My review of the Trail 2 GPS system from TwoNav, a great company making really quite good GPS devices that are simple to use, affordably priced and great for lots of different outdoor activities on foot, bike or vehicle.
Who are TwoNav?
Two Nav are a Spanish company who started out in 2001 designing tracking and activity software for paragliding and air sports. Their system was called Air.
Eventually they were asked to develop software for land activities which they called surprisingly Land. It’s essentially a mapping and activity program similar to Garmin Basecamp , Outdoor Active or Gaia GPS and similar desktop and app based products.
They then developed their own GPS device called the Aventura and they went from strength to strength expanding their range of devices for many activities from walking to biking and vehicle use.
For their full story go to their website https://www.twonav.com/en/the-company
Why have we not seen them before in the UK?
We have seen them, several years ago we saw OS (Ordnance Survey) branded devices in the UK. They were actually TwoNav devices branded as OS and never really got a foothold in the UK. Mostly because of poor promotion by OS and some reviews highlighted poor mapping from OS that really did not support the function of the devices well.
They are now available in the UK as standalone TwoNav devices with much better support and much more comprehensive mapping software without being tied to OS mapping and promotion. I first started seeing them again as TwoNav devices via my role as Equipment manager on the Spine Races where we would see the odd one appear.
I contacted TwoNav directly a few months ago and asked if I could have the loan of a device to test and evaluate so I can understand them better and advise on their suitability for Spine Races, as an alternative to current mostly Garmin and sometimes Satmap devices we typically see in the UK and at the other races I am involved in.
They were actually looking for new UK testers and ambassadors as they were extending into the UK again without the OS relationship link. They kindly gave me a device of my choosing for free if I would review and promote the device after testing. So yes I was given a free device and this has the potential to obligate me to say nice things but hopefully those who know me understand I have a reputation for being fairly honest with my opinions and will speak my mind. I hope that comes across in this review. I did buy accessories and additional bike and vehicle mounts from TwoNav with my own money to evaluate the device properly for all my activities.
Which device did I choose and why?
I chose the Trail 2 Plus device https://www.twonav.com/en/gps/trail-2-plus for a couple of main reasons.
- Screen size, the Trail 2 has the larger screen size of 3.7in and this is really useful in bad weather but particularly useful when mounting on a bike or in a vehicle where the unit will be further away from your eyes than if held in your hand.
- Physical buttons on the case, I prefer having some physical buttons on a device even if it’s a touchscreen device, as in bad weather or with gloves on it’s hard to get a touchscreen to work well. The Trail 2 Plus has 4 large buttons on the front and two on the sides which are configurable to suit your needs. By default they are Zoom in/out or + – in certain menus, the mobile style 3 dots to go through screens or various menus and a Back button. On the side there is a screen lock/unlock button and the other side a power button. All buttons are very easy to press with gloves on.
Maps
The device comes with open source mapping (OSM) for your region already loaded, in my case UK and western Europe came loaded. These maps include all the detail you expect including elevation contours, roads, tracks and building/features.
You can also buy full maps including 3D maps from the TwoNav mapstore online, including OS maps for the UK in the usual 1:25k and 1:50k scales at a similar cost as if you bought them for a Garmin Device or any other device for that matter. You can search for particular routes and regions and download small areas (tiles) as seen in the image below. Full map list here https://www.twonav.com/en/maps.
My device also came with a set of UK Tom Tom maps so that in car mode it can operate as a Sat Nav in your vehicle or on a Motorbike etc. Including voice commands though the speaker is a bit basic and it sounds like a 1990’s speak and spell. It does work though and you can even do basic postcode and address searches.
In use – what is it like to use?
Learning curve and User Interface
With any new device you are not familiar with there is always a learning curve to familiarise yourself with the menus and functions. Thankfully with this device and the TwoNav UI its really clear and simple to learn and use. They have gone for simple word based menus that do what they say and are easy to navigate even to the uninitiated.
I gave my TwoNav to Maxine, my girlfriend to test on some wet and windy Pennine Way walks to see how easy she found it to use. I showed her in 5 mins how to turn on the device, select the route and start the navigation. She found it really easy to operate and had no issue using it for a full day out on the trail and still had plenty of battery life after a full day out in the cold and wet. She recorded a couple of Videos for me.
Accuracy
I have several other devices from Garmin and Suunto and have found the Trail 2 Plus to be as accurate as the others I own. It operates on GPS, Beidou, Glonass and Galileo satellite systems.
It comes with a magnetic 3 axis compass that will know which direction you are facing even when standing still and if the device is tilted.
Navigation
The device is really easy to navigate with and has all the settings and features you would want or expect from a device like this. It has a 32GB internal memory for routes and waypoints storage. You can edit everything from the display colours, brightness and contrast to the line colour and thickness for the route on the map.
There is a good compass screen and you can set it to display any map format you want, Obviously I have it set for UK British National Grid.
Following a route is simple and it is quick and easy to go from turning the device on to selecting a route and pressing GO to start following and tracking. It can even do this neat thing (well I think so ) colouring each km on the route different in alternating colours which helps with visualising the distances as you progress along a route.
The device has an off route warning both visible and audible which are configurable as you would expect, this can be very useful in bad weather or if you are needing your hands free and it’s hanging off your pack without you closely monitoring it. You can set the distance at which it will warn you.
As you would expect the data and downloads are capable of syncing with all the most popular apps.
You can upload routes direct to the device via the app or Land Software, I have used my phone via the TwoNav link app which has been faultless each time.
Robustness
The Trail 2 Plus is reassuringly chunky in the hand and though it feels slightly plasticky in the hand it’s actually pretty sturdy and robust. The screen is the only thing vulnerable to scratches and knocks. To protect against damage I have added a screen protector bought from Amazon to stop scratches. The buttons feel nice and chunky and have a tactile click when pressed which is good.
The device is IP67 rated so fully water and dust protected and Mil Spec 810 tested for vibration and shock so should stand up to harsh use. It will operate in the -20c to +50c range.
Screen
The screen is a large 3.7in touchscreen and can handle 2 finger inputs like pinch to zoom and long touches for dropping location and waypoint or POI pins. It works well with wet fingers and gloves but obviously this is the nemesis for most screens and accuracy can be hit and miss with a wet screen or big gloves. It does however work better than my other touchscreen devices in the wet. However the majority of functions operate fine with the 4 main physical buttons. See video’s above where it has been used in the rain.
Performance in bad weather and cold
Even in the cold and wet it’s very usable with the touchscreen being supported with physical buttons for the main during navigation functions. Battery life is good in the cold (See below) and even in low sun conditions the screen is readable and clear. The touchscreen is not affected badly by rain and still works reasonably well to direct touch if the screen is wet.
Battery life
The device is fitted with a 4,000mah Lithium battery internally that can’t be removed though it can be charged on the go via the Micro USB port. However battery life is excellent and in testing it actually exceeded the 20 hours advertised. I left it on inside my van with limited view of the sky next to a window and it took 22 hours 35 minutes to run completely flat with regular button presses to simulate checking navigation and turning the screen on. That’s pretty impressive although obviously proper use will reduce that with more lit screen time but the 20 hours is a very realistic number. After a full 8 hours on the trail in the cold and wet there was still 45% left on the battery. That was with the device hanging off a clip outside in the rain. Obviously dependent on how many features you have turned on and how many times you turn it on and the brightness and duration of the screen settings. I would expect it to get 16 hours in normal average use and 18 hours if you don’t have the screen brightness high or the screen on often.
Charging
From a completely flat battery to the point of device shutdown (You get a warning beep just before) it took 2 hours 12 minutes to charge to 100% via a standard USB socket. That’s not too bad considering it’s only micro USB and not a type C port. I also tested the port when wet by pouring water into the port to simulate connecting a charging cable in the rain and it charged fine even with a wet port, something USB type C can struggle with. This means you should be able to charge in any conditions.
Live Tracking
It’s possible to link your mobile to the device and use it to share your location and have live tracking on adventures. This via their SeeMe feature. Great for safety whilst out solo on remote trails. You can make this public or share privately. Obviously this does require connection to your phone and some data connection to transmit your location but is as good as any similar system out there with the exception of dedicated GPS tracking such as Spot/In Reach
Accessories
There are lots of accessories available from TwoNav and their online shop. This includes cases, screen protectors, bike and vehicle mounts and various ways to attach it to a rucksack. All for sensible money, you can also get some from Amazon and get quick delivery.
With the mounting system being their own propitiatory system you wont find accessories outside of Amazon or TwoNav Direct but there seems to be a good stock amount and delivery only took a few days for the bits I ordered.
Support
Online support looks good and they responded quickly to emails I sent, there are plenty of FAQ and help pages on the website as well as tutorials that teach you how to use the devices.
App/Ecosystem/Go Cloud
The GPS device can be linked with the Go Cloud that saves routes and track and so on and these can all be accessed via any device including the phone app or Land \App on your computer. This is what TwoNav call their Ecosystem. You can sync everything so you have access to all your info and routes at any time on any device.
Summary
So what do I think overall?
As a handheld for hiking and adventures on foot, I think it’s excellent, Tough, easy to use, clear and reliable. It’s now my go to choice rather than my other Garmin touchscreen handheld. If I was worried about size and weight I would go for one of the smaller touchscreen only devices like the Cross Plus or Terra but I really like the buttons and large screen so the device suits me.
For my bike, If I did not have another bike computer I would choose this for long bike adventures and exploring off the beaten track. I do have a dedicated Garmin computer for my bike with off road maps on so for normal trail riding I would use that but for long adventures where I needed a detailed map I would take the TwoNav Trail Plus 2. The screen and general map is better.
For vehicle use, on roads and normal driving your phone is going to do a better job or a dedicated Sat Nav. However if you were travelling and doing many activities including some driving it would work. Off road driving on tracks and across remote areas in a 4×4 or on a motorbike then it would be a viable system for navigation and plotting and following routes.
Would I buy one with my own money in place of the normal Garmin offerings,?
Yes I think I would as its a little cheaper and therefore better value for money than some competitors. The larger screen and buttons and really long battery life really appeal to me.
I will spend lots of time over the next few months using it and updating small videos and longer term views on here as edits from time to time.
If anyone needs a discount code then please email me at
adventures@challenge-running.com
Please feel free to add comments or give feedback, do you have a TwoNav device and agree or disagree with my views?
Thanks. Great information on a little known GPS. I am looking to buy a GPS that covers both Road & MTB cycling and now considering a Twonav Gps
They do a few smaller device more suited to bikes with smaller screens like the new ROC although I like the bigger screen of this one, especially when just glancing down.