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joemikeb · 02-19-2016, 01:15 PM

For navigation purposes my vote goes to Co-Pilot. It has options for customizing the vehicle type, ranking road preferences (interstate, highway, secondary, surface streets), alternate route suggestions, and manual routing or re-routing), downloads and stores the maps internally so it works even in areas where there is no cell service (and there are a lot of those in the southwest and mountain states, especially if you get off of the interstates), and you only have to download and store the map or map portions you need so it saves precious storage space in your iPhone or iPad.

Nmengineer · 02-19-2016, 01:52 PM

Wow nobody likes RV Parky. It gives us the info we need including Walmart locations. I will have to try Allstays.

artwester · 02-19-2016, 05:28 PM

We travel six months a year and rely on Camp Finder. Plug in a city, it will find campgrounds within a certain radius.

banderabob · 02-19-2016, 05:49 PM

Y me tambien para Allstays. (Best Spanish I've done in years!)

SteveSueMac · 02-19-2016, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joemikeb

For navigation purposes my vote goes to Co-Pilot. It has options for customizing the vehicle type, ranking road preferences (interstate, highway, secondary, surface streets), alternate route suggestions, and manual routing or re-routing), downloads and stores the maps internally so it works even in areas where there is no cell service (and there are a lot of those in the southwest and mountain states, especially if you get off of the interstates), and you only have to download and store the map or map portions you need so it saves precious storage space in your iPhone or iPad.

Are you using the $150 version? If so it sounds like you think it's a good value. About half the cost of a dedicated GPS box.

Ted S. · 02-19-2016, 06:48 PM

I use Allstays Camp and RV but also own the Truck and Travel version. I only use Camp and RV because it has everything the Truck and Travel version has, except for a few items like truck repair shops which I don't use anyway. It also has all the Walmarts, etc. it really is great.

I also use iExit. It is from the folks who published the books, it's excellent as well. There is another app called Coverage, which will give you cell coverage for the various carriers. And of course the weather apps.

Ted S. · 02-19-2016, 06:51 PM

I used Copilot for many years, it was excellent. I now use a Garmin, using Basecamp to route the trip then download into the Garmin.

Jim & Susan · 02-19-2016, 07:01 PM

Do any of these aps come with a monthly fee or an annual update fee? Thinking about another "subscription". If we were full timing that would be less of an issue. Casual use is another matter.

Jim

loislane · 02-19-2016, 07:02 PM

Hi all,
When I first started taking longer trips I had the same question as StevieB. I do love Allstays but I've found having to use so many different apps frustrating. I wanted one app that does everything I need it to do - let me explore campsites AND other interests like mountain bike trails and save those, build an itinerary, route the whole trip and individual legs and share parts of the trip when its over - so I've resolved to build one. We've just started - I actually recognize some of you posters from my research activities - if you want to give the team your feedback on how we should evolve the product you can sign up to participate in early testing at www.wandersrv.com. In my perfect world we'd have something ready for you all to try this summer. I'll keep you posted!

frazil · 02-19-2016, 07:05 PM

We use Waze even on short trips around town. It will report road hazards, traffic or lane/road closures. Notifications are current because users are reporting conditions. If you are navigating to a location it will auto reroute around accidents or heavy traffic. It has helped us several times. It also reports police radar traps but that is not important because none of us speed especially while towing. Best yet, it is a free app!

TouringDan · 02-19-2016, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim & Susan

Do any of these aps come with a monthly fee or an annual update fee? Thinking about another "subscription". If we were full timing that would be less of an issue. Casual use is another matter.

Jim

That is what makes Allstays a bargain- a one time fee of $9.95.
Seriously, I have heard many others recommend the Alstays App. I did not consider it until I started reading this thread. In reading the description I saw that you could just look City/County campgrounds. I have found that many City/County campgrounds can be hidden gems that few people know about. I also found that you could look for rest areas.
I have never paid for an App before but felt if I could find City/County campgrounds and also rest areas that it would be worth the one time fee of $9.95, so I signed up. My first test was to look up the Munising, Mi City CG and the Grand Marais, Mi City CG. Bingo. Both were listed. Well worth the $10.
Thanks for starting this thread. I hope to be using Alstays a lot.

Dan

Lily&Me · 02-20-2016, 02:39 AM

I like the filter on the AllStays app, too....you can reduce everything to just what you need or are looking for, and that's all that pops up on your map.

The PocketEarth app is great for solo me navigation, due to the ability to drop markers at wherever and whatever, then they stay there til you take them off.

In a specific area, you can drop and leave a marker for your campground, the laundromat, grocery store, market, etc.

A good thing.

Maggie

joemikeb · 02-20-2016, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Are you using the $150 version? If so it sounds like you think it's a good value. About half the cost of a dedicated GPS box.

I don't know where your $150 price came from but the Apple App store lists several versions of Co-Pilot, none of which cost more than $19.99. I chose CoPilot Premium HD USA — GPS, which includes access to compete US highway maps, for I believe it was $19.99 then added "in-app" purchases of Active Traffic for $9.99 for a total outlay of $32.25 including sales tax. As with all Apple App Store purchases that covered both my iPhone and iPad. I chose the HD version because of the superior resolution on the iPad Pro's "Retina" display. As I recall at the time I looked at the lower priced (free?) CoPilot GPS — Car navigation version, but by the time you purchased maps, voice guidance, etc it cost almost as much as the HD version and did not provide HD screen resolution. However, if you just want to "dip your toe in the water" it is worth considering.

FWIW I find my iPad Pro rides reasonably well standing on the cup holder in the center of the dash in my 2013 AI. It survived there on some really nasty New Mexico mountain dirt roads traveled mostly by 4WD trucks and Jeeps. (I made a poor choice when I customized CoPilot's suggested route — those roads were listed as state highways.)

The other in-app purchases that are available include:

Map of Canada $4.99
Map of Europe $29.99
Mapf of Australia and New Zealand $27.99
Map of the Middle East %29.99
Map of Southeast Asia $29.99
Map of Brasil $29.99
Map of Africa $29.99

I figured if I ever drive my AI to another continent I can purchase the appropriate map at that time

loislane · 02-20-2016, 02:04 PM

Hey Joemikeb - you got the auto version of copilot - there is a trucking version that is $150 - I'd love to hear from those of you who are using that as they have an OEM version that we can license for Wanders routing so trying to figure out if it works well. Joe the benefit of the trucking version is it takes into account your rig size - maybe the AI doesn't have so many issues but say Ted with a 30 footer or me with an aversion to narrow winding roads (actually I don't have so much of a problem but my marriage seems to suffer when I navigate my husband down such roads :-) - anyway people who tow would benefit from the "rig specific" routing.

Ted S. · 02-20-2016, 02:49 PM

Hi Lois,

I see you are hard at work!

I have the Garmin RV 760LMT. I loaded in the profile of our rig and found that it limits routes for reasons unknown. I think it actually tries to avoid National Parks, but doesn't say that. We worked the software for a long time and could never get it to do anything but strange routing with a Profile. My practice now is I disable the our "Profile" and route the way I want to route. Then I go online an research the route for low clearance, grades, etc. As a backcheck, I look for alarms on the Garmin once I have the route loaded in. I do this by enabling our Profile once I have the route loaded into the Garmin. As you can imagine, the routes it fought against actually have no hazards.

So the Garmin is a great tool for getting down the road and making sure you stay on track, but I would never let it plan a route.

Back when I used Copilot I would also rely on its route planning. But I was not 50' long and did not have a profile. I actually liked it better than the Garmin in this regard. It was less intuitive and was on a laptop on a stand in the cab.

Ted

tvketchum · 02-20-2016, 03:06 PM

Allstays is a very good app, we have found some great spots to camp, to park overnight, and to just have lunch enroute. RVParky is another, but, not as good or as thorough as Allstays. Just my $0.02

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Tom
TVKetchum

AirEgger · 02-20-2016, 04:12 PM

Will second the comment re the quality of some RV parks. Some are dumps, even though their website ratings are pretty good.

Ponyfvr · 02-20-2016, 04:45 PM

Anyone use: RVTripwizard.com ? Friend uses it and told us about it. Another friend recommended RVParky.com. I am not familiar with either website.

Thanks for your comments

joemikeb · 02-20-2016, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loislane

Hey Joemikeb - you got the auto version of copilot - there is a trucking version that is $150 - I'd love to hear from those of you who are using that as they have an OEM version that we can license for Wanders routing so trying to figure out if it works well. Joe the benefit of the trucking version is it takes into account your rig size - maybe the AI doesn't have so many issues but say Ted with a 30 footer or me with an aversion to narrow winding roads (actually I don't have so much of a problem but my marriage seems to suffer when I navigate my husband down such roads :-) - anyway people who tow would benefit from the "rig specific" routing.

The version of CoPilot I got from the Apple Store does have settings for rig size including height.

Ted S. · 02-20-2016, 08:29 PM

One interesting thing about Allstays, not all campgrounds are on it. My neighbor told me about her favorite, I searched high and low and realized it was not on there. I heard, don't know if it is true, that the campgrounds have to pay to be listed...

Anyway, Tripadvisor has become a goto app for me these days. Any activity or restaurant or even a campground or hiking trail has been reviewed on it. There is a forum section with a lot of good info.