Worth the upgrade?

...not the only one waiting for Ray's review ;)

It's there now: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/07/garmin-edge-explore-2-in-depth-review.html

DC Rainmaker, DesFit and other reviewers seem pretty positive about the Explore 2 especially as to the price / value, it seems a nice compromise size between the 530 / 830 & 1030 / 1040. The software / user interface appears to be a direct derivative of the 1040 software and presumably the upcoming SW for 540 / 840 so there would be some optimism it will stay up-to-date as there would be minimal extra effort to maintain / enhance it. My regional Garmin website says "Ready to Ship in 5 - 8 weeks" (!) so I guess I won't be at the head of the queue but definitely very interested.

If you can't wait, the dutch Garmin reseller Waypoint has the Edge Explore 2 in stock: https://snelbalie.gps.nl/artikel:010-02703 (all in Dutch)

I have one already and are playing around with the new 'toy'. First impressions and experience are surely positive. I'm using the free OSM map OpenFietsMap Benelux though. Look at: https://www.openfietsmap.nl/ EU coverage, or smaller area's are available. Install options for Windows and Mac, so the maps are also available directly on the PC in Garmin Basecamp (or Mapsource) which is convenient for looking up activities (history) and designing new or modifying exsisting tracks or routes.

Routes designed in BC will not be played by EE2. The procedure is:

Convert route to track, upload track to Garmin Connect site, proces it there and than it can be uploaded to and used by the EE2.

Due to the preprogrammed activityprofiles it was still quite a job to get them functional for navigation.

Because of the anouncement that the EE2 was very usable also for touring, I bought one to have a faster unit then the Edge Touring I was using. It is a dissapointment for me up to now. Have my expectations for NEAR future updates.

No, the device is a disappointment
3 fixed activity profiles Offroad, Indoor & Road Bike.
No activity profile for normal bike or touring! No way to set up such a profile.
I have to post-process in GC after every ride. This is terrible.
A countless amount of bugs.
The only good thing is the really much faster route calculation.

Highrunner said:

The only good thing is the really much faster route calculation.

Wrong, it doesn't work on mine and some other explore 2 devices:

forums.garmin.com/.../calculating-0

M&B said:

it doesn't work on mine and some other explore 2 devices:

as I already said:

Highrunner said:

A countless amount of bugs.

I hope next firmware update will solve majority of those bugs... 

Whilst it does only have 3 profiles, you can rename them to whatever you like and set them each up with differing settings.