Garmin has announced the RV-775 and it looks like it’s going to make a big difference to your road trip journeys with the inclusion of Hema Maps. On top of giving you accurate information about roads that are suitable for your Caravan, RV, Trailer, Boat or whatever you're hauling it now includes Hema’s  1:150k TOPO Map. You can buy the RV 775 for $599 AUD and it’s available the first week of August.

Give me the highlights

I'll list the main features of this device in short form if you're just having a browse. I’ll go into more detail about them and some other features but if you need a summary about what’s this device has to offer look below:

• Preloaded Hema 150K TOPO Maps of Australia
• Hema Points of Interest
• Custom Routing for Caravan, RV, Boat or trailer based on size and weight
• Edge-to-Edge display
• Live Traffic Updates, weather, reviews for points of interest and suggested attractions
• LiveTrack feature- share your location live so friends can track your adventure
• Driver alerts for steep grades, sharp curves, bridge heights, weight limits, etc.
• Handsfree navigation Bluetooth handsfree calling, voice activation

The big feature here is the Preloaded Hema 150K Topo Maps. Hema maps have never been available on a Garmin device so the RV 775 will be the first. Hema Maps are the most prominent dealers based only in Australia for outback maps. Hema has a sole focus on Australia and as such their maps have a lot more information on them. This might not seem like much but can make a massive difference to your road adventure. Having information accurate information about Australia huge number of off-road tracks is a big deal, but you will also have access to Hema’s POI database with facility information available across a massive amount of campsites across Australia.

I see there is a previous model the RV770 is it worth it to save some money?

The RV 770 LMT-S and the RV- 775 MT-S are almost identical except for one difference, Hema maps. That’s the only question you need to ask yourself, do you need access to roads, trails and options only available on Hema’s top-rated mapping software? If not then the RV-770 will be your best option, it’s cheaper than the RV 775 as there is no mapping license cost to Garmin and has all the same features.

Navigating and Setup

The RV-775 when you’re first setting it up will ask for a profile of your device. This information will include weight, size and type of vehicle (trailer, no trailer). This will make an impact on how what options are available when routing, you will also be able to explicitly request road avoidances like U-turns, ferries, unpaved roads, etc.).

The GPS is designed to make travelling as Caravan as comfortable and safe as possible. You will have access to a plethora of information and reviews on restaurants, campsites and attractions via Hema’s POI database alongside Tripadvisor and FourSquare.  You will have access to searchable interest points like rest areas, caravan parks, petrol stations, camping grounds, general convenience stores, parks, historical locations, hospitals, lookouts, man-made attractions, mechanics and more. As I mentioned many of these points previously will also have extra information about them like facilities available (camper trailer site, cabins, EFTPOS, showers, toilets, etc.). If you're looking for a reversing camera solution the RV 775 is also compatible with the Garmin BC30 Wireless Reversing camera,

Overall

The original RV-770 was better for caravan driving and trailers driving than Hema-HX1 as it could add custom vehicle profiles and software was more robust than the Hema device. The RV-775 is a step up again combining the best of both worlds with Hema’s prevalent mapping solutions and Garmin’s GPS experience.