Is it just me, or has Garmin made its mapping software way too complex, too costly, and unintuitive? I'm unable to see my charts on my MacBook for planning, and it's incessantly downloading updates. I am considering selling these plotters and just getting iPads and open-source maps. I am no longer seeing the cost/convenience benefit. I feel like I'm paying Garmin hundreds of dollars a year to annoy me and make data access hard. I spend hours on updates, failures, and other issues. I want to open a map, see it, and use it. I have reviewed some open-source maps that track nearly everything I see in my Garmin maps. I'm just marking locations, reviewing hazards, checking the water level, and navigating. I have been loyal, but I don't think Garmin has been the same to me. Heck, they don't even answer me. So, customer service is not a thing with Garmin; it doesn't exist. I have two Garmin Echomap Ultra's, a Garmin Force trolling motor, a Garmin Epix Pro watch, a Garmin Edge for my bike, a Garmin InReach, and several other Garmin devices...and I just don't know why. Because I don't have mapping problems with my Apple Watch or my iPhone, or my iPad. In fact, on this last fishing trip and this current hunting trip, I didn't even bring that stuff. My iPhone worked in a very remote region of Idaho with satellite texting (for FREE). My iPad worked fine as a test on Lake of the Woods, Canada, for muskie fishing. Garmin seems to be making their mapping dependent gear too costly and too unintuitive. Please tell me where I'm wrong.
