Cheap waterproof phone recommendations for motorcycle navigation?

[Paul Slater 0]

I'm loving MyRouteApp gold membership and have just bought the navigation app too after a decent few trial trips. Very impressed and have a few questions that I'll post elsewhere.

But my question today - after years of struggling with motorcycle SatNavs and the impenetrable usability of Basecamp I'd like to use MyRouteApp as a handlebar mounted satnav on an Android device - phone, or phone sized.

I'm not especially interested in the device's other features but I would require it to be 100% waterproof (I'm based in the UK) plus resistant to overheating while using maps (I'm planning a trip to Spain in a few weeks). A decent display brightness would also really help.

Any thoughts? I'm happy to buy a device second hand just to use as a satnav

Thanks in advance

[Michel van Hagen MRA-Founder]

@Paul-Slater-0 Not the cheapest, but very good: https://www.samsung.com/nl/business/smartphones/xcover/galaxy-xcover6-pro-g736-sm-g736bzkdeeb/

[richtea999]

This post is deleted!

[Bouke Ent]

i use a ulefone armor x10 pro. bought on amazon.

[Con Hennekens]

@Paul-Slater-0, @Michel-van-Hagen-MRA-Founder his suggestion is excellent. If you are looking for something cheaper, you can take a look at the xCover 7 too.

At the moment, if I had to choose to replace my CAT I would probably look for a NOKIA XR20. They are glove compatible and the screen is said to be operable in wet conditions. It's of course waterproof, and with a bumper case totally fit to do the job for not much $$.

As @Bouke-Ent suggests, if you are a little more adventurous concerning support and repairs, you can look for a plethora of Chinese phones, like Ulefone, Oukitel, maybe Blackview etc and probably get some higher specs.

[Con Hennekens]

@Peter-Schiefer, CAT is what I use myself. I checked their website however and it seems to be offline / expred certificate. Also Belsimpel (leading dutch phone shop) is not selling it any longer. So my guess is CAT has problems....

Not everyone wants an 8 or 9 inch tablet in their face. It would be even bigger than my windscreen . In fact in the Dutch GS forums many are selling their Carpuride 7" devices because they are too big. And the brands I mentioned all sell perfectly fine devices from around 200 euros with 6"+ screens that will be perfectly fine as long as you don't throw them around and need no support, but that is the tradeoff you make.

[richtea999]

@Peter-Schiefer said in Cheap waterproof phone recommendations for motorcycle navigation?:

@Con-Hennekens There are a few Military Standard smartphones for hard working conditions in minimg, digging, outdoor construction and building on the market. Caterpilar is one brand. Also and maybe a better solution is a 8 inch to 9 inch military standard tablett.
Google will help, but forget please cheap, quality for this standards and robustness has his price.

It's worth noting that most modern phones are waterproof (but not 'rugged').
If you just need waterproofing then check their IP rating. IP65 is good enough for use on a motorbike. IP67 is pretty common, almost overkill, and covers a lot of phones.

[Avery Jones]

Check out the Samsung Galaxy XCover or CAT phones (like the CAT S62 Pro). They're waterproof, bright, and handle heat well. Also, look at Kyocera DuraForce series. Pair one with a RAM Mount for a solid setup. You can find these second-hand at good prices.

[Neil Bartlett]

You may find having an extra phone meets your needs better but I just use my current everyday phone. To expand, I ride for all my personal transport needs. I also do delivery work, and long distance sport riding. To the tune of about 60,000km a year total. My iPhone is on a Quadlock charging mount, winter, summer, rain hail and Shine in New Zealand and in over ten years I have not had a problem. Sometimes, before the quad lock magnetic charger, I lost charging in heavy rain from the USB port for short times but Mag charging solved even that. I am about to change my system from Garmin to MRA Nav on an Android Tab for my main Nav, but will still keep the iPhone on the bars to run Waze at the same time for real time hazard warnings. Hope that helps.

[Con Hennekens]

@Peter-Schiefer said in Cheap waterproof phone recommendations for motorcycle navigation?:

The OEM mnaufacturer for the Cat Smartphones was Bullit, but the company went bankrupt early this year. > some Infos here
https://www.heise.de/news/Outdoor-Smartphones-Bullitt-Group-macht-dicht-9615128.html

Yes, I knew about Bullit, thanks for the info on their bankruptcy. I would not buy another CAT knowing that there will likely be no service for it anymore.

@richtea999 said in Cheap waterproof phone recommendations for motorcycle navigation?:

It's worth noting that most modern phones are waterproof (but not 'rugged').
If you just need waterproofing then check their IP rating. IP65 is good enough for use on a motorbike. IP67 is pretty common,

Yes that is certainly worth noting, hence my personal interest in the Nokia XR20. Also personally I would not settle for less then IP67, especially on naked bikes. Rainy circumstances with driving wind leads to water penetration very easily. But I agree that many "normal" waterproof phones are good enough for many people.

[verylatenighthotmail.com]

Purchased a waterproof (IPX7) wireless CarPlay or AA screen from Amazon. Mine is mounted to the steering head. Works with gloves and pairs to the headset. Once all paired, there is no fumbling from then on. Start and go. This one is USB powered to an outlet that is powered with the ignition. At least another option to consider.

[Nick Carthew]

@verylatenighthotmail-com Is the USB connection waterproof!

[verylatenighthotmail.com]

@Nick-Carthew on the back of the unit, the USB connection does not appear so even if the receptacle may be sealed. And depends on your method of power connection as well. My setup at the moment is plug-in and no issues.

https://a.co/d/005Rwl2o

[Erdna]

@Paul-Slater-0 Cheers from Austria,

I´ve travelled approx. 15k km now with my Fossibot F101Pro. Rugged, huge battery that lasts 10-11 hours with display switched on on highest brightness possible. It´s not a top notch item, but it fits my requirements of navigation running all day (in offline mode - I don´t have a sim card in it) and playing music to my HS. It cost me less than €150,-- on Amazon.

But: if you choose something rugged with huge battery, be aware that regular phone holders won´t work. Those beasts are bricks. And they are heavy! I use an SP Connect SPC mount. The universal interface is glued to the mobile with 3M 4936 - that is the stuff they use e.g. in Dubai to gloo the windows in the skyscrapers. I would not recomment using the standard adhesive that comes with those mounting solutions, because the will not be able to hold the weight and lose grip when temperatures get high!

Hope this helps.

Regards,
André