Garmin Zumo XT

[GeorgeStevens]

So I just returned home with the new Zumo XT! I fired it up, went outside and all I can say is . . . WOW! The screen is bright, beautiful to view, it's fast, simple to operate, LOADED with features, a great price point & the power cable is soooo much smaller than the bulky Zumo 595 was! If you are on the fence about upgrading to the Zumo XT, don't just walk . . . RUN and pick one up ASAP! I highly recommend it! I enjoyed my Zumo 595 but I will be keeping the XT!!

[Fallguy67]

I agree.

I upgraded from a 550 and there really isn't any comparison.

Turns out the issue I was having with the 550 may have just been the way the power cable was wired....but wouldn't give up the XT to go back now.

[rbentnail]

I have been seriously contemplating "upgrading" from the 595 to the XT simply for the screen but frankly, the XT section of this forum describing all the function bugs and work-arounds to actually use the thing have me on the fence. So, for you guys, have you actually used it for routing or are you too enamored with the screen? What quirks have you found? And what do you have to do differently from the 595 to make the XT functional? I've spent the better part of 3 yrs learning the 595 to make it reliable for me, am I going to have to go through all that again with the XT?

[jfheath]

For what it is worth Russ, I have both the 590 which I keep switching the software between 590 and 595, and I also have the XT.

You more than most know that I really put these things through their paces, and rather than complain about the way that it behaves differently, I find out how it works. It does behave differently, but the number of things that I believe are faults I can count on one hand and still have fingers to spare. I know what they are and I can work around them now I know what they are.

I use my XT much more than my 590, and I have wiring installed on the bike for both to run at the same time. My last multi-day trip in June, I left the 590/5 at home.

I like it now. Very much.

John

[electro_handyman]

I have both the 550 and XT, like John, I have both my bikes wired for both units at this point.
This last April I took a 10 day trip to Virginia and back, and other points in-between, left the 550 in the case because I had no issues with the XT I couldn't figure out. (Even the 550 had it's own qwerks when it was new for users to get used to)
I took both only because I only received the XT about 7 days or less before I went on the trip and it was still new to me.

To answer the question why did I get the XT in the 1st place: The 550 is getting long in the tooth as far as technology goes, mine is due for a trip to PalmDr if I decide to keep it as the internal battery is dead and the rubber power button boot is starting to tear at the edge. For the added features of the XT at the price point I was able to buy it at, I figured it was a good time to buy one.
Some may ask, 'why don't you just use your phone?' well, for 1) I don't have an unlimited data plan, 2) most trips I take are in the mountains or remote areas where cell reception is sketchy at best let alone any data reception for navigation( a friend of mine learned this the hard way- no cell reception/data, their phone wouldn't route) and 3) I want a nav unit that is designed for just that purpose-- navigation.