Tread Overland - 1 Full Week In - Positive Review
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2022 4:37 am
I have had this device (8") now for over a week and other than the issues I have found in my other review, that I posted here, I really do like this device with InReach built-in.
Living in Boulder, CO up at 8,600' is not an easy life as it is or was in the city of Sarasota, FL. Planning and Key equipment can mean the matter of life and death. The weather at this altitude is not to be taken lightly. I have seen the temperature drop 40 degrees in 3 hours up here a few times and the wind can be sustained at 35-50mph for days with gusts over 100, in the winter months and wildfires where we have to evacuate once. So having a device that "does it all" is important for me, my wife, and animals. There have been numerous times the power has gone out and my only means of communicating with the outside world was my Garmin InReach Explorer+ through texting (and "yes" we are working on installing a generator" to keep the satellite dish up).
The mountain maps on the TREAD of the Rockies are incredible and there is nothing else like it on the market except for "maybe" Gaia GPS. But Gaia, I found is not near as easy or friendly as the Tread Overland. The built-in maps have every trail off the main roads that pretty much exists. I'm not sure how they even found some of the trails. For some, that's not important, but in a situation where the road may be closed, getting to safety in the mountains using alternative routes could be life-saving. Maybe Gaia is a tad more detail configurable but you could always import the GPX files to the Tread.
Birds-Eye View is very nice - Overlaying satellite imagery on the map makes it come to life. But they do take up quite some space so invest in a large SD-Card, and I have also read in Garmin's documentation that large multiple satellite files in use can slow the device down - so be advised. I have 2 large maps (100 sq miles each) downloaded on internal storage and I have not noticed any issues with responsiveness.
The Tread Overland is very snappy and quick. Big difference over the Garmin Overlander. You won't be disappointed by its speed.
All the apps work quite well. I have not found any issues with any of them except what I listed in my review of "issues" posted here and sent to Garmin.
The touchscreen is a huge upgrade and now uses the same type of screen most newer smartphones have - providing a great touch response. The Screen Brightness is enough to blind you at 100%. In bright daylight - it's very easy to use but inside the vehicle, I find 80% is adequate. There is no "Auto Dim/Bright" feature other than "Dark Theme" which turns on automatically at dusk and off at dawn. And this is a user setting - either on or off.
There's also a built-in web browser which is fairly great - renders most sites I went to perfect and plays videos on websites too. I was surprised.
The ABC Functions are good and the Compass stays calibrated much better than the Garmin Overlander.
I like the ability to customize the home screen(s) with built-in widgets and buttons. Very nice for quick access to features that are users driven.
Traveling by air, load a movie on the Tread or on an SD Card and watch it on the 8" screen, and pair your BT Ear pods to it. Again, I can’t get over the clarity of the Screen on a GPS Unit.
All the other features are also very good at what they do and Garmin has put some serious thought into this unit, but it does need some refining in certain areas.
I have used the unit for 4 hours in my home “playing” with it and learning/setting it up. And yes I still have a wife. The battery was still at 40%. I feel that is great, but I did have the screen brightness set to 41%, since it was evening and dark.
The Route Planner is great for my line of work! It allows access to all different types of locations, categories, manual addresses, national parks, TripAdvisor, etc., and any Waypoints you have set including access to the Garmin Explore Waypoints. Garmin has thought of everything here. Super easy to create a route, edit a route, save it and navigate to it.
I will say that I'm disappointed that the built-in InReach satellite communication does not allow you to pull weather reports on demand. Not a deal-breaker but if the Garmin InReach Explorer+ can do it, this device should definitely be able to do it (on request) as Garmin touts this device as the ultimate outdoor, just about weatherproof, GPS Communicator to have with you and for $1,299 - well enough said.
It will give you the weather report, weather radar, road conditions, and Weather Alerts and you can set your favorite Cities for these reports.
There is no “Hey Garmin” or “Ready Garmin” Voice Commands on this unit like there were on the Garmin Overlander. So, Voice Control is nonexistent. But for me, I don’t care. I’m not talking to my GPS, as I set it before I leave and ensure my Waypoints are set and accurate. No need for voice – I have an iPhone for that.
There is not much out there to compare with the Tread Overland Edition(s), and Garmin knows it, hence their price point. It’s an OSS (One Stop Shop) for outdoor individuals and peace of mind with all the preloaded maps. I’m in IT and travel all over Northern Colorado and the mountains, so for me I felt maybe I could justify the price. I’m on the fence with the price but if Garmin can get everything working and the connectivity issue fixed with the iPhone, then I think I’ll keep this unit. I have 7 more days with it so we’ll see.
I've included a few screenshots. The map view shows with Bird's Eye View and one without. And a Road Conditions Report
If anyone has any questions, just let me know, because I have the unit here and there aren’t many of them out in circulation yet. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions.
Gregory Heidt
Boulder, CO
Living in Boulder, CO up at 8,600' is not an easy life as it is or was in the city of Sarasota, FL. Planning and Key equipment can mean the matter of life and death. The weather at this altitude is not to be taken lightly. I have seen the temperature drop 40 degrees in 3 hours up here a few times and the wind can be sustained at 35-50mph for days with gusts over 100, in the winter months and wildfires where we have to evacuate once. So having a device that "does it all" is important for me, my wife, and animals. There have been numerous times the power has gone out and my only means of communicating with the outside world was my Garmin InReach Explorer+ through texting (and "yes" we are working on installing a generator" to keep the satellite dish up).
The mountain maps on the TREAD of the Rockies are incredible and there is nothing else like it on the market except for "maybe" Gaia GPS. But Gaia, I found is not near as easy or friendly as the Tread Overland. The built-in maps have every trail off the main roads that pretty much exists. I'm not sure how they even found some of the trails. For some, that's not important, but in a situation where the road may be closed, getting to safety in the mountains using alternative routes could be life-saving. Maybe Gaia is a tad more detail configurable but you could always import the GPX files to the Tread.
Birds-Eye View is very nice - Overlaying satellite imagery on the map makes it come to life. But they do take up quite some space so invest in a large SD-Card, and I have also read in Garmin's documentation that large multiple satellite files in use can slow the device down - so be advised. I have 2 large maps (100 sq miles each) downloaded on internal storage and I have not noticed any issues with responsiveness.
The Tread Overland is very snappy and quick. Big difference over the Garmin Overlander. You won't be disappointed by its speed.
All the apps work quite well. I have not found any issues with any of them except what I listed in my review of "issues" posted here and sent to Garmin.
The touchscreen is a huge upgrade and now uses the same type of screen most newer smartphones have - providing a great touch response. The Screen Brightness is enough to blind you at 100%. In bright daylight - it's very easy to use but inside the vehicle, I find 80% is adequate. There is no "Auto Dim/Bright" feature other than "Dark Theme" which turns on automatically at dusk and off at dawn. And this is a user setting - either on or off.
There's also a built-in web browser which is fairly great - renders most sites I went to perfect and plays videos on websites too. I was surprised.
The ABC Functions are good and the Compass stays calibrated much better than the Garmin Overlander.
I like the ability to customize the home screen(s) with built-in widgets and buttons. Very nice for quick access to features that are users driven.
Traveling by air, load a movie on the Tread or on an SD Card and watch it on the 8" screen, and pair your BT Ear pods to it. Again, I can’t get over the clarity of the Screen on a GPS Unit.
All the other features are also very good at what they do and Garmin has put some serious thought into this unit, but it does need some refining in certain areas.
I have used the unit for 4 hours in my home “playing” with it and learning/setting it up. And yes I still have a wife. The battery was still at 40%. I feel that is great, but I did have the screen brightness set to 41%, since it was evening and dark.
The Route Planner is great for my line of work! It allows access to all different types of locations, categories, manual addresses, national parks, TripAdvisor, etc., and any Waypoints you have set including access to the Garmin Explore Waypoints. Garmin has thought of everything here. Super easy to create a route, edit a route, save it and navigate to it.
I will say that I'm disappointed that the built-in InReach satellite communication does not allow you to pull weather reports on demand. Not a deal-breaker but if the Garmin InReach Explorer+ can do it, this device should definitely be able to do it (on request) as Garmin touts this device as the ultimate outdoor, just about weatherproof, GPS Communicator to have with you and for $1,299 - well enough said.
It will give you the weather report, weather radar, road conditions, and Weather Alerts and you can set your favorite Cities for these reports.
There is no “Hey Garmin” or “Ready Garmin” Voice Commands on this unit like there were on the Garmin Overlander. So, Voice Control is nonexistent. But for me, I don’t care. I’m not talking to my GPS, as I set it before I leave and ensure my Waypoints are set and accurate. No need for voice – I have an iPhone for that.
There is not much out there to compare with the Tread Overland Edition(s), and Garmin knows it, hence their price point. It’s an OSS (One Stop Shop) for outdoor individuals and peace of mind with all the preloaded maps. I’m in IT and travel all over Northern Colorado and the mountains, so for me I felt maybe I could justify the price. I’m on the fence with the price but if Garmin can get everything working and the connectivity issue fixed with the iPhone, then I think I’ll keep this unit. I have 7 more days with it so we’ll see.
I've included a few screenshots. The map view shows with Bird's Eye View and one without. And a Road Conditions Report
If anyone has any questions, just let me know, because I have the unit here and there aren’t many of them out in circulation yet. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions.
Gregory Heidt
Boulder, CO