What is the difference between a route, track and course on a Garmin GPS unit

[@StefanBackes]

Slowly clearing up... ;-) Thanx.

[@howieb2001]

Clearly explained as always, thanks. I have used Garmin devices for 30 years but am still often baffled by their software. If only someone could write a book "Garmin for Dummies" explaining how Connect, Explore, Basecamp, Express, IQ, tracks, courses, routes and collections all work together. I'll buy it.

[@JungleJim001]

Great explainer, one addition on using Courses: the navigation experience depends on how you have configured your Garmin outdoor handheld. If you have the device configured for Direct Path course navigation, then the navigation experience is like with a track: no turn-by-turn instruction, alert when deviating from the path. But you can also configure the device for Roads & Trails course navigation: then the navigation experience is similar to navigation with Routes: turn-by-turn instructions and a path that is calculated based on the active (routable) map. So a course is a bit of a combination of a track and route, which unfortunately does not make it easier for users...

[@dannydivine7699]

@JungleJim001 are you referring to Routes, Tracks, and Courses created on your mobile device directly? Vs GPX files from another device / source, would your mobile device not then FOLLOW the Route, Track, Course defined by the GPX file it was generated from????

[@JungleJim001]

@@dannydivine7699 GPX files can contains routes or tracks, but not courses. Courses are in a different file format with a FIT extension. So if you use a GPX on your Garmin outdoor handheld you either get the track navigation experience or you get the route navigation experience, depending on whether the GPX file contains a track or a route. Most GPX files are tracks however.

[@manxmusician]

So for non-routable maps such as OS maps outside the national parks, there is little difference between routes and courses given you’ll be using direct routing in navigation settings. The only difference is the file formats (GPX and FIT). If you use a routable map then depending on how you’ve configured the device, it gives you an option to follow direct paths or roads and trails when you load a course. Still all very confusing!

[@JungleJim001]

@@manxmusicianit doesn't make much sense to use a route if you use non-routable maps. As Routes contain much less points (max 50) than Courses (or Tracks) you will just get direct lines between these points. A Course (usually) contains much more points so that will result in a detailed path to follow on a non-routable map. So with a Course and routable maps you have the choice for using it as a track (just follow the line) or get turn-by-turn instructions and recalculation back to your course when you get off course.

[@marekweglorz5871]

The huge benefit from 'a track & a course' it is that all "high&down points & the nearest Waypoints" are marked with the additional icons on the maps and they're also listed in the 'Active route' menu. It is a really nice feature that is not present in 'a route'. The only drawback of this is that in my handhelds eTrex&Oregon there are no 'turn-by-turn' instructions (which surprisingly were present in an old Garmin Colorado device, though). BTW, for turn-by-turn of a track, one can use the Komoot - a second party IQ app.

[@dannydivine7699]

So is a "Course" silent? Does a course still support 20k points?? Why does Garmin have to complicate simple things so much? It doesn't appear in my Foretrax 801 as a course even though I'm pretty sure it was the connect app I was finally able to get connected to my Foretrax 801 via my phone.

[@JungleJim001]

a Course in itself is not "silent", it depends on how you have configured your device (for Direct Path course navigation or Roads & Trails course navigation). Note that this does depend on the actual Garmin device. I'm not familiar with the Foretrex 801 but a quick look at the manual makes it look like it doesn't support Courses. Courses come from the Garmin fitness devices (like smart watch and cycling computers), and for some outdoor handheld models like GPSMAP 66, 67 and Montana 700 Garmin added support for Courses.

[@dannydivine7699]

@@JungleJim001 No the Foretrex has no maps on board at all, so no you can't set it for direct path vs Roads & Trails, its only direct path point to point, it will project a waypoint at a heading and a distance I believe. That's why I'm trying to use pre existing / out sourced GPX files. It will record tracks as I free form travel also.