offroad gps or other trail marking source

[airshot]

   Did some riding this past summer and now realize how poorly marked most trail systems are, so looking for an easy to use (user friendly) made to be used by a dummy like me gps trail reading system.
Not looking to take out a second mortgage but a unit that is easy to see for these old eyes and easy to understand and to use.  Simple, simple, simple is the key word here. Have heard about using tablets and other off road gps units but cant find anyone local to show or explain to this old duffer how they work. I understand the gps system, I have one on my boat but it just tracks your path and marks waypoints, I am looking for something that shows the trails you are on and where you are.  Thanks in advance for any information and recommendations you can provide.

[Dayooper]

What kind of phone do you have?  Might want to consider a trail-riding app for your phone?

[CROSSBOLT]

Try Los Arboritos LLC in Spokane (spo-can is the pronunciation), WA for a map system. Got one for an Etrex-20 for highways that works well. Do not know what they have for topo or trails. Garmin wanted 60 bucks for a map chip and Los Arboritos wanted less than 20. So guess!

Karl

[airshot]

    My phone has internet and gps but it is not a high tech phone and has a small face, I barely use my phone for anything but talking so that is not really an option.  I am looking for a separate device for my UTV that is easy to use, I have no idea how to download maps or what kind of maps etc, not a computer wiz!!  So what is the most simple for computer dummies and where do I learn how to use it. I have ask around this area and so far, they go into a long technical speech that I do not understand and then they go off talking about highway use....not looking for road use just off road trails.  Thanks for all the responses so far....

[Dayooper]

The thing w/ GPS is very little is usually included w/ the device. Companies sell different "maps" that you have to purchase and load onto it. I found this article which should be a good starting point for you but it appears there aren't too many w/ trail riding maps in mind to choose from. http://www.twowheelsquad.com/best-gps-atv-reviews/
I don't do much trail riding but I am a trapper frequently out of cell phone range and use the waypoints feature to mark my sets when long lining. I use an older Rino version from Garmin. Something simple like that could work for you if you just want to mark where you've been when riding out and finding home accurately. 
If you're interested in satellite connectivity for calls/texts, the monthly subscription goes way up.
I'd recommend maybe picking up a craiglist special, playing with it for awhile and figuring out what features you want the most then diving into a new model.

[airshot]

    Thanks for al the replys, I have an older GPS on my boat that just gives marked way points and a line to follow out and back, works great on water but when your in the woods there is no straight line  and I don't always want to go back the same way I came in. My portable garmin Nuvi is fine for the road but its offroad program is nothing and I am not sure how to load any type of map or if it would even do that.
I guess what I am looking for is a unit that shows the area you are in and where you are located and some type of copy of the trail you are riding, wanting to make a loop to back where you started is possible.  I do not understand a lot of the technical jargon used when describing how these work so I have been looking for someone that can explain and or show in simple terms how to use these things. In my area I have not been able to find much....please keep any ideas you might have coming...Thanks

[airshot]

   From all the responses I kave received from all the various sites it seems the most popular GPS are the Garmin automotive units that are re-programed for off road use. It appears an additional micro card is needed to download the necessary mapping and trails to the GPS unit. I see I need some serious upgrading to my computer skills, will be learning to do this over the winter months. If anyone has experience doing this please fell free to chime in here....hate going back to school at my age !!

[CROSSBOLT]

I have had a nav unit for a boat with third party maps. It took talking with the mapper in Italy to get some of the features to work. The etrex unit on my DT300i used that map micro card from Los Arboritos I told you about. It was really easy! Take batteries out of the etrex 20, slip card in, replace batteries, reinstall cover, turn on and ride! It will find a town but won't find an address. I think they offer topos for the etrex series. The greatest part is the screen can be seen in daylight! The brighter the better. Auto units disappear in sunlight.

Karl

[airshot]

    Not sure they do disappear nowadays, I have the smallest nuvi 40 in my motorhome and we can see it in sunlight without to much problem. Garmin is advertising there auto units can easily be seen in daylight...so if it doesn't I have a good reason to send it back!  The hand held units have such a small screen they are hard to see in a UTV. Had one on my old atv and that was not a problem but will be further away in UTV so I need a bigger screen.

[CROSSBOLT]

Good point about small screen!

Karl

[poorboy1964]

Air shot I have been looking for something similar
Polaris Ride command the software is free but you would need a tablet with wifi

https://ridecommand.polaris.com/en-us/home

It's pretty good but won't work for me because there is no wifi where I ride I tried to use the garmin out of my truck but it's an expensive unit I can't figure out how to put maps on it,

Most around here run the marine Laurence versions but like you I wanted more than that had that in the boat and it worked well but not what I want here. I do need satellite capable

[CROSSBOLT]

Wi-fi inna woods?

Karl

[airshot]

   Not very many woods that are gonna support Wi-Fi, even though some do use it. Got to have the satellite GPS to be sure of a good signal.  It appears that you need to load maps for any unit you want to use that will actually show where your at. As I understand now you might even need to load these onto your computer then transfer the maps onto an SD card for the GPS.  From what I understand (and that ain't much) I am going to need to learn an awfull lot over this winter !!!