Which portable GPS do I need?

[MBDiagMan]

70 miles out is a pretty good distance, but if there are lakes like there are in my area that you are familiar with I can see how you can make it home VFR no sweat. What if you had been far from home in an unfamiliar area? Did you have paper charts or some other fallback position?

 

[asicer]

No other Garmin stuff in the plane and I use the iPad for a lot more than just flying. Plus, I really like how easy it is to flight plan on FF and file the plan. For me, the iPad and FF is the clear winner.

Aha! So the database cost was not the only reason after all...

I stayed away from the Aera 660 for one reason, the database update cost.

 

[Daleandee]

70 miles out is a pretty good distance, but if there are lakes like there are in my area that you are familiar with I can see how you can make it home VFR no sweat. What if you had been far from home in an unfamiliar area? Did you have paper charts or some other fallback position?

Yes

 

[c177tx]

I’ve never had it overheat in flight even in periods of direct sunligh

Well here is one of the track's of a flight were the Ipad failed. And sir I am not being silly, It has happened to me several times. I have had it mounted on an Ipad lap pad, I have had it happen while mounted on the yoke. All in the same positions the Aera 660 has been mounted. The Aera 660 has never failed me and that is a fact. The Ipad has failed me several times. I still use the Ipad for flight planning, then send it over to the Aera now.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I know that area. My granddad ranched at Blanco.

I find your luck with your iPad amazingly bad. I’ve used two different iPads in the last ten years and have never seen it happen even once. Have used it in high and low wings both. My youngest daughter lives at Dripping Springs.

 

[farangutan]

I have had my iPad mini 5 and the iPad mini 4 before it overheat once. Two weeks ago my friend’s iPad swelled up (battery pack) inflight bulging the glass out! I told him that’s an inflight fire hazard. Location: Florida
The best equipment is what you work with most effectively.

 

[172andyou]

I understand that a lot of people use tablets and ipads primarily, it just seems scary to me. Maybe as I use my tablet more I will have more confidence in it, but I'll probably always be wondering not if but when the darn thing is going to freeze up or something. I would just like to have one more option.

In my experience iPads freeze up vastly less often than android tablets, bordering on never. Maybe part of your apprehension is because you're on an unreliable platform. So, against the rules of your question, I'm going to also recommend iPad and foreflight.