Nuvi 500 for snowmobiling.

[Hoosier]

Nuvi 500 for snowmobiling.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...?i=420511&pdesc=Garmin_n_vi_500_GPS_Navigator

I own a 60 csx, so I'm not in the market, but I recently came across this unit, and was wondering how it might do on the snow. Just curious if anyone else has used it.

 

[lh7018]

I've been using it for sledding and driving for the past two years and just installed the mount for it on my new sled. I'm very happy with it. I also just updated the street maps and the maps for the snowmobile trails in the Yoop and Wisconsin. I use it to drive to the destination then put it on the sled, turn on the trail maps and go. Works well.

 

[local897]

I've been using it for sledding and driving for the past two years and just installed the mount for it on my new sled. I'm very happy with it. I also just updated the street maps and the maps for the snowmobile trails in the Yoop and Wisconsin. I use it to drive to the destination then put it on the sled, turn on the trail maps and go. Works well.

X2

 

[MR.HAPPY]

Works Great & waterproof too!

 

[mjkaliszak]

Works Great & waterproof too!

Me too, I bought it trying to forsee all the possible ramifications of my snowmobiling skills. That would be " ME, MY cell phone, MY Nuvi 500" all in the snowbank together....... I do like it but I wish the road map & trail map would overlay each other, instead of having to switch back n forth.

 

[oatie]

I prefer the Nuvi 550. I like the street map view over the topo. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=27442

 

[Hoosier]

I was just interested to see if this style of unit works on a sled. I have the 60csx and it works great, but a larger screen would be nice to have. I didn't even know the 500/550 were options when I bought the 60 csx 2 years ago. Maybe they were justout of my price range at the time and I didn't look into them.

 

[xcsp]

For those of you using the Nuvi 500/550 for sledding, are you just using the internal battery or powering it off of the sled?

 

[roam]

For those of you using the Nuvi 500/550 for sledding, are you just using the internal battery or powering it off of the sled?

Powering mine off the sled. I bought a cigarette outlet from fleet farm, found 12v DC and run it from that. I think Polaris wants around $50 for the plug, but i did it for almost nothing.

 

[beakjones]

PSA:

Garmin will be replacing the 60cx and 60csx within the next year, so they are on end-of-life sales in a few places. Best prices i've seen are $170 and $200 respectively, at amazon.com. The new units, I'm sure, will be significantly more expensive

 

[oatie]

For those of you using the Nuvi 500/550 for sledding, are you just using the internal battery or powering it off of the sled?

I don't have a battery to start my sled so I power mine with this little guy right here. http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/56...hissku=BAT777dash777UB1270F1&site=google_base

I'm on my second battery in 6 years of use. The first one came with a little cloth case which I reused. I just bungie it down beside the chain case. I've gone a fill week without a recharge before. Two years ago I picked this up at Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/automa...rm=93781&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=googlebase

It works for me. Oatie

 

[xcsp]

Next question I have is what maps are you using, where to get them?

Anyone have experience with the maps from Red Pine Mapping?

 

[lh7018]

I used the Redpine maps for Wisconsin although I probably should update since mine are from 2009. This season I got the Michigan mapping, which includes the U.P., from VVMapping and even though I won't be able to try them in the U.P. for another week or so they look very nice. With VVMapping when you purchase online you get the mapping downloadable right away, then a couple days later you will receive by mail a hardcopy of paper instructions and a CD copy of the maps and a couple extra mapping programs.

Just to add concerning powering the unit - I've powered mine from the sled with a 12V outlet and it works great. I've also used the GPS internal battery standalone with no power from the sled. However, it's worth noting that you should make sure the GPS battery is charged before you go out, whichever way you choose to power it since even when plugged into the sled the battery will not charge below 32 deg F. It will run the unit but won't charge the battery. Garmin doesn't say exactly why it's made that way but I can only guess it's due to the Li-on battery and it's chemistry. The battery can be charged (when between 32 and 104 deg F) either from the 12V plug or from the USB cable when plugged into your computer.