Trailer Tech took the world by surprise when they launched their brand-new Trailer Tech Voyager Pro nearly a decade ago. Yes, Garmin Montana was always there as one of the very best GPS options for motorbikes, but the Voyager Pro’s inclusion increased competition rapidly in an already competitive market.
Ever since then, GPS users have been divided under one question; Trail Tech Voyager Pro vs Garmin Montana — who wins? We did our research on these two fantastic GPS tools and came up with some very interesting discoveries. Time for you to get an in-depth idea about them!
Trail Tech Voyager Pro
Trail Tech’s Voyager used to be a great GPS device for a lot of motorbike users back in the day.
However, with the technological advancement in this sector, they simply had to come up with an upgrade. And that they did — the Trailer Tech Voyager Pro is indeed one of the very best GPS devices for off-road motorbike journeys as well as usual voyages.
Key Features
- A 4-inch anti-glare touchscreen display
- Rated IP67 in terms of water/dust intrusion
- Enables you to explore all the motorbike functions with ease
- Comes with detailed topography maps, support tracks, hill shading, and waypoints
- Can track speed using the wheel sensor and display the elevation, distance covered, temperature, and other conditions
- Unique ‘Buddy Tracking’ feature to keep track of a team of at least 20 people
- Comes with Bluetooth features for media controls, intercom, texting and calling
Buddy Tracking
One of the most unique features of Voyager Pro is the ‘Buddy Tracking’ option. Make no mistake, you won’t find a lot of GPS devices with this feature! The feature is essential too, especially if you’re out camping with a team or your family.
We tried it in difficult terrains like in the desert and in the mountains — including places that seem like you’re in the middle of absolute nowhere. Interestingly enough, the Buddy Tracking feature worked wonders and made sure the team stuck together no matter what the situation was.
They also have an ‘emergency beacon’ system which you can use to bring all the buddies together for any announcement. If you’re trekking or camping, anything unfortunate can occur, and the ‘Buddy Tracking’ feature can surely assist you if you’re in any kind of trouble and need immediate assistance.
Map and Media Screen
The map screen of Voyager Pro is also something many users have absolutely loved. Simplicity is essential with GPS devices since not everyone is a tech expert! To assist technophobic people, Trail Tech came up with an easy-to-read touch screen where you can use the map and explore other options.
Also, the screen is quite smart in the sense that you get to have all your necessary information on your home page, should you wish to. The map comes with zoom & scale features for ease of usage. They also have a shortcut button for accessing frequently needed features.
The media screen here is also fascinating. You can listen to various music all the while riding your bike if you simply connect the helmet headset and phone with the Voyager Pro — it will act as a media screen if you wish! Getting to control your phone safely while riding a motorcycle — seems like a dream, right?
Track and Route Management
What impressed us a lot is the mapping software of Trail Tech, commonly known as the ‘Ride Leader’. This very software made the whole track and route management very simple and effortless.
The program is quite easy to use, and you won’t be needing hours of prior training. A GPS device to plan your day-to-day ride; sounds crazy, no?
Garmin also came up with something called ‘Basecamp’, but in terms of usability- nothing beats ‘Ride Leader’. What we like about this software is that it helps you stay on the route always. Even if you make a wrong turn or go off-track, the GPS will guide you to the right track without any error.
Pros
- Simple and easy navigating system
- Goes well with other electronic devices
- The touch-screen is quite easy to use
- Buddy Tracking feature works wonders while camping
- Great for navigating on your motorcycle.
Cons
- Battery drains a lot of power quickly, mostly when ‘Buddy Tracker’ is on
- The docking mount doesn’t work well if dirty
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Garmin Montana
They’ve been one of the leaders of the GPS device market ever since they started this business. Garmin Montana is a brand that speaks for itself.
Like many other companies, they didn’t fade away after a quick success. Garmin Montana produces arguably the best handheld GPS units in the world. From the High-resolution display to the excellent GPS locating ability, Garmin Montana is a class apart.
Key Features
- Military-grade construction with a versatile mounting system
- Massive 5” full-touchscreen display for easy viewability
- Comes with an interactive SOS system
- Preloaded TopoActive maps and Multi GNSS support for enhanced navigation
- The navigation sensor comes with a barometric altimeter and a 3-axis compass
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enabled, also pro-connected with the ANT+ technology
- The device is compatible with the Garmin app and website so you get to easily manage different routes and waypoints
Massive Touch Screen with MIL-STD 810
There’s no other way to describe the gigantic touch screen of Garmin Montana other than saying ‘it’s huge!’ When we’re talking about GPS devices on motorbikes, we expect it to be a relatively small, barely noticeable electronic device.
However, that isn’t the case here, as the 5” touch screen easily makes them one of the biggest GPS tools in the world.
There’s a proper reason behind this too. If you’re traveling through unknown territories, you might have to take a look at a large area and most of its surroundings. For this purpose, a bigger screen might come in really handy. Unfortunately, the heavy size might be a bit of a hassle for you at other times.
However, if the GPS is mounted properly, the size shouldn’t be an issue, at least it wasn’t for us.
Another interesting thing about this GPS tool is that the glass and electronics inside it are quite fragile and are prone to various kinds of damage. Fortunately, Garmin Montana comes with MIL-STD 810 rating, which means it’s resistant to basic shock, water, thermal, or vibrations.
The screens used to be too fragile in the older versions of Garmin GPS, but the new ones have proven to be quite strong. The device is IPX7 rated, so accidental drops of water or even light rain won’t be an issue for it.
inReachSatellite Messaging
Even if you have a GPS signal and you know the nearby area, accidents or any unfortunate incidents can happen at any time.
For occurrences like that, Garmin Montana came up with their very own inReach satellite messaging system. This is a two-way unique satellite messenger that can send SOS. If you’re in trouble, all you have to do is press a button and message a nearby fire service authority or rescuers.
This two-way messaging is quite efficient, too, as you can text any person using a Garmin anywhere in the world. In many areas of the world, the cellular network isn’t that strong. You might need to send an emergency message, but your mobile device isn’t working — the customizable satellite messaging can come in handy here as well.
But that’s not just it! The inReach has the ability to provide weather reports too! Of course, both texting and weather reports will come at a cost, but if you go through Garmin Montana’s plans and get a decent one for yourself, chances are that you might get some free service too!
Super-Fast GPS Unit
End of the day, it’s a GPS device, so the priority of it should be to provide excellent service on that front. Lucky for the Montana GPS, its huge internal procession and multi-sensor platform makes it one of the quickest GPS units we’ve ever come across.
Considering location accuracy and the time required, this has to be the best GPS performance among others.
We tried testing it in different circumstances like outside, under a roof, in places without much cellular network, etc, and it turned out to be super-fast to both receive and refine the satellite signal. In many cases, it took the device barely a few seconds to acquire the first signal.
On average, it doesn’t take more than 15 seconds to acquire signals and figure out your location. The processing speed is also very smooth, we haven’t faced any lag time if we are, to be honest. Moreover, the hyper-sensitive sensors in this GPS unit enable it to quickly adjust directions and altitudes.
Pros
- Large display for simpler navigation
- IPX7 waterproofing to save the device from light rain
- Customizable and smooth home screen
- Fast, accurate, and effective reception
- Takes little to no time to acquire signals
Cons
- GPS unit is a bit bulky
- Price tag is considered quite high
- Music control isn’t useful
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Final Verdict
Now that we’ve gone through the details of both these two excellent GPS units, time for us to decide a winner in the Trail Tech Voyager Pro Vs Garmin Montana debate.
While we liked both of the devices, what stood out for us was how effective Garmin Montana was in terms of acquiring GPS signals — the main reason why people even go for a GPS device.
Even though we agree that Voyager Pro does have more interesting features, their Buddy Tracking did seem to be a very useful option. That being said, as a single GPS device, we believe Garmin Montana does have a slight edge over Voyager Pro. So that’s that — we have a winner, and it’s the grand old Garmin Montana!