Review: Garmin Tread 2
Zac 12.10.24
Back country navigation has come a long, long way from the days of using a clunky handheld GPS bolted to your handlebars. In the past dozen years, sat nav devices have evolved, featuring larger displays with a touchscreen interface, and lots more built-in features to help improve your navigation capabilities. They can even know when the weather is bad enough to stay home. The GPS manufacturers had no choice but to improve drastically, because cellphone-based navigation apps now mount a serious competition. To fight back against that encroachment, Garmin has just launched its new Tread 2 back country navigation unit. It’s intended for vehicle-mounted use, with a 6-inch screen, several useful onboard apps; MSRP is $699.
Garmin sent me a unit to test this fall. Here’s what I’ve found out so far.
Garmin Tread 2: The Bullets
- Turn-by-turn routing on streets, highways, dirt roads and trails
- No-subscription satellite maps downloads
- Map installation similar to older Garmin Tread/XT GPS devices
- Intuitive Interface
- Users can control onboard cameras and music playback with the Tread 2
- Built for power sports enthusiasts in the back country, but also works as a street GPS for car or motorcycle
Garmin Tread 2: Installation
The Tread 2 is designed to be hard-wired to your snowmobile, ATV or UTV or other vehicle. Once installed, the Tread 2 runs off your ride’s battery and charging system, just like your stereo or headlights do. A built-in battery will power the Tread 2 when disconnected from the vehicle, but it’s intended to be connected to your onboard electrical system. The Tread 2’s mount is also a charging cradle, with wires running out that can be connected to your battery or another power source on your machine. Garmin provides terminals that you must crimp to the wiring; they also provide an inline fuse box that you can attach, to protect your device from a power surge.
The only real tricky part of installation is figuring out where you want to run the power supply wires through your vehicle, from its vehicle power source to, in the case of an ATV, your handlebars.
Garmin Tread 2: Software & Maps
For years, Garmin’s Basecamp app for Windows and Mac PCs was how Garmin users interfaced with their GPS. It’s possible to use Basecamp with the Tread 2, but Garmin recommends the device’s owners use its free Tread app for Android and Apple phones and tablets to manage routes, waypoints and tracks. This means a learning curve for people used to using Basecamp. Over the years, I’ve found that learning to use Garmin’s software and not their devices is typically the most difficult part of adopting a one of their new products. Their phone and computer-side software just isn’t as good as the stuff baked into their hardware.
On other Garmin hardware that uses the Tread app, users complained about the importing process for routes, saying their GPS routing changed between the points along their route. There are usually simple solutions to hiccups like these, but mastering this software can take a while. Some experienced Basecamp users may not be excited about changing to the Tread app and having to re-learn the tricks to planning routes and transferring to GPS without problems. I installed the Tread app on my Samsung Tab S7+ and found this large-screen, high-performance tablet was the perfect complement to this software. I suspect some of the other discontented users are running into trouble because of the hardware they’re installing the app on.
The Tread 2 is an off road-oriented device, but comes with City Navigator maps as well as OpenStreetMaps data for unpaved roads and trails. It also provides access to data from the USFS Motor Vehicle Use Maps, Garmin’s Adventure Roads and Trails network, a campsite locator, topo maps and forestry roads. There’s even snowmobile-specific maps; this is important, as those routes are not necessarily open year-round.
The Tread app allows you to design or download routes with turn-by-turn navigation, even on unpaved roads and trails. If you’ve paired the Tread 2 with a Bluetooth-enabled helmet comm, a voice on the comm’s speaker will tell you when to turn down the next forestry road/fire trail/whatever. This is space age stuff, compared to my old handheld hiking GPS; it’s also an update from the first-gen XT GPS I used for years, which relied on third-party services for some of this information (like iOverlander).
Riding around my local stomping grounds, I was impressed to see that the Tread 2 had maps for most of the local trails pre-loaded—but not all of them. But in cases where there were public-land or private-land trails that weren’t on the standard maps, I was able to download a satellite map that showed the trail cut through the forest. This satellite imagery is available without a subscription, which will keep thrifty riders happy. The images require a wi-fi connection to download, so make sure you’ve got this taken care of before you leave home.
Besides all the free maps, Garmin’s device and app also allow you to purchase a subscription to Outdoor Maps+. This pay-to-play service gives you a lot more information that’s critically important to some outdoorsmen: avalanche risk reports, slope angle details, hunting information and more. I did not purchase this package, but if I was hunting the mountains, or snowmobiling out there, I’d consider it carefully, especially if I was in an unfamiliar area.
The Tread 2’s pre-loaded maps also have public land boundaries for BLM properties, national forests and more, as well as private land boundaries and landowner information for properties that are larger than 4 acres. Want to know who owns the trails you’re curious about riding? The Tread 2 can help you find that information, and maybe open new doors for recreation.
Finally, the Tread 2 also allows you to share GPX files with your friends or even track them in real time, with its new Group Ride2 mobile feature. I didn’t go on group rides, so wasn’t able to test this, but I can see its value for ATV or snowmobile clubs. However, note that this feature requires an active Wi-Fi or mobile data connection; if you’re in the middle of the wilderness a thousand miles away from a cell tower, it won’t work.
The Tread 2 has sensors that interface with both the GPS and Galileo sat-nav networks, with 10 hz multi-gnss positioning constantly analyzing your location in real-time.
Compared to the joystick-and-button interface on my old handheld eTrex Legend HCx, the Tread 2’s touchscreen menus are much easier to navigate. Finding the device’s built-in Weather or Weather Radar app, the Traffic app, turning the Track Recorder on/off, controlling the Music Player (load MP3s to the device itself, or an SD card, or control a smartphone music app)—all easy. The Tread 2 even has an app for Garmin’s Dog Tracking devices, and you can control your vehicle’s light bars and sound system from the device, or onboard cameras. Instead of having to climb all over your ride to turn things on and off, you can control them from your Garmin, and that’s a very welcome feature these days.
The only place I ran into a hiccup was with music playback in my helmet comm. An older Sena 10U had trouble connecting; a newer Sena 50S connected without too much trouble, but the interface on the Tread 2 would recognize my phone, and recognize the helmet comm, but wouldn’t allow me to control the music playback.
This sort of hiccup is common with GPS devices and helmet comms; when I tested the Garmin XT (sort of an older first cousin to the Tread 2), I was told to be careful in what order I paired the phone and helmet comm to the GPS unit, or it wouldn’t work properly. I’m sure it’s the same with the Tread 2; I just haven’t had time to sort out the details, and I suspect an upcoming system update will sort the problem, if it’s a software bug.
Lots of onboard tech
The Tread 2 has more going for it than just being able to help you find your way. The device has a built-in barometric altimeter, and even a pitch-yaw gauge readout that helps avoid rolling your ATV. Garmin also sells a wired-in handlebar controller (MSRP $149.99 )that can be added to the Tread 2, allowing you to scroll through the menus without using the touchscreen. With the GPS mounted directly to my handlebar already, this wasn’t necessary and indeed would have made things more complicated by reducing the room on my bars. When winter’s chill sets in, I might want the controller, though—it would make it much easier to control the Tread 2 while wearing gloves.
On a sled or side-by-side with more bodywork, this controller would let you mount the GPS in your line of sight and forward of the handlebars, as you could manage it easily with the remote, instead of reaching awkwardly for the touchscreen. This is the exact setup I need on my Yamaha 1200 Super Tenere motorcycle—perhaps I’ll give it a go when riding season returns.
Build quality seems rugged
With an IPX7 waterproof rating, an IPX6 dustproof rating and most importantly for the clumsy user, a MIL-STD-810 drop rating, The Tread 2 is a tough piece of kit. The edges of its case are angled to avoid damage to the screen in a bump or tumble; the cradle mount offers a snug click-in fit, which doesn’t inspire confidence, at first. But, after using the same arrangement over hard miles on the previous Garmin XT, I can say it worked well for me in the past (and if you want, you can buy beefier locking systems from the aftermarket, which also prevent some potential thieves).
The only potential weak point I saw was the charging cord itself. I managed to break the conductive pins on the XT’s charging cradle, and when I grumpily ordered a replacement, I noted I wasn’t the only one who had this part break in what seemed like a short amount of time. It’s a similar design on the Tread 2. However, the Tread 2’s power cable does come with a USB power outlet, and the Tread 2 itself has a USB-C port. Presumably, if the power cradle itself malfunctioned, you could try the USB-C port as a backup (Garmin did not recommend doing this with the first-gen Tread). Also note that battery life is a claimed 7 hours, so even if you can’t charge while riding, you can at least get a good chunk of throttle therapy in while only relying on the Tread 2’s built-in power cells.
That 7-hour battery life would also allow you to use this as an off-the-bike GPS if you needed to navigate to a deer stand or back country hiking vista or whatever, as long as you don’t mind carrying the larger GPS instead of a smaller handheld. With a 5.3×3-inch screen (6 inch diagonal), and weighing 12 ounces, this is not made to sit in your pocket or be clutched in your mitts as you navigate a trail.
The Tread 2 is an all-weather device
This is one area where a dedicated GPS with dustproofing/weatherproofing beats a smartphone for navigation. While I wasn’t able to use the Tread 2 as a snowmobile nav unit (it wasn’t winter, and I don’t own a snowmobile,) I did use it in sloppy drizzle and had no issues with the touch-sensitive interface on the 6-inch screen. My Samsung phone, on the other hand, is almost always difficult to use as a nav unit once the rain starts.
Furthermore, the Tread 2 has very few edges, holes or corners for dust to collect. Compare that to a smartphone, with speakers and camera lenses and other orifices just waiting to collect fesh-fesh and clog up.
In closing
After playing around with it for a couple of weeks,I’ve only scratched the surface of this unit’s potential.
If you want the capability, ruggedness and power of a dedicated off-road GPS navigation device and you can afford its $699 MSRP, the Garmin Tread 2 is a good get. You’ll find it makes finding your way through the backcountry more fun. It’ll keep you more safe while you’re out on the trails, and get you home at the end of the day.
If you’ve already spent big bucks on your quad and you want to push yourself and your machine to more adventure, the Tread 2 can help.
