap option and see what features i did and did not care about before coughing up for an expensive unit.

Initially I didn't order the dash cam or backup cam. First drive with the Atoto, a young girl sped past me at 75, almost hit me, swerved, hit a couple of walls and totaled her car.

Dash cam and backup cam are sitting on my desk waiting on some free time to install them now.

Click to expand...

Yeah, 6.0 is probably fine it should run just about everything you need. I'll look up your install, thanks for posting!

I've had a dash cam for several years, never caught anything interesting, the one time someone plowed into the back of a parked suburban and flipped it right infront of me, the dash cam had frozen up...

https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1131459&page=22

Start around post 637