Garmin Acquires DeLorme

This is kind of sad. I have 3 Garmins, two for autos and one Colorado for backpacking. They all work but at times I have had “issues” with them, as they say in LA. IT was always nice to have Delorme as an alternative. I agree with John that it greatly reduces competition in this area.

I like the DeLorme beacon better than my Gen 3 SPOT for its texting ability so I hope Garmin doesn’t screw up DeLorme’s good features.

AND I hope Garmin can now have Nat’l Geo’s Trails contract for all Garmin topo GPS units. It was exclusive to Delorme until now.x

MY BEST FORECAST: Garmin will absorb the best of DeLorme’s features into its GPS units and have the DeLorme beacon as its new product line as Garmin has had no locator beacon previously.

from the press release (which is a 1,000% binding legal document):

“Garmin will retain most of the DeLorme associates and will continue operations at its existing location in Yarmouth, Maine. The facility will operate primarily as a research and development office and the team will continue to develop two-way satellite communication and cartographic solutions.”

This is likely a corporate survival strategy. Smart phones with better maps and cheap apps are killing the dedicated GPS market. But it’s likely too little too late.

billy

Can anyone tell me where DeLorme is in their product cycle? Specifically, when a new version of the SE might be released?

TIA.

I know I personally am very disappointed. I’ve opted for Delorme for years over Garmin and Magellan. We have a PN-60 GPS and an InReach. I’ve never been impressed with Garmin, and I’m afraid they’ll ruin the quality and the mapping capability that I’ve come to love about Delorme.

Can anyone tell me where DeLorme is in their product cycle? Specifically, when a new version of the SE might be released?

Greg, the inReach SE was launched three years ago, in April 2013, and the Explorer followed the year after. Delorme have been pretty slow to introduce any firmware or software updates, which is disappointing. Without the news of Garmin acquiring them, I’d have expected a new version of the SE this year. Maybe they’ll still introduce one next month, but I wouldn’t hold my breath… They seem to be treating this line as a cash cow.

If they are smart they will combine DeLorme mapping with Garmin hardware. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Garmin seems pretty backward to me. Cell phones are taking over the GPS market for backpacking because Garmin has been focused on controlling their proprietary mapping. If that continues we could get the worst of both worlds instead of the best.

billy

Stuart –

Thanks.

I’ll probably make a purchase in the next couple of months (Memorial Day Sale at REI) and want to feel like my timing is as good as possible.  I don’t mind surprises as long as I’ve done a bit of due diligence before hand. After that it’s just luck.

“I’ll probably make a purchase in the next couple of months (Memorial Day Sale at REI)”

“Discounts not valid on bicycles, hard-shell boats, paddleboards, any item with GPS technology, activity trackers, personal locator beacons, action cameras and accessories, avalanche transceiver and airbag products, skis, ski boots or ski bindings; snowboards, snowboard boots or snowboard bindings.”

Plan B?

Last year REI offered the SE and the Explorer at 25% discounts, during the Memorial Day sale. It’s not impossible they’ll do something similar this year.

“Last year REI offered the SE and the Explorer at 25% discounts, during the Memorial Day sale. ”

Yep. I’ll wait to see what May, 2016 brings.

Plan B (for an inReach) is REI at full retail. Instead of 25% off I’ll get 10%  off.  Works for me.

Well OK. Thanks for the correction.

You can get approx.13-15% off an Inreach depending on the model on sale at Defender.com. right now.