Turn by Turn Navigation with Courses

I don't have an Edge, but the 66i can do both Courses and Routes, which you can customize.

Both Courses and Routes provide turn by turn navigation.

Depending on which Edge you're using the screen size may not be all that much different. The 66i does not come with a mount, it would have to be purchased separately, unless you can use your existing mount.

As Like2Hike says, the 66i can do both Courses and Routes.

Courses are kind of like tracks (ie a list of track points) that the device will follow. If you use Roads & Trails navigation (Main Menu > Setup > Routing > Course Navigation set to Roads & Trails), you get turn-by-turn instructions. The unit will recalculate the path based on the routing information in the active map. The unit will try to match the calculated route to the path of the Course, but may deviate. This is basically the same as how the Edge devices work, these also use Courses.

Routes are a short list of route points, and when you navigate the unit calculates the path between the route points solely based on the active map, and the result may be very different from the path you originally designed. You also get turn-by-turn instruction when using Routes.

But please note that the 66i is very slow at calculating Courses and Routes, especially when the map is more complex or when the Course/Route is long.

Also not all maps allow routing for motorized vehicle activities. For example TopoActive maps do not allow route calculation for a motorcycle or car. You may need to purchase a CityNavigator map to use navigation for motorized vehicles.

Thanks for the replies.  It sounds like I will need to try this myself to 100% confirm it will do what I want it to do.

Yes, I'd suggest to try it out first as well. If your main use case is using it on a motorcycle, you may be better off with a Montana 700 series devices.

Ok, I tested my unit and agree.

You could convert the Course to a Route and get the turn by turn feature. On some Garmin watches, Courses do give turn by turn notifications. It seems on the 66 series Courses will notify if you are off or on course, and approaching a defined course point, but will not notify turn by turn.

Did you try it with both Course Navigation options (under Setup > Routing) that are available, Direct Path and Roads&Trails? Just curious as to better understand the differences between the various models.

Ok, folks, I figured some of it out. The Routing Setup menu described by JungleJim is for Routes.

If you create a Course on the Explore app, it won't provide turn by turn navigation (that's what I did on first test).

If you create a Course on the 66i, it will ask whether you want Direct Path or Road & Trails. Select Road & Trails (I didn't try Direct Path). Save the Course. When you select "Go" to navigate the course, it will provide turn by turn instructions.

How are you creating a course on the unit itself?  That seems very cumbersome. 

JungleJim's comment reminded me that when you create a course on the 66i, it asks for Direct Path or Road & Trails (ie, it's not taking the information from the Routes setup menu, because that's for Routes).

The Explore app doesn't ask that question when creating Courses, and that may have something to do with why it doesn't provide turn by turn. But I knew at one time I had tested Courses and I had turn by turn. I had done that directly on the 66i, when I first got it.

From the 66i Main Menu, select Course Planner, then Create Course. The 66i will ask the method of navigation question, and answer Roads & Trails. It will then have you select your first point. It will provide options to do so, and if you choose to use the Map, you are essentially doing what you would do on the Explore app, but you have to use scroll buttons to get to each point.

Hit Enter key for each point you want to add. When you're done, tell the device. Then when you select Go to navigate, you should get turn by turn.