Just a quick one really, looking at replacing my Edge 800 and was eyeing up the Edge 820. anyone using one what are the maps like (mtbing wise) battery life etc if not this Garmin what else would you recommend ?
cheers in advance.

Etrex or a Dakota if you can get your hands on one - both use AA batteries so no need to worry about re-charging or faffing with aux power banks and Energiser lithiums can be had cheapish of fleabay. (30 hrs a set on a Dakota, more on an etrex) They seem to be more idiot proof that the dedicated cycling ones.

Maps wise I'm very much an OS man but some on here use others. ioffer used to do copy garmin OS map cards cheap as but the must have been found out by Garmin as they don't sell them anymore

Mine check out the classifieds

Is your Edge 800 still working? You may find the upgrade is at best a sideways move, depending what gadget gimmicks you prioritise.

I 'downgraded' my Edge 800 for an 820 18 months ago, simply because I had been using the 800 for years and assumed the tech had moved on and the latest model would offer better performance. It went back for refund within 3 months, as it was infuriatingly garbage in so many ways, and eventually just went into a coma! You can pick them up quite cheap now as they have such a poor rep. Look on the real review from users and you will find a similar story. I know some people have found the software patches eventually sorted most glitches out, others have not, and when buying a top of the range model, being a beta tester for at least a year is just crazy. I have no interest in Strava segments or any of that crap that the new models have focussed on at the expense of basic navigation competency.

So I still use the Edge 800, and will continue to do so for as long as the battery holds out - it isn't holding so much charge these days, but is adequate for the average day ride. As it works OK I don't even download the patches any more, in case I get a bad one! When Wahoo produce a GPS with a decent colour screen I might retire the 800.

If I am bikepacking I always take an Etrex 30 as it is simpler and generally reliable (it has the odd freeze if you demand too much from it, such as too much faffing with the screen zoom function) and with lithium AAs I can eek out 50 hours or more from a single pair - this year I had a set easily last the entire TNR and almost got the whole length of the Colorado Trail before replacing. OSM mapping is available for free online and you can download detailed tiles for anywhere in the world.

Hope that helps.

Wahoo Bolt is the way forwards in my exp/opinion...

Try an Etrex, Dakota or Oregon rather than the Edge series. More reliable, less buggy and with features that tie you less to the "race" side of cycling.

Etrex Touch is essentially the new dakota. Screen clarity has improved as well. Really happy with mine. Basic and works. Had the Dakota before and it seems more robust than that and easier to read the screen. Win win!

I recently bought an 820 to replace an 810 (had an 800, 500 and 705 before that) and have been very pleased with it. Read all the dire reviews first, but was swayed by the v long battery life and the combo of decent navigation and ant+ compatibility for pm etc. I've just finished a week long 1000 mile ride down to benidorm (long story) and it was faultless. Used komoot to upload and tweak rides on the fly and an sp dynamo to change a powerpack. Days were up to 14 hours riding and route was very dependent on accurate navigation (lots of screen use) but I never finished a day with less than 20% batt remaining (using battery saver mode) . On the one day I forgot to recharge it overnight, it charged quickly and painlessly from the dynamo. Mapping was totally adequate for my needs (including some v small roads and gravel tracks) but I can't vouch for its suitability off road. Bluetooth syncing was seamless and I've had no issues with WiFi connectivity. Ditto the touch screen. Apparently a lot of the earlier glitches have been ruled out by firmware updates and I made sure I got a newish one. 10 out of 10 from me and a huge upgrade over any of its predecessors.

As with what Retiredtester wrote. I lost my 810 during a rough ride in bushes and got the 820. I seem to be one of the lucky guys. Mine had a few glitches at the beginning, but after a firmware update it was okay. After some minor adjustments to the differences with the 810, I see it definately as an upgrade. Battery life is bloody amazing for its size. I ride practically only offroad and like rough terrain (Alps). Mine has seen some minor crashes, been dropped onto rocks... All good.
It can be set up for hiking or other activities. Whilst it clearly is made with a focus on riding, it works well in other activities too.
In winter I've also charged it from the dyno hub and... faultless. As it should be.
Also I never experienced any problem in very wet conditions with the capacitive screen and prefer it in summer, but would prefer the resistive (like the 810 had) for winter use.

Can only comment on older Etrex, so can't compare to todays besides the Edge.

Cheers for the replies more mulling to do

Just want to jump in on this one rather than start a new thread. Whats the off road mapping like on the 820, or is there a way to keep my OS maps SD card from my 810 into something else ?

Lump wrote:Just want to jump in on this one rather than start a new thread. Whats the off road mapping like on the 820, or is there a way to keep my OS maps SD card from my 810 into something else ?

You'll just need to copy the maps file from your 810 onto a computer then onto your 820. The file should be called "gmapsupp.img".

Note of caution on the above. Some Garmin mapping is tied to a specific unit and won't transfer.
Having said that the GB Discoverer maps I bought with an 800 are fully transferable.

ioffer used to do copy garmin OS map cards cheap as but the must have been found out by Garmin as they don't sell them anymore

Interesting. I bought one about a year ago, it packed in after a few months and then I couldn't contact for any refund.
Are there any other cheap SD OS map options?

Nope, paying top dollar for Garmin seems the only option. Its possible to copy the SD cards so there is scope for a fine black market on OS map cards however....

It would be shocking if someone on this forum who had already bought a copy of the iOffer maps then proceeded to make a copy available to someone who had also bought a copy but whose card was now corrupt.

Wouldn't it?

Shocking several times over

I have yet to receive a PM from any member, asking for me to copy the version,I have saved on my computer - worth doing to anyone who has it has my garmin once broke and it took the SD card with it
Thankfully an SD is both cheap and easy to post

It would be shocking if someone on this forum who had already bought a copy of the iOffer maps then proceeded to make a copy available to someone who had also bought a copy but whose card was now corrupt.

Wouldn't it?