Off-Road +++ GPSMAP Unit

[the wanderer]

I need some help deciding which large screen Garmin product to get that will allow off-road use as well as the navigator mode for use in our RV.  Have been told the Marine-type units work well for off road (are water proof so should be dust proof) but some features outside the marine mode are rendered useless.  The GPSMAP 640 is an option but the smaller screen (4.5 x 2.7) is not attractive.  What do you folks out there suggest??  Appreciate any and all heDTATUUp!

[Boyd]

Although the screen is smaller than you want (2" x 3.5" or 4" diagonal), it's worth at least looking at the Montana 600. The advantage of this, as well as Garmin's other handhelds, is that you can get a Birdseye subscription for unlimited downloads of aerial imagery for $30. The roads of the map can be superimposed over the aerial imagery, which can be a nice feature for off-road use.

I have not used any of those marine units, but when you switch them to automotive mode I think they basically become dumbed-down Nuvi's. If that's what you want, the 5" Nuvi 1450 or 1490 is available at really steep discounts this holiday season - just saw one for $100. There's also the discontinued Nuvi 5000 with a 5" screen. Of course, the Nuvi's aren't waterproof or dustproof, but at those prices you could buy a spare or two and still end up less than a marine unit that has lots of features you don't need on land.

Personally, I would love to see a device with the Montana's features but a big (5" or 7" screen) but not sure if there's enough of a market to make it worth their while.

[the wanderer]

Thanks for the suggestion Boyd.........will take your advice under consideration! Seems all the folks we off-road with have Lowrance units (5" square screens) but apparently Lowrance have discontinued supporting their off-road maps, hence why I am back with Garmin!  You are right, the garmin marine (& others) are somewhat pricey, especially if some of the features are not available.............dilemma.................dilemma!