Garmin durability on trails?

[Miranda]

This is a gear question, but really specifically trail related, so I'll try posting here...

I'm considering a Garmin. While a lot of the funtions I can see being more suited to road riding, I was wondering if it would hold up on the trail? One negative I have read about Garmins (and seen the item first hand) is the mounting. It consists of a plastic base the unit snaps into, secured to bars or stem with zip ties. I've read the mounting breaks easily. Cheap to replace--like $10, but the unit if lost is not!

I would mount it on the stem of either of my bikes. The mtb stem is short, but just enough room the unit takes up the stem. One of my guy bike pals said he has not used his Garmin on the trail because he "is afraid it will be too hard on it, and tear it up". I can see a crash over, or maybe with some hard front end impact, the unit might break off the base.

I have gotten lost before both on the road and trail. I carry a small compass in my CamelBak to try and figure out which turn to take, with a trail map (lots of maps and trails I ride are not marked so great, or at all). At least being able to determine N-S-E-W helps in getting out of the woods. And being able to know how many miles you have ridden with a computer is nice (no pc on mtb now).

My guy pal uses a hard wired Shimano Flight Deck on his trail bike. Somehow he has the wires wound down the front fork, and up the brake cable to not get tangled up. I swear I always leave the woods with some of Mother Nature's greens wrapped in parts of my mtb. The Garmin being totally one piece wire free just on the stem would be a nice plus for the brush/grass etc.

Maybe adding extra mounting somehow would help (dunno what though)?

TYIA!

[sundial]

Miranda, have you considered carrying it in your Camelbak? You can still get the info without putting your Garmin at risk on the handlebars. You won't be able to get cadence but you'll get the other info.

There are apps for some cell phones that will give you coordinates with a compass as another suggestion.

[OakLeaf]

Another alternative might be to get a Forerunner 305 instead of an Edge. I don't know for sure about that model, but with my 301 (which doesn't have a cadence option), the wrist strap doesn't need to be removed from the unit for it to snap into the handlebar mount. Then I could just fasten the wrist strap loosely around the handlebar as a backup in case it fell out of the mount (which it never did).

The drawback is the display - monochrome and smaller versus the Edge's large color display. You also wouldn't have the option to import topo maps as I think you can with the Edge 705 (or street maps, but that wouldn't matter for the trail).

[SadieKate]

I mtbike with my Edge 305 mounted on my stem. Not a problem but I'm not super aggressive. Some table top jumps with a bit of air when I'm feeling frisky, but that's it. I also have a Forerunner 305. Neither is going to get you un-lost. These are not mapping GPS but recording units, as in they record the coordinates you've ridden. If you can match up your coordinates with a good map, they can help. But if you are standing at the intersection of 5 unmarked forest service roads/trails and the map only shows 3, and you want to map a route to another set of coordinates, good luck.

If you want a true mapping GPS with topo map updates, you need to look at something like a DeLorme PN-40. From what I've read, DeLorme does a much better job with topo maps than the Garmin 705. And the 705 is not built for trail riding.
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELi...?section=10461

If all you care about is recording where you've been with a bit of idea where you are, the Edge 305 works fine. But don't expect it to get you home if you're lost. And carry a compass anyway. Don't depend on an electronic gadget out in the wild.

[OakLeaf]

They can't get you un-lost in the sense of taking you the best or shortest way to someplace you know, but the Return to Start function works just fine for re-tracing your steps.

[SadieKate]

Well, yeah, but when you're mountainbiking that could be a pretty durn nasty option.

[PscyclePath]

Miranda:

I have one of the Garmin Vista HCx units that I ride with from time to time when i'm going to be way out in the piney woods. I've got the Garmin handlebar mount you were talking about, and haven't had much trouble with the unit working loose. But as a little extra measure, most of the Garmin handheld units come with a short "dummy cord" that you can wrap around your wrist; I take a couple of loops with mine around the handlebars before I snap my "varmint" into the bar mount. If it does work loose, the dummy cord should keep it from hitting the ground and being left behind.

Tom

[SadieKate]

I think for a race or a particularly rough trail I'd just sacrifice a few zip ties.

My Forerunner and Edge don't like anything blocking the satellite reception. I've heard of people using an iPod armband to run with an Edge but I think that's a very vulnerable position for mtbiking. Having the Edge on the stem has been very safe, sort of tucked back behind the bend in the bars, the levers, etc.

[SheFly]

I actually carry mine either in my CamelBack, or in my back pocket when on the trails. That said, I am a gadget/data geek, so I already have a computer mounted on my bars, and can see that data at a glance. The Garmin is really for post-ride data/mapping.

I have also used it for racing (MTB), but in my back pocket vs on my bars. To me, it is safer there.

SheFly

[Miranda]

Thanks, those are great responses. I was not aware of the wrist dummy strap. Plus, it did not occur to me to put the unit on my person, or in the CamelBak. Thus why I need my TE friends... two heads are better than one.

After almost losing my cell phone off the top tube of my road bike before I got MacGyvr creative for security. I dug out some velcro strips from my sewing basket and stitched it on with waxed dental floss permanently (modified ladies cell purse holder). Looks a lil Fred, but that bad boy has never come off since. Btw, my kids' school RN has her own ring tone for my accident prone students--too hard to hear in the saddle bag. It's fallen out of the jersey pocket too. Thus, my Fred velcro and dental floss rig wins.

My CamelBak is the ladies Charm. It only has one small pocket. But, one bungee cord for storage (jacket or extra shirt goes nicely there under the bungee). But, I bet I could sew up some type of sealed net pocket that the Garmin could get a signal through fine if I decide to get it. My compass is staying in the CamelBak for sure too.

[Aggie_Ama]

You should just get a bigger camelbak. I were the ladies MULE or as we discovered they call it something else (LUXE?). Holds everything but the kitchen sink comfortably and I am relatively small. Never run out of water either in sweltering Texas summers.